That's just what it is: a simple summary of ways to handle this matter in character/creature design. Short and sweet.

There's been a big outpouring of thoughts and sadness over the passing of D&D creator Gary Gygax. The words put down by other writers are far better than I can summon, so I'll add a very short note:

As the RPG world moved beyond the foundations Gary built, it's been all too easy to cast stones at the "clunky" rules and strictures of his original creations and their direct descendants. "THAC0? Alignments? Classes? Ha, that stuff's crazy..."

I, too, like today's more modern, streamlined games. But I've always kept respect for the D&D world, whether I play the game any more or not. Like so many, many others, I point to D&D as my start as a gamer. And throughout any temptation to poke fun at the game's outdated points, I've always returned to one key thought:

Question: Did we have fun with the game?

Answer: Hell, yeah, we did.

That single truth trumps any and all dismissal of the game, and is the highest form of thanks that a game's players can return to its maker.

To have turned a clever idea into a whole new genre of gaming – wow, few of us messing with game-related design or writing will ever make a smidgen of that impact.

I never met Gary, despite a couple visits to GenCon and even a trip to the original TSR store in Wisconsin. I wish I had. He did great things.

Is that "nuggets" as in gold, or as in mystery poultry parts? You be the judge. (I'll admit, the latter better fits the "diner" theme. And possibly the writing quality.)

One-off ideas, pocket-sized tweaks, house rules no bigger than a bird's nest... They're too small for a Big Article of their own, and they'll languish forever if they wait to be grouped into a Mega Supplement. So here they are, in their little Pekinese-like cuteness. (Not that the Diner would ever put Pekinese in its nuggets. *cough* Never!)

Rules Nuggets list

– end –

DECIDE has been a busy little topic for discussion. In the spirit of designer's notes, here are additional notes not on the idea behind it, but on the specific implementation I used.

More under-the-hood musings for fellow monkey-wrenchers.

A post made to the SJG forums: as an attribute or skill rises in level, should each additional +1 cost more or less than the previous level? There's a good argument either way. Read on.

A reader asks some good questions about mixing the Edge Protection rules with other armor variants. I'm not sure of all the answers, so if you'd like to mull armor-y things a bit, please pop over and comment.

http://www.gamesdiner.com/ep#comment-267 -end-

More navel-gazing, following an earlier inward journey of pretentious self-discovery (aka Part I). While moving old site and GULLIVER FAQs to a new FAQ page, I extracted some "GULLIVER game design methodology" notes for relocation to a better home. I'm posting them here. Recycling some really old stuff makes for a poor post, so let's add some new content too: a summary from both articles of what I like to see in game design.

It's a brand new year, if you follow the world's most popular calendar system. Great thanks from me to all those who have been visiting, collaborating, and otherwise supporting the Games Diner. Expect many more new things throughout 2007 A.D.

Ringing in a fresh annum of RPG tinkering, the GURPS forum has a thread on how the game should handle the ST and damage relationship. So head over if you're into that kind of thing (and I guess you wouldn't be here if you weren't). See you there. -- end --

Speaking of slow pacing, how long's it taken me to get this posted?

Final notes on action time and pacing in RPGs. Food for fellow armchair game designers.

More on the subject of attack time and pacing in RPG combat systems, looking at a couple of old home-brew efforts.