Note that the following assumes that the system in question is that from HQ, or that HQ 2 has not substantively changed with regards to the details involved in the debate (it doesn't appear to have done so from what I've read):
I don't want to rehash all of this... I've gone through it at least twice before, and probably more times that I'm forgetting. But it'll have to suffice to say that I'm a statistician by trade, and did all this math a long time ago, and decided to try several different optional systems that I, too, thought would improve the system. The result?
Either Mr. Laws is sort of savant for having determined the optimal system (which uses opposed d20 rolls and masteries), or he got very lucky. Or a bit of each. I tried hard to improve on the system, using methods such as have been proposed, and others that are even more sophisticated (and played dozens of sessions using these alternate methods, too), and they are not as good as the original.
I know... you look at it, and you say, well it just looks wrong. It even kinda feels wrong at first (which is why folks end up trying this stuff). But it's not wrong. It's very, very right. I'm sure that folks will say that milage will vary on this one, but I believe that most such impressions are based more on theory than practice.
Just sayin'.
Mike
To: HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com
From: danwater_at_...
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:25:44 +0000
Subject: Re: odds
Wow, good stuff. Okay, so it looks like if I use the high number optional rule this might save it for me.
Cool, thanks again.
Dan
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