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<blockquote data-quote="underthumb" data-source="post: 4737670" data-attributes="member: 21390">I think your point is good one and I've noticed the same thing: &quot;on the fly&quot; adventures are often punitively arbitrary. I think there's a definite sentiment at EN World which is effectively anti-preparation (as preparation breeds outcome attachment), but I believe careful preparation to be almost always preferable to copious &quot;on the fly&quot; decision making.Improvisation, like a spice, can help flavor an adventure, but it doesn't make for a good adventure by itself. Unless you have a very simple setup, there's just no way to maintain coherence in the face of the usual litany of PC questions and actions.To expand on your point, this is also why I like rules-heavy RPG systems like GURPS: they allow for the neutral adjudication of a host of complex situations in a way that is context-independent. This helps keep both players and GMs honest, and reduces bickering about whether this or that skill modifier is fair or punitive.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="underthumb, post: 4737670, member: 21390"] I think your point is good one and I've noticed the same thing: "on the fly" adventures are often punitively arbitrary. I think there's a definite sentiment at EN World which is effectively anti-preparation (as preparation breeds outcome attachment), but I believe careful preparation to be almost always preferable to copious "on the fly" decision making. Improvisation, like a spice, can help flavor an adventure, but it doesn't make for a [i]good[/i] adventure by itself. Unless you have a very simple setup, there's just no way to maintain coherence in the face of the usual litany of PC questions and actions. To expand on your point, this is also why I like rules-heavy RPG systems like GURPS: they allow for the neutral adjudication of a host of complex situations in a way that is context-independent. This helps keep both players and GMs honest, and reduces bickering about whether this or that skill modifier is fair or punitive. [/QUOTE]

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