On Thud and Blunder

[Rolzup]

What do people think of Poul Anderson's basic point?

For fiction, I agree...sorta.

For gaming, though? Not so much.

Sure, if that's what everyone wants -- I've played in such games, and enjoyed them on that basis. But for the most part, I'm less concerned with reality than I am with fun, and with ease of play.

For the former, I'm generally explicitly NOT trying to model the real world. Combat is inspired by movies, by comics, by books...including that sort that Anderson seems to be pointing to. If a player wants to play a loincloth-clad barbarian, then that's fine with me. And I'm not going to worry about his getting frostbitten.

Travel is much the same. Either the journey itself is important, in which case it gets played out, or the destination is the thing that matters and we can skip right to it...and in either case, where's the fun of "All right, day seven. You're still becalmed, and Ragath has scurvey...."?

On the other hand, the point about how dark a city would be at night? That's useful, leads to interesting gaming, but can be easily rendered moot in world where Continual Light spells are common.

And for it being easier, if I had a dime for every argument over what's realistic and what isn't realistic during a gaming session that I've been invovled in...well, I'd have a lot of dimes. When you're talking about modeling reality, people can determined to prove themselves right. Or someone else wrong. If you're more concerned about what's thematicly appropriate, there's less room for that sort of thing.

 

[WayneLigon]

What do people think of Poul Anderson's basic point?

Still, a bit more realism in this respect too would lend convincingness.​

I think it's a basic tenet that most modern writers follow; some forethought and worldbuilding is expected, and done. Most of the early S&S tales he's talking about were written very quickly, to be sold as quickly as possible to get some much-needed cash. Howard did a lot of this, recycling characters and situations from other genres. If he did it, you can bet that the less successful imitators took even shorter cuts from typewriter to back account. So, I think it's little wonder that they didn't sit down to put as much thought into things as Howard and others did; they didn't have the time and stuff sold as well either way.

 

[mmadsen]

Either the journey itself is important, in which case it gets played out, or the destination is the thing that matters and we can skip right to it...and in either case, where's the fun of "All right, day seven. You're still becalmed, and Ragath has scurvey...."?

I think there's a lot of fun and adventuring to be had in making a dangerous journey. That's what most adventure fiction is, after all.

I also think it makes a game more interesting when the choices are more interesting. Sure, the winds might favor you, but they might not...