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Message: <blockquote data-quote="woodelf" data-source="post: 1885920" data-attributes="member: 10201">Well, not sure which question you're asking, so i'll answer them both: Why do i keep coming back to RPGs? Because they provide something for me that nothing else really can: creativity in near-boundless ways, coupled with social interaction, a distinct story, and a defined reality, which makes the creativity not only fun, but challenging. So i like it better than writing, because with writing there are no constraints (beyond, perhaps, grammar). I like it better than other games because i not only don't particularly want competition, competition actively turns me off. I don't like activities where there are losers, and i'm perfectly willing to give up the existence of winners to to get there. And i want the social interaction, so rolling that in with the story-creation is perfect for me. So, in short: directed imagination. I've got my Legos when i want non-directed imagination. ;-)  Why do i keep coming back to D&D? Well, really, i don't. The only version of D&D that has gotten me excited in the last 15 yrs is Arcana Unearthed. D&D3E was, in general, a huge step backwards (compared to AD&D2) for my tastes: it added a bunch of stuff i didn't want, took away some stuff i liked, and failed to fix most of the stuff i didn't like. D20 System, OTOH, is a reasonably solid system, and when done right, i'm pretty ok with it, in small doses. You'll note that neither 'realism' nor 'complexity' nor 'fairness' nor 'balance' came up in my "why i like RPGs" bit above. While i'll argue with whether or not D&D3[.5]E (or any RPG, for that matter) actually is 'balanced', even if i accepted the premise that it was, i'm not necessarily looking for that in my games. My preferred complexity level for an RPG is about Over the Edge or Everway or Primetime Adventures. But i've got a player who's kinda listless without the mechanical hooks, and one who powergames something fierce, so, at least for now, i'm giving the former the crunchy system that makes him happier, and letting the system keep the latter in line so i don't have to--but it leaves me with a player who's overwhelmed by crunchy systems and a bit frustrated by the limitations on her creativity--she's much happier with things like Everway. Anyway, luckily, there're things like AU which have the crunch of D20 System, but without as much of the junk in D&D3E that i don't like. Now, i just wish that Monte'd gone whole-hog and changed the combat system as much as he did the magic. Or i may just swipe the Spycraft combat chapter whole cloth.  So, in summary: i love high-fantasy adventure. And when i want that, i might use Arcana Unearthed, but i'm much more likely to pull out Earthdawn, Everway, Of Gods and Men, Talislanta, Hercules & Xena, or something like that. Really, the only thing that keeps me coming back to D&D is players that want it.   [And, no, i don't hate D20 System. I got over that. I realized i just hate D&D3[.5]E. Spycraft rocks. Arcana Unearthed is great, if only the combat system had been flexibilized. Grimm rocks. I suspect Blue Rose will rock. D20 System can be awesome, it just isn't always.]</blockquote>

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