Re: of rules and munchkins

["Sean L. McLane" <zodo@laf.cioe.com>]

> From steve@virtual-voodoo.com  Tue Feb 29 14:35:46 2000
> Subject: Re: of rules and munchkins
>
> > But is there a list of common rulings that have not been included in
> the
> > book? 
>
> Agreed totally. This is why the constitution is tiny, but the actual law
> is HUGE. I think we _should_ produce a second document that includes
> common rulings and the justification for those rulings. As long as the
> new document used the same numbering scheme as the actual manual then
> having a "GM's Guide" would be valuable and a quick reference. We've got
> some talented people who could build an on-line version pretty easy
> (people can print at their own leisure on their own dollar :).
>
> Any thoughts on this? Any volunteers? I think we can all agree that the
> people putting a lot of effort into this should get an eep reward just
> like writing up adventures.
>

Well, before this project gets underway, we would have to answer the question
of 'which book?'. Few people have the same edition of the book with the same
paging sequence. My own copy is quite out of date (it still has Rogues, instead
of Augers), and I know there are at least a half dozen other editions out 
there.

I've gotten the new magic item books up to date, except for the material which
is in the computer, which I cannot add, as I don't have that data. So I would
volunteer for compiling a list of rulings and putting it together in a simple
document for GM and player distribution.

> > There's also the options of researching spells and developing new
> skills
> > which also makes the game open-ended.
>
> Quite right.
>
> > > 3. Realism. The game is easier to relate to if it isn't glaringly
> > >
> > > 4. Simplification. Making the rules simpler to use without removing
> any
> >
> > 3 and 4 are often a trade off.  Games that go over-board in realism
> are
> > _usually_ incredible complex and slow to play.  Balacing the two is a
> > difficult process.
>
> Yep.
>
> > > 2. Gameflow takes precedence over all else... including realism. Any
> > > mechanic that slows (or halts) a game is bad. Any mechanism which
> > > causes
> > > people to forget they are role-playing and go "that's dumb" is bad.
> >
> > I would say that fairness (or, probably, consistency would be a better
> way
> > of pharsing it) is on the same level as gameflow.  Few things piss
> players
> > off more than not being able to do something one week and then
> watching
> > five people do it the next.
>
> Couldn't agree more. Documented precedence (aka "GM's Guide") would be
> extremely valuable in promoting consistent rulings.
>
> -Steve
>

I would say that consistency should have a high priority. It gets frustrating
that there are different GMs who rule different ways about things. This leads
to situations like there being a couple of GMs to whom everyone goes for 
adjudication of Mutations, due to favorable rulings.

-Sean