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<blockquote data-quote="Aenghus" data-source="post: 6291188" data-attributes="member: 2656">Genre can be either cause or effect or even some of both at the same time. A game's style will produce a genre from the ongoing consequences of play, what can happen, what does happen, and what can't happen. Even trying to avert strong genre tropes can result in a genre IMO.Strong genre conventions like &quot;one successful attack should rarely kill a healthy PC&quot;&nbsp; or &quot;superhero secret identities are effective&quot; need to be supported by mechanics such as hit points or by agreement with all the players. Weak genre conventions don't necessarily need rules support as much.&quot;Random deathtrap dungeon&quot; is a genre where skill can help reduce the risks incurred but not avoid them entirely due to the everpresent randomness. Eventually everyone's number comes up unless there's fudging, so don't get attached to your PCs or bother with long-term plots.Whereas &quot;fantasy soap opera&quot; is going to have lots of relationship-based plots and less violence and PC turnover. Neither of these would probably suit players looking for strong tactical or wargaming elements in play.IMO because some sort of genre is inevitable, its often better to decide what you are aiming for deliberately, rather than have it develop inadvertently. Accidental genre can be great but it's a crapshoot and I've seen a lot of disappointment from refusal to make decisions in this area..</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Aenghus, post: 6291188, member: 2656"] Genre can be either cause or effect or even some of both at the same time. A game's style will produce a genre from the ongoing consequences of play, what can happen, what does happen, and what can't happen. Even trying to avert strong genre tropes can result in a genre IMO. Strong genre conventions like "one successful attack should rarely kill a healthy PC" or "superhero secret identities are effective" need to be supported by mechanics such as hit points or by agreement with all the players. Weak genre conventions don't necessarily need rules support as much. "Random deathtrap dungeon" is a genre where skill can help reduce the risks incurred but not avoid them entirely due to the everpresent randomness. Eventually everyone's number comes up unless there's fudging, so don't get attached to your PCs or bother with long-term plots. Whereas "fantasy soap opera" is going to have lots of relationship-based plots and less violence and PC turnover. Neither of these would probably suit players looking for strong tactical or wargaming elements in play. IMO because some sort of genre is inevitable, its often better to decide what you are aiming for deliberately, rather than have it develop inadvertently. Accidental genre can be great but it's a crapshoot and I've seen a lot of disappointment from refusal to make decisions in this area. . [/QUOTE]

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