thread: 2006-03-06 : Unpopular Idea #2: Punish the Loser
On 2006-03-07, Charles S wrote:
Neel,
It seems to me that what you are describing (good systems where you know that one side will win, but you don't know how, and you don't know if the other side will get in some good licks first) is still the full outcome not being predictable. While the general shape of the outcome is known, meaningful parts of the outcome are not. Once all of the meaningful parts of the outcome are predictable, then a lag to the outcome happening is a bad thing (and thus fr'instance, the freedom to give in Dogs is a good thing). I think that, weirdly, simplistic mechanics for complex situations (like Exalted social rules) are generally unsatisfying for specifically this reason. Since they allow no room for complexity and detail of outcome, the outcome is predictable before you even reach for the dice (and simplistic mechanics tend to squash elaboration and detail, since you know going in that your elaboration and detail will be functional ignored). Boring.
But I agree that your elaboration of the point is an important one.
