Play Is Paramount: Discuss

[Micah Sweet]

I never said I don’t like those things. I said calling them something they’re not is silly.

I enjoy reading some RPG books in and of themselves. That doesn’t change the fact that their primary purpose is for play anymore than the fact that I can also use them to stabilize a chair with an uneven leg.

I have a library of lore-heavy RPG books that very much seem to me to not have a primary focus of play at the table, so agree to disagree.

I don’t think what I said is very subjective.

Clearly. I think it is.

But if you don’t play, then there’s no game. So then, what were you doing when you read that gazetteer?

You were reading.

Which is perfectly fine, of course. I mean, I might argue that if you want to enjoy the pleasure of reading, there are better options… but I wouldn’t go so far as to say there’s no enjoyment in reading an RPG book.

But reading is not playing.

There are better options for you. Subjective. Again. Some of my favorite reads have been RPG books, and working out or discovering new ways to model a setting is one of my favorite activities. Maybe my most favorite , sometimes. And playing may or may not be any given hobbyist's most valued activity.

 

[hawkeyefan]

I have a library of lore-heavy RPG books that very much seem to me to not have a primary focus of play at the table, so agree to disagree.

No… again, you can enjoy them by reading them and that’s great. But that doesn’t change that they were written for play.

I mean, there could be someone out there entertained by boardgame instructions or by reading the Official Baseball Rules… and that’s perfectly fine. But their enjoyment doesn’t change the purpose of the books.

The lore of the RPG books is to serve play. That’s why the book was written. Contrast that to say Lord of the Rings which was written to tell a story. That Tolkien’s work has been used to launch a million RPG games and hundreds of products doesn’t mean that’s the reason Tolkien wrote the book.

Clearly. I think it is.

Yes, but you’re wrong.

There are better options for you. Subjective.

Yes, I said as much.

Again. Some of my favorite reads have been RPG books, and working out or discovering new ways to model a setting is one of my favorite activities. Maybe my most favorite , sometimes. And playing may or may not be any given hobbyist's most valued activity.

Cool. That’s all fine. You’re missing the actual distinction. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your preference or what you enjoy or how. It seems to me like in your quest to take offense, you’re missing what’s actually being said.

 

[Micah Sweet]

No… again, you can enjoy them by reading them and that’s great. But that doesn’t change that they were written for play.

I mean, there could be someone out there entertained by boardgame instructions or by reading the Official Baseball Rules… and that’s perfectly fine. But their enjoyment doesn’t change the purpose of the books.

The lore of the RPG books is to serve play. That’s why the book was written. Contrast that to say Lord of the Rings which was written to tell a story. That Tolkien’s work has been used to launch a million RPG games and hundreds of products doesn’t mean that’s the reason Tolkien wrote the book.



Yes, but you’re wrong.



Yes, I said as much.



Cool. That’s all fine. You’re missing the actual distinction. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your preference or what you enjoy or how. It seems to me like in your quest to take offense, you’re missing what’s actually being said.

You're saying play at the table is more important than anything else for RPGs. I have 35 years of experience to the contrary.