Which One Would You Prefer? Abstract or Concrete World Definition?

[47Haven]

I'm rather curious as to what RPer prefer more when they're RPing, specifically here.

I get that it's based from user to user, but i'm asking which one would be seen as the better alternative.

What i meant by abstract or concrete description is something along the line of how detailed the world description of an RP concept should be. Abstract would stop at the general location and timeline, so something like "The settings would be in London, during the Victorian era, and there's a lot of gang war happening", and nothing much more, and sometimes keeping things rather vague so it can be interpreted in some ways. Concrete would not only specify where in London the story takes place, the exact year, perhaps with a specific event happening in that year, specify the gangs that are involved, how long there's been the gang war, the public's opinion on it, who and where both of your roleplaying will take place, and so on.

If not these two, then what would you consider a good balance of the two?

The reason i ask this question is that i myself prefer building a rather defined world, but in the process, kinda reduced the flexibility of my partner's imagination. I've since tried to reduce the details in my world building, after getting several complaints before, but i still feel that urge to add that extra details sometimes. In my mind, a clear world definition helps the story along since if both party agreed to the definition, then we can both visualize the scene with more details, details that we both share. The opposite however, means that there would be two different interpretation of the scene, and that could be something that causes story conflict, not a big conflict, but a conflict nonetheless. Examples would be what some people consider pub/tavern/bar, I was imagining some place homey and comfortable to drink, while my partner was imagining a den of thieves kind of tavern, and the only thing we both got as the description was just "we both decided to get into the local bar to get some rest", before proceeding with me detailing my drinks order.

It definitely adds more extra twist and turns in the RP experience, and i'm not against that, but in that scenario, i did have some plot points i want to go through, but it was delayed since my partner decided to make her character pick a fight in the bar, which is against what i wanted, which was a peaceful information gathering.

Oh and this question applies to both in-RP and during concept phase as well. Would you be more inclined to join an RP that has a more abstract settings, so you can interpret and worldbuild it as you prefer, or would you prefer a set in stone settings that you can't change too much, but already has most of the details set up?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tazreale]

Solo Play: Usually more abstract-ish as oppose to concrete. Sometimes it may vary to a inbetween or concrete, depends on partner. Most of the time I really don't want to go too deep into world building just for a solo game. The sheer amount of world building I do are usually for more group oriented projects. If some solo project catches my interest enough I may differentiate there and do a bit of world building(such as example of Reign of the Overlord, that is bits and pieces from a solo planning project of info I conjure on my end.) Though that is the only example of extreme at large and there was a lot of lesser info between me and partner that I saw of no value to fit into the world building thread.

Group Play: Somewhere inbetween. I believe that there should be a general balance between world building. What I normally do is construct a world and have the hard facts of that world and how it operates. I leave some flexibility afterwards as it is impossible to really construct every single town layout, forest layout, etc(as the worlds I build are that, worlds.) Depending on the plotline, things may be focused in whatever direction or location. Still, even with plots I don't like a hard, concrete direction. Concrete direction just leaves expectation of how everything is going to happen and doesn't allow room for any suspense or alternative approach to events. Not saying there can't be a form of structure there as giving players too much flexibility will no doubt cause chaos. That is why anything drastically world alternating or something that will leave a larger impact on things is what I normally request to be run by me first as oppose to me wondering why some town been destroyed or important NPC killed off without general knowledge. Those type of extremities should be common sense run by for approval.

 

[skyfetcher]

This first bit is more on the broad worldbuilding. I'll go with the direct inquiry in p2.

I have a guilty pleasure of desiring concrete, and actually not working as well in a context that's a blend of abstract and concrete. Note that this is on fundamental things, not necessarily what's noted above as far as individual towns, layout, and so on. For roleplay purposes I find a great deal of abstraction and a limited scope to be safer, otherwise I run into a few psychological problems depending on how things turn out.

As far as the OP by definition presented, definitely concrete. My games require purpose, I can't just pick a town, two characters and roll. Regardless of how the greater world is made, I desire established context and enjoy OOC about it so the IC can be feature rich and so the result doesn't result in any confusions of portrayal or avoiding data because we never really covered it despite it being pretty nifty to know.

 

[Dirty Fingers]

I only do 1-1 RP's. I like there to be some definition but also have enough wiggle room to add things as we go depending on what the story needs or what we would like to explore. So somewhere in between I guess.

 

[Captain Manbeard]

I will usually create a concrete world for the RP to take place in, and there is a well-defined history up until the start of the RP, but then beyond that I only have a vague story skeleton and then fill in the blanks as the RP progresses.