Ye ol' playtest list (was: Re: Full Thrust vs Starmada)

McCarthy, Tom wrote:
[...]
> But Jon Tuffley is only slightly more active on the test list than he
is
> here.  The test list can go months without Jon throwing an idea on the
> floor for discussion.  Jon usually spends months compiling ideas in
his
> log book or computer, then when business warrants it, throws some of
the
> ideas onto the test list.  I get the impression several ideas
> percolating in his mind never do hit the list.  And generally
speaking,
> if the business of selling miniatures heats up, rules-writing slows
down
> or is dropped.
> 
> And then when Jon does throw an idea on the test list, you get a lot
of
> activity, and very few ideas are universally accepted.  When 2 out of
6
> guys voice concerns over an idea, and another 2 out of 6 have doubts
> about another idea, it can be hard for any idea to get traction.  (And
> it's not like the test list has just 6 guys, but any given topic
usually
> has a max of 6 guys who say more than 'I like it' and 'Me, too'.) 
Many
> ideas thrown onto the test list never go beyond debate and into the
> realm of playtest.

I'm going to pop back in again :-) and say that overall this is a
reasonable
assessment of what one might observe on the test list. I'm definitely
not
one of the more vocal half dozen on there, as, like in real life, I
prefer
to actually *do* than theorize (in real life I prefer to actually
observe
the stars than theorize ;-). There are those of us on the list who *do*
take the rules suggestions that Jon tosses out to us and work them over
on the table (but for me, usually after the theorists have mauled the
idea(s) over on the theory table first ;-) ). Time being a premium of
late, I haven't been as involved in the FT side of things (plenty of
folks
there already on the list ;-) ), concentrating instead on the DS3 stuff.
When time allows. :-)

Which reminds me, I need to ask other members of the p-test list a
question
about something completely unrelated... :-)

Mk