The only problem with this whole thing is that themes and source material are not the only things that create a "feel". The more generic or omni game you get the less focus you have on any specific genre and thus lose a certain glitz.
Rules endorse behavior. There are many ways to create a game with a certain feel. Not any one single element contributes to it, but a collection of stuff. Mechanics, rules, source material, art, and writing style. One of the reasons why people argue over rules is because certain rules reflect other genres better than say...D20. Richard Stewart Sanguine Productions Ltd. [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.sanguineproductions.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, November 09, 2001 9:41 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Ogf-l] New Open Gaming subject In a message dated 11/09/2001 12:26:35 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > IMHO, the RPG that makes the Next Big Breakthrough in terms of > growing the market won't simply be a refined version of D20 (or any > other "normal" RPG), but will instead resemble Sketch, or The > Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen, or Puppetland, or > Primevil: Epic Roleplaying, or something else that we don't currently > consider a "real" RPG. You might be right, but I'm inclined to think that it doesn't matter _especially_ in an environment like open gaming where rules can be modified and redistributed. If we fixate too long on the "best" rule system, then this is the exact kind of debate that stifles growth of the RPG industry, IMO. We should be thinking about the roleplayer/target audience, too. If we consider the roleplayer and the target audience, then I think we will find that _any_ system can be tailored to any market (assuming that its designers allow someone to do that). Rules are very important, I agree, but we can't stop _or_ start there. People have a hard time with this, (even game designers!), because they can't see the game mechanics through the theme and style of the game. (lol.. and others can't see the game through the mechanics, but I digress) Even systems that do not use dice or are ran by a narrator are still based on some form of math. It just might not be a type of math that people are generally aware of or comfortable with. This is why I think that after a certain point the license doesn't matter and the rules don't matter. I understand why some people would fear d20 overtaking everything, but even if it does I think many years down the line we will still see a wide variety of systems. Hopefully they will be compatable and different in a _new_ way other than just "rules" and "themes". The path to innovation isn't clear and only our history will know the truth, but I think the SRD and the OGL are an important step. Some designers will take that step. (Obviously there are other paths). My point is that this could be one path and I think many people ae too quick to dismiss it, and that's a shame. Maggie _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
