Do You Prefer a Cinematic Combat System?

[Mark]

I don't feel like going through every post and trying to inferr their definition of what "cinematic combat" means.

No one has asked you to do so.

 

[ThirdWizard]

No one has asked you to do so.

I think you misunderstand. I'm simply stating that I don't think most people in this thread are using a single definition of cinematic combat. To prove that, I would have to actually go through all of them and figure out the statistics of who thinks what and compare the percentages. Instead I simply took three posts that had greatly diverging definitions and pointed out that there isn't one encompassing definition to point out that I'm not just making stuff up to be difficult.

 

[Mark]

I think you misunderstand. I'm simply stating that I don't think most people in this thread are using a single definition of cinematic combat.

Why would they need to do so? It certainly isn't required.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Why would they need to do so? It certainly isn't required.

For the poll results to be looked at in any kind of context it is. As of this post, the poll results are 13 yes and 9 no. As it stands, we can't make any inferrances from this. Now, of course, holding up any poll result on ENWorld (or anywhere else with self-selecting polls) doesn't have any true representative information on the trends across the roleplaying community, but there is even less accuracy with this poll.

Since people can define cinematic combat differently than each other, one person's yes is another person's no. One person's no is another person's yes. It means the poll results aren't representative of anything. If person A defines cinematic combat as opposed to tactical combat and hates the tactical aspects of D&D, then he'll vote yes. If person B defines cinematic combat as roleplaying during combat and loves tactical combat, he might vote yes as well.

So, it isn't required for two people to share the same definition of cinematic combat, but it is required for a common understanding of what is being asked in a poll for the poll to make sense.

EDIT: I point this out only because I know there will be more polls down the line and for their benefit.

 

[Mark]

(. . .) but it is required for a common understanding of what is being asked in a poll for the poll to make sense.

I disagree in a general preference poll. In fact, I think it would be counter-productive to overly define terms or to give more than two options for a general preference poll.

 

[Seeten]

Didn't vote due to not understanding what is cinematic combat and what is not in this context.

 

[The Shaman]

I can't answer this. The question isn't defined, and there need to be more choices in the poll...


...just kidding.


Yes, I prefer more cinematic combat systems - in this context, by cinematic I mean abstract as opposed to granular (what some gamers call "realistic"). I'm not a fan of d20 feats that allow characters to perform Hong Kong action cinema-style moves, but I don't think 'cinematic' combat (and other bits of derring-do) is or needs to be as over-the-top as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Kill Bill (vols. I or II). A character who is gravely wounded but still able to fight back effectively is cinematic, and represents my comfort zone.

I've played games with granular combat resolution - two of my favorite games include wound effects, hit location, limb disables, and so on. However, overall I prefer more cinematic systems.

 

[barsoomcore]

Kill Bill is cinema.

So is Rashomon.

So is The Wild Bunch.

So is Jarhead.

And they all have drastically differing view on what the experience of combat is like. Cinema is a broad, deep river that flows everywhere and can mean anything.

I vote "Yes". Because I like movies.

 

[Agback]

Do You Prefer a Cinematic Combat System?

What Do You Mean By 'Cinematic'? I Would Naturally Take It To Mean 'Like What You See In The Cinema', But That Is Not Very Helpful Given How Very Different From One Another Movies Are. I Would Like A Combat System That Emulated, Say, Casablanca. Would That Count?

 

[Agback]

If someone feels they need to qualify their answer further, beyond the poll, by narrowing the general definition of a particular term, they are free to do so in a post.

Oh thank you, mighty one! You have bestowed upon me the blessing of freedom of speech! :notworthy: