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Message: <blockquote data-quote="eyebeams" data-source="post: 1986155" data-attributes="member: 9225">The first post was certainly badly weighted. I'll chime in about the flaws in self-consciously "consistent" campaign settings:1) Many of these settings have a stereotyped view of the history (or traditional stories) they model or draw inspiration from. Here are some examples:*Contemporary racism was extremely rare in precolonial times. Bigotry was based on national and religious lines instead of physiology -- the idea that inherited ethnic traits were the basis for discrimination was almost alien. People of colour travelled throughout Europe and Europeans travelled throughout Africa. But most games use contemporary racism as the model for species conflict in D&D.*More democratic alternatives to feudalism were known and attempted in multiple instances and in many cases nobles were elected by proxy or even directly. But most games only give feudalism and despotism a place in the campaign.*Europe and China have had self-conscious, vigorous trade since Roman times. But most games treat an Asia analogue as being separated and mysterious.*Mordred as the son of Arthur is a later invention. Previously, he was a rival lord from the Orkneys. Also, Guinevere used to be a villain. But most games use the later tales of Arthur.2) Setting-conscious games fail to deal with the existence of magic and the supernatural, or even the heroic bias of the rules. To wit:* If studying a fighting method in a contemplative environment gave people supernatural powers, there would probably be monks.* Flight and the ability to deliver devastating ranged attacks (like spells) rationalize dungeons quite well. Afghanistan and Iraq have plenty of such complexes.* In a world where a strong warrior can defeat dozens of enemies, combat between champions takes on a greater role.* In a world where teleportation and plane travel exist, societies become more cosmopolitan.* In a world where magic items can be manufactured, an economic system arises to take advantage of buying and selling them -- magic shops, in other words.Instead, many "realistic" settings are self-consciouly ignoring the variety that real history, historical myth and the supernatural offers.</blockquote>

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