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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 7379142" data-attributes="member: 82106">I totally disagree with this statement, for the record. Lets take a look at RPG history, shall we? The first RPG doesn't have non-combat mechanics at all, in a formal sense. I agree that what it has is totally different from combat, but only in the sense that EVERY PARTICULAR THING in OD&amp;D is an independent mechanic that uses different dice in different ways. The next major game to come out was Traveler. This game uses a 100% uniform mechanic across all tasks, combat and non-combat. I'll grant that combat tasks involve the potential for the target to make checks to avoid being hit (parry or dodge), but similar techniques are available in other 'opposed' situations, if not spelled out in detail. The next famous RPG to make an appearance was Rune Quest, which again has entirely uniform mechanics, again with a slight caveat for parry/dodge (almost as if they read Traveler! Imagine). Beyond this games are far too many to mention, but EVEN TSR published a number of games in which uniform mechanics hold sway, such as MHRP, Star Frontiers, and Top Secret (I'm not sure how to classify Boot Hill, as it is virtually just a combat system). A number of other BRP based games also appeared, all like RQ using uniform mechanics. Other famous games with uniform mechanics include GURPS, Fudge, FATE, Shadowrun, and on and on.Anyway, I don't think most games have non-uniform mechanics and at the very least a vast array of famous game designers have thoroughly overcome any difficulty that might exist in terms of such a thing. It is certainly not 'doomed to failure'.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 7379142, member: 82106"] I totally disagree with this statement, for the record. Lets take a look at RPG history, shall we? The first RPG doesn't have non-combat mechanics at all, in a formal sense. I agree that what it has is totally different from combat, but only in the sense that EVERY PARTICULAR THING in OD&D is an independent mechanic that uses different dice in different ways. The next major game to come out was Traveler. This game uses a 100% uniform mechanic across all tasks, combat and non-combat. I'll grant that combat tasks involve the potential for the target to make checks to avoid being hit (parry or dodge), but similar techniques are available in other 'opposed' situations, if not spelled out in detail. The next famous RPG to make an appearance was Rune Quest, which again has entirely uniform mechanics, again with a slight caveat for parry/dodge (almost as if they read Traveler! Imagine). Beyond this games are far too many to mention, but EVEN TSR published a number of games in which uniform mechanics hold sway, such as MHRP, Star Frontiers, and Top Secret (I'm not sure how to classify Boot Hill, as it is virtually just a combat system). A number of other BRP based games also appeared, all like RQ using uniform mechanics. Other famous games with uniform mechanics include GURPS, Fudge, FATE, Shadowrun, and on and on. Anyway, I don't think most games have non-uniform mechanics and at the very least a vast array of famous game designers have thoroughly overcome any difficulty that might exist in terms of such a thing. It is certainly not 'doomed to failure'. [/QUOTE]

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