*** JUNK MAIL ***Re: [Rq-rules] Conversions and origins

[Lance Dyas]

Wayne Shaw wrote:
> At 04:59 PM 8/26/2007, you wrote:
>>
>>     It also makes it almost impossible for many people to picture
>>     relationships properly at any distance.  If that's a desireble
>>     consequence that's fine, but other than that, I'm not sure what good
>>     purpose it really serves.
>>
>>  
>> Which would be precisely the point?  Getting your players as close as 
>> possible to an authentic 'worldview' IMO is its own reward.
>
> Except I don't think it does do that; it destroys there ability to do 
> so without replacing it.  Its not like people in ancient times 
> couldn't assess how far down the road something was in a meaningful 
> way, but if you use a unit the players can't wrap their head around, 
> you might as well describe it as "off a ways."
>
>
There is always a conflict betwix what the players can do and what the 
character can do.. and one of those may be unit systems...
just like language the characters arent speaking modern english in any 
form.. however   To me unit systems are purely flavor and if the player 
needs a translation they will get get one. Just like if I describe a 
beast and they ask is this the same kind we met earlier on such and such 
encounter? I will clarify their understanding "Well it could be but it 
has a lot more horns and a lot more hair" etc,.

Something simple like strides or days of travel is a case where I say 
Pish Posh Wayne your players arent morons give them flavor.
Ofcourse you might be describing  time to travel in gwoknurenian moons 
vers kalithenti moons...then that  invokes a question like is the
gwoknurenian moon the one with  double cycles of 20 days or the big one.

I err on the side of re-informing rather than making game play be as 
bland as posible ... just in case somebody cant figure it out.