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<blockquote data-quote="Nagol" data-source="post: 5079571" data-attributes="member: 23935"><p>Hidden rulesets can be fun in the right circumstance, but they can also be problematic. It can lead to large disconnects -- particularly early in the campaign as the player perceived version of common sense and appropriate actions are at odds with the GM or the rules creator. This can be especially problematic when the player feels his knowledge is equal to or exceeds the GM/rules creator in the field of expertise and that his action is justified and appropriate. Game mechanic artefacts/compromises also act to stymie the use of "common sense" inside a game universe.</p><p></p><p>A couple of examples from my play experience follow:</p><p></p><p>The characters are modern detectves and are chasing a villain. The meanie slams and locks a door blocking their path. Player A says "I shoot the lock with my pistol!" and the ricochet hits player B and disables him.</p><p></p><p>The players thought the cinematic move was appropriate and likely to work based on the feel of the game and "common sense" derived primarily from movies and TV shows. The GM thought the move was silly based upon his understanding of ballistics. The characters were supposed to be trained semi-professionals. How much knowledge should the characters have had?</p><p></p><p></p><p>A grease fire breaks out in the kitchen of a seventh floor apartment in a game of Hero Games (3rd or 4th edition). Is it more sensible for a normal human character to (A) jump out of the window and fall to the parking lot below or (B) try to put it out? If you said (B), you're likely rolling up a new character if the fire is played straight from the book. If you said (A), the character is very likely to dust himself off and carry on as if he'd been punched hard once. Common sense rarely informs a player about the relative appropriateness of actions compared to one another inside the game universe. How is the player to reach the point where he even thinks of (A) as an option? "Common sense" would suggest grease fires, while dangerous, are better than falling six storeys.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nagol, post: 5079571, member: 23935"] Hidden rulesets can be fun in the right circumstance, but they can also be problematic. It can lead to large disconnects -- particularly early in the campaign as the player perceived version of common sense and appropriate actions are at odds with the GM or the rules creator. This can be especially problematic when the player feels his knowledge is equal to or exceeds the GM/rules creator in the field of expertise and that his action is justified and appropriate. Game mechanic artefacts/compromises also act to stymie the use of "common sense" inside a game universe. A couple of examples from my play experience follow: The characters are modern detectves and are chasing a villain. The meanie slams and locks a door blocking their path. Player A says "I shoot the lock with my pistol!" and the ricochet hits player B and disables him. The players thought the cinematic move was appropriate and likely to work based on the feel of the game and "common sense" derived primarily from movies and TV shows. The GM thought the move was silly based upon his understanding of ballistics. The characters were supposed to be trained semi-professionals. How much knowledge should the characters have had? A grease fire breaks out in the kitchen of a seventh floor apartment in a game of Hero Games (3rd or 4th edition). Is it more sensible for a normal human character to (A) jump out of the window and fall to the parking lot below or (B) try to put it out? If you said (B), you're likely rolling up a new character if the fire is played straight from the book. If you said (A), the character is very likely to dust himself off and carry on as if he'd been punched hard once. Common sense rarely informs a player about the relative appropriateness of actions compared to one another inside the game universe. How is the player to reach the point where he even thinks of (A) as an option? "Common sense" would suggest grease fires, while dangerous, are better than falling six storeys. [/QUOTE]
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