thread: 2005-05-10 : How Do You Design a Mechanic?
On 2005-05-12, Vincent wrote:
Steve: Clearly there's some kind of history between you and Ron that I don't know about. That's okay, but consider my bemusement.
As it happens I agree with Ron. He can answer for himself but I'll answer for me. I have a general point and a specific point.
My general point is: I consider myself a critic of our gamer culture. I think it's broken in important ways, and I think that we game designers have some responsibility for both how it's broken and how we're going to fix it.
The attitude of "The model works, and if it doesn't fit with your view of gmaing (or mine even), why bash it?" is incompatible with my interests in RPG theory and design. I am, at heart, in intent, and by will, a basher.
Which comes to my specific point: the model doesn't work, not for healthy play. The model works to perpetuate play that marginalizes us, isolates us, shames us and keeps us closeted - play that makes us fetishists.
This would make an excellent open house topic, if you're interested in really discussing it, by the way.
