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<blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 7631885" data-attributes="member: 7006"><p>For me, the answer is philosophically aligned along the "Because magic!" axis... which is "I don't care."</p><p></p><p>I personally do not DM to "world build". I care little about how magic "works" or how much science "exists" compared to magic, or "is magic science or is science magic" etc. etc. etc. I DM to tell stories with my friends.</p><p></p><p>And this is exactly the same reason why I don't really care about game mechanics either. I don't play any RPG because I want to use the "game mechanics" to their full effect. If I want to use "game mechanics" to their full effect, I'll play board games. Those are specifically designed to use and highlight game mechanics, and not get slowed down with all that "roleplaying" in between.</p><p></p><p>Now yes, someone will rightly ask why then I use "game mechanics" at all when I roleplay, if those are a potential hindrance to "telling stories with my friends". And that is a very cogent and valid question. To which the answer is "If my entire table were good enough improvisers that we COULD just narrate and roleplay everything out (including combats and such), then I probably would." I'd play things like <em>Fiasco</em> or <em>Ten Candles</em> much more often than I do if my players and friends had any interest to do so. But since they don't, then I don't (at least until I get to the Games On Demand tables at PAX.) As a result, I run D&D for them, but not get myself hung up on game mechanics or how the "world works" in the stories we play. (Unless of course there's a particular PC that cares about a very specific way the world works, in which case then sure I'll figure it out for them what this little slice is capable of. That way their story can have something juicy and weighty to work through and it doesn't invalidate their character choice.)</p><p></p><p>Is this antithetical to most other DMs or players (especially here on ENWorld)? Most assuredly. We can probably name right now the several posters here that would read this post of mine that says I don't really care much at all about the mechanics of the game, nor the need for books with MORE mechanics... and what their incredulous response to me would be. Which is cool. No skin off my nose if you'd hate playing in my game. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>So to make a long story short (too late!)... figuring out the science of my worlds only matters if there's a character for whom a particular branch of the science is important to them and their story. At which time I'll work some stuff out to give their story potential more weight, because that's my job as their DM. Other than that though? I'll never be concerned how far along physics research is, nor why some clockwork items get made but not others. If those questions won't ever impact the PCs, then I'm not concerned about the answers at all.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DEFCON 1, post: 7631885, member: 7006"] For me, the answer is philosophically aligned along the "Because magic!" axis... which is "I don't care." I personally do not DM to "world build". I care little about how magic "works" or how much science "exists" compared to magic, or "is magic science or is science magic" etc. etc. etc. I DM to tell stories with my friends. And this is exactly the same reason why I don't really care about game mechanics either. I don't play any RPG because I want to use the "game mechanics" to their full effect. If I want to use "game mechanics" to their full effect, I'll play board games. Those are specifically designed to use and highlight game mechanics, and not get slowed down with all that "roleplaying" in between. Now yes, someone will rightly ask why then I use "game mechanics" at all when I roleplay, if those are a potential hindrance to "telling stories with my friends". And that is a very cogent and valid question. To which the answer is "If my entire table were good enough improvisers that we COULD just narrate and roleplay everything out (including combats and such), then I probably would." I'd play things like [I]Fiasco[/I] or [I]Ten Candles[/I] much more often than I do if my players and friends had any interest to do so. But since they don't, then I don't (at least until I get to the Games On Demand tables at PAX.) As a result, I run D&D for them, but not get myself hung up on game mechanics or how the "world works" in the stories we play. (Unless of course there's a particular PC that cares about a very specific way the world works, in which case then sure I'll figure it out for them what this little slice is capable of. That way their story can have something juicy and weighty to work through and it doesn't invalidate their character choice.) Is this antithetical to most other DMs or players (especially here on ENWorld)? Most assuredly. We can probably name right now the several posters here that would read this post of mine that says I don't really care much at all about the mechanics of the game, nor the need for books with MORE mechanics... and what their incredulous response to me would be. Which is cool. No skin off my nose if you'd hate playing in my game. ;) So to make a long story short (too late!)... figuring out the science of my worlds only matters if there's a character for whom a particular branch of the science is important to them and their story. At which time I'll work some stuff out to give their story potential more weight, because that's my job as their DM. Other than that though? I'll never be concerned how far along physics research is, nor why some clockwork items get made but not others. If those questions won't ever impact the PCs, then I'm not concerned about the answers at all. [/QUOTE]
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