tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post6205014656875577829..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: CalendarAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-11387873934592646602010-03-01T14:56:03.299-07:002010-03-01T14:56:03.299-07:002eDM: "...just over 13 lunar months, not 12.&...2eDM: "...just over 13 lunar months, not 12."<br /><br />Really. The synodic period (time it takes the moon to circle the earth) is 29.530589 days. 365 divided by this period is 12.36006502 ... decidedly LESS than 13 lunar months. Perhaps this is why (incorrectly) the year was judged to be 12 lunar months plus a year-end period that was judged to be 12 days (a period associated with a peculiar year-end festival).<br /><br />But however inaccurate, the number 12 was the relevant one.<br /><br />These sorts of inaccurate nitpickings ... sigh.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-63453307080187850672010-02-20T12:46:14.269-07:002010-02-20T12:46:14.269-07:00@2eDM - Very true, it was the evolution of the Rom...@2eDM - Very true, it was the evolution of the Roman 10 month (plus a span simply labeled "Winter") calendar.<br /><br />Tangentially, the book "Calendar", by David Ewing Duncan, is an interesting read on the history of the modern calendar and its various incarnations over time.PatrickWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02083947433803227063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-23148149289948311322010-02-20T10:28:22.000-07:002010-02-20T10:28:22.000-07:00I realize this is just nitpicking, but being on a ...I realize this is just nitpicking, but being on a lunar calendar myself, the solar year is divided into just over 13 lunar months, not 12. The 12 month system came much later and didn't have much to do with the moon.2eDMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09562222394843621495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-72878364126220131462010-02-19T12:20:00.552-07:002010-02-19T12:20:00.552-07:00My current fantasy campaign does have a calendar: ...My current fantasy campaign does have a calendar: 7 days (each named) to a week, 4 weeks to a month (each named), a week long seasonal festival after every three months, and one Day of the Dead at the end of the year.<br /><br />My previous campaign had two moons and I did the orbital calculations for them to work out when they would both be full and make certain it would be rare as I was tying a plot point to it. I have not done the calculations for my current world yet, but I will eventually.PatrickWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02083947433803227063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-53833750440565031302010-02-17T10:13:21.630-07:002010-02-17T10:13:21.630-07:00@Chgowiz My issue is I'd have to make a calend...@Chgowiz My issue is I'd have to make a calendar for all the major cultures - I'll get to it, but not until I knock out some more important itemsRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00433823836676600019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-66632023487674819812010-02-17T08:41:05.193-07:002010-02-17T08:41:05.193-07:00A thought approach that I very much appreciation. ...A thought approach that I very much appreciation. Indeed, breaking the mold is a fascinating exercise.<br /><br />Player in my Dark Ages game: "I wait for the moon to rise so that I can see in the dark."<br /><br />Me: "Well, see, that's the thing... there is no moon."<br /><br />Player: "... really? No moon?"<br /><br />Spring is 45 days. Fall is 45 days. Summer is 60 days. Winter is 90 days. Nobody has asked why winter is so long. The funny thing is, if the players dug into that, they'd get a shock... it didn't use to be that way! I wonder why...<br /><br />@R: Making a calendar for me was easy... the above paragraph is the calendar. I have a few specific days for festivals and if the players want to get more details, I can come up with them. You don't have to have the entire thing... start small. Let it grow.Michael S/Chgowizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052820400496340137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-41067972909865608452010-02-17T06:01:36.032-07:002010-02-17T06:01:36.032-07:00I think the main reason varying calendar options a...I think the main reason varying calendar options are left unexplored stems from the amount of work it takes and also the fact that uninteresting things in D&D typically fall under the "same as real life" answer.<br /><br />"Do boots in this world have laces?"<br />"Does it snow when it's cold?"<br />"Are there only 2 genders?"<br />"Is the day 24 hours long?"<br /><br />All of those things can be changed, of course, but creating everything from the ground up is not only monumental, but at some point you'd lose a baseline of realistic reactions and expectations of what is probable in doing so.<br /><br />Admittedly, this blog delves into the minutia of details and provides somewhat of a guide for hammering them all out.<br /><br />I've avoided making a calendar only because it falls under "time better spent developing other things" in my campaign.Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00433823836676600019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-26259391505051230672010-02-16T22:21:28.473-07:002010-02-16T22:21:28.473-07:00For interesting player reactions, try breaking thi...For interesting player reactions, try breaking this mold. <br /><br />In a 4e game I was running, I set the game in a world-sized flower, with the petals providing light and heat and time instead of an orbital body. <br /><br />It... really confused the players. But was fun to play with.Brian Ballsun-Stantonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09506402044183009177noreply@blogger.com