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Message: <blockquote data-quote="InzeladunMaster" data-source="post: 3226775" data-attributes="member: 9774">Well, I am sure the reasons are different for everyone.  I see it as a social engagement as much as anything else.  Do people play poker with their friends because they love poker or because they like playing poker with their friends? (I am not speaking of tournement players who do it for a living, for money or for gambling addictions, who often play with total strangers and are totally focused on the game, but casual players who make mistakes and spend as much or more time just gabbing with their friends as they play.)I, for one, play the game with my buddies.  I don't go to tournements or play it with strangers.  I don't enjoy it for the sake of it, like some do.  That is also why I never sign up for games at conventions - I don't care for the experience of playing with strangers.  It completely lacks the comraderie I like.  The game is just a peg to hang the social experience on, at least for me.  Sometimes the game doesn't even matter.  Lately, Craig has come over with his board games.  Does it really matter which one we play?  Not for me.  I am just glad Craig decided to come over and visit.  Amanda prefers board games, too, so I am glad because she is more likely to play when Craig brings his games.  It is about the social experience as much as the game for me.  If the game choice doesn't matter, then what is the gathering really about?Anyway, I am digressing.  So I shall continue to digress because I am a bit bored this morning.  RPG playing is also about creation.  If it were played with scientific precision, then it would lack a lot of what I want out of the game.  Look at your character, Roland.  How many times did you juggle his feats, classes and powers to create the character you envisioned?  That was art.  If I had refused to let you do that, and made you stick with what you originally chose, that would have been more precise to the rules... and would not have given us (and Inzeladun) the great character that he was.  The rules are just a set of loose guidelines for me, not something hard-and-fast (that is one reason I am looking hard at RuneQuest - it has fewer rules to begin with, allowing more room for imagination).  I suppose you have a point there.  I just don't see the need to have this scientific, mathematical model for efficiency.  To me, RPG-playing is art and art isn't necessarily scientific or necessarily efficient.  I propose we just gather some friends and have a great time, regardless of number.It also sounded like he was dictating who I could and could not invite to my house if he was to be expected there, which means I would have to pick and choose amongst my other friends.  Out of four, two would be him (Bob) and you (Mark).  The other two would have to be chosen from Jason, John, Dave, Allen, Amanda, Charlie, Craig, Chris and a few others... I don't want to have pick and choose among my friends on who to leave out and who to include just because one person wants the game to be efficient.  Yuck.  By what criteria would I choose them?  Based on attendence?  That would give me Jason and John, but what about Chris, who really wants to see Inzeladun again?  What about Dave, whose attendence is just slightly worse than Jason's?  Even if we extended the group to five, that would give us Dave, still leaving Chris out.  It just isn't a fair proposal.Excellent to hear that!</blockquote>

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