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Is it that surprising that if people suspect they have incomplete information with a topic, that they'd approach it differently? I mean out in the world... let's not take posts on ENW into account on this! I think secret rolls are antagonistic to player agency. I understand your reason for...

You're right! Rather it speaks to my confidence that @Lanefan can come up with a 6 to 10 word description of an NPC on short notice! I believe in him!

Well, I would expect that you could have just as easily come up with 6 to 10 words on the spot! There's nothing wrong with having done all that ahead of time... but it's not necessary, and you'd have been just fine if you hadn't.

So I'll start by saying that I think it is essential to view RPGs as games. They have a structure. Knowing that structure is key to players being able to effectively navigate play. Aside from that, I think your point about the division you've made in agency would apply if a game only offered...

I wanted to get back to this post because I thought it was an interesting way to look at things. I don't see anything restricting this in a living world sandbox. NPCs, their backstories, and ambitions are the domain of the GM, so they can create what they'd like in that regard. What I would...

I'm not operating on the definition of agency within the context of tabletop roleplaying. I'm using the definition of a player and the definition of agency and looking at how any game allows agency. I'm not treating TTRPGs any differently than I would other games. The division as you make it...

Why is my opinion problematic?

But what is meta agency? As far as I can tell, it’s something that’s been introduced just for this discussion. What is player agency for soccer/football? What then is the meta agency for soccer/football?

But how’s that different than “GM decides”? Yes, you consider many factors… but then, you decide. I don’t see a huge difference here. And it’s not about trust… if I was a player in your game, I’d believe you’re doing what you’re saying. But I don’t think it’s all that different from GM fiat...

If we’re at an impasse, then what are you replying for? As I said earlier, your replies feel like requests for elaboration. You’re asking questions of me, or making casual accusations about my “agenda” or that I’m using “word play” or “linguistic tricks”. I’ve said several times it’s a...

Where did I tell anyone they must conform? Why are you not asking anyone else why they’re trying to get me to conform?

I mean, I'm operating with the definition of agency, and how it applies to playing games. As I said, that's as neutrally as I can manage. Whereas you are dividing agency into two categories... character agency and meta agency. Which seems far more agenda driven than my take.

But you don't expect to be able to kill Professor Plum in Clue. Yes, you are limited to what the rules allow... but those shape how you exercise your agency. You know what you are able to do, and you know how the rules work. Any decision you make about what to do on your turn is informed per the...

But what if a player knows and accepts that as a risk? That this is a possible consequence of play. And then, knowing that, they enter the situation anyway... and then the dice don't go their way. Does that change your view? Some things to consider: If not, then what about when a character...

Information is how players engage with a game. Any game. It doesn't mean that there cannot be hidden information. The board game Clue came up in one of the recent threads on the topic... the whole point of play is the find out what's hidden in the envelope. Players exercise their agency by...

Characters don't have any agency. They do not make decisions on their own. Their agency, like them, is fictional in nature. I think this goes against the idea of a living world that's been talked about. If the players do nothing, then things will happen. Situations change. So the pack of...

No, there's only one type of agency we're talking about. It's that of the player playing the game. Player agency. It's about the player understanding and knowing the rules and processes of play to make decisions that affect play and allow them to achieve the goals of play. This is how...

I don’t believe that there are different types of player agency. There are different ways of promoting it, there are different ways of constraining it. And every game has its limits… there’s always some amount of constraint. Different games will have differing levels based on how they function...

Yes, but then there are other things that are said that show a clear conflict in the priority. Realism… which I think is probably better considered plausibility… was sited as being more important than sharing information with the players. So yes, I’m going off what people say.

But as @pemerton pointed out, I didn’t say that you or anyone else doesn’t care about agency, just that at times, there are other things that seem to be higher priority. I’m basing this only on what people post here. I didn’t say that that anyone should play the games I prefer. Everyone...