Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Raven Crowking" data-source="post: 4293502" data-attributes="member: 18280">I would suggest that, in some cases, offering specific additional choices are limitations upon the system, because they affect how the player(s) view the narrative, and hurt immersion.As a simple example of this, imagine a pit trap where, when sprung, each player is given a choice to have his surprised character fall into the trap or not.&nbsp; For those who fall, the players are given an additional choice about the amount of damage that they would like to take.&nbsp; They are also given a choice about whether or not they would like to spontaneously heal twice the damage given.&nbsp; The trap is described as being in no way magical.For many players (myself included), such a trap would damage gameplay.&nbsp; Indeed, inclusion of these choices would damage my ability to make the one choice I most critically want from an RPG system:&nbsp; the choice of immersing myself in the imaginary world presented.The idea that all area effects can selectively kill or render unconscious those within it depending upon the desires of the being initiating that effect is one which critically damages my ability to take the world presented &quot;seriously&quot;.&nbsp; It draws me out of the immersive experience into the &quot;WTF?&nbsp; Ho do we narrate these rules?&quot; experience.YMMV, of course, and if these things don't bother you, all the more power to you.One may modify/house rule 4e like any other system, but if there are enough elements that require modification, it makes little sense to switch from a system that one has already modified.&nbsp; Moreover, when &quot;houserule it!&quot; immediately becomes the mantra of the initial release, it seems rational to consider that the system itself might not be all that it is advertised to be.RC</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Raven Crowking, post: 4293502, member: 18280"] I would suggest that, in some cases, offering specific additional choices [i][b]are[/b][/i][b][/b] limitations upon the system, because they affect how the player(s) view the narrative, and hurt immersion. As a simple example of this, imagine a pit trap where, when sprung, each player is given a choice to have his surprised character fall into the trap or not. For those who fall, the players are given an additional choice about the amount of damage that they would like to take. They are also given a choice about whether or not they would like to spontaneously heal twice the damage given. The trap is described as being in no way magical. For many players (myself included), such a trap would damage gameplay. Indeed, inclusion of these choices would damage my ability to make the one choice I most critically want from an RPG system: the choice of immersing myself in the imaginary world presented. The idea that all area effects can selectively kill or render unconscious those within it depending upon the desires of the being initiating that effect is one which critically damages my ability to take the world presented "seriously". It draws me out of the immersive experience into the "WTF? Ho do we narrate these rules?" experience. YMMV, of course, and if these things don't bother you, all the more power to you. One may modify/house rule 4e like any other system, but if there are enough elements that require modification, it makes little sense to switch from a system that one has already modified. Moreover, when "houserule it!" immediately becomes the mantra of the initial release, it seems rational to consider that the system itself might not be all that it is advertised to be. RC [/QUOTE]

Verification