>Actually, systemless supplements, like perpetual motion machines or >communist economics, are one of those ideas that just seems so good >that everyone tries it, and then finds out it just doesn't work.
[aside: i'd say you have to have a *very* flexible definiton for "works" to consider our capitalist economy as "working", but that's another issue.] actually, just after sending my last message, i stopped by the local game store, only to see exactly what i was complaining about not existing: the latest Penumbra product, a bunch of capsule settings (i don't remember the title): basically Citybook Lite, but with D20 stats, when used. >Consider: If a supplement contains specific mechanics, then, anyone >who uses that system can use it 'as is', and those who do not must >make an effort to convert. Whereas, if a supplement uses no >mechanics, or 'systemless' mechanics, then, EVERYONE must convert. >And, since there is no agreed-upon conversion, two people using the >same systemless supplement for the same system may end interpreting >the same character/spell/item in wildly divergent ways. > >A system-specific supplement has a guaranteed core audience, while a >systemless supplement does not. agreed. the problem isn't the use of a system, it's the style of presentation that specifically catering to one system tends to engender. look at the Citybooks--ultimately, they used slightly-genericized AD&D for their system bits, but, they weren't designed as "AD&D supplements" but rather "fantasy supplements that are being marketed to AD&D players". >Some "generic" books have carved out a succesful niche market -- the >citybooks, for example -- but, for the most part, the concept >doesn't work nearly as well in practice as it does in theory. > >Note, BTW, that Mongoose ramps up the "crunchy bits" with each new release. damn. though, as long as the Slayers' Guides keep roughly the same sort of content, i'm happy--none of the other topics they've touched would likely interest me, however they're executed. -- woodelf <*> [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.home.net/woodelph/ My day today? Nothing major, just Xenon base gone, Scorpio gone, Tarrant dead, Tarrant alive and then I found out Blake sold us out. _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
