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[1st Draft] Understanding RPGs, Essay 2
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<blockquote data-quote="Altin" data-source="post: 476638" data-attributes="member: 3107"><p>What sort of feedback are you looking for, exactly? </p><p></p><p>If it is stylistic commentary you're after, I would venture that the "(western reckoning)" doesn't really need to be there and, in fact, jars somewhat without serving any readily observable purpose. </p><p></p><p>Also, the whole thing seems a little dry. Sentences like <em>"It's purpose is to provide a solid foundation for play and design, in the hopes this will lead to an improvement in the products produced, both for previously released systems and for games yet to come."</em> create a fairly formal and dispassionate tone which recalls doctoral dissertations more than it does folks messing about with dice. This may be what you are looking for but doesn't really seem to be a good fit for your subject (nor is it particularly welcoming to the casual reader. Academics write that way partly to convince themselves of their own importance and status as an exclusive group). </p><p></p><p>To take a more thematic approach, I would question the premise that roleplaying games are fundamentally anything new. Certainly, the form(s) of the hobby as it exists today are for the most part without precedent but the sort of activities engaged in and the motivations for them (which surely is what must be addressed if one is to have a shot at 'understanding RPGS') is as old as human culture. In fact, I would argue that any solid understanding of why people play the way they play (and why they play at all) must be grounded in an understanding of what it appropriates -- and, indeed, does not appropriate -- from the various traditions of play ("let's pretend", boardgames, storytelling, ect.) which it has grown out from. I realise you partly recognise this in your foreword but you seem keen to marginalise these influences whereas I think they ought to be central to your proposed project. </p><p></p><p>By the by, is there an actual book-in-the-making to go with this or is this merely a hypothetical discussion? Because it does seem an interesting project and it would be quite cool if someone did put out something like it.</p><p></p><p>Yours,</p><p>Altin</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Altin, post: 476638, member: 3107"] What sort of feedback are you looking for, exactly? If it is stylistic commentary you're after, I would venture that the "(western reckoning)" doesn't really need to be there and, in fact, jars somewhat without serving any readily observable purpose. Also, the whole thing seems a little dry. Sentences like [I]"It's purpose is to provide a solid foundation for play and design, in the hopes this will lead to an improvement in the products produced, both for previously released systems and for games yet to come."[/I] create a fairly formal and dispassionate tone which recalls doctoral dissertations more than it does folks messing about with dice. This may be what you are looking for but doesn't really seem to be a good fit for your subject (nor is it particularly welcoming to the casual reader. Academics write that way partly to convince themselves of their own importance and status as an exclusive group). To take a more thematic approach, I would question the premise that roleplaying games are fundamentally anything new. Certainly, the form(s) of the hobby as it exists today are for the most part without precedent but the sort of activities engaged in and the motivations for them (which surely is what must be addressed if one is to have a shot at 'understanding RPGS') is as old as human culture. In fact, I would argue that any solid understanding of why people play the way they play (and why they play at all) must be grounded in an understanding of what it appropriates -- and, indeed, does not appropriate -- from the various traditions of play ("let's pretend", boardgames, storytelling, ect.) which it has grown out from. I realise you partly recognise this in your foreword but you seem keen to marginalise these influences whereas I think they ought to be central to your proposed project. By the by, is there an actual book-in-the-making to go with this or is this merely a hypothetical discussion? Because it does seem an interesting project and it would be quite cool if someone did put out something like it. Yours, Altin [/QUOTE]
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