From:	Terry Amburgey <xanth@****.UKY.EDU>
Subject:	wargamers
Date:	Thu, 14 Sep 1995 09:45:22 -0400

Gurth wrote:

>>Everything the gm does is for your benefit. 'Win/lose' is a cognitive frame
>>possessed only by munchkins and those unfortunate individuals who once
>>played war games. The only known cure is to become a gamemaster. Terry
>
>I'm not trying to begin another round of "discussions" like we had a few
>weeks ago on the topic of "GM-vs.-players games," but are you suggesting
>that, if you have ever played a win/lose (i.e. non-RP) game in your life,
>you cannot be a good GM? Furthermore, that all GMs and all wargamers are
>munchkins?

Not at all. However, in a much earlier thread it was hypothesized that
people who are new to roleplaying games and whose prior gaming experience is
in wargames are 'more likely' to see the game as a win/lose. I don't see a
win/lose approach as equivalent to being a munchkin [and I separated the two
in my post].

In my experience, new rpg players that come from wargaming are also more
likely to see character development as min/max problem covering
attributes/skills/equipment. It's the rough equivalent of a 2 player wargame
where each player has the same 'point total' to spend creating their forces.
I don't necessarily think this is a problem, just a personal observation.
All in all I would prefer experienced players/gms who have played a lot of
wargames than inexperienced players/gms that have not. Terry
Terry L. Amburgey Office: 606-257-7726
Associate Professor Home: 606-224-0636
College of Business & Economics Fax: 606-257-3577
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506