Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8257859" data-attributes="member: 6785785">Then perhaps as a term it's outdated? Your second paragraph here is how I've always understood it. Perhaps because a lot of times it's also used to describe works of fiction like novels or movies? It would seem to have the same application for RPGs or just about any other kind of fiction.I've honestly only heard "living world" as an approach as opposed to a goal when discussing in this thread, and a couple of others like it. I don't think it's so ubiquitous that its meaning is apparent.No, not just like fiction and protagonism because those words already have definitions, and those are the definitions being used. Fiction means "make believe" and always has, and that's how it has been used in this discussion. No new gaming specific definition is needed for either one. So that's why when people say "I don't know what you mean by fiction" all anyone should have to say is "I mean make believe stuff" and we're good.So no. it is not the same. Living world is a phrase that has no specific definition prior to gaming, and the definition for gaming seems pretty nebulous.Why is it unfortunate if the GM doesn't know what has happened in a nation three hundred miles away? I think you're assuming that Prep is always good and the more prep the more good. But why? Surely, from the players' perspective, if they ask you what's going on in the far off city, and you answer them based on your copious notes, your answer is likely not going to be any "better" than if they ask me and I make it up on the fly. If the far off city hasn't mattered to play in any way, then how does it matter if the GM has prepared anything there?I think the only way this matters is based on expectation. Which will largely depend on the game and the goals of play. So an old school dungeon delve, sure, having a map and key is going to make sense. This is the purpose of the GM notes for that kind of game.But in my 5E game, I'm not really worried about skilled play in the sense of old school dungeon delves; we're not worried about inventory and spell loadout in order to navigate a defined dungeon space. It's not the focus of play.So in my 5E game, I don't worry about my players knowing if I've made something up on the fly or if I've prepared it ahead of time. Why would I? It's made up either way. What does the timing of its creation really matter, unless it impacts the goals of play?It sounds to me like you're blaming me for the mistake of others. I would say that I received pushback on my use of fiction to mean make believe because of some unfounded fear that it could mean a novel or work of literature. Oh, and because it's snooty.So you would say that the purpose of a GM's notes in a Living World style is to provide a setting for the players to explore with their characters? Does that sum it up?</blockquote>

Verification