thread: 2013-09-24 : What even IS the object of an rpg?
On 2013-09-28, Ben wrote:
So is it obvious, or controversial, that a game can be designed with multiple objects—that is, that designers can expect, and welcome, that, different people will be playing different games with the game?
This is pretty standard in MMORPG and other large-scale online game design, for instance. Rather than a single "this is what the goal of this game" is, you have a constellation, even an ecosystem, of types of players and the games that they'll be playing. "Ecosystem" is a good word because often they support each other. "If we attract enough of the socializers hanging out here, they can act as cannon fodder for the PVPers and provide liquidity for the traders, while sufficient number of traders are necessary for the problem-solvers, and..."
Probably less applicable to tabletop rpgs, but maybe for LARPs, or other larger scale exercises? Is there any usefulness to think about there being multiple "games you can play with this game"...?
This makes SM go "Reminds me of Transition"
