OD&D = social mobility, 4e does not

[Mallus]

"None shall differentiate!".

This line is worth it's weight in XP.

 

[Dire Bare]

If someone with a modern education went into the far past they still would find no sorcerers. But, assuming you mean if someone in our world went into the far past of an alternative universe where magic was real, OK I think I understand this sentence. I think you mean a modern person would, based on knowledge and theory of scientific principals, be about as powerful as a sorcerer. They would be able to put together some basic modern inventions like gun powder and the theory of the steam engine and, eventually, be able to essentially match a sorcerer for "power" in that era.

I have a modern education, and if I was transported either to our own distant past or into a fantasy world . . . I would die, probably fast. The average person doesn't have any more knowledge than they need to in order to survive in the world they inhabit. I couldn't make gunpowder, or predict an eclipse, or anything other than not be able to function in fantasyland!

Now, a hella smart engineer type getting shot into the past (or fantasyland), he/she just might be able to parlay their advanced knowledge into survival and prosperity . . . but hand them a sword and ask them to defend themselves . . . well, maybe if they also belonged to the SCA . . .

 

[Mistwell]

I have a modern education, and if I was transported either to our own distant past or into a fantasy world . . . I would die, probably fast. The average person doesn't have any more knowledge than they need to in order to survive in the world they inhabit. I couldn't make gunpowder, or predict an eclipse, or anything other than not be able to function in fantasyland!

Now, a hella smart engineer type getting shot into the past (or fantasyland), he/she just might be able to parlay their advanced knowledge into survival and prosperity . . . but hand them a sword and ask them to defend themselves . . . well, maybe if they also belonged to the SCA . . .

Well I think just knowledge of germs, sanitation, the method that diseases are typically transmitted, and some basic treatments for some common ailments would give us a leg up at least for some things.

 

[xechnao]

Now, a hella smart engineer type getting shot into the past (or fantasyland), he/she just might be able to parlay their advanced knowledge into survival and prosperity . . .

Modern engineering knowledge, aside from general theoretic mathematic training is specialized for the modern production or experimentation chains. I doubt modern engineering education would give any advantage.

OTOH people that have some basic survivability knowledge like how to make soap would fate better on an anachronistic environment from people that have no practical idea of how to do these things.

Generally actual progress is based on infrastructure, not theoretic models. Of course the more complicated your infrastructure is becoming -which usually means a bigger productive potential regarding your current state- the more you need theoretic models and tools to organize it and the better you organize it the most you can make out of this potential which usually means more new progress. Middle ages for example are the times when this is not happening.

 

[Wycen]

Having just finished a course in historical writing and Benjamin Franklin my mind can make sense of Tigh's opening paragraph. This is how I might have written the statement.

OD&D = social mobility, 4e does not


If someone with a modern education went far into the past they could contend with any Gentleman on the basis of knowledge and theory. Social mobility used to be a big part of Americas' self image, at least for the founding fathers who chaffed against the glass ceiling imposed by being colonists, compared to what used to be called the old world. It appears to me that this trend has come full cycle. Now people dream of being married into royalty, getting lucrative jobs serving the oil rich, and being "discovered" by some existing authority.

Tigh

And in a bit of grand coincidence, this is my 1776-th post. Too bad it didn't come on July 4th!

 

[Cadfan]

Well I think just knowledge of germs, sanitation, the method that diseases are typically transmitted, and some basic treatments for some common ailments would give us a leg up at least for some things.

Maybe, but I'd still die when flying, invisible, hasted sorcerer summoned all those augmented dire wolves.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Maybe, but I'd still die when flying, invisible, hasted sorcerer summoned all those augmented dire wolves.

Not if you blind them with science!

 

[thecasualoblivion]

Maybe, but I'd still die when flying, invisible, hasted sorcerer summoned all those augmented dire wolves.

Not a chance. I have the internet, and have read the CharOp boards. Pun-Pun scoffs at augmented dire wolves.

People back then just don't have access to the level of system mastery I can download off the net.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Ok. After 4 pages of authentic frontier gibberish, I still have no idea what the original post was supposed to be about. I do have a single question that can perhaps only be answered in this thread. Can I mambo dogface to the banana patch?

 

[jdrakeh]

Can I mambo dogface to the banana patch?

No.