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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kesh" data-source="post: 4019131" data-attributes="member: 1308">The Forge is a gaming forum that is well known as the main discussion area for the GNS theory of gaming*. Trouble is, it earned a bad reputation as some gamers sought to promote 1) GNS itself, which has flaws or 2) their particular style of gaming as "best." It also has a reputation of being a bit insular, to the point where folks who go there to ask questions about gaming theory tend to feel shunned by the regulars. It doesn't help that many of the terms used by GNS are found in other areas of academia, but used in a completely different manner. This, combined with the rather loose criteria for each GNS category, lends to arguments about what "category" a particular game or group fits into.It's also where Ron Edwards, one of the main proponents of GNS, made the comment that people playing Vampire: the Masquerade were literally damaging their brain by playing the game.Needless to say, some folks find this attitude hostile.Anyway, in my experience, any discussion that leans into the realm of GNS theory tends to spiral out of control, and will eventually lead to statements which are thinly veiled personal attacks against a particular playstyle and/or that the other side of the debate doesn't understand The Theory™.* For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, GNS stands for Gamist-Narritavist-Simulationist. The idea being that most gamers focus on one aspect of gaming, and that they should focus their energies on games/groups with a similar goal for maximum fun. It starts falling apart the minute you try to define criteria for each category, though.</blockquote>

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