Logs for ShadowRN and Associated Mailing Lists

From:	"Terry L. Amburgey" <xanth@********.uky.edu>
Subject:	the goal of the list
Date:	Mon, 24 Jun 1996 12:44:23 -0500

Message no. 1 >|Anyway, the argument's irrelevant if the answer is already in print.
>
>I disagree. Just because the game designers put it down on paper
>doesn't mean that it's the best solution possible. I feel that the goal
>of this list is to improve on the game if possible - by discussing
>confusing rules, adding new rules to fill gaps, and improving on
>existing rules (in addition to discussing ShadowRun style and
>environment, and character/adventure/campaign/world ideas).
>
>-David

That's one view. I'm a By-the-book type as well, so I opt out on 'improving
on existing rules'. Luckily, we can all live together with judicious
deletion of posts that don't fit our conception of interesting :) Terry
Terry L. Amburgey Email: xanth@***.uky.edu
Associate Professor Phone: (606) 257-7726
College of Business and Economics Fax: (606) 257-3577
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0034

From:	dbuehrer@****.org (David Buehrer)
Subject:	Re: the goal of the list
Date:	Mon, 24 Jun 1996 11:02:52 -0600 (MDT)

Message no. 2 Terry L. Amburgey wrote:
|
|>|Anyway, the argument's irrelevant if the answer is already in print.
|>
|>I disagree. Just because the game designers put it down on paper
|>doesn't mean that it's the best solution possible. I feel that the goal
|>of this list is to improve on the game if possible - by discussing
|>confusing rules, adding new rules to fill gaps, and improving on
|>existing rules (in addition to discussing ShadowRun style and
|>environment, and character/adventure/campaign/world ideas).
|>
|>-David
|
|That's one view. I'm a By-the-book type as well, so I opt out on 'improving
|on existing rules'. Luckily, we can all live together with judicious
|deletion of posts that don't fit our conception of interesting :) Terry

Fair enough :)

I would like to debate the "By-the-book" topic though. Would you
continue to use the book, and only the book, no matter how good a
proposed rule change from an outside source was? And if so, why?

I'm of the philosophy that if a rule works then I leave it alone (unless
I'm sparked by a sudden flash of insight). But if a rule doesn't work or
just wasn't thought out, then I feel that it's a duty to my group to try
and fix it. Why continue to do something wrong, or poorly, when you can do
it right or better?

-David

/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\ dbuehrer@****.org /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\
"His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like
underpants in a dryer without Cling Free."
~~~~~~http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.html~~~~~~

From:	"Robert J. Waters" <rjwate01@*****.louisville.edu>
Subject:	Re: the goal of the list
Date:	Mon, 24 Jun 1996 13:28:44 -0500 (EDT)

Message no. 3 > That's one view. I'm a By-the-book type as well, so I opt out on 'improving
> on existing rules'. Luckily, we can all live together with judicious
> deletion of posts that don't fit our conception of interesting :) Terry

I'm a programmer and so I view everything as having possibility for optimizing
and improving. Just because the official source publishes something doesnt
mean that is the best way to handle it...the job of a GM is to moderate the
game, present problems for the players, and make adaptions for the rules when
the printed rules dont work. FASA is not all knowing so anything I see in one
of their books I see as a suggestion as to how to do it. But hey, I'm an
opinionated rule bender and modifier :).

--
Luc AKA BobW

EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!
BUT THE CORPSE STILL HAS THE FLOOR!
--Kevin Spacey as Lloyd in The Ref (1994)

From:	"Jeff Marshall" <nitro@*****.net>
Subject:	Re: the goal of the list
Date:	Mon, 24 Jun 1996 14:13:27 +0000

Message no. 4 > From: "Robert J. Waters" <rjwate01@*****.louisville.edu>
> Subject: Re: the goal of the list
> To: shadowrn@********.itribe.net
> Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 13:28:44 -0500 (EDT)
> Reply-to: shadowrn@********.itribe.net

> > That's one view. I'm a By-the-book type as well, so I opt out on 'improving
> > on existing rules'. Luckily, we can all live together with judicious
> > deletion of posts that don't fit our conception of interesting :) Terry
>
> I'm a programmer and so I view everything as having possibility for optimizing
> and improving. Just because the official source publishes something doesnt
> mean that is the best way to handle it...the job of a GM is to moderate the
> game, present problems for the players, and make adaptions for the rules when
> the printed rules dont work. FASA is not all knowing so anything I see in one
> of their books I see as a suggestion as to how to do it. But hey, I'm an
> opinionated rule bender and modifier :).
>
> --
> Luc AKA BobW
i belive some where in the main book it says modify the rules to best
fit your team and playing style so they really dont care :)

From:	Marc Lipshitz <MLIPSHIT@****.CO.ZA>
Subject:	Re: the goal of the list -Reply
Date:	Tue, 25 Jun 1996 10:14:45 +0200

Message no. 5 ******ORIGINAL MESSAGE*********

I'm of the philosophy that if a rule works then I leave it alone (unless
I'm sparked by a sudden flash of insight). But if a rule doesn't work or
just wasn't thought out, then I feel that it's a duty to my group to try and
fix it. Why continue to do something wrong, or poorly, when you can do
it right or better?

-David

*******END ORIGINAL MESSAGE********
I tend to follow the same train of thought. Since I've played many
different games right from when RPG's first appeared here in South
Africa around 1980 or so, I tend to steal good portions of rules from one
system to plug bad rules in others. Otherwise myself and my group sit
down and do a rewrite of the rules if needed.

Marc Lipshitz

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