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<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 5633755" data-attributes="member: 22779">I would point out though, that the fiction first design has held the reins by and large for a large amount of the history of the game.&nbsp; Which has meant that those of us who want mechanics first are pretty much left out in the cold.At least, until now when you have 4e where the mechanics are largely separated from any fixed in-game rationale.Or, to put it another way, all those settings that TSR pumped out, where they had to fold, spindle and maul the mechanics of the day to make them fit into the new setting are examples of people taking a fiction first system and then having to do massive amounts of work to adapt it to a new fiction.Now, there is a system which adapts much more easily to different fiction - a mechanics first one.&nbsp; Look at EN World.&nbsp; You have three adventure paths, all three in completely different genres - standard fantasy, steampunk and soon to come space opera, all using the same mechanics.That's the advantage of a mechanics first system.&nbsp; Now, there are all sorts of disadvantages too.&nbsp; I'm NOT saying that one is better than the other.&nbsp; I like one more than the other, that's fine, but, I'm not making any claims about which one is &quot;better&quot;.But, in any case, I'm not really sure you can point to the idea of &quot;mechanics first&quot; being the first one on the block.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 5633755, member: 22779"] I would point out though, that the fiction first design has held the reins by and large for a large amount of the history of the game. Which has meant that those of us who want mechanics first are pretty much left out in the cold. At least, until now when you have 4e where the mechanics are largely separated from any fixed in-game rationale. Or, to put it another way, all those settings that TSR pumped out, where they had to fold, spindle and maul the mechanics of the day to make them fit into the new setting are examples of people taking a fiction first system and then having to do massive amounts of work to adapt it to a new fiction. Now, there is a system which adapts much more easily to different fiction - a mechanics first one. Look at EN World. You have three adventure paths, all three in completely different genres - standard fantasy, steampunk and soon to come space opera, all using the same mechanics. That's the advantage of a mechanics first system. Now, there are all sorts of disadvantages too. I'm NOT saying that one is better than the other. I like one more than the other, that's fine, but, I'm not making any claims about which one is "better". But, in any case, I'm not really sure you can point to the idea of "mechanics first" being the first one on the block. [/QUOTE]

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