Re: Background?

In a message dated 9/14/99 5:10:17 PM Central Daylight Time, 
bbrush@rev.state.ne.us writes:

> In general most designers and publishers agree that the mechanics of
the 
game
> are not what sells the game, the story sells the game.  GZG games seem
to 
be 
> a notable exception to that guideline...it is a testament to the
strength 
> of the rules that they have done as well as they have.

> (Don Perrin)...started with the background of his new game
>  first, or the mechanics.  He replied that in most of the games he
designed 
>  65% of the work went into background.  He said that generally the
basic 
>  mechanics can be worked out in a couple of days...

Now, I respect your opinion but...A COUPLE OF DAYS!  

IMHO, this is the problem with 99% of the (war)games put out today.  I
don't 
play a background, I play a game (system).

>  Also, in general, great books do not necessarily make great games.
Many would, and I assume they would be 'adapted' for use not taken 100% 
verbatim.

Again, I respect what you say, but there is one HUGE glaring exception
to all 
of what you said.  The GRANDDADDY of all Fantasy games.  The one without

whose success 99% of our Fantasy (as well as Sci-fi) games would not
even 
have been created.  I speak of course about "Dungeons and Dragons".  

Think about it for a minute.  This game has changed very little over the

years and it has always been sparse to completely nonexistent with
regard to 
a pre-established background.  Hell, it takes a one person (the DM)
WORKING 
overtime LONG BEFORE the game even begins to BUILD a background so that 
OTHERS people can play!  This does not sound like an awful lot of people

need, or even really want to be 'spoon-fed' there background to me and
GW has 
wet dreams about selling as many copies of Warhammer as D&D have sold 
"Player's Handbook(s)" and "Dungeon Master's Guide(s)"	;-))

Now, I will admit many people have always wanted their backgrounds 
pre-engineered, and they always will.  I just think many people have 
forgotten why they got into this hobby in the first place.  And much
more 
sad, most of the younger players have come to expect to have a
background 
dictated to them and would not know what to do if you dropped a copy of
SGII 
in their lap (minus the background section).  I don't think it would
even 
occur to most of young Warhammer players to deviate from the 'Official
Army 
Lists' let alone design an entire background!

I think we may be stifling that key element of what really built this
hobby 
to begin with...imagination (all for a box set that costs $69.99)

SC