Active Users:808 Time:23/12/2024 03:26:11 AM
A fine example of a mechanic that seems lifted whole sale from GURPS 3rd ed. Joel Send a noteboard - 25/01/2012 05:40:58 PM
I never played 1st, mind you, so I can't comment on that.

A lot of the rules in second edition were apparent fiats. I imagine that through countless hours of hands-on experience, they found what worked best and I just had to trust that they were right. And they largely worked, I have great memories of games I played in second edition. I think the complete insanity behind the system actually helped shape the way we played our games - if the DM didn't know how to adjudicate on something, he just pulled out a judgment relying solely on his best guess based on past experience. And that felt fairly natural, since I'm pretty sure every other rule in the book was made the same way.

With later editions, there was a far clearer, unifying mechanic to the game. Just understanding the d20 vs. difficulty check roll will allow you to resolve most situations in the d20 system, the DM just has to decide what variable best measure the conflict.

That basically like how GURPS applied the old Contest of Skills (which it in turn lifted wholesale from AD&D 2nd ed.) to situations that were essentially the same except for the fact no (N)PC was directly involved. From the above discussions about fiats and the inability to even attempt things without a specific skill I would say all the more recent editions of AD&D would benefit from stealing the GURPS concept of skill defaults. I REALLY love defaults, especially those that default to other skills.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.

Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 25/01/2012 at 05:41:19 PM
Reply to message
D&D 5th Edition... Hard to believe how many years this has been going. - 09/01/2012 10:47:30 PM 1490 Views
We still play 3.5 - 09/01/2012 11:05:52 PM 951 Views
Nerd! *NM* - 09/01/2012 11:13:04 PM 524 Views
Yessssssss - 10/01/2012 08:51:04 AM 977 Views
I use 3.5 rules too... - 13/01/2012 05:50:58 PM 978 Views
Thanks to 4th Edition, sadly not. - 10/01/2012 01:55:04 AM 857 Views
Hey now! - 10/01/2012 08:50:02 AM 870 Views
I found this blog entry enlightening: - 10/01/2012 01:41:12 PM 991 Views
Dunno about the "Old-School Revival," but Pathfinder is definitely pretty popular - 10/01/2012 02:21:37 PM 895 Views
I started playing when 2E came out. - 10/01/2012 03:01:45 PM 999 Views
Same here. - 11/01/2012 02:20:41 AM 849 Views
Re: Dunno about the "Old-School Revival," but Pathfinder is definitely pretty popular - 10/01/2012 04:34:39 PM 923 Views
If you want to know more, read this thread. - 11/01/2012 02:42:06 PM 921 Views
Cool, thanks. *NM* - 11/01/2012 03:40:46 PM 476 Views
I can't wait to see the Edition Wars™ flare up again. - 10/01/2012 02:55:27 PM 1065 Views
True story: - 10/01/2012 04:39:47 PM 975 Views
I still play 3.5 - 10/01/2012 04:31:27 PM 932 Views
The last time I played an AD&D CRPG, it had THAC0. - 10/01/2012 07:47:47 PM 906 Views
Baldur's Gate, woo! - 11/01/2012 03:49:49 PM 836 Views
That was a Warrior trait, not a human one. - 11/01/2012 07:18:09 PM 992 Views
That sounds insanely unintuitive. *NM* - 11/01/2012 07:37:37 PM 499 Views
That's 2nd Edition. - 11/01/2012 10:59:34 PM 807 Views
A fine example of a mechanic that seems lifted whole sale from GURPS 3rd ed. - 25/01/2012 05:40:58 PM 1275 Views
I repeat what FT said, that was 2nd edition. *NM* - 12/01/2012 04:20:28 AM 440 Views
AD&D represent! *throws up half-orc gang signs* *NM* - 13/01/2012 01:50:06 AM 570 Views
Throwing up a half-eaten rat is not throwing up a gang sign... *NM* - 13/01/2012 05:26:47 AM 494 Views
What about a half-eaten halfling? - 13/01/2012 02:41:06 PM 923 Views
*facedesk* *NM* - 13/01/2012 03:45:05 PM 430 Views
(-:,` *NM* - 17/01/2012 09:02:26 PM 485 Views
Been re-reading The Sleeping Dragon, have you? - 25/01/2012 05:29:15 PM 918 Views
I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. - 25/01/2012 06:41:46 PM 960 Views
A joke in Joel Rosenbergs "The Sleeping Dragon." - 25/01/2012 07:13:26 PM 975 Views
*sign* *NM* - 13/01/2012 02:41:57 PM 494 Views
*hollas* - 25/01/2012 05:30:45 PM 824 Views
GURPS is still in 4E. - 25/01/2012 05:58:34 PM 870 Views
What? I've barely had the opportunity to play 4th Edition yet. - 11/01/2012 02:38:50 AM 815 Views
Dude.. I still remember the 1st edition books.. - 11/01/2012 12:54:27 PM 995 Views

Reply to Message