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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6749103" data-attributes="member: 6696971">I generally agree with this, however, I feel that "an overabundance of 'mini-games'"needs the qualifier of coherency (integration as below) before it.  I'll bridge to...Successful integration involves multiple angles.  Does it fit with the system's general aims (pacing, engagement/agency, genre, player/GM authority and agenda, et al)?  Does it spare the players and the GM of unwanted/unnecessary overhead (both in handling time and in cognitive workload)?  Does it mesh with the rest of the infrastructure of the system (PC build mechanics, other resolution mechanics, mathematical expectations)?  Those sorts of things.Agreed.Consider the following 5 systems which have mini-games for "social interaction/combat."1)  D&D 5e.  You've got a starting Attitude that you're trying to change by one step.  Opposition has ideals, bonds, flaws you can uncover with a successful Insight action after some such amount of interaction with them.  Success provides Advantage when trying to "win" the social interaction by adjusting their Attitude one step with a successful Charisma skill (and accrue the benefits of check).  A bit generic, somewhat open-ended and extremely GM-driven, but with enough codified nuance and integration with the rest of the system that it should be fun enough and give the players a sense of agency.2)  Dungeon World.  The 5e devs definitely looked to DW for some inspiration in their social interaction pillar.  DW's Parley move requires knowing/having some kind of leverage against your adversary.  You gain it either by possessing it beforehand (a prize from other conflicts) or maybe a Spout Lore move or a Discern Realities move or some other such thing.  Play snowballs in DW toward danger/adventure, by design, due to the resolution mechanics.  But on a 7-9 Parley, they'll grant your request/yield/indulge you but you have to show them the goods/prove the leverage right now.  10 +, you're good to go but they're going to ask something of you (pertaining to the leverage typically).  But DW is deeper than just successfully executing the Parley.  Everything is integrated (PC build mechanics + other resolution mechanics + GMing principles and overall agenda) so you're going to put some social dangers in the way that can snowball dramatically (such that Parley won't possibly be in play) if players don't successfully navigate it or Defy Danger.3)  Cortex+ Heroic Fantasy/MHRP and 4e.  This is all about the high-octane, closed action scenes that reproduce genre tropes/conflicts in play.  Both sides (GM and players) have what is tantamount to HPs (stress and success/failures).  Stakes/goals are outlined, the situation/backdrop is conveyed and the stock play procedures are followed as the GM plays the opposition/evolves the ficiton until one side wins what they're after.  Scene closed and onto the next action scene.4)  Dogs in the Vineyard.  The setting (as you know) is about gun-toting paladins upholding The Faith, maintaining order, and meting out justice in a hard world run through with sin (both mundane and superhantural).  The play procedures and GMing agenda are about escalating that conflict continuously through the course of play.  Find out the degree of your emotional investment (in various things), find out the limits of your faith/mettle/mortality, and fend off your own weakness (if you can).  Your social dice pool are your ammo and HPs (effectively).  When you can't See your opponent's Raise, you either escalate things from social to blows or you give up something you may not want to give up (but you've got to prioritize it versus the alternative...eg, slugging your nephew for drinking and disturbing the peace and earning the ire of your brother).[HR][/HR]Each of those systems have a fair bit of nuance from one another (except C+ and 4e which have a lot of overlap mechanically, aesthetically, and agenda-wise) but they all push play in a direction that comports to their system goals and integrates with relevant system machinery (save the 4e combat:noncombat toggle).This is, of course, assuming deft GMing and sincere players.</blockquote>

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