tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4999500110309022298.post6414778504049105228..comments2024-02-27T07:06:23.481-06:00Comments on Tower of Zenopus: Issues With Rules Complexity Blacksteelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289298640828309072noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4999500110309022298.post-4577064305016461372016-09-22T16:42:52.830-05:002016-09-22T16:42:52.830-05:00@JERRY HARRIS
I can definitely see that point and...@JERRY HARRIS<br /><br />I can definitely see that point and I think it is definitely an influence. If that is true however, why can't publishers organize the game so that they have the core, minimum rules to run the game in one spot upfront, and then leave the rest of the add-ons and complication for later in the book. That way people don't have to sort through the mess to find the basics of what is needed to run the game.Monkapotomushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15863829877299943297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4999500110309022298.post-48429032601552321562016-09-20T18:57:26.347-05:002016-09-20T18:57:26.347-05:00Speaking as someone who has put up a "backwat...Speaking as someone who has put up a "backwater unplaytested clusterfuck PDF found on the arse-end of the internet" (http://jdh417.blogspot.com/2012/09/fantasy-core-rpg.html), there is a reason why published RPG games are so voluminous. It is that basically any player can conceivably make up their own game. In fact, play groups routinely mangle published rules beyond their creator's recognition. It's somewhat expected.<br /><br />If you're expecting people to pay for your rules, it's not just a matter of nice artwork and playtesting. It's expected that you're providing more character and monster options than anyone would ever use and piles of rules so that the group isn't cursing the designers for hand-waving or not anticipating any possible game situation. <br /><br />Given the current price gamebooks, players expect more completeness. I think the designers are likely fully anticipating players not using all the rules. They just want to make sure they give them all the options. jdh417https://www.blogger.com/profile/14541882649762424101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4999500110309022298.post-57861670535267735752016-09-20T13:25:02.175-05:002016-09-20T13:25:02.175-05:00I bought the latest edition of Shadowrun a while b...I bought the latest edition of Shadowrun a while back, mostly out of sentimentality--I hadn't owned an edition past second. I was astounded by the size of the book, especially when I realized it wasn't all fluff. It's funny that you mention Rifts as the other example because the two games are often together in my own head: games that attempt to include everything and the kitchen sink. Rifts felt like an old house than kept having additions built onto the sides--wander around enough and you'd find some real artifacts here and there. Shadowrun felt like something that was evolving as a whole in complexity.WQRobbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436898737750581192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4999500110309022298.post-55740331177550052492016-09-20T13:05:18.055-05:002016-09-20T13:05:18.055-05:00I was reading that exact same article a couple of ...I was reading that exact same article a couple of weeks ago, also as a result of a bit of a down-the-rabbit-hole moment; I was reading about the new rules-light version of <i>Shadowrun</i> and one thing led to another.<br /><br />I'm in complete agreement with you. I can appreciate a set of crunchy rules but sometimes designers do seem to forget how to make the whole thing playable; I have never played any edition of <i>Shadowrun</i> with all the rules, and I'd be astounded if even the designers do. And if they aren't using the rules, then do those rules need to be there? I don't think enough designers ask themselves that question.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.com