At the risk of starting yet another schism. (but at least it would be about gaming!) I don't think a free form system is a good first game system for a starting GM. In any system the GM has to " (rule) whether a PC can do something." With the rule light games there is a lot of vagueness on how to determine PC actions. The new GM is already having to make stuff up, why add to the work load? I have only ever seen 2 fudge games from two different people. One was a little lost on how to do it and totally confused me on howfudge was run! The other spent a great deal of time tinkering with the system "to get it right" it seemed. From what I've seen rules light systems need a experienced GM and one willing to put in a lot of work. I do agree that GM should be more about the game/campaign than the rules. And I definitely would NOT recommend a rule intense system like Rolemaster or Champions. So in the middle are games like GURPS or 3ED&D which have draw backs but usually provide something in black and white to fall back on if the GM can't figure out how to do something. AND especially to the starting GM "Don't run something you haven't played!" King Rolo speaks! On Thursday, June 21, 2001 4:31 PM, Michael W. Shaffer [SMTP:mwshaffer@mediaone.net] wrote: | I have to disagree that a GM should start with a more complex game system. | If she's trying to concentrate on Gaming, why complicate that with having to | remember a lot of rules as well? The best way to be a good GM is to just do | it and learn from your experience. | | I don't buy the complex rules support a beginning GM argument. GMing isn't | about rules as much as about running a game, providing a campaign, ruling | whether a PC can do something. I don't think you need rules for this. In | fact, I believe the fewer rules, the more realistic the campaign setting | will be. If you have to use common sense in creating your campaign world | rather than fitting it into a rules system, I think it will come out better. | In my opinion a campaign world created without reference to any rules | system, perhaps as if it were being created as a setting for a novel, will | probably be better for it. | | Pookey | | on 6/21/01 7:38 PM, shadoe@kscable.com at shadoe@kscable.com wrote: | | > It probably be best to use something a bit more spelled out like D&D3E or | > some such. Unless she feels very adventurous I recommend a system she is | > comfortable playing. That way she doesn't learn the rules as she run the | > game. It tends to bog a game down when the GM is constantly looking up | > stuff. | > And as much as I dislike modules and such, a canned adventure may be very | > useful. It one less thing to worry about for a starting GM. | > | > Rolando | > Who learned to run GURPS the hard way! | > | > On Thursday, June 21, 2001 11:42 AM, Joel Arellano | > [SMTP:joelarellano@hotmail.com] wrote: | > | Thanks. Pretty much what I said to her. | > | | > | I'm wondering if I should advise her to game-master a rules-light system | > | like Fudge, or something slightly more complex like GURPS, the FUZION | > | system, or D&D 3e. (We currently play in a fantasy campaign using the 3e | > | rules.) I'm leaning towards the latter so she will have "support" from | > the | > | rules until she gets use to "winging it." | > | | > | Joel | | -- | Michael W. Shaffer | PGPKey: 0x253E28F3 | http://www.geocities.com/pookey_shaffer/pookey.html | | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | GMAST Home Page: http://www.phoenyx.net/gmast/ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- GMAST Home Page: http://www.phoenyx.net/gmast/
