I'm going to hazard a guess, based on the OP, that this is supposed to be about "playing a character", as opposed to "playing a game". That the actions and decisions are dictated by the player's idea of who the PC is and how they would act in a given situation - as opposed to reacting to a game situation, with more or less defined parameters, where the goal is to "win".
(Of course I might be misinterpreting what @pemerton meant, but that's the risk of forum discussions.)
So if this is in fact the argument, fair enough, that's one possible preference. To me, RPGs are first and foremost games. The DM creates a scenario, and the players try to make their way through it. There are goals and challenges. I don't want "collaborative storytelling". To me, that's like those great shows on the telly that somewhere around season 3 or 4 become character-driven instead of plot-driven. As soon as I realise that, I lose interest. I'm interested in events and adventures, not make-believe personalities.
(Of course I might be misinterpreting what @pemerton meant, but that's the risk of forum discussions.)
So if this is in fact the argument, fair enough, that's one possible preference. To me, RPGs are first and foremost games. The DM creates a scenario, and the players try to make their way through it. There are goals and challenges. I don't want "collaborative storytelling". To me, that's like those great shows on the telly that somewhere around season 3 or 4 become character-driven instead of plot-driven. As soon as I realise that, I lose interest. I'm interested in events and adventures, not make-believe personalities.