Realism in Roleplaying

Where I'm Going? You're probably wondering at this point just where the hell I'm going, but be patient, there is a point. Just as there is a distinction between accuracy and precision which is frequently ignored, I would say that there is a distinction between a detailed game system and a realistic game system. My point is this: A detailed game system is one which provides players with a wealth of detailed results and which takes account of many factors. Instead of 3 hit points of damage you get "you have cut a tendon in his left arm". Instead of "this is a difficult shot" you get "the light is poor, you are 110 metres from your target, you have a Lee Enfield sniper rifle with telescopic sight, the wind is 5 metres per second from the south east..." A realistic game system is one that produces results which accurately mirror what would happen in real life. And this, I don't think, is possible. I've always come down in favour of speed, over detail, of simple rules, over complex. I prefer systems like Star Wars and White Wolf which sacrifice detail in order to produce a free-wheeling game. Many a time I've debated this with those on the other side of the argument, who say that these games don't produce the realism they require. But are these games really realistic, or merely detailed? In short - is "realism" all it's cracked up to be?

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