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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 8152747" data-attributes="member: 16586">To me this is what system is - a shared set of expectations that we all agree to. The level of formality does not matter. The shared commitment to a fiction that is emphatically shared, the social permission and expectation that everyone will play with integrity and in a way that is present (instead of built on preconceptions), and the ability to address when we feel like someone else is disregarding fictional positioning are all paramount to me. They do not have to be addressed by formal systems. I have experience playing and running mostly freeform games as well as more formal systems.I personally have a preference for more formal systems because I like games and I like to play them well. I also really value the experience of feeling the social  context that exists in the fiction in a more meaningful way. Anything that can aid in that process is a boon. As a drama geek I highly value any tools that can help me feel the pressures my character feels. In most mainstream games I often feel the tension between playing optimally and playing with integrity. In games like Masks they are much closer together.Earlier upthread [USER=7016699]@prabe[/USER] mentioned instead going for getting an emotional response directly from the player instead of their character. I personally some very negative experiences with that both in theater (as an actor) and in roleplaying games. For me a certain amount of distance is required to embody (not portray) a character. I need to be able to address the character on its own terms as a person. In order to do that justice I cannot replace my emotions with theirs. I need to be able to be present in their social context as much as possible.So a lot of my philosophy on this stuff is pretty well represented by this Joaquin Phoenix video[MEDIA=youtube]vYKPO_mRPjM[/MEDIA]I do not believe in strong preconceptions of who our characters are or the way the world works. I believe in establishing a fiction, seeing where it leads, and being present in the moment. I find that when a game can shake those preconceptions it can lead to more present play where play becomes less performative and more like curious. I find the right system can aid in that process if we let it.</blockquote>

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