Allusions and Puns

[Endless_Helix]

I had a magic rug maker that you could weave different organic food options out of.
...It was called Fruits of the Loom.

Excellent! You made me snicker!

As for my opinion on Puns and Allusions, I say damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. The more the merrier.

I think it depends on the type of environment you want your players in and how you want your setting to feel. Allusions, however slight can really help anchor your world for your players, because it will help them create mental visuals, even if they don't consciously get the reference. Puns are better in worlds that meant to be a little jokey, like my current project, Orrery.

For most gritty settings, allusions work fine, but puns and in game name gags don't. The one thing against allusions and puns, at least in my book, is that they can take players out of the game, if not handled with care.

[Xeviat]

I'm going to fourth (or fifth?) the sentiment that puns should only be willfully placed in a game if you're going for a light toned game. You don't really need to inject comedic relief into your games, as the players will generally do that for you.

Allusions on the other hand can be really useful. One thing I like to do is sneak in references purposefully to get the players to suspect something. Sometimes it's a red herring, other times the reference is spot on. It keeps my players on their toes.