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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8258042" data-attributes="member: 6785785">I would say that portraying a living world is a pretty big priority for me as a GM, actually. I think perhaps I simply maintain that it is a fictional thing....a creation.....and so I don't feel the need to determine everything ahead of time in some attempt to emulate how the real world works. That there are other ways that may work to make a fictional setting seem more real or inhabitable rather than predetermination of as much as possible.I'm not belaboring a point. I am continually correcting your error that I used "fiction" in any way other than it's most common and applicable definition, and not in some game specific jargon way. If you stop making that error, I won't comment any further.  Pretty loosely, though, no? And in contrast (perhaps only seeming contrast?) to others who have also advocated for the living world approach. This is why to me, it seems somewhat poorly defined.Sure. But this just plays to my point that it's all a matter of preference. I would agree that for some GMs, having as much prepared ahead of time will suit them and it's what they prefer in order to perform the role as best they can. I disagree that worlds that are not prepared ahead of time to the extent you're talking about feel trite and lack depth. While it's possible, I'd also say that I've seen plenty of fictional settings that are incredibly detailed and which are trite or lack depth. I also think that, when it comes to gaming....and in this case I mean specifically the group activity and not anything done by the GM in between sessions......I don't think as much prep is needed as we tend to think. Very often, less is more. Players will often simply accept a fact without some 1000 year backstory of why it is the case. So I say to my players, "The sun is shining" and they get it without needing to know whether it's a giant ball of gas or if it's Apollo flying his chariot across the sky.I agree it's a terrible example, but it was brought up so I ran with it. Give me a significant example. Can you describe an example of play where you had something determined ahead of time and that enhanced the game with your players?Right, but I think you said almost all your experience is with one game, right? Or most of it? Perhaps you're approaching the entire discussion through that lens? Which is understandable, sure, but at the same time maybe be aware of it? There are entire games that function without the amount of prep you're describing as "necessary" to achieve the feeling of a living world.</blockquote>

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