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<blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 5354285" data-attributes="member: 58197">Hardly. A cookbook is a script meant to be followed. The presumption is that if you do exactly as you are told*, you will get the result you want--and that result will be good regardless of whether you find the cookbook inspiring or entertaining, or whether you have any fun following the directions, because the goal is to produce a tangible thing which is distinct from the process of producing it.Games don't work like that. If you're just performing rote directions from a book, why bother? The goal is to enjoy the process, not the nonexistent product; and in D&amp;D, a central part of the process is the exercise of the imagination. Therefore, a good D&amp;D book should fire the imagination of the reader.Now, a dry, boring D&amp;D book is not necessarily a total loss. Skilled gamers can bring the inspiration without the book's help, and one does need a good set of rules. Still, such a book is not doing as much as it could or (IMO) should to strengthen the game. Say what you will about 1E's mechanics, the books were fascinating to read and filled with creative fuel.[size=-2]*Certainly a skilled chef can vary the recipe and will likely enjoy the process. But the point is that you don't need to vary the recipe or enjoy yourself to achieve the basic goal.[/size]</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dausuul, post: 5354285, member: 58197"] Hardly. A cookbook is a script meant to be followed. The presumption is that if you do exactly as you are told*, you will get the result you want--and that result will be good regardless of whether you find the cookbook inspiring or entertaining, or whether you have any fun following the directions, because the goal is to produce a tangible thing which is distinct from the process of producing it. Games don't work like that. If you're just performing rote directions from a book, why bother? The goal is to enjoy the process, not the nonexistent product; and in D&D, a central part of the process is the exercise of the imagination. Therefore, a good D&D book should fire the imagination of the reader. Now, a dry, boring D&D book is not necessarily a total loss. Skilled gamers can bring the inspiration without the book's help, and one does need a good set of rules. Still, such a book is not doing as much as it could or (IMO) should to strengthen the game. Say what you will about 1E's mechanics, the books were fascinating to read and filled with creative fuel. [size=-2]*Certainly a skilled chef can vary the recipe and will likely enjoy the process. But the point is that you don't [i]need[/i] to vary the recipe or enjoy yourself to achieve the basic goal.[/size] [/QUOTE]

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