thread: 2011-05-11 : The Un-frickin-welcome
On 2011-05-12, Emily wrote:
That's great, Vincent. And I like the list. We can add to it, in addition to Content, fictional structuring or some-such. Content as what's generate by the group through all their processes; fictional structuring as agreed upon narrative arcs, points or elements that are built in. (Fate play for example).
Then:
My position is just that you need to override the group's natural social dynamics and expectations if you want to give them something they can't get without you.
and:
We're running up against the barriers of terms you're using (jeep and freeform.) A rule-set prejudiced against die rolls or tactical play doesn't necessarily exclude the unwelcome: it just has to generate it via another means.
Exactly. There are many, many techniques used in jeep and other European freeform trads that do just what Vincent's saying he thinks mediated (mechanical) procedures do best. (There are many folks there who would 100% disagree about that by the way! But I'm not sure how strictly you're holding that position.)
My question is about player investment (in accepting the unwelcome) and in communities of play and the expectations and permissions a given one promotes. In our context, where rpg has primarily grown from effectiveness-based play (d&d via war games), you're more married to doing well so you can continue contributing and participating. In other contexts, where there is more appreciation for having "unwelcome" outcomes happen, it gets embraced more. To the point that Happy Ends was written to help people counter their (now natural) tendency to bring their characters to uncomfortable, unwelcome ends and means.
