From: shiell@isaac.its.rpi.edu (Larry Shields)
Subject: Re: Looking for info/recommendations
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 21:57:34 GMT

In article <ONEIL.93Jan23152702@husc10.harvard.edu> oneil@husc10.harvard.edu (John O'Neil) writes:
>I'm getting really tired by being accused of saying thing that I never
>said.  

   Feeling is mutual, lets remember this.

>>	Stifle creativity?  I disagree that what the IFGS does is stifle people
>>who are being creative.  
>
>I wasn't talking about the IFGS are a whole -- that's clear from my
>comments.

   Unfortunately it wasn't, or I wouldn't have made this erroneous statement.

>>I guess if you say following rules stifles you since
>>you can't do whatever you want at any time, I guess laws stifle creativity 
>>as well.  
>
>I also didn't say that following rules stifles creativity -- that's
>also clear from my comments.  

    See above.
>
>So, the IFGS set up a system of discipline and punishment to *help*
>novice GMs by making them listen to a bunch of old farts out in
>Denver? :) :) :)
>
>That sounds like the old joke: "We're the government -- we're here to
>help you." :) :)

    Thank god, no.  The poor old farts would never get to breathe if they 
had to deal with ALL the games. =)  Only we lucky few (ahem =)) who are 
Provisional Chapters 'under their wing' have to worry about this.

>
>(gee, do you think I put enough smiley faces on those comments?)
>

   Ob Usenet Rule #354: You can never put enough smiley's around a comment, 
since it is guarenteed someone will still get irked. ;)

>Bravo! I hope it works.  All I was saying before was that the IFGS
>chose one way (out of many possible ways) of doing this.

   I haven't had the chance to travel with my character yet, but I look forward
to the chance if I get to make it out to Once Upon A Con this year.  I also 
have plans of trying to go to an Ohio Chapter game this summer, if money 
will allow.  From the people who have travelled, I haven't heard any probelms,
so it at least appears to work.  I will defer to someone who has actually been
able to travel to say if it worked or not.

>
>>If we didn't have to worry about
>>things like travelling characters, I think we could get rid of much of 
>>sanctioning, (Though _definately_ not all of it.)
>
>Presumably, part of that "definately [sic] not all" is the part which
>protects you from legal problems.  See what I mean about the law
>stifling creativity?

    Thats a good part of it, yes.  One of the draw backs to the benefits 
of insurance is that you have to follow rules they set, or we don't get to 
keep the insurance.  I guess, that can stifle creativity, but only if people
getting hurt is creative.  The most important thing in _any_ game, regardless
of who is running it is making sure that noone gets hurt.  The IFGS, since 
its putting 'its name' on the game, wants to make sure that people who may 
not have done this before, or are still learning don't do something that 
may injure people.  It also helps to make sure logistical and plot errors 
get caught before run time.  As part of our chapter's 'pre-sanctioning' 
committee, I can say that the games we have looked at so far, the writers 
have been happy for the suggestions offered, and the mistakes that 
were found.  It helps to make that much cleaner a game on run day (which 
everyone wants).  

>> Ah, the wonders of Free Speach, eh?  Say what you like, but trying to
>>bad mouth one group, while pushing another is just not a great way to prove
>>a point. I welcome any discussion that talks about differences and possible
>>pro/cons of each, in a non-flame fashion.  
>
>I didn't "bad mouth [sic]" the IFGS, and my combat system remarks were
>not flames.  You claim to want to discuss pros and cons, but when
>soneone actually does it you accusing them of wanting to destroy the
>IFGS.  No wonder you sneer at "the wonders of Free Speach [sic]".

    Here's where some words get put in my mouth.  No where is it said that
I feel anyone is trying or wanting to 'destroy the IFGS'.  This is the last
thing that I would worry myself about.  And it is a wonder that you think I 
sneer at 'free speach'.  I just find it amusing that your previous post came 
down to a "You can't stop me from saying something if I want to." type argument
that is so common in the flame wars in other discs.  Lets not let it come 
down to this, I know noone wants to start a flame war about 'My group is 
better than your group'.  

Larry Shields
President, New England Prov. Chapter - IFGS

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