Forgotten Realms "Canon Lawyers"

[Maggan]

When I get a setting, I blow it up.

When I run a setting, my players blow it up.

They wreak such havoc that it is impossible to adhere to a static canon, and still keep my sanity.

They want an interactive world, where they can change stuff. I give them that. And the ungrateful sods then go around changing stuff! For fun!

The horror!

/M

 

[Obryn]

Force? Who's forcing?

I said "could" and "might." They might not - and I'd be fine with them not playing.

As it stands, though, questions like this are precisely why I don't run games in the Realms. If I'm homebrewing or running an alt-history game (like that SW game I mentioned), I don't have to worry about setting canon lawyers thinking I'm deviating too far from the norm. It's another mark against using the setting for gaming, in my book.

-O

 

[Obryn]

When I run a setting, my players blow it up.

They wreak such havoc that it is impossible to adhere to a static canon, and still keep my sanity.

Oh, yeah, that too.

The entire northern half of the Diamond Throne setting was unrecognizable by the time my players got done mucking around with it.

-O

 

[Bumbles]

Force? Who's forcing?

Well, I do feel you were coming on a little too strong with your "missing out" line, and I consider that to be akin to the things being forced upon me I've experienced in my life. Perhaps you don't mean it that way, but it does remind me of those situations.

Sell your game on its own merits, don't try appeals like that. I find them rather distasteful and coercive. YMMV, you may not have had the same experiences with it as I have.

It's another mark against using the setting for gaming, in my book.

And for some people, that is a mark against you. Some people like authenticity more than others. Go figure. It's all good, we can play our games, and not badger other people, for either wanting to make their games more authentic or for wanting our games to be more authentic.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Force? Who's forcing?

I said "could" and "might." They might not - and I'd be fine with them not playing.

As it stands, though, questions like this are precisely why I don't run games in the Realms. If I'm homebrewing or running an alt-history game (like that SW game I mentioned), I don't have to worry about setting canon lawyers thinking I'm deviating too far from the norm. It's another mark against using the setting for gaming, in my book.

-O

But what's the difference between SW and FR in this case?

One players will take no matter how far it deviates from the norm and the other players won't?

BS.

 

[Bumbles]

But what's the difference between SW and FR in this case?

No GM can conceivably mess up SW more than George Lucas has already done.

Really, the guy ret-conned his own fricking movies!

 

[Obryn]

Well, I do feel you were coming on a little too strong with your "missing out" line, and I consider that to be akin to the things being forced upon me I've experienced in my life.

...and that's not really at all what I meant.

But what's the difference between SW and FR in this case?

One players will take no matter how far it deviates from the norm and the other players won't?

BS.

Judging from this thread? Maybe so! Maybe not, though - I have no idea!

Near as I can tell, and from the responses I've seen on both, people seem a lot more open to ripping apart the Star Wars setting and lighting it on fire than they are the Realms. I think part of the thrill of alt-history settings is seeing familiar characters in unfamiliar roles, and I'd love to see it work for the Realms, too!

Actually, that's a good idea for a thread... to be continued...

-O

 

[Bumbles]

...and that's not really at all what I meant.

Perhaps you don't mean it that way, but it does remind me of those situations.

Did you miss that? Should I have emphasized it more?

Near as I can tell, and from the responses I've seen on both, people seem a lot more open to ripping apart the Star Wars setting and lighting it on fire than they are the Realms.

Lol, knowing some Star Wars people as I do, they would be less fine than you might think.

Others, of course, just say "Lightsabers? WAHOO!!!"

I think part of the thrill of alt-history settings is seeing familiar characters in unfamiliar roles, and I'd love to see it work for the Realms, too!

There's a significant difference between an alt-history Realms and a non-authentic one such as might offend the proverbial canon-lawyer. The intentional change is one thing, the unintentional is another.

Besides, I'll note that in my experiences with Alternate history, they're as apt to beconcerned with getting an accurate basis to begin their divergence as any historian. Check out soc.history.what-if for examples.

 

[Obryn]

Lol, knowing some Star Wars people as I do, they would be less fine than you might think.

Others, of course, just say "Lightsabers? WAHOO!!!"

There's a significant difference between an alt-history Realms and a non-authentic one such as might offend the proverbial canon-lawyer. The intentional change is one thing, the unintentional is another.

Besides, I'll note that in my experiences with Alternate history, they're as apt to beconcerned with getting an accurate basis to begin their divergence as any historian. Check out soc.history.what-if for examples.

Right, but the earlier the divergence in a fictional setting, the lower the amount of canonical material a prospective DM would have to familiarize themselves with. So it's not zero homework by any means - but after that point, there's basically no such thing as canon.

I've decided to toy around with the idea here.

-O

 

[Bumbles]

Right, but the earlier the divergence in a fictional setting, the lower the amount of canonical material a prospective DM would have to familiarize themselves with.

Which comes at a price of being potentially less interesting. It's a balance between "familiar, but different" and "totally changed" which can bite you, or help you, depending on how you spice up the soup so to speak. And of course, whoever you're serving it to.