Fluff (fiction)
Encyclopedia
Many board game
s and video games provide their own fictional setting, or are set in fictional settings defined by other media such as literature
or film
. Fluff, in the context of such gaming fiction, refers to information that provides setting and context for the game.
By definition, fluff is never part of the proper game rules. As such, fluff has no impact on gameplay and can technically be ignored by the players without breaking the game or its rules; it could arguably be described as 'soft rules'. As a result, the concept may not be applicable for role-playing games where the rules are at the discretion of the game master and implied, contextual or otherwise 'soft' rules may be deemed valid and binding.
In the context of fiction, fluff is essentially synonymous with 'Canon
', i.e. the body of all fiction deemed to officially shape and define the fictional setting. It often takes the form of short stories
or background information found in rulebooks and game supplements, but can take any form. In highly developed, popular settings which have evolved beyond gaming, fluff may include anything from gaming supplements such as sourcebook
s to novels or even movies.
By contrast, in the same context the term Blurb
is typically used for brief explanatory texts (for individual gaming pieces etc.). Where they do not provide gaming rules for their subject, blurbs also fall under the definition of the fluff.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
s and video games provide their own fictional setting, or are set in fictional settings defined by other media such as literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
or film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. Fluff, in the context of such gaming fiction, refers to information that provides setting and context for the game.
By definition, fluff is never part of the proper game rules. As such, fluff has no impact on gameplay and can technically be ignored by the players without breaking the game or its rules; it could arguably be described as 'soft rules'. As a result, the concept may not be applicable for role-playing games where the rules are at the discretion of the game master and implied, contextual or otherwise 'soft' rules may be deemed valid and binding.
In the context of fiction, fluff is essentially synonymous with 'Canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
', i.e. the body of all fiction deemed to officially shape and define the fictional setting. It often takes the form of short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
or background information found in rulebooks and game supplements, but can take any form. In highly developed, popular settings which have evolved beyond gaming, fluff may include anything from gaming supplements such as sourcebook
Sourcebook
The term sourcebook is used to describe many different kinds of books such as collections of core articles , bibliographies, biographies, printed archival sources, directories and so on...
s to novels or even movies.
By contrast, in the same context the term Blurb
Blurb
A blurb is a short summary or some words of praise accompanying a creative work, usually used on books without giving away any details, that is usually referring to the words on the back of the book jacket but also commonly seen on DVD and video cases, web portals, and news websites.- History :The...
is typically used for brief explanatory texts (for individual gaming pieces etc.). Where they do not provide gaming rules for their subject, blurbs also fall under the definition of the fluff.