Re: (TFT) Bell Curve

[Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>]

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:04:28 -0600
"Kirk Woller" <kwoller@satx.rr.com> wrote:

> I read this on the list and just had to give it a hearty hi-ho.  This is
> exactly right (relatively simple nature of the play and 6 sided dice).
          .  .  . 
> TFT always struck me as having that great balance between detail and
> abstraction that made how your character was designed and what he did mean
> something, but without having to worry about nit-picky details that might
> get in the way of a story-telling or even a combat.  D&D fails primarily in
> the use of flat "curves" and irrelevant stats, and GURPS in its round the
> table play with 2 second turns and too much detail.
> 
> 3 6-sided dice added together gives that "just right" feel.  Shifting the
> entire curve back and forth across the x-axis a bit with small additions or
> subtractions completes the variations needed.  
          .   .   .
> Trying to "fix" TFT can quickly lead to the same disappointing results, IMO.
> Why not leave the system alone, find a way to make it available to as many
> as possible, and concentrate on creating and playing great adventures?

This.

It's one of the reasons I've enjoyed the Dark City games.  They use
a very TFT-ish set of rules with some variations which I think work
well.

That reminds me, there are a few DCG games I haven't gotten yet, and
I know there's a few I was going to do Cyberboard gameboxes for.

"So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. 
Reverse it."
    - W. Wonka

-- 
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       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
    129 Petta. Lake Rd,  Saunderstown, RI 02874 - vox 401.338.9214
 Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa
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