tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post5196603136287273529..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Illusionism and the Sandbox 3: ResolutionsJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-22917448285415814222011-03-09T15:46:08.267-05:002011-03-09T15:46:08.267-05:00Hey, C. We meet again. :)
Not to get too philoso...Hey, C. We meet again. :)<br /><br />Not to get <i>too</i> philosophical, but isn't the question you pose true of any stage of world-building? How would one know at any point when they've achieved true communion, versus acting on their own will?<br /><br />An urge to a last minute change might be a sign from beyond.;)Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-36378226891164311662011-03-09T15:43:39.183-05:002011-03-09T15:43:39.183-05:00-C, I agree with what you're saying - ideal, t...-C, I agree with what you're saying - ideal, the setting elements are fixed in place, and their internal clocks are running.<br /><br />The quantum possibility state provides a bit of flexibility for those times when the DM would otherwise be creating a glitch in the matrix by altering continuity.<br /><br />BTW - I liked how you handled the colony issue in your game. May we all be as ruthless.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-15719618639523615682011-03-09T15:01:38.028-05:002011-03-09T15:01:38.028-05:00There was a great discussion between trey and I in...There was a great discussion between trey and I in the comments on my blog post about your post. :-) I recommend you check it out. <br /><br />Personally, I'm uncomfortable with the 'established' bit. This may be a little personal, but I believe imaginary worlds, and worlds in video games, etc - all really exist in a sense similar to our own.<br /><br />When we're roll playing, I sort of feel like we're using various augury techniques (such as die rolls) to determine the state of these worlds - they aren't created so much as discovered. So it is less important whether the players *know* that strahd is building a zombi army, and more important whether he actually is, or not. Regardless of player knowledge, the things in your world exist in a certain specific place and time. <br /><br />Obviously, I'm playing a little devil's advocate here. I'm not actually crazy. ;-p When the information is unstated, it's clearly somewhat in a quantum possibility state, like a certain cat. <br /><br />There is less an issue with illusionism if the players lack knowledge. But in that situation, I'd have to ask myself, is this encounter being static true to the nature of this world I've uncovered? Or is it simply a thing I'm saying because it's convenient?-Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02331863932906631618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-32203901930161562622011-03-09T14:12:28.555-05:002011-03-09T14:12:28.555-05:00Sounds like good advice to me.Sounds like good advice to me.Simon Forsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01243845335993440168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-29333434548401184842011-03-09T11:15:10.435-05:002011-03-09T11:15:10.435-05:00Yep, I can get on side with this as well. I espec...Yep, I can get on side with this as well. I especially like the final guideline, and would factor it into my love of plot twists. There's nothing wrong with a surprise if it's been foreshadowed and <i>could</i> have been spotted. Of course, foreshadowing is a storytelling rather than gamesmastering technique, one which tends to fall down if the storyteller can't control what the characters spot, so we're on pretty dodgy ground as to whether a given foreshadow will still attach to anything when it resolves.Vonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12583821960347555993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-55721630949116488552011-03-09T10:11:41.436-05:002011-03-09T10:11:41.436-05:00I agree absolutely with all your points, and think...I agree absolutely with all your points, and think those are sound guidelines.<br /><br />Where I tend to get dismissive of cries of "illusionism" is when it seems to suggest worlds must be entirely predetermined--which strikes me as dogmaticism without much utility (though of course, I support the right of others to play as they will). If a "fact" only exists in GM notes or in his/her head, and isn't a part of player decision making, then altering it on the fly is improv, in my view, as you suggest.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.com