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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 5476543" data-attributes="member: 82106">Yeah, well, Czege's 'principle' is no principle at all. A principle is something which is universally applicable and elucidates or arises from some deeper structural or conceptual level. All Czege is doing is stating a preference. It is no more a principle than that the players in my game like to play dwarves.Personally I just think that your insistence that somehow having vague and ill-defined rules adds something to the game is just wrong. Systematic rules are simply another arrow in the DM's quiver. They allow the narrative to focus on what is actually important. Instead of it being necessary for the players to bargain over when and if they have cover they simply know the answer in 95% of all situations. They can STILL ask. The DM can STILL provide every bit of 'color' he could before. In fact by making a situation exceptional he can bring focus onto that unique element of the game at that time. The problem with vague rules is one of two things happens. Either a player uses the vagueness assertively by maintaining each situation should be favorable to him, or the player lacks that assertiveness and simply ignores said game element entirely. In either case when it becomes really significant the game has to pause while the DM justifies his ruling. I can't tell you how many friggin times we had to have the perpetual AD&D argument about whether or not the rogue had some shadows to hide in and when or if he was able to backstab. UGH! This was particularly egregious because it was a key character mechanical class benefit which the player was going to rely on fairly heavily. These kinds of things NEED to have unambiguous mechanics, otherwise you either have endless attempts at abuse or players that simply won't be bothered to use that benefit at all. Nothing is lost by having additional tools available to the DM, like a simple mechanical way to determine cover in most situations. My players are MUCH more likely to use all of their interesting class abilities etc in 4e than they ever were before. I have lost nothing and gained much.</blockquote>

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