First off, I LOVE Burning Wheel. I think it's an amazing game, with one of the best lifepath creation systems I've ever seen. Items like Let It Ride, Beliefs & Instincts, and several other mechanics/features have found their way into my regular gameplay.
 
But by damn, there are parts that are just too crunchy for what myself and a normal group of mine normally dig. We've thrown out the Duel of Wits without any problem, and have stopped scripted combat as well (even though the simple combat resolution doesn't quite do it for us; we've looked at replacing it somehow; I need to find my notes on this and post them). We've talked about streamlining Artha. (Resources really simplify wealth & items, but my last group didn't care for them, so back we went to counting GP).
 
So, here's the question: what would you take/keep from Burning Wheel to make the game lighter, but still with plenty of customization, the same great feel, and perhaps a little bit lighter on its feet. And can we possibly find another combat option?
 
I think Burning Wheel is one of the most well-written games I've ever seen, but I definitely want to look at how to possibly streamline some things, aside from just dumping DoW and scripted combat. Thoughts?

IMO, BW is the most complicated die pool system I have ever seen.

First things to go:

DoW: Just can't stat that

Scripted Combat: See DoW

Shades: dump it, and go with how its done in BE.

Watch out: Meddling with the vision of THE LUKE might result in being called retarded by THE CRANE.

C'mon, Sett.  I really enjoy BW, I'm just looking at a couple of tweaks.  No harm there.

He called me retarded.
Two times.

I´do not forgive easily.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstItems like Let It Ride, Beliefs & Instincts, and several other mechanics/features have found their way into my regular gameplay.

I found it much easier to take these concepts from BW and use them with other systems rather than try to run BW itself.

Quote from: SettembriniHe called me retarded.
Two times.

You're not retarded, you're Prussian!

Luke Crane sure posts some silly things, though. "ZOMFG! Why weren't there bon bons and pink champagne for me at the convention! I'm special!"

Quote from: JimBobOzYou're not retarded, you're Prussian!

Cheer up, Sett! If reincarnation works, maybe some day you'll come back as an Australian, and can know what it's like to have true superiority...

-clash

Quote from: SettembriniHe called me retarded.
Two times.

I´do not forgive easily.

Of course, that was totally unfair from him. I mean, it's not like you were taking part in a thread with the purpose of shitting on him and insulting him. What a bastard.

On topic: BW seems like a fairly modular system. It shouldn't be difficult to take out the parts of it that you don't like. Other than DoW and scripted combat, I didn't found any other parts of the game more difficult than the average.

Quote from: ImperatorOf course, that was totally unfair from him. I mean, it's not like you were taking part in a thread with the purpose of shitting on him and insulting him. What a bastard.
 
On topic: BW seems like a fairly modular system. It shouldn't be difficult to take out the parts of it that you don't like. Other than DoW and scripted combat, I didn't found any other parts of the game more difficult than the average.

Well, I'd definitely agree those 2 parts are the most difficult/least appealing for me.  I would like something a little more crunchy in combat than the basic resolution described, but am not sure where to start.  Aside from that, Resources are easy to ditch, if you want.  I'd still like to see the Artha rules/application be a little bit more streamlined and/or intuitive.
 
And yeah, Let It Ride & Beliefs & Instincts make appearances in just about all my games now.

Quote from: flyingmiceCheer up, Sett! If reincarnation works, maybe some day you'll come back as an Australian, and can know what it's like to have true superiority...

-clash

If I had been drinking my coke, you would have elicited a response not healthy for my flat screen...

As it is, I laughed heartily...

:haw:

I would only change "to have" into "to feel like you have"

Zach,
What exactly do you like about the game that keeps you coming back? Seems like you've tossed everything but basic resolution and advancement. You can get that from any game.

As for combat, why not just use "I hit, you hit" until someone drops or surrenders? You can use the Bloody Versus test in iteration without too much trouble.

-L

Quote from: ImperatorOf course, that was totally unfair from him. I mean, it's not like you were taking part in a thread with the purpose of shitting on him and insulting him. What a bastard.

You're getting confused. That was when sett was asking for advice, not the very silly shitstorm over the convention 'incident'.

Quote from: One Horse TownYou're getting confused. That was when sett was asking for advice, not the very silly shitstorm over the convention 'incident'.

I stand corrected, then. My apologies to Sett.

Quote from: lukeZach,
What exactly do you like about the game that keeps you coming back? Seems like you've tossed everything but basic resolution and advancement. You can get that from any game.
 
As for combat, why not just use "I hit, you hit" until someone drops or surrenders? You can use the Bloody Versus test in iteration without too much trouble.
 
-L

Luke,
 
I love the Lifepaths.  I love FoRKs.  I love the Monster Burners.  I love Steel tests.  I love the Traits, Let It Ride, plenty of the advice given.  I love pretty much all of CharGen.  Hell, I even love the aesthetics and tone of the books.  With all that going for it that I really dig, why would I want to go to another system just because there are a few items I don't care for?  The only things I'm really wanting to toss are the parts that, to me, feel "tacked on"--the DoW and Scripted Combat.
 
(I'll apologize right now for using "tacked on"--that sounds rougher than I mean.  But I truly love 90+% of BW--it's these systems that exist somewhat outside the core of the game, to my mind, that I'm looking to streamline somewhat.  I suppose the "Bloody Versus" will work, I just didn't know if anyone else had come up with something a little more intricate (but still unscripted).