thread: 2008-03-31 : Conpulsion 2008 Story 4: Indie Shortcomings
On 2008-04-02, Vincent wrote:
Ooh!
Taste and preference was another topic we talked about at the Conpulsion seminar. It fit in with rules flexibility: "you're talking about changing the way people play, Vincent," the person said, "but what if they like the way they play already?"
My answer was, I don't think that most people have preferences that are all that restrictive. Cementing people to their tastes is a pretty poor way to relate to them. They already like the way they play? Cool! Maybe they'll like the way I'm telling them to play too. You can like more than one thing, you know.
But furthermore, in pretty much every area of my life, I'm unimpressed with people who won't try something new just in case they don't like it. Who'd rather avoid new things altogether than have a new experience they don't care for. Cementing people to their tastes is a poor way to relate to them - cementing yourself to your tastes is a poor way to live. Maybe that makes me an asshole, but there it is. Food, music, fiction, sex, roleplaying: I'm not impressed with anyone who won't try a new way to play just because they might not enjoy it. Unlike sex, say, the stakes are low. Nobody's roleplaying time is so precious nor roleplaying relationships are so fragile. (And if they are...)
Anyway, yeah, I like short-short fiction. It may be my favorite kind. There are a couple of long novels and novel series I love too. My favorite roleplaying is like 6-12 sessions long, much longer than my favorite fiction, but of course there are single-session games and multi-year games I love too.
