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<blockquote data-quote="Ratskinner" data-source="post: 7714476" data-attributes="member: 6688937">hmm...I'm a little torn, but generally agree with the article. (Complex rules can be as much boon or bane for a GM, IME.) I've seen the mass of rules be an impediment for new players more often than otherwise. However, I'd also say that there is a certain art to writing a good set of minimalist or rules-light rules. Most of the rules-light games I've played or read have been poor because of a failure to recognize that art, trying instead to create a stripped-down version or combo of GURPS or D&amp;D or whatever quasi-sim trad rpg mechanics they like best. (Often they seem to think that some rough general guidelines about setting DCs is enough to make a game!) The better rules-lite games manage to give the GM enough of a scaffold to respond to as well, if they even have a GM. Most importantly, they provide clarity of authority and result usually by leaning on the narrative &quot;wrapper&quot; of the story in a way that complex systems rarely do. I'd point to many PbtA games as evidence of this principle in action. There's a lot of &quot;weirder&quot; fringe games that manage this as well (Fiasco, Archipelago, etc.)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ratskinner, post: 7714476, member: 6688937"] hmm...I'm a little torn, but generally agree with the article. (Complex rules can be as much boon or bane for a GM, IME.) I've seen the mass of rules be an impediment for new players more often than otherwise. However, I'd also say that there is a certain art to writing a good set of minimalist or rules-light rules. Most of the rules-light games I've played or read have been poor because of a failure to recognize that art, trying instead to create a stripped-down version or combo of GURPS or D&D or whatever quasi-sim trad rpg mechanics they like best. (Often they seem to think that some rough general guidelines about setting DCs is enough to make a game!) The better rules-lite games manage to give the GM enough of a scaffold to respond to as well, if they even have a GM. Most importantly, they provide clarity of authority and result usually by leaning on the narrative "wrapper" of the story in a way that complex systems rarely do. I'd point to many PbtA games as evidence of this principle in action. There's a lot of "weirder" fringe games that manage this as well (Fiasco, Archipelago, etc.) [/QUOTE]

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