Philsys manifesto

The Philsys] Manifesto is a document that explains the goals, aims, and beliefs of Archmage regarding the Philsys system. It is at least partially intended to explain his decisions and opinions regarding the system, changes to the system, the function of the system and the purpose of the system.

The Manifesto

• Theorem 1: Philsys is never finished.
  • Corollary 1.1: The current Philsys version is not Philsys 2.0.
  • Corollary 1.1.1: Adding multiple attacks to Philsys does not necessitate a new version number.
  • Corollary 1.1.2: The next revision made to Philsys will not make it Philsys 2.0, either.
• Theorem 2: Philsys is a cinematic simulationist system.
  • Explanation 2.1: According to [GNS Theory], a simulationist player plays to explore and experience the game. He does not play to "win" (for the sake of the game itself). Players are rarely divisible into such clear-cut types, but systems do their best when they focus on making one type of player happy.
  • Explanation 2.2: Cinematic simulationist systems focus on modelling an environment, sometimes at the expense of ease of use and frequently at the expense of "game balance." The purpose of a cinematic simulationist system is not to perfectly model a realistic world; it eschews numerous small details in favor of dramatic flair. It is intended to be fairly realistic without eliminating the possibility for heroic roleplaying.
  • Explanation 2.3: Being cinematic simulationist means being willing to make compromises. Taking ten minutes to resolve an attack is not worth the "advantage" of knowing exactly how deep the laceration on your enemy's left antebrachium is and whether or not that one more point of damage would have exposed his radial vein.