Discussion Cultivation/Meditation vs Game Elements.

Having read CN, JP, and KR Swords and Magic novels, I kinda feel that CN novels have it more... realistic or should I say acceptable way in having to explain how people gain their strength and even rank it as compared to others. I mean, as compared to level grinding, wouldn't cultivation/meditation be sort of a more stable method in learning/mastering say... magic? Same goes for martial arts as well, aside from arduous training and practice we've also been taught to meditate on our experiences. What I want to say is that I prefer seeing cultivation as compared game elements like levels in how strength is gained and ranked in fantasy novels. How about you guys? Which and why?

P.S.
I'm collecting a few ideas before I start my own novel. and yes, I've also read western Swords and Magic novels; specifically the Forgotten Realms series but the gauging of their strenths are vague and magic/martial skill is mostly mastered through practice and experience so I didn't really count them.

EDIT: I wanna point out that when I say cultivation, I don't mean your typical Xianxia. More like something along the lines of Great Demon King, Tales of the Reincarnated Lord, Martial Emperor Reborn, and Womanizing Mage.

 

Cultivation is actually just being premium players.

I mean, pills(exp boost), some sort of artifact(premium items), meditate(AFK) and suddenly level up.

 

I always felt that they were all very rpg-like

 

I generally like cultivation novels more than those with gaming elements.
But of course there there are certain exceptions like dungeon defence.

 

I'm not really fussed either way, as long as the story is interesting. I view experience points as a accumulated life energy that you absorb from your kills.

 

To be fair, MC's in game elements novels also gain a buttload of levels in one go, possess artifacts (like the overused Durandal and Gram). Nothing about going afk though.

 

Cultivation is nice because it lets you put numbers on ability level, which would otherwise be realistically unquantifiable. I find that game elements feel fairly lazy and sorta break the immersion. They can be done well, but if a novel is more serious, they don't really work the greatest. Having cultivation can get rid of the strength vagueness that western novels have while keeping immersion better.

 

Well game elements usually use the excuse of mind fuckery where every time you skill up, the knowledge is literally installed into your brain. Sure they can use the skill well, but using it to full utility of it depens on the user.

Also, cultivation novels work pretty much the same except they increase their skill by spamming and level up by consuming items

 

I'm pretty sure like 80% of xianxia has at least one part where the MC gets a massive power boost by risking his life with some random potion or some garbage, and I'm absolutely sure that every xianxia has at least one scene where the MC gets a similar power boost by stumbling into some random cave that gives him good shit to level up with.

Both categories suck either way. Come up with your own system.

Psst, this is actually a good thing. Please do this instead.

 

Ah, immersion. That's the word I was looking for.

 

I'd like to see a game element novel where the MC just goes collecting beast cores and goes into seclusion for years...

Then comes out to jump 3 realms. Novel will be nice and short.

 

Hmmm... Well, I was thinking of doing something like forgotten realms where power levels are vague but... I would be a but hard-pressed to avoid ass-pull deus ex machina moments.

 

Well, you have seen the matrix right? Where they upload martial arts into their brains? I always see that in front of me when I see the typical Japanese MC gain a lvl in swordfighting or whatever.

 

They are both equally bad at their system thing(magic, levels, items, stats).

 

Just to clarify: I'm merely comparing the process of gaining and gauging strength. I'd like to avoid the bullshit luck as much as possible too. Having played DND for almost 10 years with a psychotic dungeon master, I have this sunconscious thinking that stumbling onto something leads to certain death rather than a power-up.

 

Cultivation has more detail unlike Game level up.As ppl just whak enemies ,gain OP items that they don't sit down or train.

 

Ah, but vague power levels are good! In fact, I think it's actually harder to avoid ass-pull moments when you have set power levels, speaking from personal experience.

 

Most difficult to write will be cultivation + Game Elements because of the different cultivation level because jumping level is multiplication of power but if going by game rules it is just addition
like in ancient strengthening technique
comparing with so what if its an RPG world
I was re-reading it and it feels nice

 

Don't see any difference. Generally there is more actual training in game element stories as far as I can tell since they generally grind their skills, see LMS. Cultivators usually talk about training but never seem to do much and it always boils down to who had the most exp pots on hand, see MGA. I suppose most training is boring which is why it isn't always mentioned. Also a level up boost to skills isn't much different from the cultivators gaining "enlightenment." All and all it works out about the same end result.

 

You worry too much.

All game elements and cultivation are the same in the end, the difference is if you are the MC or the NPCs