2006-02-06: Ripples
by Emily
Vincent's been questioning character ownership.
Levi Kornelson has been working hard to talk about serious theory at rpg.net.
And Chris Chinn has had some recent threads which are, IMO, must reads:
Flag Framing
http://bankuei.blogspot.com/2006/02/flag-framing_03.html
The Conflict Web
http://bankuei.blogspot.com/2006/02/conflict-web.html
So check these rpg.net threads out:
How Sacrosanct is Character?
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=243093
Do we really need skills?
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=243968
Creating situation.
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=243963
2006-02-07 20:44:30 Emily
I think we've hit a target here: not necessarily to have everyone who reads rpg.net spouting high level game design discourse, but simply to have raised the bar a bit about how discussion of games is approached. More props to Levi et al.
Honestly, I think that's a fine level to be at. There is at least one body of well-articulated technical language that's been developed to discuss game design. It may not be clear to everyone, but it doesn't have to be. It's intended audience will take the trouble to learn & those who don't care to probably don't need to. (And if they aren't interested in the type of gaming best supported by it, they doubly don't need to.)
Instead, if it is their bag, they can read posts like Chris's. These two synthesize much of what we've been talking about for the last, what? 10+ years, presented in an intelligible, practical way. That's what would be of use to folks who are interested in playing focused games. That and playing games designed with these concepts in mind.
Really, with just this, we're light-years ahead of 5 years ago.