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From: granvold@tymix.UUCP (Tom Granvold)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Anything but D&D
Message-ID: <431@tymix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-May-85 16:24:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: tymix.431
Posted: Thu May 30 16:24:50 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Jun-85 20:26:40 EDT
References: <2949@garfield.UUCP>
Reply-To: granvold@tymix.UUCP (Tom Granvold)
Distribution: net.games.frp
Organization: Tymnet Inc., Cupertino CA
Lines: 48

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     I too have become tired of all the D&D material. I have not played D&D
for over five years now, and I have never played AD&D. This is not to say
that D&D is no good as a set of rules. But, I do feel that there are several
other games available with better rules. As someone pointed out, who the
GM, game master, and other players are is of much more importance than the
particular game used.
     Idealy role playing game rules serve two purposes. First they provide
a structure in which the action can take place. While I have heard of games
where the only rule is that what the GM says is it, I think that most people
find it more enjoyable to have a set of rules. In this way a known foundation
is established on which that play can proceed. If Humungus the Powerful bangs
a poor orc on the head with his maul, the players and the GM know how to
find the damage done and its effect. The rules are there to take care of the
details and let the people get on with the important, i.e. fun, stuff.
     This implies that the rules should not get in the way of the play. My
biggest complaint about RuneQuest, my favorite game, moves too slowly. I
have not given up RuneQuest since the rules feel more 'realistic' to me and
I find the world of Glorantha fascinating. D&D combat on the other hand
plays faster.
     Second the rules should save the GM time. Most people do not have the
time, interest and knowledge to create their own game system. So long as
the GM is not hesitant to change the rules to fit the effect that s/he
wishes to create. Changing the rules as needed is especially important for
the rules that are not so much concerned with the machanics of play, like
combat, as they are with creating a world. I would call rules on on
alignments as ones dealing with creating a world. The GM should be the
one to create the world. If s/he wishes to buy a world already created,
find. But something else is wanted, then create your own or change the
existing one.
     Enough of this tangent that I have gone off on. I want to say that I
too want to see more written about games other that D&D. It is not that
there has been no articles on other games, just no enough. About a year
ago there was a nice long review and response on the third edition of
RuneQuest. There was spurt of interest in comic book super heroes a
few months ago. How about some new stuff?
     Rather than just asking others to do it for me, I am following this
article with a review of a new game called Pendragon by Chaosium.


Tom Granvold

I didn't even sneak in a comment about how many D&D games end up being
an everlasting dungeon crawl or Monty Hal monsters. -:)

Of course, D&D and AD&D are trademarks of TSR Inc. RuneQuest and Pendragon
are trademarks of Chaosium Inc. (or does Avalon Hill now hold the
RuneQuest trademark?)