A Thought on Why

I have recently, in my designs, been thinking of WHY the mechanics are there. What makes them contribute to the feel of the game? This is something that has always been in the back of my mind and in my designs, but I have never really consciously thought about it. What in the Samurai RPG reflects the feel of being a sword wielding warrior?

If you have seen the movie 'Yojimbo' by Akira Kurosawa, you know that the fights last for merely seconds, if not faster. The good ones at least. I wanted to reflect that in the design of the Samurai RPG so speed was a key factor in combat. In fact, the entire game is created around the concept of impossibly quick combat.

As I look back on my few reviews on here, I see that I have missed the chance to reflect on how the mechanics support the concept. I shall attempt to redeem myself of this shortage in the future.