RE: [Fwd: Re: The T'or Ruling]

[Daniel Lawrence <dan@aquest.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From:	Steve Ames [SMTP:steve@ns1.cioe.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, August 12, 1998 11:02 PM
To:	khelek@ns1.cioe.com; rob@aclcb.purdue.edu
Cc:	gmlist@cioe.com
Subject:	Re: [Fwd: Re: The T'or Ruling]
Yeah, debates get heated sometimes. People get badgered. You have
a delete key and can choose what to read and/or respond to. We
are all adults here (or play them on the net). Going off because
of a little pressure is immature.

[Daniel Lawrence]  Why are we getting into heated debates about a GAME that we play to
have fun? You are right, we can ignore and/or delete mail we don't want to deal with.... 
but that very act is often used to say that we are being unresponsive and wrong.
AQ used to be a lot more fun. 

When playing a game, like monopoly or Risk... it would never occur to me to turn to one of
my friends and say "Your Cheating!" It would take GREAT provocation before I would do
that, like they would have to be actually cheating.

When something goes bad for an adventurer during a game, it seems the first thing that
happens is that adventurer's player starts casting around to point the finger at the GM
that misplayed the rule that caused him/her the bad fortune. The assumption of "BENDING"
is made and espoused in a mostly public forum (like this mailing list). The GM is assumed
guilty first, and then the burden of proof is placed on them to justify their actions.

When a player 'cheats', fudging dice or changing things on their card... we as GMs have to
catch them in the act before we can act on it. Why is this different with GMs?

It would never occur to me to watch you GM a game... and then run around to all the other GMs
pointing out your 'BENDS' and talking you down. If I thought you had a difficulty, I would talk
with you and find out what was up and try to handle it without this public gossip.

Being pressured in this rather hostile atmosphere is not so much immature but reacting to the
way people are busy witch hunting GMs that make mistakes. This is why I am having problems
enjoying this situation.

							dan