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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 1557391" data-attributes="member: 7635"><quote>Ok, here is my take on Roles, Roleplaying, dice, and the failing health of the RPG system.... 1.) Role-playing games aren't dead, they are evolving. The problem is some people are stuck in the mindset that change=bad (cough, cough, DRAGONSFOOT, cough). RPGs began as offshoots of military tabletop combat games, and have grown up in both complexity of rules (mimicing the rise of excellent videogame RPGs) and storylines.2.) Fairness: Who said life is fair? Well, good sportsmanship did. The biggest complaint I hear about d20's codified-all-encompassing-rules-set comes from people who usually MADE the game unfair for PCs by using arbitary rulings and ad-hoc systems of rewards, which worked in some circles but in others ended up favoritism, railroading, and plain "I WIN!" DMing. The unified d20 system at least gives suggestions as to how to keep things on even footing. (Case in point, play a single classed fighter or thief at high (10+) level and see how well you do against the mage and cleric.)3.) You CAN role-play and roll-play, min-maxing in inherent in all games with a system of rules written down on paper. Doesn't matter if its GURPS, Storyteller, Palladium, d6, d20 or Amber. It CAN be done, I've seen it. 4.) The rules are deliberately abstract to keep the game fun. QUESTION: Two guys stand 25 feet apart, one has a knife, the other has a gun. Who kills the other first?Answer: The guy with the higher initative roll. Sorry, but to keep true chaos from breaking out, a system of turns is needed, be it in D&D or Candyland. 5.) RPGs are alive and doing well, thanks to d20 being available and easier to understand, its making a bigger impact than 2e did in the 90s. Lots of kids in my school where I sub have at least heard of it, if not played.  All in all, I still believe in my friends motto (which I think TSR used much later)  "Shut up and Play."</blockquote>

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