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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 6300595" data-attributes="member: 16586">I'm going to go one further in this post - I hope nobody minds. I'd actually make the argument that as games, Story Now games are more successful. When you make a decision that leads to engaging the game mechanics in a game like Burning Wheel you have to accept the consequences of your decisions as a player. Unlike games like VtM, there is no guardian at the gate to mitigate consequences. The GM is just as limited by the rules of the game as any other player. Say Yes or Roll The Dice is a rule. Ignoring it as just like a DM who ignores alignment considerations for paladins. They are not playing the game as it was meant to be played, and the game will break.I will further stipulate that GM as world exploration enabler is one of the things that initially turned me off of 3e. I simply don't view that as a duty that must be undertaken to play the game. I'm interested in tough situations and player choices. For me one thing must lead to another. I believe that one of the most problematic assertions our hobby tends to make is placing DMs/GMs in a pure servant role rather than just another player of the game with differing responsibilities and play conditions. Basically, I am not my players' bugaboos. They know they have just as much responsibility for the shape of play as I do.Sure, as a GM I take a leadership role. That is worthless if I don't actually use it to lead. I'm here to make sure their PCs lead interesting lives, and need to make hard decisions. I am not here to detail histories, make passive plots for them to puzzle out, or draw dungeon maps.I'm frankly surprised by old school hostility to narrative games, rather than the lead by the nose sort of play popularized in the '90s. If any argument could be made for RPGs not being played as games it's the style advocated by Planescape, Classic WoD, and others where player decisions are marginalized.</blockquote>

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