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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6195714" data-attributes="member: 6696971">I wasn't angling at the "genre calibration as mental overhead" upthread when I asked if GMing 4e felt liberating after a fashion.  However, subjective DCs, generalized/open descriptor skills, and a mapped framework for stunting does indeed have a built-in expectation of genre calibration for the table.  This can, of course, be hammered out prior or can evolve naturally through practice with the players (including the GM).  However, there is a mental overhead aspect (even if it diminishes with time, perhaps to ultimate extinction) to genre calibration, and it is heightened (intentionally) in games with system elements like 4e.So @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?6668292-JamesonCourage" target="_blank">JamesonCourage's</a>      point makes sense to me.  I suspect it will indeed diminish with time (perhaps not to extinction, but at least diminish), but the mental overhead should definitely be there right now with a new group that is developing chemistry and acclimating to one another and to a new system (specifically one with subjectivity/open-descriptor as a core element).  Dungeon World has plenty of similarity to 4e in the output of its free-descriptor meets unified mechanics for conflict resolution meets narrative, tagged, "moves"-driven play (specifically with respect to challenging players with genre logic).  I'm introducing my nephew to D&D/RPGing via the game and there is certainly an element of "genre calibration as mental overhead" there.  In many of the free-descriptor/narrative games I've run in the past, its been with players I've known/run with forever and the game has clearly built-in genre expectations (eg superhero or western meets high fantasy).  In JC's case, you have the truths that (1) 4e is driftable genre-wise (by design I think) and (2) his table is composed of mostly new elements working toward a cohesive unit.  Mental overhead derived from 1 and 2 makes sense.</blockquote>

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