Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
On simulating things: what, why, and how?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="overgeeked" data-source="post: 8671712" data-attributes="member: 86653"><p>It sounds like we started around the same time only I’ve held onto AD&D rather than switched to 2E. And I’m largely of the same mind in regards to loose simulation. You can only move so far for so long before exhaustion sets in, you can only carry so much before the weight slows you down, you need food and water to survive, you need sleep, etc.</p><p></p><p>I want all of that reflected in the game. Though I’m not sure how much the rules can or should reflect that. By that I mean three things. First, the set of rules required would need to be too long to read to even remotely reflect reality…to say nothing of the rules required to reflect all the things that are “unreal” in the real world. Second, more specifically, no matter how long the rules they cannot accurately simulate reality as there are too many variables in play. Third, rules that reflect the real world are largely redundant as we all already have experience with the real world. Varying degrees of experience and different experiences, yes, but we all have a rough physics simulator running in our heads. Along with rough models for all kinds of other things.</p><p></p><p>These models we have already running in our heads are sometimes referred to as invisible rulebooks.</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://rolltop-indigo.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-invisible-rulebooks.html[/URL]</p><p></p><p>Conversely, the more rules you have, the harder it is to read and absorb them all, to say nothing of running the game. Rules also invariably limit player choices either intentionally or unintentionally. This quote from Over the Edge always stuck with me and I've found it to be true.</p><p></p><p>"And why the simple mechanics? Two reasons: First, complex mechanics invariably channel and limit the imagination; second, my neurons have better things to do than calculate numbers and refer to charts all evening. Complex mechanics, in their effort to tell you what you can do, generally do a fair job of implying what you cannot do."</p><p></p><p>Which is why I prefer minimalist gaming, rules ultra-light, and FKR-style play.</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://aboleth-overlords.com/2020/08/29/less-rules-to-do-more/[/URL]</p><p></p><p>[URL unfurl="true"]https://pitsperilous.blogspot.com/2016/04/minimalist-gaming-doesnt-exist.html[/URL]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="overgeeked, post: 8671712, member: 86653"] It sounds like we started around the same time only I’ve held onto AD&D rather than switched to 2E. And I’m largely of the same mind in regards to loose simulation. You can only move so far for so long before exhaustion sets in, you can only carry so much before the weight slows you down, you need food and water to survive, you need sleep, etc. I want all of that reflected in the game. Though I’m not sure how much the rules can or should reflect that. By that I mean three things. First, the set of rules required would need to be too long to read to even remotely reflect reality…to say nothing of the rules required to reflect all the things that are “unreal” in the real world. Second, more specifically, no matter how long the rules they cannot accurately simulate reality as there are too many variables in play. Third, rules that reflect the real world are largely redundant as we all already have experience with the real world. Varying degrees of experience and different experiences, yes, but we all have a rough physics simulator running in our heads. Along with rough models for all kinds of other things. These models we have already running in our heads are sometimes referred to as invisible rulebooks. [URL unfurl="true"]https://rolltop-indigo.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-invisible-rulebooks.html[/URL] Conversely, the more rules you have, the harder it is to read and absorb them all, to say nothing of running the game. Rules also invariably limit player choices either intentionally or unintentionally. This quote from Over the Edge always stuck with me and I've found it to be true. "And why the simple mechanics? Two reasons: First, complex mechanics invariably channel and limit the imagination; second, my neurons have better things to do than calculate numbers and refer to charts all evening. Complex mechanics, in their effort to tell you what you can do, generally do a fair job of implying what you cannot do." Which is why I prefer minimalist gaming, rules ultra-light, and FKR-style play. [URL unfurl="true"]https://aboleth-overlords.com/2020/08/29/less-rules-to-do-more/[/URL] [URL unfurl="true"]https://pitsperilous.blogspot.com/2016/04/minimalist-gaming-doesnt-exist.html[/URL] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
On simulating things: what, why, and how?
Top