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Not a Conspiracy Theory: Moving Toward Better Criticism in RPGs
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<blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 8943659" data-attributes="member: 71699"><p>[USER=5142]@Aldarc[/USER] thinking about Greg Costikyn's claim that RPG systems could be generally categorised as "closed" and "open", where in the former the rules cover every eventuality and thus a GM is not required, while in the latter the rules are designed to empower a GM to unlimited invention.</p><p></p><p>Does then the concept of <em>momentum </em>(which is given overt mechanical form in some PbtA games) - or for emphasis, the concept of the real things giving momentum to the fictional things <em>taken as far as possible</em> - push a game into the closed category? That is part of what fascinates me about "<em>Ironsworn</em>", as it seems to answer in the affirmative. Perhaps too, the extremely concrete rules for MCing in AW continue to answer in the affirmative, but here changing the meaning of closed and open to something closer to constrained and unconstrained. Or compelled and uncompelled. Many times, dissatisfactions I read with 5e come down at root to dissatisfaction with lack of compulsion*.</p><p></p><p>To turn to differences between PbtA games, in order to see just how profound they may be</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This is something that [USER=16586]@Campbell[/USER] touched on up-thread, and I feel it is worth repeating.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>*This isn't to propose that compulsion is good, freedom bad. Only to note a difference and consider whether it could be a source of dissatisfaction for some cohort. Entertaining equally that it could be a source of satisfaction to others.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="clearstream, post: 8943659, member: 71699"] [USER=5142]@Aldarc[/USER] thinking about Greg Costikyn's claim that RPG systems could be generally categorised as "closed" and "open", where in the former the rules cover every eventuality and thus a GM is not required, while in the latter the rules are designed to empower a GM to unlimited invention. Does then the concept of [I]momentum [/I](which is given overt mechanical form in some PbtA games) - or for emphasis, the concept of the real things giving momentum to the fictional things [I]taken as far as possible[/I] - push a game into the closed category? That is part of what fascinates me about "[I]Ironsworn[/I]", as it seems to answer in the affirmative. Perhaps too, the extremely concrete rules for MCing in AW continue to answer in the affirmative, but here changing the meaning of closed and open to something closer to constrained and unconstrained. Or compelled and uncompelled. Many times, dissatisfactions I read with 5e come down at root to dissatisfaction with lack of compulsion*. To turn to differences between PbtA games, in order to see just how profound they may be This is something that [USER=16586]@Campbell[/USER] touched on up-thread, and I feel it is worth repeating. *This isn't to propose that compulsion is good, freedom bad. Only to note a difference and consider whether it could be a source of dissatisfaction for some cohort. Entertaining equally that it could be a source of satisfaction to others. [/QUOTE]
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