Avoiding the Mechanics for Functional Play

[Chris Chambers]

Just to put in a little, I had issues with the primer also on Lulu... but it seems to have been taken care of, as it worked for me today.. So I am finally getting to read it after all the build up on this thread... lol...

http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/quick-primer-for-old-school-gaming/3159558

[Mathew E. Reuther]

Thanks for the post. I managed to grab it now as well.

[Callan S.]

I partly read through it as well. It reminds me of Erick Wujcik's article here. Specifically where he describes himself as disarming a trap by engaging in discussion with the GM.

To me, I'd describe it as 'Damocles Sword Play', as in the threat of system use/mechanics use is hung perilously above the players character, as if by a thin string. The system, if engaged, would either automatically or most likely kill his character/stake. However, from my estimate the value of such a system is how likely a GM is to 'be an asshole' and actually initiate system/mechanics application. The more the GM is...let's put it this way 'story is more important than rules!', the thicker that string holding the sword becomes, until it's a chain that is seriously never going to release the sword as he'd never put rules before 'story!'. The thicker that string, the more tension leaves the discussion at all.

[Chris_Chinn]

Hi Callan,

The more the GM is...let's put it this way 'story is more important than rules!', the thicker that string holding the sword becomes, until it's a chain that is seriously never going to release the sword as he'd never put rules before 'story!'. The thicker that string, the more tension leaves the discussion at all.

Yeah, that specific type of play is not what I'm talking about, or what I'm interested in- I find that kind of thing to be generally dysfunctional for group understanding of mechanics or even how/why to engage in them.

Beast Hunters is probably the only game I've seen which includes design for players to start by trying to negotiate success w/o going to mechanics above and beyond the usual "Say yes or roll the dice" rule.

Thanks everyone for sharing.  I think we're done here, though if later folks want to talk about learning direct from the text and or designed "refereeing>mechanics" I'd love to read about it.

Chris