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<blockquote data-quote="MutterBoutASaurus" data-source="post: 8840593" data-attributes="member: 7038812">I've done both structured rules-based roleplaying at the tabletop, and something more akin to rules-less collaborative storytelling over a good many internet forums. Both have their ups and downs.I have been at tables where the game suddenly grinds to a halt as the GM and a rules-obsessed player or two have an hour-long argument over some minutia, and it sucks. I've also been privy to angry discussions on old forums where the same hour long argument happened, only it's because someone felt that another's character overstepped their boundaries. Or they're being accused of being a mary sue.In my mind, a good system of rules is there not only to arbitrate what a player can and can't do, but it provides a little element of uncertainty to every narrative situation. A player may want to stab the ogre in the middle of the road, but they might miss. Or they might stab the ogre harder than expected. That element of chaos adds something exciting. A good GM can use a bad roll as an opportunity to shake up what just happened. The player missed with their sword, getting it stuck in a nearby tree - do they abandon the sword or attempt to pull it out?Rules can be fun. There is a certain satisfaction with having an idea and finding the rules to make it happen. Or perhaps I don't know what I want to do with my character, following rules is a great starting-off point for me. Rules create a skeleton for the rest of that delicious storytelling flesh to hang onto and manipulate.But the system in place is only as enjoyable as the people engaging with it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="MutterBoutASaurus, post: 8840593, member: 7038812"] I've done both structured rules-based roleplaying at the tabletop, and something more akin to rules-less collaborative storytelling over a good many internet forums. Both have their ups and downs. I have been at tables where the game suddenly grinds to a halt as the GM and a rules-obsessed player or two have an hour-long argument over some minutia, and it sucks. I've also been privy to angry discussions on old forums where the same hour long argument happened, only it's because someone felt that another's character overstepped their boundaries. Or they're being accused of being a mary sue. In my mind, a good system of rules is there not only to arbitrate what a player can and can't do, but it provides a little element of uncertainty to every narrative situation. A player may want to stab the ogre in the middle of the road, but they might miss. Or they might stab the ogre harder than expected. That element of chaos adds something exciting. A good GM can use a bad roll as an opportunity to shake up what just happened. The player missed with their sword, getting it stuck in a nearby tree - do they abandon the sword or attempt to pull it out? Rules can be fun. There is a certain satisfaction with having an idea and finding the rules to make it happen. Or perhaps I don't know what I want to do with my character, following rules is a great starting-off point for me. Rules create a skeleton for the rest of that delicious storytelling flesh to hang onto and manipulate. But the system in place is only as enjoyable as the people engaging with it. [/QUOTE]

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