thread: 2005-06-16 : Craft and Innovation
On 2005-06-18, Paul wrote:
The question is, "What are the basics of this craft?"Actual play. Lots and lots of it. Your goal is to get to where there's a high incidence of fun in your game sessions relative to time spent. (And not fun from side conversations. Or shared enjoyment of your group's individual subculture. But from the actual gaming.) And to where you have a developed awareness of the social architecture of consistently fun gaming. Play some excellent games. But also lurk the design forum at The Forge, find games in development that interest you, play them with your group (or assemble a group for this purpose) and offer feedback to the designer.
This is a hobby. All of us, no matter how long we've been gaming, thinks like a designer during play. You become a designer-to-be-reckoned-with when you get to where you're so much better aware of the architecture of fun play than average, and so much more consistent, that you can teach it to others.
