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<blockquote data-quote="Vrecknidj" data-source="post: 2893070" data-attributes="member: 7301">I agree with the posts that point out that the system is important, but that it doesn't have to have the impact that it seems that it has on some DMs and players.&nbsp; I've only played the d20 system since its released.&nbsp; (I've played D&amp;D since 1980, and I've played other systems once upon a time, from Villains and Vigilanties to Vampire.)I too found that I really disliked the digital nature of 3.0.&nbsp; When I was riding home from that GenCon, PHB in hand, devouring it like I had all the previous incarnations, I was saddened by much of the uniformity and &quot;binary&quot; nature of the thing.&nbsp; I saw immediately the connection to online gaming that was just about to blossom, and was afraid for the game.But, for the most part, my players are decent role players and haven't had all that much problem.&nbsp; However, an this is an important caveat, they have learned that &quot;if you don't learn the rules, you get screwed by the rules.&quot;&nbsp; Unlike the &quot;good ol' days,&quot; they have to know about 5-foot-steps and how to withdraw and when to cast on the defensive and all that.&nbsp; The mechanics are more thorough and more intimidating.But, once they're in place, and in mind (and, as DM, I remind my players of their options--I'm not out to get anyone), the players have been able to fold the mechanics into their role playing and, though it's not seamless, make it work.I had an old college professor once who said that what metaphysics gains in scope it loses in accuracy, and what physics gains in accuracy in loses in scope.&nbsp; I think that the d20 system is so focused on the minutae that the scope can get lost.&nbsp; This, I think, is the DM's job.&nbsp; It takes work, to be sure, but the DM can keep the &quot;R&quot; in the RPG if he works at it.Dave</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Vrecknidj, post: 2893070, member: 7301"] I agree with the posts that point out that the system is important, but that it doesn't [i]have[/i] to have the impact that it seems that it has on some DMs and players. I've only played the d20 system since its released. (I've played D&D since 1980, and I've played other systems once upon a time, from Villains and Vigilanties to Vampire.) I too found that I really disliked the digital nature of 3.0. When I was riding home from that GenCon, PHB in hand, devouring it like I had all the previous incarnations, I was saddened by much of the uniformity and "binary" nature of the thing. I saw immediately the connection to online gaming that was just about to blossom, and was afraid for the game. But, for the most part, my players are decent role players and haven't had all that much problem. However, an this is an important caveat, they have learned that "if you don't learn the rules, you get screwed by the rules." Unlike the "good ol' days," they have to know about 5-foot-steps and how to withdraw and when to cast on the defensive and all that. The mechanics are more thorough and more intimidating. But, once they're in place, and in mind (and, as DM, I remind my players of their options--I'm not out to get anyone), the players have been able to fold the mechanics into their role playing and, though it's not seamless, make it work. I had an old college professor once who said that what metaphysics gains in scope it loses in accuracy, and what physics gains in accuracy in loses in scope. I think that the d20 system is so focused on the minutae that the scope can get lost. This, I think, is the DM's job. It takes work, to be sure, but the DM can keep the "R" in the RPG if he works at it. Dave [/QUOTE]

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