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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5314280" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>This reply seems to presuppose that the GM is the "arbiter of the rules". That's part of what I was denying in my earlier post. The idea that the GM chooses when the rules are applied or suspended is an artifact of a certain approach to D&D play (which 3E formalised via Rule 0) which I'm not a big fan of, and which I see 4e as implicitly rejecting.</p><p></p><p>4e's approach is much closer to that of modern indie games: say yes or roll the dice. And when the dice are rolled, it is the rules that are applied, not the GM's discretion.</p><p></p><p>I don't think that's what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that if the rules produce this sort of problem that is a flaw in the rules. Whether the best response to such a flaw is to houserule, to go and play another game, to suck it up and keep going, etc, is a different question. </p><p></p><p>Well, I'm reading the blog post keeping mind prior knowledge about Vincent Baker's approach to game design, and also in light of his response (at #28) to the comment at #26:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">Beastin: My personal preference is giving the GM fiat power to choose probabilities. . . My basic philosophy is that game mechanics exist to add chance to a story in a convincing way.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Vincent Baker: That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid.</p><p></p><p>It's interesting to notice that the way Baker sets up his initial example - the Thatcher-era Londoner with nothing to lose confronting his lover - there is not even a GM present, and there is no need for a GM to aid in adjudicating the conflict resolution. That's not to say that GMs are a bad idea, but I share Baker's preference that the role of the GM be established by and within the rules.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 5314280, member: 42582"] This reply seems to presuppose that the GM is the "arbiter of the rules". That's part of what I was denying in my earlier post. The idea that the GM chooses when the rules are applied or suspended is an artifact of a certain approach to D&D play (which 3E formalised via Rule 0) which I'm not a big fan of, and which I see 4e as implicitly rejecting. 4e's approach is much closer to that of modern indie games: say yes or roll the dice. And when the dice are rolled, it is the rules that are applied, not the GM's discretion. I don't think that's what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that if the rules produce this sort of problem that is a flaw in the rules. Whether the best response to such a flaw is to houserule, to go and play another game, to suck it up and keep going, etc, is a different question. Well, I'm reading the blog post keeping mind prior knowledge about Vincent Baker's approach to game design, and also in light of his response (at #28) to the comment at #26: [indent]Beastin: My personal preference is giving the GM fiat power to choose probabilities. . . My basic philosophy is that game mechanics exist to add chance to a story in a convincing way. Vincent Baker: That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid.[/indent] It's interesting to notice that the way Baker sets up his initial example - the Thatcher-era Londoner with nothing to lose confronting his lover - there is not even a GM present, and there is no need for a GM to aid in adjudicating the conflict resolution. That's not to say that GMs are a bad idea, but I share Baker's preference that the role of the GM be established by and within the rules. [/QUOTE]
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