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I use metagaming but I acknowledge it is loaded term because of it association with cheating. Perhaps meta agency is the better way to describe what I getting at in the future without bringing extra baggage. The idea crystalized me for when it was pointed out there is a difference between...

That’s where the issue lies,your approach places everything into what I would call the second category: metagame agency Meta Agency. In doing so, it ends up being more limited than mine. The reason is that RPGs aren’t games in the conventional sense. Game theory has only narrow application to...

Not sure why, you seem to be knowledgeable about what constitutes classic railroading. That's because I explained this multiple times upthread and I am pretty sure you replied to one of my posts where I talked about that and we had a discussion about it. Yes, it often includes a randomizer...

That easy using spy equipment to listen to the opposing sideline discussing strategy and calling plays.

You're operating with your definition of agency within the context of tabletop roleplaying. There’s no authoritative source for what "player agency" means, only competing interpretations offered by RPG designers and commentators. Honestly, we haven’t even reached consensus on what a tabletop...

In my Living World sandbox campaign, judgment and technique are interwoven. When my players question a decision, I can’t just say, “Well, that’s what would logically happen.” I have to walk them through my line of reasoning to show how I reached that conclusion. What I do is an application of...

"No, there's only one type of agency we're talking about. It's that of the player playing the game. Player agency." This is not a neutral statement. It is stated dispassionately but not neutrally.

That doesn’t change the fact that I use specific techniques to run a World in Motion campaign. Those techniques fundamentally differ from a referee saying, “I’m deciding this because I feel like it,” without any justification. Nor does it mean that someone like yourself must appreciate my...

And that’s your opinion, not @AlViking’s, and not mine. If you view that as the gold standard, great for you. But it’s not the case for others. Your views make sense within that framework, so I understand what you're saying. Just don’t expect agreement from those who don’t share your premise...

And it forms part of the appeal of this type of campaign. Players like the challenge it represents.

Look, irreconcilable assumptions mean we see each other’s viewpoints as incompatible, only one can be true. If I’m correct that the standard of agency is not absolute, then you’re incorrect. If you’re right that it is absolute, then I’m the one who’s wrong. But that’s okay, because now we...

Understandable. I'll be straight with you, that’s not how I would phrase it, it simplifies what I actually do. That said, I’ve often stated elsewhere that people need to write this stuff down in a way that makes sense to them. So it’s good enough for me, with some reservations. As for those...

Well, there's your answer. You believe there is an absolute scale of agency, and I don’t. While I hesitate to speak for others, it seems to me that many of those you’re debating with share my viewpoint as well. I apologize if this sounds rude, but given that difference of opinion, is there much...

Yes, this effect is an important part of the appeal of this campaign style for the players. But what you didn’t note is that the whole thing also acts as a feedback loop,which, way back upthread, was something I was trying to illustrate with my “hometown example.” Forgetting the initial...

Just a personal note: I’ve found through trial and error that the only things necessary to prepare are those that affect how the characters in the player's immediate social circle are roleplayed. However, campaigns are supposed to be fun for the referee, so if making King Lists brings you joy...

When it comes to creativity and system design, the personal perspective always matters. Many folks in this thread do not get that and insist on doing analysis, critiques, and criticism as if there is an absolute scale of agency. The part I highlighted in bold highlights the fallacy you are...

Luckily the OSR has a lot of experience in ignoring what the rest of the hobby expects them to do or how it tries to define them.

While I appreciate this, the only path forward is just to take the time to spell out what one means by X when discussing it. Doesn't have to be an essay, but enough to give the reader the general gist. Otherwise, this will result, and you will end up remaining frustrated.

Cue in GURPS Discworld which can be run as a sandbox campaign (any type).