Search results

But they did know and I knew when was on the other side of the table. We didn't do quantum adventures where the narrative was just bent back into shape whatever the players did (we had a few GMs with a bit of that but never fully). Choices mattered all of the time. But prep was malleable and...

Yes and no, as the term "illusion" is never what we've called it. It's been more about whether to roll the dice in front or behind the screen. I've also been on the player side of these talks - and the angle was just.. different. We've focused more on what kind of setting, what system, what kind...

Really happy to see these. I wasn't a huge fan of the Investigator (feels out of place for me outside of very specific campaigns/adventures), and I felt the Thaumaturge was an epic concept with so-so implementation. Both the Animist and the Exemplar score high for me in their thematic richness...

No. I believe perception dictates experience. I don't really see what is so controversial and strange about claiming that perceived agency can have value. Imagination and the (voluntary) exposure to illusion is a cornerstone of many kinds of entertainment. It's quite possible to engage in such...

It's mostly relevant to organized play, pick-up groups and similar situations where the participant don't have prior acquaintance. Otherwise it's just a guide that the element should have some justification for its presence in the campaign. At first, I thought it was a weird concept, but I've...

Speaking of video games, a lot of players (probably including some in this thread) would likely be shocked at the amount of manipulation and deception many games use. For example, I know of plenty examples were developers or studio/publisher reps lie through their teeth about how their game AI...

Because people want different things. The family that would rather participate has less agency when watching. But not the ones who chose to watch. That was my whole point - people are not "low agency" purely because they don't choose one over the other.

I acknowledge different styles and systems have different levels and kinds of agency. However, the term "low player agency" is derogatory and should be used with care. Voluntary lack of agency is associated with passivity, submissiveness and low intelligence in many cultures. A player who is...

Now you've sent me on an investigative quest to uncover current and historical opinions on this. I was unaware of any prevailing opinion to the contrary. I mean 1st edition has a quirky charm, and not just from simply being the origin of it all, but at the time my local gaming scene really found...

Not that it applies very well to encumbrance, but I actually do think a mechanic can bring value without producing interesting/compelling/enjoyable gameplay. For some groups (mostly new players or those on a nostalgia trip) a mechanic can bring value without any, or even negative, impact on...

Weight-based encumbrance works in extremely crunch-heavy games and/or if the mechanics are handled by software (either digital tabletop tooling or a computer game). For anything less than that it's much better to have abstracted systems - Pathfinder's bulk system is an example of relatively...

I'd say it matters how you and your group feel about the new edition. Excited? Go for the switch - enthusiasm is a great driver for fun. On the fence? Try it out, see if it makes sense to switch, to grab some of the new rules or to simply stick with the existing editions. Negative towards the...

I think a lot of the conflict over definitions stem from discussing two different things, both of which are valid meanings of the word and both of which are even used in academia. There is agency as in capacity to affect/control/influence. This type of agency is not binary. It is qualitative...

I have played different paradigms over the years. From old-school to challenge-based to LARP'ing even to GM-less ones. And narrative miniature games as well (which are interestingly almost always without a GM and despite the execution of games being wildly more focused on mechanics than RPGs...

No, to me the system very much includes the framework for the distribution of responsibilities and process of play. The group may adjust that, but I do not consider the system purely about mechanics. Some systems don't even have much in the way of mechanics. Given this definition of system...

(First off, I'm sorry I didn't engage on the Traveler actual play a poster referenced earlier - I did actually start reading it, then got side-tracked by other things, and managed to lose track of the links, and now I can't find them - if you could link it again, I'd love to finish reading it...

My enjoyment of this would depend heavily on the other players. It puts a lot of responsibility in the hands of players. If everyone is on the same page as to how to play this way - and have the ability to pull it off (at least most of the time) - then I'm good with it. But if there's a problem...

It depends on whether it is a hardcore dungeon crawl or a more varied kind of experience - and whether it is a campaign or a one-off. If someone is running a dungeon crawl for the challenge, it's not inconceivable that un-telegraphed traps (and other dangers) would be more than acceptable. One...

But do you really think it is that simple? Low agency vs high agency? Agency is the capacity to affect. But to be more specific, I can mention my own tastes. I prefer a more serious style of gaming than a lot of people I know. I usually don't like silly humor or funny external references to be...

No, I would not dispute that the impact different players have in different models of play (which in my experience are more related to the personality and style of the GM than the system, but all things being equal - the same GM would have different expressions of style in different systems so...