srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (09/01/84)
I am somewhat saddened to see all the questions about rule interpretations
appearing in this newsgroup, the latest of which was the question about
clerical turning.
The quality that separates FRP from more mundane games is the free-form
style and use of imagination and brainwork. If the interpretation of a
rule isn't clear, then the proper course is to decide what YOU think the
proper interpretation is and play that. Furthermore, if the interpretation
of a rule is clear and you don't like it, you should rewrite the rule to
something you do like. And then change it again just for the hell of it!
It is the duty of every FRPer to hack a new set of rules every fourth
fortnight! :-)
Seriously though, the attitude that there is a ``correct'' interpretation
of every rule, or that these three books and 12 supplements precisely
delimit the OFFICIAL FRP rules is silly! This is almost totally the result
of TSR's marketing strategy. They'd like every munchkin in America to
believe that Official AD&D (c) is the One True Way. And their strategy has
been violently successful -- if all you're interested in is quantity of
sales.
I don't mean to discourage rules questions. But I would like to see them
slanted in a different direction. Much better to ask ``I'm disatisfied with
my undead rules. Does anyone have anything better?'' than to ask ``What
do I do if the table says T?''
Scott R. Turner
UCLA Computer Science Department
3531 Boelter Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90024
ARPA: srt@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
UUCP: ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!srt
A&E: The Yeti Are Nighbryan@uiucdcs.UUCP (09/08/84)
#R:ucla-cs:-103900:uiucdcs:9300035:000:595 uiucdcs!bryan Sep 8 01:02:00 1984 I disagree slightly to the base note. I believe that the questioners are more probably trying to get the opinion of the neters on the way that others see a certain rule and to find out what is the most widely used interpretation so as to bring the game more toward a set of rules which one can depend on being similar as one moves from one campaign to another. The rules are there as a guideline but also as a limiting framework in which the players know what to expect if they do this or that instead of having a surprise every round. comments and other opinions eagerly welcomed, rob bryan