Anti-technology gamers - Was: WoW - I wonder....

From: "Dreamer" <dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk>
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] WoW - I wonder....


> Some people won't play in games which are too 'off genre' - I
> know a number of players who refuse to involve themselves in
> fantasy games with tech elements, even if it is an integral part
> of the setting, because they say that it makes them feel that it
> is not a 'real fantasy' game.

Maybe the people who don't like tech in fantasy are Lord of the Rings fans.

LotR shows technology as a something that destroys the environment and 
traditional society and is only used by evil doers.

I'm tempted to say that a limited amount of technology might be appropriate 
within certain crystal spheres, but that enviromental and cultural impact of 
technology would need to be a feature of the game.

The Defilers of Athas show us how magic can damage a world. Technology would 
have a bigger impact as there is much less to limit the amount of technology 
a society can create.

I would think that the safest thing to do with tech is to leave it out of 
the core SJ setting and make it an optional extra. Crystal spheres with tech 
using societies could be written up. DMs that like tech can then use these 
crystal spheres and DMs that hate tech can choose to avoid them. That way 
everyone gets to run the type of SJ game they like.

> Is that maybe a reaction to this post-modern stuff (not that I
> claim to really understand what 'Post-Modern' is! [grin] )?

The d20 Future game is "Post Modern"! Arf-arf!

David "Big Mac" Shepheard
Virtual Eclipse Role Playing Club
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/virtualeclipselrp/links/d20_system_001071937434/Spelljammer_001071430476
http://virtualeclipse.aboho.com/