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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 6430274" data-attributes="member: 6779310">Edwards had a few insights that are particularly adroit. I personally find it to be a solid foundation, but he then went and built a house of cards on top of that solid granite foundation...Most especially adroit, and missing from his later efforts, was the initial recap of the rec.games.frp discussions. Namely, <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">there are 3 basic modes of rules: rules that primarily provide guidance/direction to the story directly (narrativist), rules that primarily attempt to simulate an underlying reality (simulationist), and rules that primarily focus on being a balanced game (gamist)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There are separate groups of players attracted to each mode of rules</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">that players attain the most satisfaction from a game when the rules support their preferred mode of play.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">That designers need to design with mechanics aimed at their target audience, rather than everyone.</li> </ul>What he didn't allow for was that some players are not in one of those corners.Envision that space as a large triangle... Ron Edwards (and many other Forgites) focused solely on the points; rather than the central space. Many players desired systems are in that central space, or along an edge.Many of the earlier observations about play-space were quite valuable.Many of the later derivations appear to be crazy-talk of the Batshit variety (terminology due to Dr. Edwards being a Biology specialist in Bats). Part of that is that they kept redefining the terms to mean different things over time. Part of that is that they were looking for a singular "one true way." Part of that was that they rejected outsiders as having valid opinions. Part of it was their arrogance -  the occasional "you don't really like it, you only think you like it" comment really drives home how arrogant some posters could be. (And yes, I have personally experienced that, first hand. Ron claimed I didn't know what I liked, when I joined the forge specifically to provide playtester feedback to a designer I was playtesting for.)The problem with the forge is separating the wheat from the chaff... and there turns out to be a lot of chaff.</blockquote>

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