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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Shaman" data-source="post: 3476228" data-attributes="member: 26473">"Metaplot" is still plot, not setting: one can ignore it, or take it as a snapshot in time to use as a starting point from which to diverge from that timeline.Traveller is a example of this: the metaplot that began in 1979 saw the Third Imperium wage a war against the Zhodani along the spinward frontier, break apart during the Rebellion, regress under the effects of Virus, and now the rise of the Fourth Imperium as the star systems of Charted Space struggle toward recovery - we've also seen two historical eras brought to the table as well, the Interstellar Wars of the First and Second Imperiums and the founding of the Third following the Long Night. (And there's also a diverging campaign setting in which the Rebellion never occurs, and the Third Imperium continues undimmed.) There's a tremendous amount of history from which to draw, multiple points on that timeline in which to game - and no limitations whatsoever if a referee chooses to diverge from that history at any point.In our Traveller game, we began in 1101, and no decision has been made on whether or not we're going to follow the metaplot with respect to the Rebellion, should we reach 1116 in the course of play.If the referee and the players do want to stay close to a canon metaplot, then you're correct that metaplot changes to the setting may constrain some of their in-game plot choices. The same is true of referee and player generated changes to the setting in any game, however - if the players fail to stop the BBEG from unleashing her ultimate weapon, then the game may suddenly become post-apocalyptic . . .This assumes that all settings and all plots are equally engaging - I think we can agree that's not necessarily the case.A thoughtful post, Wayside.</blockquote>

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