Contributing players: Dennis DeBalso, Gregory Scott Peth, Rick Silva, and Frank Young

According to our membership roster, 95% of those who responded play, or are a GM using AD&D, and among the responding players, AD&D seems to be the favorite game system. Rick Silva says, "my favorite game is AD&D, mostly because it's the easiest game to find players for. I like the fantasy genre. Dennis DeBalso says that he has tried other games but he always comes back to AD&D.

On the other hand, Gregory Peth makes it clear that his favorite game is Shadowrun, "because the futuristic setting of Shadowrun exemplifies the very definition of fantasy." It permits the players to wonder what life will be' like in the year 2050.

Many players agree that the AD&D system has flaws, and two common complaints are the the magic system and the unrealistic combat system. Frank Young makes an important point about playing AD&D by mail: "It is very seldom I have to check with the GM about a rule and then it is only to get his/her interpretation of the rule in question. Thus the turns can run smoothly from GM to player without delays caused by unfamiliarity of with the rules."

However, I think Rick Silva's comment might be the most important one of all. "I like the fantasy genre and the fact that the game encourages GM's to use their own worlds rather than being tied down to one setting. (I also like GURPS for this reason.)"

Speaking of GM's making their own worlds, I was a little surprised to learn that every single player that wrote to me preferred "home cooking" to store bought modules. Homemade campaigns are preferred because they are tailored to fit the PC's, and surprisingly the players think that homemade is noticeably more imaginative than storebought. Frank Young mentions that published material constantly leaves the player wondering if he "did the right thing." As a GM, I know from experience that when players do something unusual or unexpected, it is harder to handle with published module. Gregory Peth sums it up by saying, "there ain't a GM alive who can run someone else's material more competently than his own.

On other hand, Dennis DeBalso has some words of wisdom for the GM that would create his own adventures. Dennis warns that the homemade campaign is only better when the GM actually has time to "flesh out" his campaign.

The players have spoken and the advice to GMs is clear: AD&D is currently the game of choice because of its universality and its flexibility. Players WANT their GM's to use the game's flexibility, and their own imaginations. If, as a GM, you decide dedicate time to developing your own world, then make sure that you think out the important details.

The important details are not the stats and numbers of a campaign world, but rather the feel and atmosphere of the setting. The player's don't want [just] hack and slash, and I have proof: I asked the players to tell me about their favorite character, and not one sent me stats or a character sheet. They told me about the personality of their character and that tells me as a GM that players really do want to role play.

At the end of each "Player's Place" I will highlight a single character. This will be published in the order that I received responses, so the first player spotlighted is Gregory Peth. (As you recall, Mr. Peth prefers Shadowrun.)

"Despite my totem being Wolf, the best character I've played has been a Cat Shaman. His only shadowrun has been something called 'Scavenger Hunt,' played at Bashcon in Toledo. The prime directive was to retrieve rare and odd items (i.e. a Wendigo pelt, an Ancient's gang jacket, the Rhino-Burgers' secret sauce recipe, etc.). He managed to retrieve a sign over a seedy tavern, a hospital stretcher, and was closing in on a Wendigo when my ride got impatient and I had to leave the convention. To date, I not sure whatever happened to my Cat Shaman, but he was great fun."

He probably still out their Gregory, wandering through the shadowrealms!

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