The Glories of Game Design

This morning, as usual, I cranked up my computer - which automatically connected to the 'net; go broadband! - and Outlook booted up as I grabbed a shower. When I got back to the 'puter, I had 48 emails waiting, most of which were from the Hellions email list - a group of GURPS gamers, gearheads, writers, editors, and playtesters, many of whom are combat veterans. The topic of the day? Room clearing techniques, and how to translate them into GURPS mechanics.

Folks approach me at conventions all the time, and tell me how great it is to be a freelance writer and how they'd love to have my job. But honestly, sometimes I just stare blankly at my computer and wonder if McDonald's is hiring. I just spent the last couple hours reading posts - excellent ones, mind you; I'm not complaining about the Hellions - and trying to figure out what, exactly, a SWAT officer has to do when it comes to rooting Bad Guys out of a room.

It's pretty much universally decided at this point (universally... heh... now I'm giving the Hellions a little more credit than they deserve!) that a Vision roll is in order to spot the perp, modified by smoke, darkness, cover, etc. But what follows is still in debate. How does the SWAT officer determine whether that taget is indeed, a Bad Guy, or a DEA agent with a gun in his hand? Or an innocent bystander reaching for his ID?

Does Tactics (CQB) come into play? Is there such a thing as Tactics (SWAT)? Do you use Tactics (Police)? What about Professional Skill (SWAT) or Professional Skill (Law Enforcement)? A simple IQ roll? Do you apply Vision modifiers to this second roll? Do vets get a bonus over rookies, and if so, why? Does the Body Language skill come into play, and if so how?

So this is the glorious life of a game designers. Oh sure, now and then I get to sit around in my swim trunks and drink Mai Tais while scantily-clad women feed me grapes and rub the tension out of my shoulders, but for the most part, hashing GURPS rule with a bunch of soldiers is more typical.

Still... I could use some grapes about now.