The thrust of Mr Highway's question is whether James' preferred method of playtesting rule changes is optimal from the point of view of those playing the playtest games. The thrust of my answer is that no it probably isn't purely from the point of view of playing a game for the games' sake. But if you assume that those playing are also interested in helping to develop the rules then it becomes less of a problem. Also I know that I always refer to the as James' rules, and he does do the editing, collation etc, but you shouldn't underestimate Peter's role. I'm pretty sure that the Punic Wars rules that you praised are co-credited to Peter, and rightly so. The purpose of the evenings therefore is to have fun in the two areas of gaming and rules developing and scenario designing. To have fun in the three areas of gaming, rules designing, scenario designing and lamenting our inability to speak Latin. Continues ad infinitum...
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| James and Peter update the quick play sheet |
In fact the changing rules wouldn't even be in the top three things that occasionally take the shine off an evening's wargaming chez Olicanalad. Top of the list would be extreme initiative swings. We had some terrible ones whilst in the Western Desert which really spoiled a couple of sessions. The dominoes seem to have improved that aspect of things, and in the Ager series of rules it's not an issue anyway. Second would be scenario defects. These happen, but can't be corrected as quickly as rules experiments. D8 defence dice wasn't working so it was changed for D6. The German infantry attack started too far from the British at Sidi Rezegh, but short of moving the terrain there was nothing we could do about it. We could however change the smoke rules (as in artillery laying down smoke) and so we did. I spent two Seven Years War evenings doing nothing because my troops never arrived. Compared to that the impact of inconsistent rules doesn't carry any weight. Third on my list of downers would be the quality of commanders rolled up. Facing an 88mm with two Brilliant Commander cards is not that much fun; and trying to turn Sapper cards with a Command Indecision in the deck isn't either.
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| Last minute gift suggestion |
"Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." - Epictetus the Stoic. One of my best I think.
Gut yontiff to you all.
Thank you, Epictatus for a marvelous explanation! "Gummy" thanks you. Now we are getting to a point that I had with the Piquet rules. While in theory, trying to control chaos seems exciting, the actual practice is much harder to simulate in a game. Let me also say I apologize for not mentioning Peter Jackson who contributed greatly on Ager Proelii, my error. To continue, AP did limit swings of initiative into controllable segments which made the game exciting. Having said that I have had problems with converting the local gaming masses into taking on a different paradigm. But isn't that a General's responsibility? Attempting to keep the chaos under control?
ReplyDeleteI thank you for taking the time to respond and wish you the merriest of holidays. Perhaps we can verbally joust in the new year. I will fade into the matrix so you can let your keyboard cool down to room temperature.
Respectfully,
Gunny
I think that if anything Piquet has too many variables. The FoB variants such as AP reduce a number of them, especially initiative swings, and personally I prefer them to the original. The correct number of morale chips is difficult enough to judge even in a pick-up game. To combine it with scenario design so that it all works is extremely difficult.
DeleteChanging rules. My very first introduction to club war-games was under the scary influence of The Dreaded George W Jeffrey. His rules were pretty poor anyway, but they changed every week (especially if he had lost the week before), and no-one really understood either last week's state or the unpublished changes. All matters, as a rule, were decided by George yelling until everyone backed down.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I learned from this was the need for a little stability and clarity if games are to be even marginally social. Either that, or at least a little democracy and more general involvement in the change control. The thing I didn't learn, of course, was how to keep my hands off my own bloody rules - nor anyone else's for that matter. There is no perfection. Any fleeting moments of perceived perfection are merely a reflection of some kind dice rolls or similar. The important thing is playability - the game is paramount - if it is in any way a passable representation of the warfare of a particular period of history then that is a bonus. That is why I usually play miniatures games using board game rules - because the game works like clockwork, and I do not have to spend too much time exercising my almost-full brain wondering what the rules mean, or how to work around a logical gap in them. It may also be why I commonly play on my own.
In passing, I might mention that I have received an entry for my Christmas Competition which is a quote from Epictetus - not one which made its way into the Little Book of Calm, though. I'm not sure if you wish to claim royalties or anything, but thought i should mention it.
I am not sure whether to be pleased that the word is being spread or annoyed that someone is eating my lunch. On balance I will quote Cicero: "There is nothing so absurd that some philosopher has not said it".
DeleteAnd I agree about boardgames rules. The effort that goes into playtesting modern games plus, it seems to me, the finite possibilities of limited components means they always work. Of course that doesn't always translate into one enjoying it or wanting to play it again.
My proxy Epictetus is a professor (or something) at the University of Utrecht (or somewhere), so he may well be an intellectual - or at the very least some sort of approved poseur - in his own right.
DeleteMeant to ask - why is Agnetha wearing a crepe bandage?
ReplyDeleteI understand that my reputation with the ladies goes before me, but disappointingly I have no traction with the yummy mummies of Jönköping; although I did land there unexpectedly once when the weather closed in.
DeleteAnyone who spent much time in their youth looking at Agnetha - and believe me I did - will appreciate that she didn't do normal clothes. Still if anyone could carry off a satin jumpsuit or a crepe bandage then she could.