Re: Descriptions.

From: Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_...>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 09:51:18 +0200


Alex :

> ... I'd like to have a game in which one doesn't need to sit around
> as Tetchy a newsgroup as Gloranthan ones have a remarkably tendancy
> to become to _get_ such information. Issaries makes a big hoo-hah
> out of publishing a game that will attract newcomers to Glorantha:
> and then publishes cult descriptions it takes a large, unruly
> committee of Gloranthan know-it-alls to come up with any sort of
> useful, indeed, playable, interpretation of same?

No, I'm sorry : I *strongly* disagree with you.

In my experience, new players are *far* better at coming up with useful, playable, and fun interpretations of gamestuff than *any* 'know-it-all'. I always feel a little sad & angry when I see passionate, imaginative beginners being told 'how to play' by more experienced gamers. Bye-bye passion ; so long imagination ... Hello, unhappy hide-bound rituals of gaming.

One of the most joyful experiences of roleplaying is to gamemaster a whole group of beginners ; provided you *don't* tell them what to do, and provided no experienced players are in the player group. The moment they collectively realise that they can actually do *what they want* is magical, and what RPGs are all about ... Rulesbook writing techniques that encourage the same are, eminently, excellent !!

The lack of Feats descriptions is a fine thing IMO : not only is there nothing for the Gloranthan know-it-all to 'know' ; not only does magic become a more tenuous, ambiguous, more magical thing ; but it's *so* liberating to be rid of all the hide-bound gamespeak !!

cheers,

Julian Lord



If, evil one, you have come
from a forest demon's lair

    from hideouts of pine
    from lodges of fir
that is where I banish you-
to the forest demon's lair

    the lodges of fir
    the hideouts of pine
    that you may stay there

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