engine:
Mr_Qwerty:
It doesn't matter what the rulesets look like, it matters that the world they are describing remains internally consistent. Much like with real life science, the world doesn't have to conform to the theory, the theory has to describe the world.
Except that the world in this case is entirely fictional, and can bend as much as we're willing to bend it.
You are not required to bend it, and the game rules being altered does not require the story to bend. You can if you want, but you are not
required to do so.
Consistency is very important for some people to maintain their immersion, because inconsistencies break immersion for them. Others can glaze over inconsistencies without even noticing.
In the end, consistency is helpful, especially in a game, as it sets player's expectations.
Mr_Qwerty:
If, for example, the new rules have no Fireball spell, how do you explain all of the characters who knew and used that spell in the previous edition?
This is just like I said above, you take the mechanics that best represent what you need.
If the rules lack an explicit representation of something, you use the mechanics to cobble up something that fits. Take the Iceball spell and change it's elemental damage to fire. Done.
The system is like a language, some concepts require a single word in one language but require a phrase or a whole sentence in other languages.
Likewise, when using a system, sometimes you can just use an ability presented, sometimes you need to reflavor, other times you take and mix mechanics from three different abilities. A good system is not one that doesn't require you to adapt, but rather a good system is one that is easy enough to adapt that it takes little enough effort and time to do so that it can be done on the fly by a knowledgeable gm.
quote:
Mr_Qwerty:
If how the skills work were to change, it's fine, but if it suddenly becomes impossible to craft, then it's bogus; etc.
I don't see why. Earlier versions of D&D have contained subsystems and rules that aren't a significant aspect of it anymore. The rules for owning and running a keep, for instance, are pretty firmly relegated to highly optional in any version to come out in the past 20 years or so. Yet those versions are quite playable.
I would hope one would consider overall playability of the game, but I suppose that what happened to 4th Edition makes that a vain hope. Still, if some aspect of the game doesn't work particularly well, causes a lot of confusion or otherwise doesn't enhance the game as much as it could, then however much its removal makes the game "bogus," doing so should be recognized as an improvement. I know it won't be by everyone, or even most people, but it should be.
Playability is definitely important, but having the tools available to easily run things and adapt on the fly to the situational requirements are equally important.
A bunch of rules on running a keep seem quite reasonable, but it'd be far better to just have rules that can be easily applied to running a keep in addition to a bunch of other stuff.
Mr_Qwerty:
You should be able to adapt the previously published material such as adventure paths and still keep their plot viable in the new rules.
If I can take a fantasy module and adapt it to run in star wars, then what exactly could a change in editions possibly do to make running prior edition modules difficult?
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Nevermind. I just realized the problem. The real problem.
GMs who don't want to be GMs, or want to be GMs without putting the effort. Folks who want to just read from the book instead of actually thinking and applying a even a smidge of reason.
There really isn't any other reason I can think of for how it can be so easy to use modules not just across systems, but across genres, and yet have folks think a simple edition change will invalid them.
I can forgive a GM wanting to just read if they are new (in which case they need to be taught how to think), or are being a gm even though they don't want to be, like if no one wants to be the gm.
But honestly, in my opinion, such a gm isn't worth playing with if there is any other gm available.