It does seem to be a trade off though. The more detail that's 'there' just because, the more there's what Marc Miller calls a Rich Decision Making Environment to give options; but also the more constrained I am to make an adventure/situation my own as Referee.

So yes, Government Type 7 is inadequate but IF it's relevant (like Aramanx and the 'Wolf at the Door' chapter in TTA) then it's worth detailing and if not, (like Aramanx in the 'Kidnapped on Aramanx' chapter in TTA) then there's no need for it.

This is a wonderful illustration of this point.

It's hard to think of a better way of spending a lazy afternoon than plucking World Builders' Handbook off the shelf and lovingly crafting a planet from the tectonics up, but the number of times I've *needed* that detail just doesn't warrant doing it for anything but an exceptional moment. (And yes, now I could have all that 'instantly' via computer, doesn't really help as a) I don't know the world so well and b) it doesn't necessarily provide the adventure that is what's really of interest).

Another excellent point. I'm sure there are scores of especially interesting worlds in all the UWP data which appeared in ~Travellers' Digest~ and elsewhere which I've never even noticed over the years because I didn't spend the time generating it. Besides, ~how~ ~many~ ~times~ have we tweaked some ~WBH~ result to make a more believable--or interesting--world from a role-play gaming perspective?

Oh, and full marks David for spelling "Hear, Hear!" correctly. So often I see 'here, here!'.

You heard! ;)

Cheers,

David

"Now no one has to tell an old Aberdeen pub-crawler how to applaud, Captain." - Montgomery Scott (Robert Bloch), ~Star Trek~, "Wolf in the Fold"