This sounds like the Simulationist (immersion in alternate reality) vs Narrativist (Edwards' Story Now) conflict of the Gamist/Narrativist/Simulationist design model. I guess I definitely prefer the second as a player, OTOH as GM the first is much easier to do as GM, and my attempts at Nar tend to drift into Sim, with lots of Gamism. D&D 3e is constructed to be pretty pure-Gamist/challenge-oriented and doesn't support either Sim or Nar play styles very well IMO.
How do you live D&D? Alternate reality or heroic tale?
- Thread starter Li Shenron
- Start date
Doug McCrae
Legend
Most of the time I like to gloss over the boring bits, but run the action scenes in more of a sim style than a heroic drama style.
Zappo
Explorer
I prefer the "heroic tale" style, but I have abundantly sampled and enjoyed the other way. Having a plot and related trappings allows me to maximize the time spent having real, good fun, and minimize the time spent wandering around. That said, having all possible options open and real-life-like freedom does have its appeal.
Generally speaking, my players have a tendency to fragment and split the party across several tasks if they aren't given a focus. So I can only deal with one or two players at a time. They still have fun, but not at the same time.
For this reason, I'm doing adventures with mostly-definite plots right now.
A momentary hijack - Li Shenron (and anyone who likes Planescape, MMORPGs and speaks Italian), let me make you aware of this. Hardly worth starting a thread in a forum with maybe a half dozen Italian-speakers, but since you're here...
Generally speaking, my players have a tendency to fragment and split the party across several tasks if they aren't given a focus. So I can only deal with one or two players at a time. They still have fun, but not at the same time.
For this reason, I'm doing adventures with mostly-definite plots right now.A momentary hijack - Li Shenron (and anyone who likes Planescape, MMORPGs and speaks Italian), let me make you aware of this. Hardly worth starting a thread in a forum with maybe a half dozen Italian-speakers, but since you're here...
MerakSpielman
First Post
Both can be fun if done well. I like a mix of both, with a strong sense that people are becoming heroes through their own efforts, not becuase Fate decreed it would be so.
I'm a detail person. While I might not want to role-play every moment of my character's life, I like a game with details, and this seems to fall into the former category more often than not. I might not want to count every copper, but how my character goes about with the necessities of daily living - food, clothing, shelter, are as interesting to me as what they do when they're out adventuring.
I picked heroic, but I'm a mix. Really, I think I started in the AR camp & have been trying to drag myself kicking & screaming into the HT camp. I'm not sure how much success I'm having. 
P.S. The poll doesn't need any more options. I was taught to pick the "most correct" answer on multiple choice tests. I'll spare you from my lengthy argument for why a "equal mix" option is unnecessary.
P.S. The poll doesn't need any more options. I was taught to pick the "most correct" answer on multiple choice tests. I'll spare you from my lengthy argument for why a "equal mix" option is unnecessary.
AIM-54
First Post
While I enjoy both aspects, I would have to say that I lean a bit more towards the "alternate reality" or simulationist perspective that includes the opportunity for the heroic stuff (I'm a sucker for last stand type stuff 
). But I really enjoy exploring worlds, designing worlds and thinking about all the little things that go into why things are the way they are. I love the fantastic historical details that make things the way they are in the game and all the little things that make a setting more "real", to me at any rate.
). But I really enjoy exploring worlds, designing worlds and thinking about all the little things that go into why things are the way they are. I love the fantastic historical details that make things the way they are in the game and all the little things that make a setting more "real", to me at any rate. 
sckeener
First Post
mix
I'm in the mix of both camps. There has to be enough of a story to be worth remembering.
I do not remember the awesome roll I made 24 years ago, but I do remember the setting and the story, the places and the people.
I want memories to cherish. Roleplaying does that. Hack-n-slash does not.
I'm in the mix of both camps. There has to be enough of a story to be worth remembering.
I do not remember the awesome roll I made 24 years ago, but I do remember the setting and the story, the places and the people.
I want memories to cherish. Roleplaying does that. Hack-n-slash does not.
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