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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sword of Spirit" data-source="post: 6250947" data-attributes="member: 6677017">I wouldn't define it so much by character sheet information. Rather, I'd define it based on how much crunch the game has, how much mental overhead/learning curve is needed, how many systems the game has, and the level of additional complexity the game supports. (A truly rules light game would resist attempts to make it complex by having a core system that would make such complications silly or impossible.)For instance, my own system has:-Attributes and skills-Universal task resolution system with only a couple intended variants-Simple scaling rules (similar to d6)-Narrative system for fate control-Essentially no charts or tables, yet intuitive rules for everything that would go on them-Everything can be memorized fairly easily except for setting specific complications (like the powers of a vampire, and even then you could memorize it as easy as a few 3e D&D spells)-Legal characters can be made up on the fly in an intuitive manner, and work as intended without need for later "correction" or revision when written down-If you use a persistent character you can probably memorize his stats, but if not you could record it on a note cardI wouldn't call it rules-light. I'd place it on the border of light and medium, because I haven't been able to refine the task resolution system enough to get rid of the "virtual derived values," because the integrated narrative system adds an additional layer to the experience, and because I haven't refined the powers sufficiently that I can record them with scarcely more space than a skill. On contrary side, it does well on the "resists added complexity" factor.When I get it refined as much as possible, I still would only put it at rules-medium, bordering on rules-light, because the combination of the narrative and task resolution system means that, as easy, intuitive, and memorizable as the rules are, there are still a reasonable number of them.I judge based on having at least read through a lot of games. A rules light system would be something like the Dragonlance 5e system, or FUDGE (before you start adding details (shame on supporting complexity!)--and even then I'd put it at the higher end of light).Savage World and FATE (with the exception of Accelerated, which I'd put at the border) are definitely not light in my estimation, but they are both really high quality games.Perhaps my scale for light is closer to what some people would call ultra-light, but I think when discussing in terms of light, moderate, or heavy, we need to make sure light and heavy are clearly distinct from moderate.There hasn't been a D&D made that wasn't rules-moderate. Late 3e/Pathfinder was on the high end, but even BECMI was decidely not light (IMO).</blockquote>

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