evilmagnus: (Default)

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posted by [personal profile] evilmagnus at 04:21am on 09/02/2005
But doesn't that predicate perfect knowledge of the system, *and* a System that is perfectly suited to the campaign? I mean, we're talking Theory here after all - how do you *know* that the System you choose will be the most perfectly suited one for the game that you end up playing? (assuming, of course, that there's no Universal System of All that you can use.)

People make mistakes. People don't always know the rules back-to-front. The Rule of Unintended Consequences will occasionally spawn and bite people in the ass. This whole contentious monkey knife fight started when I asked what do you do when you realize the System is borked?

The choices I've been given have been:
- Choose another System (not always practical in the middle of a campaign).
- Systems can be perfect, and you're an Idiot for not using the Perfect System (not the most helpful suggestion).
- It's not the System's fault, it's your fault for choosing/not knowing the system (ditto).
- If the players want to do it, and the system allows it, suck it up (a corollary of 'The System cannot be wrong, even if it's flawed')
- It should have been a book, not a campaign (best evar!).

...but whatever you do, never ever ignore the Rule - if you do, the entirety of the player's contributions for the entire campaign are worthless.

So I think I'm just going to continue being a backwoods hick and keep the Golden Rule.

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posted by [identity profile] xiombarg.livejournal.com at 04:58am on 09/02/2005
In the case of mistake, you have a mature discussion with the players about it. Perhaps someone needs to drop out. Perhaps the ruleset DOES need to be adjusted. But this isn't just the GM's decision to make, because everyone's fun is involved.

Again, you are trying to solve a social problem with with a rule, when you should be handling it on the social level. GM fiat to suspend rules only helps if the GM is a mind-reader, or if he talks to his players -- in which case, fiat becomes largely undeeded as everyone discusses their needs and desires like resonsible adults.

A gaming group is like any other relationship. Simplistic rules of thumb are never a substitute for handing social issues on a social level. You don't solve a problem with a baseball player sexually molesting another baseball player by increasing the power of the referee.
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evilmagnus: (Default)

(no subject)

posted by [personal profile] evilmagnus at 05:08am on 09/02/2005
A gaming group is like any other relationship. Simplistic rules of thumb are never a substitute for handing social issues on a social level. You don't solve a problem with a baseball player sexually molesting another baseball player by increasing the power of the referee.

Actually, i thought we just got the FCC to levy increasingly stiff fines until The Children are adequately protected from the terrorists... :)
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