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<blockquote data-quote="Frostmarrow" data-source="post: 1805568" data-attributes="member: 1122"><p>Over at Games Workshop they described bad game design like this: When hit by attacks you get to roll a save. This save is a d6 roll against a number. Power armour (space marines) has a save of 3+. There is also flak armour (Imperial guard) and that has a save of 6+. In between we find eldar aspect armour 5+. Now it stands to reason to introduce a save of 4+. However, the designers at GW thought that a save of 4+ would be extremely bad game design.</p><p></p><p>I can sort of sense the badness of such design. I can't put my finger on it - but it's there. Perhaps a 4+ save simply is too obvious?</p><p></p><p>(Yes, I know that there now are armor in 40K that have a save of 4+ -but the designers hate it.)</p><p></p><p>Monte Cook* said that it would be bad game design to have AC increase at the same speed as BAB. It would be simple - but all too obvious. This I agree with. The thing is: you can stil make a game with 4+ saves where AC improves alongside BAB and it would still be enjoyable. BUT, as an artist or designer it just isn't the best one can do. So bad design might be sloppy or lazy design. If you put your mind and effort to it you could make better rules than that.</p><p></p><p>In the case of sneak attacking undead it seems obvious enough to have a feat that allows it. However, a good designer would think thusly: "So rogues have a hard time when up against undead for their sneak attack won't work. What to do? I know, I'll introduce alchemist fire and holy water. Then rogues will like to be equiped with such weapons when hunting undead. That'll be cool!"</p><p></p><p>Take a look at armor in D&D for instance. If you have light armor you move 30'. If you have medium or heavy armor you move 20'. Why not rule that medium armor allows you to move 25'? It would be perfectly logical and it would even make medium armor more popular. The answer is it's too easy. As it stands now a player will have to make a choice between 30' and 20'. Offering the compromise choice of 25' would be too generous.</p><p></p><p>* I would love to provide a link but sadly I can't find it. MC was comparing D&D with Diablo. It's probably in the archive.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Frostmarrow, post: 1805568, member: 1122"] Over at Games Workshop they described bad game design like this: When hit by attacks you get to roll a save. This save is a d6 roll against a number. Power armour (space marines) has a save of 3+. There is also flak armour (Imperial guard) and that has a save of 6+. In between we find eldar aspect armour 5+. Now it stands to reason to introduce a save of 4+. However, the designers at GW thought that a save of 4+ would be extremely bad game design. I can sort of sense the badness of such design. I can't put my finger on it - but it's there. Perhaps a 4+ save simply is too obvious? (Yes, I know that there now are armor in 40K that have a save of 4+ -but the designers hate it.) Monte Cook* said that it would be bad game design to have AC increase at the same speed as BAB. It would be simple - but all too obvious. This I agree with. The thing is: you can stil make a game with 4+ saves where AC improves alongside BAB and it would still be enjoyable. BUT, as an artist or designer it just isn't the best one can do. So bad design might be sloppy or lazy design. If you put your mind and effort to it you could make better rules than that. In the case of sneak attacking undead it seems obvious enough to have a feat that allows it. However, a good designer would think thusly: "So rogues have a hard time when up against undead for their sneak attack won't work. What to do? I know, I'll introduce alchemist fire and holy water. Then rogues will like to be equiped with such weapons when hunting undead. That'll be cool!" Take a look at armor in D&D for instance. If you have light armor you move 30'. If you have medium or heavy armor you move 20'. Why not rule that medium armor allows you to move 25'? It would be perfectly logical and it would even make medium armor more popular. The answer is it's too easy. As it stands now a player will have to make a choice between 30' and 20'. Offering the compromise choice of 25' would be too generous. * I would love to provide a link but sadly I can't find it. MC was comparing D&D with Diablo. It's probably in the archive. [/QUOTE]
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