Nail said:
You've asked how your wording "is ambiguous". Just for giggles, I'll take you up on that request.
What's Ambiguous: When you use the word "Strict", do you mean "always follow what's written even when ambiguous" or "when there is ambiguity in the RAW, pick one of the possible interpretations"?
Many of us would say that since some peices of RAW are ambiguous, there is simply no way to do the former option.
First of all, excellent feedback, thank you. I see what you mean. Everything is subject to interpretation, what is clear to some will be ambiguous to others (if nothing else this thread should make that clear, heh). My intention here was that you use the "Rules as Written" as precisely as you can determine them. Even if that leaves a loophole or obvious conflict, you stick with it, because it's written that way.
What's Ambiguous: "Casual" has a definition that does not fit with your intent. To wit:
This option strongly implies - despite your claims to the contrary - that a person using "Casual Rules" simply makes the rules up as he goes along, i.e. little to no advance planning or continuity.
I'm not sure how much plainer I can be with this. :\
I agree (and have said so in other posts in this thread) that casual was not the 'best' word, but that I had been unable to think of one that fits more precisely. Maybe "interpretted rules" instead of casual rules? But I don't think that works better.
So, in essence I described what I meant by casual and provided some examples which were not intended to be all inclusive. That was the best I felt I could do.
What's Ambiguous: The phrase "House Rules" means all sorts of things, which is why this option of your poll is so frustrating.
Strictly speaking, "
House Rules" means rules that are substantially different than those normally agreed upon. It's clear that you think "House Rules" means anything other than the Rules As they are Written.....which broadens the definition so far, it becomes useless.
I tried to provide a distinction between my terminology 'casual rules' and the subsequent term 'house rules'. In that, while both are deviations from the "Rules as Written" the latter represents a degree of deviation that extends far beyond the former. Again I provided an example that was not intended to be all inclusive.
Given that you are mis-using the phrase "House Rules" with the equally misused phrase "Casual Rules"....you can see why other posters have been confused.
What's Ambiguous: Several of us have House Rules which clarify existing RAW. Others of us have House Rules that replace or remove portions of the RAW. These are substantially different things. Just saying the word "differ" is not enough clarification of your intent.
In this case I really think the difficulty stems from the fact that the terms have multiple definitions and multiple uses. The uses that exist in your game environment are obviously different from the manner in which I used the terms for this poll. I would implore people to look beyond the actual terminology of the selection to the explanations and examples. And from that make their choice.
That having been said though, the poll results have come out largely as I expected they would.
1. Very few people precisely use the "rules as they are written".
2. A large group of people play the game as they can best determine the rules were meant to be used.
3. Most people add aspects to their game that go beyond the strict (core) published material in some distinct and notable faction.
4. There are a small group of people who have taken the existing game and altered it to be a significant and fundamentally different game, with some elements or aspects of the underlying game remaining intact.
(Each of the above corresponds to the order of choices in my poll).
Now, since the idea of a poll is to gage public activity, and your present poll has been shown by many (not just myself) to be (unintentionally, we presume) misleading, perhaps you/me/someone could post another poll, with better options?
Provided other posters and moderators do not mind I would absolutely support a second poll with what someone considered to be better options as they understand the game, the rules and the use of both.