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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wayside" data-source="post: 2939516" data-attributes="member: 8394">In point of fact, elegant does mean simple. It can also mean ornate, delicate, graceful, refined, luxurious, polished and any number of other things, some of which are completely different, even opposed to one another. That's language for you.In the case of a wristwatch, you might be using one of those other meanings (or not, I've never opened one up). In any case, I'm not saying that the most elegant way is the simplest way--far from it, hence the example of hit points. A sun dial is simpler than a watch, but I certainly don't think it's more elegant.The meaning of elegant I continue to use is this: "Of scientific processes, contrivances, etc.: ‘Neat’, pleasing by ingenious simplicity and effectiveness." It's definition 5a in the OED. 2a also has the caveat "Graceful, free from awkwardness." That seems applicable enough to game mechanics.I agree about interfaces, especially when we're talking computers, but implementation is every bit as important as (or more important than, depending on your framework) what the user sees. I'm at a loss as to how this is relevant to the elegance of d20 though, because, while we often talk about d20 "under the hood," it's a fairly weak metaphor. d20 doesn't really have a UI, other than assigning labels to various numbers--the players are dealing directly with the mechanics. And even if d20 did have an extra layer between the creator and the user, the dissatisfaction expressed in this thread would apply as much to the UI as to whatever moves it.Anyway, when I say that I don't feel d20 is elegant, I'm not referring to OGL games like True20, M&M and Iron Heroes, if only because those games don't have the d20 logo. Other publishers have addressed a lot of d20's problems, I think.</blockquote>

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