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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 7449342" data-attributes="member: 82106">I think this ignores the very significant ways in which a game can INHIBIT a certain type of play. You yourself referred to this by asking about FATE not being able to handle tactical wargamish play (like 4e provides I assume). There are MANY ways in which games block or discourage a certain type of play. Honestly I think this is usually a MORE important factor than things a game does to facilitate play. Another dimension of this is 'focus'. By emphasizing one thing, then something else will be diminished. This is why the experience provided by a certain game is not simply a matter of concatenating some list of mechanics together which implement X, Y, and Z. The whole game has to 'hang together' by encouraging, emphasizing, discouraging, deemphasizing, and mechanically supporting specific things. The overall structure of play (roles and organization of activities at the table) is critical too, as well as presentation of the material. Creating an RPG, at least a quality one, is a multidimensional undertaking.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 7449342, member: 82106"] I think this ignores the very significant ways in which a game can INHIBIT a certain type of play. You yourself referred to this by asking about FATE not being able to handle tactical wargamish play (like 4e provides I assume). There are MANY ways in which games block or discourage a certain type of play. Honestly I think this is usually a MORE important factor than things a game does to facilitate play. Another dimension of this is 'focus'. By emphasizing one thing, then something else will be diminished. This is why the experience provided by a certain game is not simply a matter of concatenating some list of mechanics together which implement X, Y, and Z. The whole game has to 'hang together' by encouraging, emphasizing, discouraging, deemphasizing, and mechanically supporting specific things. The overall structure of play (roles and organization of activities at the table) is critical too, as well as presentation of the material. Creating an RPG, at least a quality one, is a multidimensional undertaking. [/QUOTE]

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