Gamer Question

[benlehman]

People who like L5R: Why?

Why do you like a top-heavy, orientalist, highly westernized fantasy of Japan that is simultaneously less gameable and less interesting than the "real thing" (either a historical period or something based on Japanese myth.) Real Samurai had complicated lives of politics, betrayal, war, and power. Y'know, human issues. L5R Samurai seem to worry mostly about "taint" and "honor" and kill themselves all the damned time.

Not to mention that China and Korea are reduced to "the shadowlands" that are EVIL and full of "taint."

And please don't say it is the system. 'cause that is a whole nother rant.

(Clarification: I have no trouble believing that a lot of people like L5R. Just that twice today I have seen folks who I think of as rational, sane people, very hip to racial, cultural, and historical issues, praise the game. I'm really curious -- why? Am I missing something?)

Comments

[bar-sinister.livejournal.com]

Hey, Ben, I actually do like this game (and yeloson, we have an Asian player in our group, Malaysian Chinese, actually). Why? Drift, my friend, drift. I mix in some elements of real Japanese culture, but also I enjoy exploring the purely fantastic culture that is described in the books. I also pretty much ignore there metaplot entirely. My game focuses on the inter-clan politics and the conflicting loyalties to clan, friends, and empire. Those opposing forces are what drives the game, and are implied but not described in the text of the game. That, and some real fun powertripping as the players get to higher and higher ranks.

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

I mean, fair enough, but is the text serving as a tool, a speedbump, or a crutch here?

yrs--
--Ben

[bar-sinister.livejournal.com]

I think it serves us well as a tool, since it provides some common ground for everyone. Each player has taken and studied the material on their own particular clan, and it has provided inspiration as they develop their characters and gives everyone a basic vocabulary to discuss the game world. All in all, I think it has been valuable. The system itself is serviceable, but there are some fundamental flaws in the mechanic that I mostly just paper over.

[bar-sinister.livejournal.com]

Ben, I just read your bricolage post at your other blog. That is totally the point of our L5R game. We've bricolaged the fuck out of the setting, with the game book canon mixing with every player's slightly different conception of Asian culture and what elements each player is interested in. That's why we like it, we made it ours.

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

I can dig it.

I just think that the raw material is... less than good.

yrs--
--Ben

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

Hey, I feel you on the whole thing. That's why, I can dig it, despite the issues.