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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Majoru Oakheart" data-source="post: 4110378" data-attributes="member: 5143">I'm not sure I see the problem with designing the game that people want to play rather than designing a world that might be no fun to play at all.Designing from a point of view of "realism" first, mechanics after creates situations like we've had in past editions that I hear people complaining about all the time:-Playing a fighter is boring since all you can do is swing a weapon over and over again.  But it makes sense, because someone without magical powers can't do anything more extravagant-Player a cleric is boring since all you do is heal.  But it's realistic since it takes time to chant a prayer and put your hands on someone and there's no way for a non-magical class like a fighter to heal itself-Save or die is no fun, you spend a year playing the same character and building him up to 15th level only to drop dead on the first round of combat against a random encounter.  But it's realistic since creatures that turn you to stone should either work or not, no inbetween.Designing the other way around creates the exact gameplay experience that people want in exchange for having to explain it in a way that might be a bit of a stretch.Instead you get a situation where someone sits down and says "Wouldn't it be cool if there was a class where you could coordinate your allies in a way that made them better.  To actually be the battlefield commander.  You could inspire them to greater heroics, get them into tactical positions and inspire them to keep going after taking damage."  And you end up with the Warlord.  Which is a fun class to play.  Once you roll for initiative and start thinking about how best to use your powers, you realize that there is a gameplay experience that is rather unique, new, and fun to play.It, however, wouldn't be possible if constrained to the first way of designing.  The first way of designing says that just talking to someone can't bring back hitpoints, move people into a position faster than they could get there themselves, or give allies abilities they didn't have before.  That just doesn't make any sense.  Only magic can do that.And that's a shame to miss out on fun simply because fun isn't allowed to happen if it doesn't "make sense".</blockquote>

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