Some game features may sound awesome but aren’t really fun for me.
For example, “let’s try to model the skills of PCs in a granular way by giving them loads of skills”. This is how The Burning Wheel tries to model character skills. Sorry, Burning Wheel fans! I do like the intention, though. It’s just too much paperwork and cognitive load.
Another example is “let’s try to model the skills of NPCs in a granular way by giving them long stat-blocks". This is how DnD 5e does it. Sorry, 5e fans! Again, it’s just too much paperwork and cognitive load.
What I learned from this is that games that are fun for me do not try to model the game world at a granular level. Instead, what really matters to me is choosing a game that consistently enables meaningful choice and is ergonomic.
As to GM technique, forget about planning plots and buying gimmicks. Instead, get good at creating interesting scenarios and making rulings. I learned this by reading The Alexandrian’s book on GMing.
In tabletop roleplaying games:
What I learned from this is that games that are fun for me do not try to model the game world at a granular level. Instead, what really matters to me is choosing a game that consistently enables meaningful choice and is ergonomic.