That would be really cool, to set up that wiki. I would love it. I have never tried Iron Heroes. I'll have to check that out, though, it sounds cool. As for GURPS, I have actually had very limited experience with GURPS. I knew a kid who played it, but he moved away before I could get into it (he actually introduced me to roleplaying). There are a lot of problems with that system, too, though, from what I do know.
I'm not sure I agree with you, about just D&D breaking the rules. I agree, it is more difficult to make it realistic, but it's not impossible. It just takes more work, but it's far more rewarding that way. Let me use the examples of realistic fantasy that I have encounted, and the different types:
1) Rare. Not just anyone can use magic. In fact, almost nobody knows about it, and those that do, excepting those that have experience with it, are doubtful of it. Also, this magic is very, very low key. We're talking very specific, limited abilities. Like being able to see the future, but only through a specific medium (tarot card reading). Also, this magic has some serious penalties for use, so it is used rarely. A great example of this is the TV show Carnivale, a modern fantasy story that takes place in the dust bowl during the great depression. Really good stuff. In a game, this would mean magic that is primarily used by the DM to drive story, and every know and then can be used voluntarily by the players, but only very rarely.
2) Secret society. A specific group, not necessarily secret, but very much unliked, hold the secrets to magic. People don't trust and don't like magic. Also, this group doesn't use it for frivolous things like crop failure. This is for "greater stuff." A good example would be the Aes Sedai of the Wheel of Time series, or the Jedi.
3) Consequences. Use of magic isn't pretty. You use it, you pay some serious consequences. This is my favorite, and is actually the one that best fits the view of most of the world concerning magic and religious devotion. To see some really great stuff on this, checking out the forum called "low-magic dnd" on this site. That's got some cool stuff on it. It's really long, though, so if you want to jump in, go to the bottom. Near there, there's a couple of posts summarizing all the posts before them. Wheel of Time fits here again, with magic for males.
4) Sacred. Magic is widespread or not - doesn't matter. Magic is thought to be sacred, and people don't really use it, for cultural reasons. They might think they are unworthy, they might be trying to prove they don't need it, etc. You're chioce. I've never actually read anything with this, but Wroe has. She mentions it somewhere on the low-magic forum.
Of course, there's more, but I'm getting lazy, so I'm not gonna go on. So, you're right, Waldo, about most everything. Typical magic is very unrealistic and there is a good reason for that. It's just not my schtick. I'd rather revamp the whole setting from the ground up. But that's just me.
You know what, someone should totally make a webcomic about the "Golden Economy." Like, some party of dnd adventurers keeps finding this treasure and discovers some secret group going around the world, making dungeons, and stuffing them full of gold. That'd be pretty funny. Their goal is to knock the economy off-balance or something.
That would be really cool, to set up that wiki. I would love it. I have never tried Iron Heroes. I'll have to check that out, though, it sounds cool. As for GURPS, I have actually had very limited experience with GURPS. I knew a kid who played it, but he moved away before I could get into it (he actually introduced me to roleplaying). There are a lot of problems with that system, too, though, from what I do know.
I'm not sure I agree with you, about just D&D breaking the rules. I agree, it is more difficult to make it realistic, but it's not impossible. It just takes more work, but it's far more rewarding that way. Let me use the examples of realistic fantasy that I have encounted, and the different types:
1) Rare. Not just anyone can use magic. In fact, almost nobody knows about it, and those that do, excepting those that have experience with it, are doubtful of it. Also, this magic is very, very low key. We're talking very specific, limited abilities. Like being able to see the future, but only through a specific medium (tarot card reading). Also, this magic has some serious penalties for use, so it is used rarely. A great example of this is the TV show Carnivale, a modern fantasy story that takes place in the dust bowl during the great depression. Really good stuff. In a game, this would mean magic that is primarily used by the DM to drive story, and every know and then can be used voluntarily by the players, but only very rarely.
2) Secret society. A specific group, not necessarily secret, but very much unliked, hold the secrets to magic. People don't trust and don't like magic. Also, this group doesn't use it for frivolous things like crop failure. This is for "greater stuff." A good example would be the Aes Sedai of the Wheel of Time series, or the Jedi.
3) Consequences. Use of magic isn't pretty. You use it, you pay some serious consequences. This is my favorite, and is actually the one that best fits the view of most of the world concerning magic and religious devotion. To see some really great stuff on this, checking out the forum called "low-magic dnd" on this site. That's got some cool stuff on it. It's really long, though, so if you want to jump in, go to the bottom. Near there, there's a couple of posts summarizing all the posts before them. Wheel of Time fits here again, with magic for males.
4) Sacred. Magic is widespread or not - doesn't matter. Magic is thought to be sacred, and people don't really use it, for cultural reasons. They might think they are unworthy, they might be trying to prove they don't need it, etc. You're chioce. I've never actually read anything with this, but Wroe has. She mentions it somewhere on the low-magic forum.
Of course, there's more, but I'm getting lazy, so I'm not gonna go on. So, you're right, Waldo, about most everything. Typical magic is very unrealistic and there is a good reason for that. It's just not my schtick. I'd rather revamp the whole setting from the ground up. But that's just me.
You know what, someone should totally make a webcomic about the "Golden Economy." Like, some party of dnd adventurers keeps finding this treasure and discovers some secret group going around the world, making dungeons, and stuffing them full of gold. That'd be pretty funny. Their goal is to knock the economy off-balance or something.