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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6456012" data-attributes="member: 6696971">That is a very curious statement.  I'd like to hear more of how this plays out for you in your mind.  I say that because I would literally say the inverse:"Player-focused" design causes an internal feedback loop that consistently gives myself and my players a satisfying gaming experience.For instance, in a current Dungeon World game I'm running, my players are playing the following characters:The system rewards 1 XP to players for each of the following things:1)  Fail a "move" (roll a 6 or less)2)  Fulfill your alignment 3)  Resolve a bond 4)  At the end of each session, these three questions are answered as a group:- Did we learn something new and important about the world? - Did we overcome a notable monster or enemy? - Did we loot a memorable treasure?For each “yes” answer everyone marks XP.It is a tightly designed system marrying these components, the basic resolution mechanics, player moves, GM moves, and very transparent and focused GMing principles.  Given my two PCs, here is a short list of thematically laden scenes/conflicts I should be framing them into:1)  An antagonist defiles an innocent specifically or innocence as an idea, especially if it can manifest as an opportunity for a duel - Otthor.2)  A set of precepts that a society is ordered around which may have some tension (which she could perceive as unjust) built within them to perpetuate the culture's values or fundamental needs (such as exploitation of a particular caste, might equals right, or over-burdensome debt/duty fulfillment) - Saerie.3)  Opportunities for Otthor to clash with the people of this world and opportunities for Saerie to learn from them - both.4)  Opportunities for Otthor to be bewildered or awe-struck by the wilderness so Saerie may teach him its ways, price, and boons - both.5)  The people of Gilliad's Rest needs to be placed in peril - Saerie.6)  I need to put in place strong, wicked, and exploitative antagonists that advantage themselves by or mistreat the weak, the meek, and the downtrodden - Otthor.7)  We need to learn through play just what the lost art of the Bladesong is and how it may be found/recovered - Otthor.8)  I need to give both of them opportunities to strut their thematic stuff (moves) from their classes/race:a)  Duels (especially with humanoids) + gallant warriory stuff that lets him express his martial/magical prowess, his boldness, and his accrued martial mental acumen - Otthor.b)  Hunting/tracking/treking/stalking; living in the unforgiving wilds on the strength of your own skill and your loyal animal companion alone - Saerie.9)  Together, we need to learn new stuff about the world and about the characters as we "play to find out what happens"; Which means low prep (no over-riding metaplot that dictates the play agenda in place of the "player-focused feedback loop") and very low resolution setting (as this will emerge through play).With even a modicum of GMing skill and proactive players, it inexorably funnels play precisely toward that "player-focused feedback loop" that you apparently are not a fan of.  [HR][/HR]Let us say you were running the above game instead of me.  I'm assuming that you feel that prioritising 1-9 is GMing, and ultimately providing a play experience, that "gives you a headache?"  I'm curious as it seems to logically follow.  - Do your GMing principles then include relative (or perhaps complete?) anarchy with respect to prioritizing generating content that the players have signaled they're interested in engaging with (versus, say, stuff they don't care about or actually are overtly disinterested in engaging with)?  - If your GMing principles do prioritize generating content other than stuff your players have signaled they're interested in interacting with, what is it precisely?  (i) Stuff that you personally want to see them engage with?  (ii) Stuff that you think they would be interested in engaging with even though it is/might be different than their overt signals?  (iii) Something else?</blockquote>

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