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<blockquote data-quote="edemaitre" data-source="post: 3116532" data-attributes="member: 3372">Homebrew vs. published settingsFirst off, I must admit to being a worldbuilding Game Master, with more than 5,000 years of continuity running from heroic fantasy through steampunk, modern/superhero, cyberpunk, and space opera eras. Much of it is in outline form, but each genre/setting is detailed through years of interaction with Player Characters in various rules systems. When recruiting, I've been able to describe each in one or two paragraphs. I've owned many of the D&amp;D/D20 settings at one time or another, and have used them heavily for inspiration.As a role-player, I appreciate the certainty of having options laid out for character development in published settings and the flavor/detail that they offer. However, a bad D.M. or player group can result in forced storylines, hack-and-slash roll-players skipping over potentially interesting Non-Player Characters and plot threads, and metagaming abuses, regardless of whether a setting is homebrew or published. Does a first-level P.C. ever really know the world he's about to begin exploring or know where he'll end up?A good collaboration between a G.M. and players should result in believable adventures and characters with enough internal consistency to sustain a serial narrative over many sessions but enough flexibility to provide a sense of wonder. Just as a G.M. can surprise his or her players with a novel bit of setting, story, or N.P.C.s, so too can players help develop a world through creativity and clever tactics/strategies. I'd say give homebrews a chance, but let the group and your G.M. know your expectations and preferences upfront.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="edemaitre, post: 3116532, member: 3372"] [b]Homebrew vs. published settings[/b] First off, I must admit to being a worldbuilding Game Master, with more than 5,000 years of continuity running from heroic fantasy through steampunk, modern/superhero, cyberpunk, and space opera eras. Much of it is in outline form, but each genre/setting is detailed through years of interaction with Player Characters in various rules systems. When recruiting, I've been able to describe each in one or two paragraphs. I've owned many of the D&D/D20 settings at one time or another, and have used them heavily for inspiration. As a role-player, I appreciate the certainty of having options laid out for character development in published settings and the flavor/detail that they offer. However, a bad D.M. or player group can result in forced storylines, hack-and-slash roll-players skipping over potentially interesting Non-Player Characters and plot threads, and metagaming abuses, regardless of whether a setting is homebrew or published. Does a first-level P.C. ever really know the world he's about to begin exploring or know where he'll end up? A good collaboration between a G.M. and players should result in believable adventures and characters with enough internal consistency to sustain a serial narrative over many sessions but enough flexibility to provide a sense of wonder. Just as a G.M. can surprise his or her players with a novel bit of setting, story, or N.P.C.s, so too can players help develop a world through creativity and clever tactics/strategies. I'd say give homebrews a chance, but let the group and your G.M. know your expectations and preferences upfront. [/QUOTE]

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