game design
Summary of ways to handle power-vs-weight in GURPS creatures
Thanks for the games, Gary
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 And throughout any temptation to poke fun at the game's outdated points, I've always returned to one key thought: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.
Introducing New Bite-Sized Rules Nuggets
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!)
– end –
DECIDE implementation notes
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.
Game design musing: Point-cost scale for stats
Edge Protection notes
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.
T Bone's Rules of Dilettante Game Design, Part II
Ring in the New Year with ST
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 --
Game design musing: It's About Time (Part III)
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.

















