Thu 16 Sep 2021, 16:39
While largely subjective, I think there are plenty of objectively overly complex systems (many of which are simulationist and thus proudly proclaim this, at least unofficially) to understand what he means without accusations of essentially slandering authors and systems. I think, even as a fan, that many would argue against Rolemaster, HERO System (at least 4th through 6th eds), or most editions of Shadowrun (I've played 3rd through 6th) being on that list, after all. And I cop to having a nearly complete set of HERO 5th, so I also consider myself a huge fan.
Similarly, while it gets to be much more subjective in the middle, I also think that many who've played them would agree that some games are clearly designed with simplicity in mind. Some that come to mind are the Black Hack, Blades in the Dark, and by extension anything Powered by the Apocalypse. I would most certainly call those games elegantly designed, and I see that as a positive.
I think it's safe to assume that is what gully was talking about, and as an amateur game designer I've definitely been the idiot making my share of tables, and I am not in the slightest offended by it. Anyone can make rules and most, if not all of us, do in the form of house rules and homebrew, and some of that can get really gnarly. You don't even want to see my D&D 3.5 houserules... they are plain bad, lol.
While there may have been better ways to have said it, there is some objective standards that I feel most would agree with on the issue. Now, whether you feel like HERO or Rolemaster is a better experience than Black Hack or Blades in the Dark etc, that is purely subjective. These days I lean heavily toward simple while 15 years ago I would have scoffed at the notion. It's all relative.
As for 1e vs 2e TOR, I would have to say that it is more of a "simplifying and streamlining" series of changes, and for that reason I think gully and myself are both going to be very happy, while sadly others will end up staying with 1e because that suits them better. It's all good.
“It is useless to meet revenge with revenge; it will heal nothing.” - Frodo Baggins, Return of the King