re-[Rq-rules] Introduction

[Andrew Larsen]

Yes, that was in fact a joke on my part, not a serious contribution to the
discussion of the issue.  Since I feel an obligation to make a serious
contribution after having distracted people with a joke, let me make this
observation:
    Game systems all have a tension between playability and simulation (by
which I mean an effort for the system to make logical sense and simulate a
real functional universe).  D&D, for example, emphasizes playability, with
the result that it often has irrational rules about who can do what with
which types of weapons and so on.  On the other end, Chivalry and Sorcery
was marvelously simulatory, to the point that no one wanted to play it
because it was such a pain. (Apologies to C&S fans out there).  What I¹ve
always likes about RQ is that it strikes a very good balance between
playability and simulation.  The rules are logical and do a good job of
simulating human combat, but without being so realistic as to seriously bog
down play.  Many of the proposed discussions about how to improve the rules
system often seem to emphasize simulation at the expense of playability.
Yes, adding a nuance like Fatigue does make the system more realistic, but
it adds an extra layer of bookkeeping that detracts of playability.  My rule
about modifying the rules has always been that any modification needs to
keep that balance intact, unless the problem it fixes is a major one.

Andrew E. Larsen
"But for three years I had roses, and I apologized to nobody."
Alan Moore--V for Vendetta



On 7/2/07 4:00 PM, "Wayne Shaw" <shaw at caprica.com> wrote:

> At 12:32 PM 7/2/2007, you wrote:
>> On 6/30/07, Wayne Shaw <shaw at caprica.com> wrote:
>> At 09:55 AM 6/30/2007, you wrote:
>>> >It's really quite simple.  Remember the Inverse Law of Ninjas.  The skill
>>> of
>>> >a ninja is inversely proportionate to the number of ninjas that attack a
>>> >person.  Many ninjas guarantee that the person being attacked will live and
>>> >kill all the ninjas, but a solo ninja is a profound threat to life and
>>> limb.
>> 
>> That's a largely cinematic conceit, though, and RQ throughout its
>> life really hasn't been a cinematic system.
>> 
>> 
>> Just a hunch, someone failed his "humour" check.
> 
> My sense of humor was surgically removed at birth.  I don't miss it much.
> 
> 
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