I posted my last blog about the state of 6mm rulesets on a number of forums. Most notably, it got a massive response on The Miniatures Page and on Tactical Command. I then took it a step further and got into a long discussion with a friend, a pillar in the 6mm community, who has designed his own rulesets many, many time, and I knew I was in trouble when he defined Strike Legion as "Too Simple."
Oh boy. I am on this quest for the Perfect Game, but does it exist? Can it exist? I am beginning to think not. Perfect for whom? Perfect for what? My "perfect" will clearly be someone else's nightmare, so why bother?
It has been said that a perfect night of gaming includes great friends, good food, and drinks...and I agree. I don't go down to the FLGS for pickup games, because if I dont know you, or know your reputation, I am loathe to give you a few hours of my time that could, conceivably, be highjacked by your antics (no offense - this is hypothetical, you see). You might not even be that bad...but beating you (or losing to you) won't have that thrill, because I dont _know_ you.
But what if the Perfect Evening could include all this fellowship, but also include a Perfect Game as well? Not possible? I wonder.
My needs are different than yours. My desires and hopes are likely light years from yours...so how do we reconcile this?
I am beginning to think we can't. I think I am back to the drawing board, and I must design my own.\
OK. I can do this! I've edited and play tested and helped come with solutions for quite a few games, and writing is my forte...but...but...there is more to a game than writing. Play any game by Spartan Games and you'll see: games need to be playtested!
Simply put, I could quite easily put down on paper my favorite mechanics from this game and that game, combine, tweak and edit a bit, and come up with a formula that might LOOK like a few games on the market, but be different than all of them...but I dont have time or opponents to play a published set of rules, let alone write and develop my own.
It could be a labor of love, spanning years and decades and a million miniature manufacturers...but do I want this to be me for the next 10 angry years of my life, conning friends to play my frankenstein and give me feedback on it, only to tweak some more?
Or do I think, Fuck It, and play your game and like it?
Dont drink and blog, btw. You keep having to hit the backspace to correct your stupid typos... :)
About Me
- Kealios Achilles-Fang
- My name is Gavin McClements. I am a wargamer and family man, living in Los Gatos, which is a suburb of San Jose, CA. Building terrain is one of my favorite aspects of the wargaming hobby - in fact, lately I've become more interested in making my battlefields "pop" than in actually playing.
Saw your response on TacCmd about designing your own ruleset. How is it going?
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, looks like Polyversal will use a command radius mechanic . . . meh.
In the grim darkness of the far future, toys that are 6mm tall will do what I want . . .
Kazimierz
You know, it's surprising, but it is actually going well. "Well" is a relative term, you know - this won't be ready for gameplay for months, if not longer. However, I've already got pages of notes and test mechanics, as well as a number of solo BatReps where I tested and discarded said mechanics as I went.
ReplyDeleteMy other major chore is going through the various rulesets (Future War Commander, Dirtside II, Seeds of War, Epic, plus games from other scales like Tomorrow's War, Gruntz, Infinity) I have and writing down what I like and don't like about each set.
In the "Game Design" forums on TMP, many people disparage those who cannibalize rulesets and "create" their own, while others espouse that this is one way that innovation is born, simply in the marrying of mechanics that haven't been mashed together yet. Regardless, it is a daunting task, humbling in the scope of what I am trying to accomplish, encouraging for what I have come up with already, and the rest remains to be seen!
I know it's only been 9 years, but have you finished your 6mm rules yet?
DeleteThank you for your efforts.
"...there is nothing new under the sun..." and all that.
ReplyDeleteWhatever works; new or combination of existing (i.e.: bourbon & coke, peanut butter & chocolate, etc.)
Good luck and don't forget to post the rules when you are "done".
I like the idea of looking at the other scale rules for 6mm ideas. Really considered picking up Gruntz. Gotta find some non-GW players around here . . .
Kazimierz