Magical worlds-- different styles of rules.

[Charles Gray]

Had this question over in RPG.net, but I wanted to also bounce it off people here.

When running a magical, as opposed to hard sci-fi setting, does anyone really get too put out by changes in physical rules? I.E., some of hte following:
1. Gunpowder doesn't work.
2. You cannot use electricity to power or run technological devices.

I.E., changes taht would be completely ridiculous in a sci-fi setting, that in fact, probably couldn't happen and still have human life? (I.E. no electricity-- how do people live with their nervous systems?).
So if you were playing a game like this, would this cause your suspension of disbelief to go away, or would you just look at your mage, shrug, and keep playing, since magic breaks a few rules as well?

 

[DragonLancer]

As long as the GM/DM in question has a reasonable explanation for why such things do not work, then fine no problem.

 

[WayneLigon]

I don't have much of a problem with it, especially if it's done solely to frustrate players who do things like 'OK, my mage will go find some saltpeter, charcoal and sulfer, then...'.

There is a limit to how much I can suspend my disbelief but so far no-one's crossed that line yet.

 

[CRGreathouse]

If the idea of gunpowder not working annoys you, you'd do well to stay far away from my world. Not only do I have a geocentric universe, but the sun is drawn across the sky by a chariot. Even more absurd, magic actually works in my campaign...

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I usually just tell my players (assuming they get snarky enough to start trying to call 'science' in a fantasy game) that there are unpredictable influences by mischeivous elementals, astronomical conjunctions, and so forth. These render the 'reproducibility' upon which the scientific method is based impossible, and so technology as we know it just isn't going to happen.

 

[The Grackle]

When I run a magical world, gunpowder and electrical devices don't exist, so there's never a problem.

 

[Psion]

I.E., changes taht would be completely ridiculous in a sci-fi setting, that in fact, probably couldn't happen and still have human life? (I.E. no electricity-- how do people live with their nervous systems?).

Second World Sourcebook does this... at least for Second World. In second world, electricity doesn't work, and life operated by entirely different principles. The elements are air, fire, water, and earth. & certera. You move across a gate to first world, and things operate as we know them.

It's all very self-consistent, so it's not a SOD breaker for me. What works and what doesn't is pretty explicitly plotted out; there are not cut and dry statements like electricity doesn't work. (There is, after all, lightning). It's just it doesn't do things that you think it should if you are from the first world AKA Earth.

 

[Whimsical]

In my world, gunpowder and electrical devices could work just fine. But my fantasy society would have a very low chance to discover and develop these techologies when they are so busy finding ways to use magic to improve every aspect of their lives.

If I was running my game world under AD&D, then gunpowder would be invented by gnomes and coopted by dwarves, so that these two races could have their own response to fireballs and lightning bolts (as they could not be evocation-casting wizards back in the bad ol' days.)

BTW, I enjoyed playing in the Dragonstar campaign world, where my cleric had nightvision goggles of the eagle, a multiscanner that could also analyze magical auras, and a +5 holy ghost touch automatic rocket launcher. Oh, and a +16 AC from a combat hardsuit didn't suck either.

 

[Ibram]

Though it doesnt stop me from enjoying a game I realy dont see the reason to say "Gunpowder doesnt work in my world" when simply saying that it hasnt been discovered keeps players from using it.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I'd be fine with that in a game. As long as the DM is consistent about it (i.e. has a reason it works). If it led to new neat and cool twists in the world, that's even better!