thread: 2009-07-26 : Very Briefly about Authority
On 2009-08-04, Vincent wrote:
cc, Ralph: Dang. Let's say that one particular subsystem in a game draws contributions out of the group (including the GM). I say "the rules draw contributions out of the group." You guys can say "the rules assign authority to the group to have contributions drawn out of them" if you want. I have no idea what you're talking about, but if that's what gets you through, it's no skin off my nose.
I'm perfectly happy with assigning authority, when assigning authority is in fact the solution to the problem. My games are throughout with authority assignments, as you know; all well-designed games are. But assigning authority isn't all my games do. They also draw contributions out of the group, and offer the group opportunities, and set expectations for the group, and provide constraints for the group, and so on. ("The rules assign authority to the group to abide by the constraints the rules provide," you'd say? Give me mercy.)
All in service to this:
Designing a roleplaying game means more than designing rules that we can all agree to play by, and that are playable. It means designing rules that capture us - rules that become a vital part of our experience of play.
