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Message: <blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 9246016" data-attributes="member: 71699">A quick thought on this (I'll read it and [USER=6696971]@Manbearcat[/USER]'s again later) coming out of earlier conversation over DitV active disclosure. The "rule" for actively disclosing is - if it's not your focus of play, actively disclose it. Notionally we can then haveThat which someone decides - influences and interfaces with play, but not settled by play (Duskvol setting fiction) That which we actively disclose - influences play and interfaces with play, but may not be settled by play (DitV town inhabitants) That which we shroud in mystery, with some process for disclosure - influences and interfaces with play, but may not be settled by play (the BBEG's plot in an AP) That which is settled by play - neither actively disclosed, nor shrouded in mystery, nor simply decided by one person Where I'm going with this is that when your focus for play is something other than protagonists-resolve-premises, the above still applies. If it is ludically-crux (among your prelusory-goals), it ought to be settled in play. The implication drawn attention to is that it's fine if the BBEG is scripted, so long as that isn't what you're playing for. To avoid accusations of "smearing out" - no, this doesn't make RPGs undifferentiable. For one thing, they can each make different things the focus of play, and they can each decide that different things aren't the focus of play. And treat those things in different ways.In order to play RPG as game, one ought to subject one's focus of play to play. Anything else is unideal (and arguably, not playing a game.) I've said this a few different ways up thread.GM: BBEG is thus and so and you are their resolute enemy. Not play: not the focus of play. P1: Speech acts following gamestate, principles and rules. P2: responds in kind. GM: responds in kind. Stuff resolves. Play: which ought to address their focus of play.I use the word "ought" above to imply a normative principle or ideal. So I am saying, broadly, that importing mechanics that were designed to ensure that the focus of play is subject to play, ought to be imported for the sake of centering on play. And there's a few design moves that buttress that.</blockquote>

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