Game problems that are really Player/DM problems

[yennico]

Give a link, and I'll check it out.

link

 

[Berandor]

http://www.indie-rpgs.com/_articles/system_does_matter.html

Otherwise, I must say I'm mostly with arnwyn. Conflicts do arise between DMs and players, but if the system didn't have a part in these problem, then system wouldn't matter at all. Different systems facilitate different aspects of play, so problems might do back or even away, or arise and become stronger depending on your choice of system.

 

[Quasqueton]

I read the article. I read some of the responses here. And I don't think we're talking on the same subject. I think arwyn has unintentionally hijacked this topic to something I wasn't addressing.

I'm not talking about other games. I'm not talking about Player-DM conflicts. I'm not talking about various play styles.

Quasqueton

 

[Janx]

I woul say I have to disagree with Ron Edwards' article "System does matter"

He breaks it down to 3 game styles, and suggests that a game should focus on one style and have rules that support that style. Then you choose the game that meets the style you want.

The problem is, gaming groups are not homogenous. They're made up of a variety of players with differing tastes. So a good game should cater to all of these tastes as best as it can, given the make-up of the group is likely mixed.

How's that map to Quasqueston's point? As he says, much of the "mechanics complaints" can be resolved on the interpersonal level, and less so on house-ruling the system.

And that summarizes to the following points:
tell players the kind of game you're trying to run
have interesting NPCs
don't give out so much loot if you hate lots of magic stuff
use the right strength of monster for your party's actual strength
don't give players time to optimize their actions
make players be prompt with their combat responses

It's less on what rules you use or don't, more on how you drive the game play, and that's a people thing, not mechanics.

Janx

 

[Berandor]

I read the article. I read some of the responses here. And I don't think we're talking on the same subject. I think arwyn has unintentionally hijacked this topic to something I wasn't addressing.

I'm not talking about other games. I'm not talking about Player-DM conflicts. I'm not talking about various play styles.

Quasqueton

Well, if you say that people tend to blame the system for problems that might stem from PC/Dm interaction, I don't know. The tendency is surely there, but on the other hand, you mustn't begin to put all problems on the player/DM.

 

[Quasqueton]

Well, if you say that people tend to blame the system for problems that might stem from PC/Dm interaction, I don't know.

Some compaints about the system come from Player/DM problems, not from the system itself. If all my stories written in Word suck, it is not a problem of Microsoft.

The tendency is surely there, but on the other hand, you mustn't begin to put all problems on the player/DM.

I haven't suggested this.

Quasqueton

 

[Berandor]

Alright, then spell it out again for me. Clearly, I'm not getting you.

 

[Quasqueton]

Alright, then spell it out again for me. Clearly, I'm not getting you.

Not to be rude or flippant, but if I haven't clearly stated it in the above posts, I'm just not able to explain it.

Quasqueton

 

[Arnwyn]

I read the article. I read some of the responses here. And I don't think we're talking on the same subject. I think arwyn has unintentionally hijacked this topic to something I wasn't addressing.

Oops! Sorry. Your later post cleared things up for me.

 

[Berandor]

Alright, then spell it out again for me. Clearly, I'm not getting you.

Sorry. Total brainfart here. TOTAL brainfart.