Re: "The Rules Lawyer's Guide To RQ"

From: Christopher Brian Pound (pound@ruf.rice.edu)
Date: Fri 02 Jul 1993 - 22:40:00 EEST


> I may be sounding sarcastic at times here, but I am very serious about
> this idea. I honestly think it has merit. Please tell me/us if
> you agree, why, and how we could improve on the concept.
>
> -David Cheng

I think this is a GREAT idea.

Benefits:
1) It has a precedent in that many, many other games come out with rules
   companions and expansions.
2) It'll make the game a lot less intimidating to beginners.
3) A lot of good ideas that won't make the cut otherwise will get published.
4) It ought to help now in designing RQ4 (giving a particular idea a low
   priority won't seem so harsh).

Advice:
1) Publish it at about the same time as the game itself to get the "ooh, ah"
   effect from old-timers who want to get started experimenting with the new
   rules right away.
2) Give all optional rules easy-to-remember shorthand names (I'm thinking,
   for example, of all the options for poker; it should be easy to list
   specific major rules additions being used in a game at a con or when
   describing your game in a Usenet article).
3) A couple of amusing rules (e.g. a "flee wildly" skill for Ducks ;) would
   be fun.
4) A section on tailoring/inventing magic systems for different regions of
   Glorantha could be useful.
5) Don't worry about organizing it too "logically" (spoils the treasure trove
   effect and makes you worry about where to put things), but give it a VERY
   good index with many cross-references, etc., listing the same rule or part
   of a rule under everything you can think of (allot more space for this than
   just the back cover! :).

This 'RuleQuest' Companion could be pretty neat ...

Later,
Chris Pound


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