Damage Control: An Introduction

Now that the game has been out of print (plus whatever the digital equivalent is), I have been searching around for resources for the game. Mainly I’ve been looking around for decent datafiles, and in my search I have found that there are folks who are essentially rewriting the rules. It appears that many of the people who are doing this are missing key elements of how the game works. As a result, I have decided that certain things need to be clarified before attempting to use these new rules in a game. There are questions that need to be asked of each of these new ideas, and I hope we here can provide the answers to the issues these rules cause.

Are we experts on the rules here? I’d like to think we are, but there’s always the chance that there’s something we’re missing. That’s why I invite lively debate on the matter. If something comes along that anyone writing for this site is wrong about, then please call us out. We’ll make our case for what we’ve said or acknowledge our mistake.

Do not mistake the intent of these posts. We are not out trying to offend people. PLEASE don’t take it personally. I know it’s hard sometimes to not take it that way when someone dismantles something in which you are invested. Just remember we are trying to show the strengths of the game where others may have thought there was weakness.

I’d like to approach each of these rules analyses with certain questions in mind. These are (but are not limited to):

1. Does a rule already exist for this situation?
2. Does this rule make anything simpler or more complex?
3. Does this rule create opportunities for abuse?
4. Does this rule significantly change the playability of the game?
5. Does this add anything to the game?

My hope is that, more often than not, there is a reasonable explanation that keeps the game playable without stitching together a new rule that could unnecessarily bury the game under a pile of mechanics.

So there’s the mission statement of Damage Control. Please feel free to voice your questions and concerns in the comments. Let’s open the dialogue.