The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games - Michael J. Tresca [43]
In Role-Playing Mastery, Gygax explains the key assumptions underlying Dungeons &Dragons. He positions humanity as central and good and humans are supported by “demi-human” allies (dwarves, elves, etc.) They remain in power because of their “dedication, honor, and unselfishness.” Paragons of these attributes are controlled by the player characters, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. No single character has all of the skills necessary to overcome adversaries (1987:27).
Shepherding the narrative falls to the game master. As such, Gygax identified the various roles the game master took on in shaping the narrative: narrator, interpreter, force of nature, personification of non-participant characters, all other personifications, and supernatural power.
As narrator, the game master reads or creates on the fly his own description of the universe. As interpreter, the game master translates the game universe to the player characters. He interprets their senses for them, sharing information and answering player questions so that the characters can interact with the imaginary universe effectively.
As a force of nature, the game master handles all events that are not tied to beasts or people, from the weather to the passage of time. As the personification of nonplayer characters, the game master fulfills the role for which he is perhaps best known—acting on behalf of all the other living, breathing characters that populate the imaginary world. Other personifications include beasts both alien and mundane, from dragons to insects to sentient rocks. And finally, as a supernatural power the game master plays the roles of the gods themselves, who may have their own petty interests (Gygax 1989:22).
Unlike previous editions, the narrative of fourth edition Dungeons & Dragons is clearly defined. The world is fantastic, ancient, and mysterious— in many ways, the setting cleaves closer to Tolkien’s Middle-earth than ever before. It also restores some of the danger and wonder of adventuring, phrased as “points of light in a dark world.” This is precisely what Tolkien’s Middleearth was for humans; a dangerous place in need of heroes (Wilkes 2008:14).
One of the major goals for designers of the fourth edition was to become less Euro-focused, departing in that regard from Tolkien and, by proxy, Gygax. As Matthew Sernett pointed out, fantasy overlaid on a medieval template creates odd disparities like a suit of plate armor being more expensive and rare than a considerably more useful healing potion (Wilkes 2008:15).
Personalization
One of the enduring attributes of pen-and-paper role-playing games is that there are no limits to imagination. Gary Gygax (1979:6) explained the “framework” of Dungeons &Dragons as creating a “universe” into which similar campaigns and parallel worlds could be placed. Although play takes place primarily in the imagination, it is adjudicated through dice rolling.
Dice rolls are not explicitly required, but often suggested in most roleplaying games. The outcome of the rolls is left to the discretion of the game master. The game master exercises this control when it makes sense, to keep the game flowing smoothly and balanced so that the player characters have a reasonable chance of survival. And yet rolling dice and reviewing a standardized table creates an aura of objectivity that isn’t exclusively the domain of the game master. As Barton put it in Dungeons & Desktops, “What’s really clever about D&D is the way it’s able to combine the illusion of ‘anything goes’ with this practical and formalized set of rules” (2008:27).
By creating uniformity in the rules systems, players were theoretically able to move between Dungeons &Dragons campaigns and groups. Similarity between character races, classes, ability scores, magic spells and items helped smooth a player’s transition from game to game. This uniformity created a dialogue between gaming groups that laid the foundation for the game’s widespread