Trying to get a rise out of me, are you?
Being a relatively new member of this forum, I wanted to take the opportunity to say hey there! I live just down the road from you in Janesville, and started playing D&D in 1979 as part of a school project in my Gifted & Talented program. I haven't had too much exposure to other game systems, but have played 1st ed. through 3.5. Ok, ok, enough of the hero worship.
As a matter of fact I kived even nearer when we had a place just off County P between Clinton and Beloit. Back in those days the game group that met at my place consisted of Mike Gray, Jim Ward, Luke Gygax, Sonny Savage, Richard and David Kuntz, and Mitch Preston...at various times. As a matter of fact Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson, founders of Games Workshop came there and played too, also getting bad cases of poison oak helping me clear those vines from the trees arpound the place. Seems I am pretty well immune to that plant's toxin
I really enjoyed your interview on the 2nd D&D movie. Your take on the vancian spellcasting got me thinking. I would love to hear how you feel about the Mana Point style of magic that is increasing in popularity. I haven't used it yet, but it sounds a little bit like how Psionics work. Do you still prefer the Vancian system or do you see promise for a Mana Point system?
For the AD&D game I still prefer far and away the "Vancian" system." It makes players with spell-casting characters plan ahead while keeping their PCs from dominating play.
In my newer skill-bundle-based
Lejendary Adventure RPG I have "Activation Energy Points." Using the term manna is so anthro-ethnologist 1930s it turns my stomach
Cheers,
Gary