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In Defense of the Theory of Dissociated Mechanics
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<blockquote data-quote="MrGrenadine" data-source="post: 5623531" data-attributes="member: 62619"><p>Well first let me make two things clear--I was referring to a consistency of physical laws in the game world, not to game mechanics, and in no way was I singling 4e out for inconsistency in this regard. Every edition of D&D has inconsistencies.</p><p></p><p>In fact, I wasn't thinking of any specific inconsistencies when I made my comment. I was just saying that the two main ingredients for a great TTRPG, for me, are what innerdude outlined--an expectation of rationality, or an expectation of consistency of character interactions--and an expectation of consistency in the broader game world, one with reliable and understandable laws.</p><p></p><p>Not that these laws have to be our laws--go ahead and create a game world where gravity falls up, and I'll have a blast playing in it. I can understand the world--gravity pulls away from the "ground", whatever it may be. Hell, create a game world where the movement of the heavenly bodies means that gravity pulls down sometimes, and up sometimes, and thats cool, too. As long as its consistent, any "law" is fine with me, because I love dramatic stories with high stakes, and I believe consistent parameters allow you to have high stakes. In terms of gravity, if the game world has gravity like our own, and my character slips while crossing a rope bridge, and is hanging by one hand over a 500' drop--well, those are some fun high stakes right there, born simply of past experience of the physical laws of the game world, and the expectation that those laws are still in play.</p><p></p><p></p><p>As for your football analogy, I'm honestly not trying to be obtuse, but I don't understand it. I get that there are a couple bad calls a game, but by definition I would say <em>yes</em>, it would be inconsistent with the rules of football for the players to choose when those bad calls happen for their own game. </p><p></p><p>Bad calls happen when a very human referee makes an error in judgment. And I could see the benefit for a team or player if a bad call could be created--in their favor, of course--out of thin air. But at no time would the referee ever <em>choose</em> to make a bad call, because his job is to always make the right call. And in fact, the whole basis of the game as an honest contest between two teams is predicated on everyone following the rules.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, like I said, I'm not getting how it relates to disassociated mechanics, </p><p>but I'd love if you would lay it out one more time.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MrGrenadine, post: 5623531, member: 62619"] Well first let me make two things clear--I was referring to a consistency of physical laws in the game world, not to game mechanics, and in no way was I singling 4e out for inconsistency in this regard. Every edition of D&D has inconsistencies. In fact, I wasn't thinking of any specific inconsistencies when I made my comment. I was just saying that the two main ingredients for a great TTRPG, for me, are what innerdude outlined--an expectation of rationality, or an expectation of consistency of character interactions--and an expectation of consistency in the broader game world, one with reliable and understandable laws. Not that these laws have to be our laws--go ahead and create a game world where gravity falls up, and I'll have a blast playing in it. I can understand the world--gravity pulls away from the "ground", whatever it may be. Hell, create a game world where the movement of the heavenly bodies means that gravity pulls down sometimes, and up sometimes, and thats cool, too. As long as its consistent, any "law" is fine with me, because I love dramatic stories with high stakes, and I believe consistent parameters allow you to have high stakes. In terms of gravity, if the game world has gravity like our own, and my character slips while crossing a rope bridge, and is hanging by one hand over a 500' drop--well, those are some fun high stakes right there, born simply of past experience of the physical laws of the game world, and the expectation that those laws are still in play. As for your football analogy, I'm honestly not trying to be obtuse, but I don't understand it. I get that there are a couple bad calls a game, but by definition I would say [I]yes[/I], it would be inconsistent with the rules of football for the players to choose when those bad calls happen for their own game. Bad calls happen when a very human referee makes an error in judgment. And I could see the benefit for a team or player if a bad call could be created--in their favor, of course--out of thin air. But at no time would the referee ever [I]choose[/I] to make a bad call, because his job is to always make the right call. And in fact, the whole basis of the game as an honest contest between two teams is predicated on everyone following the rules. Anyway, like I said, I'm not getting how it relates to disassociated mechanics, but I'd love if you would lay it out one more time. [/QUOTE]
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