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Does anyone remember the reason Attack & Move was used in the first place?

Chainmail (OD&D) has Split-Move and Fire. That's for ranged attackers though. For hopping out from behind a fence, running to a clear shot, shooting, and then moving back behind cover perhaps in another hiding spot. This is an option other than firing twice in the round. The primary example was...

Mapping is a strategy, not a mandatory action. If your gamers are feeling overwhelmed by mapping like with the Mad Archmage dungeon, then run adventures which don't place such a high value on remembering the configurations of their surroundings. That goes against megadungeon designs, but you...

What games are you playing where "here and now" is the traditional norm? I tried out a free online MMO (no download necessary) the other day. There was a short conversation to start. A person on the stairs who died after I clicked "Fight". And my guy leveled. Personally I prefer slow...

I probably could have voted: Other, in retrospect. There is only 1 answer for those liking the system which doesn't judge. That might be the reason so many have picked option 3. There are a lot of different preferences on this board. It's surprising when that doesn't show up in a poll.

Setting Specific List (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, Gnome, other demi-humans, or anything specific to the setting) Custom (Whatever the Players want to make up, but is understood as not in the starting campaign setting)

Getting to tell the next story is the reward in a storygame. A game is played to receive that reward. When it's just a mechanic like rolling dice an activity requires players to be calculating odds for it to be a game, like Craps. No calculation, no deciphering whatsoever means no game is being...

GUMSHOE is a storygame so uses the storygame mechanic. Skills as was mentioned. D&D is a resource based game where people face monsters and gain treasure. Otherwise we'd all roll the "Magic Item" skill check and invent stuff on the spot. No game play necessary.

The Dyvers adventure sounds more like a series of random encounters. I could see some being interesting, but most are flat. And the name Freddy McKrueger is definitely D&D, but off-putting to say the least. The real bizarre designs are the gold dragon, a leprechaun who is in charge of minions...

Touché

I'd prefer if they removed powers and checks from the game. But as it stands the last playtest document isn't that difficult to play. It's still far too much in front of the screen IMO.

The Numenera Oddities-style feature makes me think this might have been a contribution by Monte Cook before he left. It's a fun start either system focusing on the mysterious nature of items. The pre-package method as it stands does speed up character creation. Equipment purchasing is...

Potions of Underwater Breathing make early level adventures under the depths possible and enjoyable. They are likely most plentiful nearby friendly underwater societies along coastlines. Alter Self, probably 2nd level, can lead to flippers or fins for faster swim speeds, underwater eyesight...

I would have to double check, but I believe Traps are priced as single-use magic items when a spell effect is attached. If the trap isn't priced so, then it needs to be errata'd for the effects cost. Also, I don't believe Trap Crafting or whatever Rogue ability is usually gained should be a...

I suspect they will try and keep all of the different iterations of the Drider somehow. That may be multiple options or a varied background. Possibly even different builds for DMs to use with it.

I understand that's what you're asking. Be accepting of different opinions (I am) and be the one oddball who won't accept the Big Model. That's not how change works or the opening to new ideas. I want games like older games promised to be and the narrative theory masquerading as game theory has...

Well, that's not true at all. But I understand for you it is. Why do a small group of individuals dogpile those who disagree with their pet philosophy? I don't know, maybe people don't accept change easily? The fact is, games and puzzles have been designed as codes since games and puzzles have...

In the future that may be something you're going to have to learn to live with. And it's not a niche belief. Games as group storytelling is a niche belief.

With this week's Legends and Lore article suggesting many monsters will receive additional story or setting descriptions to go along with their mechanical designs, I was wondering how people prefer their Monster Manuals and Treasure Horde books created. I believe many of these works originally...

You might be having problems with The Big Model because it isn't actually a game theory at all, but a narrative theory. That's why it uses dozens of narrative theory terms and no (virtually none?) game theory terms. It is utterly irrelevant to designing quality games. Game play is deciphering...