The format accommodates the real challenge underlying friends trying to get together and play RPGs: we all have lives. Getting the same group together on a regular basis is frequently unsustainable. In GAFT, however, whoever shows up on a particular night has their character appear in that episode. Whoever didn’t make it – doesn’t appear. Because the scenario changes every episode, the continuity doesn’t suffer. As for missing out on the fun, well, history is made (or perhaps altered irresponsibly) by those who show up.
This is also a fine arrangement if you wish to share or rotate Game Master Executive Producer duties.
While the format could be adapted to any existing RPG system, the system included here was developed to accommodate the improvisational nature inherent in jumping all around in time and place. We don’t get to re-use (very often) settings and characters from previous adventures. You will end up making stuff up as you go - a lot.
This is more of a story-telling game rather than any sort of realistic simulation. The game mechanics are in place to resolve conflicts. The purpose is not to limit what the characters can do, but to resolve what happens when no one can say for certain if that stunt would work. Also, uncertainty breeds drama, so if you don’t know, or don’t want to decide in advance, the dice are there for you to roll.
To ease improvisation, we leave out a lot of details. This is a very low resolution, let’s-just-roll-dice-and-see-what-happens game. If you are the sort that needs rules to account for the different muzzle velocities of rifles vs muskets – you are playing the wrong game.