Not only am I not familiar with Multiverser, it is the first RPG I have EVER played. There are things that I have done, which I'm sure other gamers would have known better than to do, just because they were gamers.
That would make me a true verser. Versers know nothing of versing when they leave. A virgin gamer knows nothing of games before he starts. I am a true verser.
See, the thing is, we who are gamers, were gamers before we Versed out.
The experience of being gamers IS what teaches us not to do those things. It doesn't make our Verser experience less "true," it just means we have an experience to draw on that you don't. Think of the flip side: You might accomplish something we think is impossible just because you don't "know better" than to try.
I see what's being said, but I'd only agree so far as having no prior Multiverser knowledge.
Knowing another RPG system means about squat here. I have to admit, it's a wonderful game engine to try first, but knowing another game offers no advantage, though it might appear so.
Case in point, in Dungeons and Dragons, creating light is a simple spell, any magical class can do it very quickly. However, in Multiverser, creating light is what, a 9@ skill at least.
Now that I think about it, I don't really think you can metagame Multiverser that much, because like OSevens said, any prior knowledge is now in-game knowledge. Success or failure in metagame attempts is determined solely by your referee.
But then again, I only got 3 hours sleep last night, so feel free to take any argument above with a grain of salt.
Excellent points, all.
I think that there is a level on which having played in other role playing games gives you some advantages--but I also think that the same advantage can be gained in other ways.
Point one: a gamer has already exposed himself to the possibility that there might be other worlds in which the rules are a bit different. Of course, so has anyone who has watched or read much science fiction or fantasy literature.
Point two: a gamer has a set of examples of things you might be able to do, magically, psionically, technologically, even with your body, from having seen them in imaginary worlds. Again, though, so does anyone who has read that sort of literature or watched those media.
So I can ask myself how I would have created light in Dungeons & Dragons, and attempt to copy that--but I can ask myself how Harry Potter creates light (I believe he raises his wand and says "Lumos", but it's been a while since I've read that), and attempt to copy that.
And then, the advantage disappears quickly, if I pay attention. After all, I believe if I am in Quest for the Vorgo I can see how Dimtri creates light, and in Bah Ke'gehn I can follow the examples of one of the Mu Tahk.
As far as being able to tell what spells are easy and which are hard (in terms of bias), of course that's not going to be so simple--but then, it's not supposed to be. And yes, that does help level the playing field, and even in some ways complicates things for gamers. I've known several gamers who pulled spells from other games (particularly D&D variants) and thought that because this was easy in D&D it must be easy in Multiverser. There is a logic to the bias levels of Multiverser in each bias area, based on the conception of what is basic and what is advanced within the base principles of that bias area, but it's not something so intuitive that either gamers or non-gamers would grab it without effort. It took years to work out the framework, and a number of skill sets moved more than once during the development of the system.
--M. J. Young