[mdlug-discuss] [mdlug] "realism"

[Robert Adkins]

Ingles, Raymond wrote:
>> From: Aaron Kulkis
>>     
>
>   
>> It reminds me of two guys I once overheard debating what
>> they considered to be the finer points of some Dungeons
>> & Dragons house-rule... on the grounds of "realism".
>>     
>
>  I was never into D&D, but I don't find this to be the oxymoron that you do.
> Suspension of disbelief is important in storytelling of all kinds. To
> paraphrase Einstein, "Things should be as realistic as possible, but no more."
> The best science fiction assumes one "impossible" thing and works out the
> logical implications from there. When done right, you get things like waterbeds,
> waldos, spacesuits, and so forth (all first seen in science fiction).
>   
    As an avid gamer and one who has run many campaigns within his own 
creation, I certainly agree with Raymond on this. There is a strict 
requirement of verisimilitude when crafting a story, even if there are 
elements and concepts that are wholly unrealistic. They need to fit 
together and "feed" each other in a fashion one would expect, with as 
little extraneous explanation as possible to be considered a "realistic" 
setting.

    Regards,
    Rob