From: | Fade <runefo@***.UIO.NO> |
---|---|
Subject: | Re: Suspension of Disbelief |
Date: | Sun, 25 Oct 1998 18:45:01 +0000 |
> It just makes no historical sense inspite of what is written. Disbelief
> should be suspended, not hung from the neck until dead. :-)
Good image!
For my part I think the Shadowrun authors has one, chief, problem.
They have to create a world that should, and does, offer extreme
variety in playing styles. This is not an easy task, and in trying to
create room for one style they restrict a bit at another. If you are
personally very sure what you are and what you are not going to do,
and how you want things to be, it should not be a problem changing
things to suit your playing style. If you are less sure, it's
probably smarter to leave things as they are - that way you won't
have more consistency problems than necessary. But if you change
things, make sure the players also know, and that you can
sufficiently reason out the change. (For instance, the Decker Haven
would more likely be in Copenhagen, in Denmark, than Sweden, since
Copenhagen has the 'Fristaden' - 'Free City'. I do not
understand the mechanics behind that Free City, though. (Any of the
list's Danes care to elaborate?). The changes you have problems with,
I do too. Germany, if my memory is correct, has been a country rather
than a collection of states since Bismarck. There is little sentiment
for sundering this country. (Ignoring the artificial division into
east/west). As for China, it is less stable and might sunder under
pressure from an awakening, but becoming a country of Warlords?
Ghengis Khan wannabes? It's POSSIBLE, but it could stand some
explaining. Neither is the books consistent - if there's warlords in
China, they'd want mercs, while in FoF they claim there's few arenas
of open conflict and their discourse on the future of war fails as
well. (Yes, they mention China, IIRC, but a country of that size -
1/3 of the world's population - would be a HUGE market for mercs!).
If I may offer a suggestion... don't worry about the world too much.
If you want to introduce an area, go through details enough to make
it believable and lifelike and with a past and a future, but until
then, don't sweat it... if someone wants a character to be an exiled
warlord, perhaps have him think of a few why's and why not's. Don't
waste brainpower on explaining the whole world. If you want
suggestions for specific areas, It'd be fun to discuss, though. ;)
--
Fade
"Do you wish to dance with Lucretia, Mr. President?"