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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BryonD" data-source="post: 5762869" data-attributes="member: 957">I agree that this could be the basis for an outstanding entry level game.However, if you design a game and want it to shine as an industry leader then being outstanding for entry level is a good thing, but being outstanding for experienced play is mandatory.  I know from experience that a solid base line of balance reference points is needed.  So pg. 42 is a great foundation.  But I also know from experience that games can reach a point where the idea that you can capture everything in one page is a promise of an underwhelming system.  You need both ends of the spectrum.  "You" not meaning "every gaming group out that".  Clearly that need is entirely absent from many groups that have a ton of fun.  But "you" means that person or group who wants their game to be that industry leader.  The same duality applies to GM fiat.  You can have a ton of fun in a freeform game loaded with fiat.  But, again, if you want to be the industry leader and appeal to a wide range of games your system needs to be robust.  But robust does NOT mean have an answer for everything.  What it means is have an answer for 85% of the things that are reasonably likely to come up and also be able to withstand DM fiat not only for the remaining 15% but for any other portion of the 85% whenever a good DM decides to make a change for the better.It is funny to me that I see debates about pg 42 and debates about fiat.  And I know that I hate the idea of page 42 trying to be "everything".  But I also hate the idea of not having a solid reference.  I don't remotely hate fiat.  I love fiat.  But at the same time I know that if I'm going to go fiat heavy I may as well not spend any money at all.  I know I can run a good fun game just making up every bit of it on the fly.  But I also know that having a good reliable system makes the experience better.So to me the fiat/rules and pg42/lots of pages debates are like "less filling / tastes great".  Rather than being a debate they should be in balance with both in needed measure.  And if either side ever wins out *at the expense of the other side* then the game will be worse off for it.  Again that isn't to say it is true for any specific group out there.  But for an industry leader that big tent of support is needed.</blockquote>

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