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How do systems matter? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Here are two blog posts in response to a video and it's all about the old discussion if systems matter.

Here the question is slightly different: How do systems matter?

If an RPG system puts a great focus on combat (like 5e), does that make the game focus on combat? Alternatively, does it relieve the GM from combat simulation and instead let's them focus on other aspects (roleplaying, drama, improv, story, exploration, etc)?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

I'm not sure I understand your question.

System matters in that it frames what's possible within its rules. Since it's all just made up we can always ignore the rules, but that way lies calvinball and the ship of theseus.

In Fate, players can declare a story detail. They can say "it would be super cool if this library had a whole section dedicated to vampires." Spend the fate point, and now it's true.

DND just doesn't have a concept of that. The idea that players can zoom out and influence anything outside their specific character is largely alien to it.

Like, you could let players make narrative suggestions in DND, but that's not really something the system is doing.