Fun vs. Reality: a false dichotomy?

[Diamond Cross]

The big thing they're forgetting is this:

D&D is meant to be escapist entertainment.

It is also meant to emulate movies, Tv, and literature. Which, for the most part, are also escapist entertainment.

You can not have something like LOTR or Star Trek if you want reality.

But even many cop and crime shows are still meant to be escapist as well, so they use Hollywood physics. A rope can be parted with one single bullet, regardless of caliber. A sword or a quarterstaff can be hacked right through with another sword.
A single twenty two bullet can cause a man to be blown through a wall. You can not safely shoot off a cowboy hat without injuring the person wearing it.

If I want realism, I'll watch a documentary.

You can not have things like Orcs, and Goblins, and Magic Missiles, if you want realism.

So of course, I always balk at the attitude that things must be realistic.

 

[Glade Riven]

I have never seen a real RPG. Realism is physics, and since I hate advanced mathematics, screw that.

It is not about being real. It is about feeling real, which is probably what people are talking about, but "realism" is a loaded term, so I prefer to clarify. My favorite term comes from the animation industry and other creative arts: Suspension of Disbelief.

Suspension of Disbelief simiply means "does this thing have some basic internal logic on why things work the way they do?" There are several different approaches to this: Narratively and Mechanically. Campaign Settings, suppliments, and a whole lot of DM work goes into narrative sense. Mechanically, that is what the rule systems are for. Table top RPGs need both.

Where Suspension of Disbelief is weaked is on certain rules that exist to make gameplay work, but don't necessarally make sense to a person. These hangups are usually minor, but minor things can grate the most. For some people, Vancian magic weakens Suspension of Disbelief. Usually, this is because literary magic doesn't work that way (magic in literary works are plot devices, although they may be dressed up with a general idea of a system). For others, it is the inability to rectify wounds with HP. It varies, and is one reason why different systems appeal to different people.

Fortunatly, with a bit of creativity the weaknesses in the mechanics (which are unavoidable and happen with any system) can be glossed over Narratively. 3.5 core books suggested personalising how a spell is cast instead of just saying "I cast Magic Missile." Something like "Mumbing foul words in an ancient tounge, I raise my left hand. Sparks of pure light flicker and squirm through the air from my fingertips, culminating with these magic missiles coalescing on the brutish orc" is more like it.

And yes, sometimes a DM has to cheat. But it's like being a magician or performing sleight of hand - if you do your job right, nobody will know the difference.