Details

From: Mikael Raaterova <ginijji_at_telia.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:32:54 +0200

Sir Alisander
><<You don't find it more realistic and intuitive to know that you broke your
>leg in the fall, instead of being told that your armour stopped 6 pts of
>damage, but that 10 pts still got through to your leg?>>
>
> Is there a rule in RQ that prevents you from storytelling the
>combat >while you play it out?

No, of course not. That wasn't the point; it was a reply to Brian who said storytold combats are worthless. One wonders if Brian thinks 'dramatic narrative' means numero-mechanical description.

A hopefully elucidating point:

To me, a GM's top priority is keeping the players involved and in-character and the action lievly (in real time). If i spend too much time juggling game-mechanical details when GMing, my players get detached and distanced from the game-world situation, and the suspense and sense of adventure dissipates.

I'm not prevented from storytelling the combat in RQ, but the level of unnecessary detail steals time from the dramatic narrative and slows down the action. Rules have only a supportive function in roleplaying games: they are supposed to help experience adventures in the game world. If they divert the attention away from the game-world, they are dysfunctional.

• - Mikael Raaterova [.sig omitted on legal advice]

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