[Black Leviathan]

As a gun guy it's difficult to have a clear perspective of how people see guns. Recently I encountered a guy who was open carrying a pistol at my grocery store and it really pinged me. I've had similar reactions when I see police behaving suspiciously. It's not that I think people who have weapons are good or bad but the presence of a weapon itself escalates the danger of a potential conflict.

I think is most game worlds, walking around with a weapon that's obviously not a tool wouldn't cause a problem in itself but even in a world where people are walking around with swords constantly you won't blend in. It would be hard to shadow someone, or filch something, or even browse in a shop without the shopkeeper remembering you.

I think the more civilized a game setting is the more restriction you'll see on weapons. Even if the town is routinely attacked by monsters and people carry weapons openly in the street the local magistrate isn't going to meet with a stranger while they have some much as an eating knife on them because he doesn't have to and his guards don't want to have to de-escalate a situation with someone who's hammered and armed. In a game setting where the streets are safe, you probably can't carry weapons in town unless there's some law that protects that practice. And even if you can walk around the street with a sword wagging on your hip you probably have to turn it over when you come into the bar because bar owners know that ale plus swords equals shutting down the bar early and awkward conversations with the constable.