The difference between novels and RPGs

[loki44]

The original Dragonlance novels and adventures depict a world in transition......There's a very interesting comparison with Eberron.

Hmmmmm......Dragonlance...Eberron.....I'm disqualified from this conversation then.

 

[Odhanan]

Novels are often about a world-changing event. RPGs are often about preventing a world-changing event. Discuss.

The idea is that in a novel, it is often about something really significant. This is often the case also in RPGs. However, if you want to continue after the event, a world-changing one presents a lot of problems for a RPG, so if you do one, it normally ends the campaign.

Interesting and true. I think the problems you are referring to when introducing a world-changing event in your game have to do with published settings the DM wants to use as they are (and go on doing so after the campaign).

It kind of twisted the whole campaign design when it comes to published strings of adventures while in reality, nothing blocks a designer from writing a series of modules introducing a major change in a setting built for the occasion. *thinks* Actually, there is one thing that is blocking the designer to do so, maybe: the fact that if you introduce major changes to the implied setting of the adventure(s), the product(s) becomes much less usable by DMs running a published setting and just plugging adventures into it.

So you'd have to design a setting specific for the campaign potentially excluding other setting uses (unless the outside source-setting is itself designed to play out world changing events). The adventures could make the setting famous, not the reverse. This is a more risky approach. This was the case of Dragonlance. This is really a topic to develop. I'll think about it more and come back to you. Ta, Merric!

 

[Wild Gazebo]

I must admit that I prefer immersing my PCs into a world of calamity. Then they are thrown into the chaos and deal with the remnants and tribulations of an upturned environment. So, in my experience, my games are closer to the novels that you speak of--I do try to add the occational rush to prevent disaster-- I do have an evil habit of making the sky fall on thier heads. Though, I do tend to play lower level games.

 

[Truth Seeker]

World Changing Events?

Well, I will add my voice to the debate. And I will start with one event, that has been seen as a ballon of hot air.

The current or passed, Year of the Rogue Dragons book series in FR. There was a nice discussion at the Wotc forum, under Faerunian People & Places . That some people were dismayed on how, the Dragons that are going beserk, rampaging across Faerun landscape...were treated.

Let me say this, I love Dragons, there I said it. , but after reading the 2 page thread, I was so appalled at some of the descriptions...on how the Dragons were portrayed, acted *even beserk* and killed. It was just...flabbergasting. And I was debating at one point, on buying the books, the only books from the FR realm. But after reviewing all the sayers about it, I declined on the thought.

With the link provided, you will see the gaping question as to why, if such an event of epic proportions were done. Why are there no echoes impact on what happen. But of course, for those who are aware of the timeline for FR already, that the event for the Dragons going nuts, is a past thing. Yes...it is, but the way it was handled, or going to be handled, depending if the series is finished yet. Looks to be done, very poor.

And yes, the topic in that forum, did continue for a bit, until I had to say something. I left a parody sketch at the end, on the whole matter, without naming names...*to keep the so called innocent, protected *

But on a more serious note, if you wanted see a world changing event, that flondered, this one has to qualify. And before anyone responds to this, I would suggest reading all the of the Wotc thread, including my tongue & cheek parody, but you don't have to.

Final say: I am sorely disappointed, in the whole affair. And yes I know, since I don't have any of the books to go fully in depth on the subject, the outline generated by the discussion, will still leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

If any company is going to portray any event, that will have major reperucussions throughtout a fantasy setting...you'll better stick to what you put out, and better show the changes. Take a hint from Marvel and DC Comics of late. But alas, there have been some companies that have done so already...so, they are excluded .

Forgive my rant/commentary....as you can see, I am truly wounded, when it comes to Dragons.

 

[gizmo33]

Novels are often about a world-changing event. RPGs are often about preventing a world-changing event. Discuss.

The most common adventure I can think of in an RPG is "go kill the bad guy". That, by definition, is a world changing event, since the event now equals the world minus one bad guy. I would say that almost all adventures in an RPG change the campaign world in some way.

From the other threads, I think what you were hinting at is that grand, sweeping changes in a fantasy world are more often attempted in novels than in books. If that's true, it's probably due to the amount of work required to change a campaign setting. On top of that, in the case of published settings, you have the problem of people who still run games in the old world ("are you playing Greyhawk pre-apocalypse, or post-") I can see RPG companies being reluctant to enact sweeping changes.

I think there are far bigger differences between novels and RPGs than the amount of world changing stuff that PCs are involved in (if there's even a difference).

 

[sniffles]

However, in general I agree with the assertion that RPG's are often about preventing a world-changing event......but so was LoTR

I just have to point out that LOTR is about preventing one world-changing event - but that very prevention brings about other world-changing events. I don't think preventing the world-changing event typically does result in maintaining the status quo. If the event really is world-changing, it has affected too many things for its prevention to result in affairs just going back to the way they were before.

To me, the big difference between novels and RPGs is that no one person has control over the way the story progresses.

 

[Zappo]

World changing events? Hmm... I disagree with the notion that this is the main difference between novels and RPGs.

IMO, the main differences are two. The first one is that RPGs are invariably about a party of characters that are roughly equally capable of dealing with challenges (I use this term in its most generic form). Novels, instead, tend to have one protagonist who gets most of the narrator's attention. Those that have multiple protagonists generally don't have them form a party, and/or don't require them to be equally capable of dealing with challenges.

The second main difference is that RPGs aren't scripted (not even in the most railroaded campaign). For example, thousands of novels hinge on the protagonist figuring out (or not figuring out) this or that detail from the clues he has, something that cannot be guaranteed either way in an RPG. Others are based on a character's reactions to an event, again a plot device that can't be used in an RPG since a PC's reactions can't be be determined or even reliably predicted.

World changing events aren't particularly common in literature in general. It's just the fantasy genre (and SF though not nearly as much) that has become stuck on that, with a few exceptions. In fact, that's exactly why I've stopped reading current fantasy. There is such a thing as too much epic.

 

[Bastoche]

One word:

Heroquest.

P.S. latest edition.

 

[mythusmage]

In RPGs swords tend to break in meaningless bar brawls.

 

[Odhanan]

Heroquest

Yep. There, much like you'd need an adventure to use a specific setting for the purpose of world changing events, you have a game that uses a world specifically designed to play out world changing events, the Hero Wars.