On Thu, 2004-12-02 at 14:53 -0800, Ray Zetler wrote:
I think all the majors around here have volumes.
Slowly but surely, I am trying to create them.
I think you have like a nearly 20-year head start though ;)
The problem is respecting the core games enough to hesitate
about painting broader strokes.
Just call it a house rule and go to town.
Handle as a "What-If" alternate universe like the comic books?
Then you can have fun really playing around with it, but calling it a
what-if lets everyone know right up front that is *intended* to differ
from the canonical core rules somehow.
West End did this with PARANOIA and no one minded... TwilightCycle2000
or AliceThroughTheMirrorshades come to mind.
Myself I have way too much to be healthy about LivingSteel but I know some of it
would be ill received by any of the LEG persons still here and lurking.
I wonder. Even if you marked it "Rays Universe"?
Most of the game systems I see say "GM can change it to suit", and LEG
seems to have encouraged it with the inclusion of "optional" rules
sections and intentional "no one knows, its a mystery" sections.
We all know how many times they changed the core mechanics themselves in
an effort to make for better experiences.
1/12th second Impulses in Swords Path Glory.
2 second Phases with 1/10th second master phase count in Spectrum,
Phoenix Command 1st/2nd ed, and Living Steel 1st Ed.
The hybrid SPG/Spectrum system in Rhand: Morningstar...
1/2 second Impulses system for Phoenix Command 3rd/4th ed, Living Steel
2nd ed, and the movie adaptations.
Why would they mind if you change the setting or re-architect pieces to
suit your game?
And the last thing I want is for them to think I only see their efforts in my day
to day "holier than thou" POV:-).
I have no idea what this could even mean.
So bits and pieces are really what get cobbled together here on the List in response
to specific questions or topics too addictive for some not to write about.
I have tossed around the idea here between myself and my cat about
putting together a Wiki page or something for various LEG related
topics, where people could comment on all of the various Alternatives.
As long as you seperate canon (what was printed in an LEG-published
book, article, etc vs personal contribution) then why not collect all
the alternative views and give new gamers access to all of the
perspectives.
Kept in the light of "Here is what we absolutely know from a printed
resource" vs "here is how I interpreted or extended it" should be do-
able.
This is exactly why I have taken to specifically mentioning the stock
number, edition, and section when I reference something.
It be nice to flood the bandwidth here with new concepts and rule changes but at least
for me I won't do much if I feel it again is viewed in a negative way by the originators.
Again, I don't see where that is possible.
My feeling from reading the notes to gm's and such in the materials
themselves is that they were gamers too who welcomed new thought on
stuff.
And face it, you ARE entitled to your interpretation... its your gaming
table.
Posting that interpretation is still you right too... and I expect that
your ideas would still do justice to the intents and drives that went
into making the products (the spirit of it) even when disagreeing
violently with the printed words (the letter of it).
Cause lets face it filling potholes can create new ideas which do not necessarily jibe
with the big bang that started this all.
And?
There are many, many places in the LEG rules that are just blank spots
that need to be filled. If you can support your filler idea with
supporting quotes from the rest of the material, then do so. If there IS
nothing else related, then its your virgin territory to put your muddy
bootprints all over.
It sounds to me like all you are talking about is the distinction
between house rules and printed rules. As long as they are clearly
marked as house rules when you fire them off, I don't think anyone would
mind? Maybe I am wrong, but this is exactly why I just ask for a
reference?
The grav vehicle stuff a few weeks ago is a perfect example.
The existing data and rules are very thin for them in the core games
because it was intended to all be packaged in a supplement.
I asked what people thought, and you answered.
I was confused by it, and asked for book numbers and pages to see if I
had just overlooked them (which became habit after I was told "read the
damn Trident book before posting about mechs again" off-list)... that
was not intended to challenge your ideas... it was only intended to
validate whether I had overlooked something or not.
I filed all of the posts about that in a Grav Vehicles folder I can now
churn through for ideas. To me, its all valid, even if its not
canonical... because it is (in my mind) appropriate for ME to build and
run my campaigns MY way.
And when I do, the various alternatives available for how to manage Grav
Vehicles is a good thing.
Call them house rules, personal campaign interpreation, or just "LEG
Alternatives" and I should think everything should be correctly received
in the spirit its intended.
My personal example of this would be the ORCA satellite system:
There is no guide from LEG to the GM about why Trident deployed the ORCA
satellite system with the 10-minute on/10-minute off limitation.
GPS satellites can provide continuous 3D coverage with 4+ satellites
over the horizon at all times using a constellation of only 24
satellites. And the receivers are cheap :)
Why was Trident only able to provide a 10-on/10-off best coverage with
over 60 satellites in play? My best guess was limitation-by-design as a
game balance tool.
In my campaign, I may choose to play canon to limit more experienced
players with that ever-so-frustrating 10-on/10-off limit... or I might
like to run with the GPS-style alternative ORCA satellite constellation.
The GPS-style system becomes a house-rule that others now can consider
and use, or not, as they see fit.
Thats my example of what I think you are talking about.
Why would LEG have a problem with that? Because it implied criticism of
the canon satellite system?
Not at all. If I didn't like their stuff, I wouldn't have bought so much
of it.
That basic fact applies to everyone in this group (as far as I can
tell).
