You articulated very well, and more thoroughly, a similar thought I had when we started talking about rules systems. I went to look up GURPS Lite and instantly recoiled, because much as I like that system and am familiar with it, it is way too daunting for someone new.
I suggest that we come up with our own “three laws of storytelling” or something and keep the guidelines to a page or a half page.
Guideline: Make up an interesting background and personality for the character you want to play in the movie about the Terran Stellar Navy. Doesn’t have to be long or complex.
– Rich kid from Earth, loves good coffee and starship engineering, thinks military service is more important than running a corporation.
– Smart archivist from eccentric family on a remote high-tech colony, who joined up to atone for her rebel brother.
Rules
– Create cool stories for everyone else to enjoy
– Maintain the illusion, keep the continuity, stay consistent with known facts and what is reasonable with the canon (see the Encyclopaedia)
– Get agreement before seriously affecting another character (this means the GMs for any aspect of TSN operations outside the immediate authority of the characters present)
$0.02