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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Galloglaich" data-source="post: 4756901" data-attributes="member: 77019">I think the scenario you described is pretty typical of how not to use any real world knowledge. Haphazardly applying details based on inadequate patchy data, and then conflating complexity for realism are all classic mistakes a lot of gamers make.  This is essentially how many early "realistic" games were put together, reinforcing the stereotype that it inevitably works this way. But a comprehensive understanding of how guns work has informed the design of many quite good RPG and Computer game systems now, including fairly simple, abstract ones. Similarly, an excellent understanding of both the Lovecraft mythos and the historical reality of 1920s New England helped create Call of Cthulhu, one of the most popular and successful RPGs ever designed. Good underlying research into anything real, whether it's sociology, mythology, a particular literary genre, or martial arts, can really enhance game design, without necessarily making it complicated at all (in fact by making it more logical with the help of historical or well developed literary sources you can often make it simpler). And specifically with regard to Medieval Martial arts, I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend anybody, but SCA combat has almost nothing to do with actual historical combat, SCA is basically live action role playing "combat sport". It's only historical in the broadest sense, like a Renaissance Faire. Very few people in the SCA want to do Martial Arts or make any pretense to learning from real Medieval fencing manuals*. Thats not what it is about. Unfortunately SCA combat has indeed informed some early RPG combat systems like Rolemaster etc. which is part of why I think they were overcomplex and not successful.  And I would counter by suggesting that an underlying understanding of "real world similarity" in your game design can enhance your ability to create a better story ... and that you can have a heroic character and an entertaining, cinematic fight without taking hundreds of wounds <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> Just like the real badasses of history, try reading about them some day.  G. *except for some of the rapier people, but that is not what most people think of re: SCA</blockquote>

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