One thing I’ve been wondering about with regard to Dungeon World and PbtA games in general: there are lists of character names on all the playbooks, lists of steading names, lists of NPC names, etc. Are GMs/players breaking the rules if they don’t pick names from those lists, or are the names just meant as suggestions/framing devices for coming up with similar names, etc.? I’ve always told people the second one, but I want to make sure that’s right.
Also, are GMs only supposed to choose from the listed options during Front creation, or can they make up their own Dangers and such? Again, I would assume the second option, but knowing Adam Koebel’s feelings about playing RAW, I figured it was worth asking.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
My rule has always been, if you don’t, you can’t.
If the player just makes up a name for their character – great! Let them keep it. If they have to ask, tell them they have to pick something from the list.
A side benefit to choosing from the list is that games will often have character names in common and it can be fun to see how they get used across games – even when you wouldn’t normally care about the details of other folks’ games, e.g. Rolfball.
If you can’t make up your own content you are playing a board game, not a roleplaying behavior.
Marshall Miller
Interesting, thanks!
Brian Gracey
“You” in general or me specifically? Because if you’re talking about me specifically, I can make up my own content for days, thanks. Also, I am not sure if you meant for that to sound condescending, but it kinda sounds condescending if I read it either way.
You in the general sense. Condescension was not intended, and apologies if offense was taken. I was merely posting my opinion.
If you don’t choose from a list when you’re told to choose from a list, you are not playing vanilla DW anymore. You are hacking the game. You are making a new game, a unique version of DW. That’s true for even the smallest degree that you step outside what the rules say–even tiny stuff like rejecting part of the implied setting or choosing a name or bond that’s not on the list. Given this criteria, I don’t know if anyone plays true-RAW DW.
DW encourages hacking the game. There are suggestions for where to start (and names are a good one), but nothing is sacred. But, as +Adam Koebel frequently mentions, changing the game makes you a game designer. So, to be a good game designer, be aware of why things are the way they are and be intentional about the changes you make. It’s not too much trouble to assume the designers had a reason for everything in a game; you should have a reason for every change you make, too. “This name sounds really cool” and “The implied setting isn’t perfect for the sort of story we want to experience” are perfectly valid reasons; just be aware of those reasons.
I believe Adam’s feelings about playing RAW are not so much “play RAW” as “think about the changes you’re making”. On Roll20 Presents, to analyze and demonstrate and teach a game, he tends to stick to RAW. But for other shows (Mirrorshades, Swan Song, West Marches, Balance of Power), he intentionally modifies them, and demonstrates his process for that. He’s not anti-hacking, he’s anti-careless hacking.
I vastly prefer it when players choose names from the provided lists. That’s why they’re there, right? That being said, it’s no big deal if the player chooses another name for their character. Honestly, I don’t find the names in DW to be all that evocative, unlike some names in other PbtA games.
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Jumping on the question, has anyone came up with any more dangers then the ones on the list and have made moves/impulses for them?