thread: 2013-10-08 : Recipe vs Game
On 2013-10-09, Gordon wrote:
OK, I think I'm missing something, and so I'm gonna go ahead and pick AW even though I just asked "how should we pick [a game]?" Here are some quotes:
[T]he tools you have [in a game] make it possible for you to achieve your object, but not easy or certain. This is a key idea, the distance or tension between the object of the game and the tools it provides.
the object of Apocalypse World is to find out what these characters will make of their world
In a game, to get the object, you must contend with the rules
I'm not finding a way to put these all together. Individually they all make sense to me, but - I don't see a tension between tools and THAT object for AW. I see contending with the rules in AW, of course, but it seems more about getting the specifics of what (the players decide) the characters want, not to get the object.
Seems like that object is kinda a recipe, and it ends up either bland or tasty maybe because of finding ways to add contention - but at some level, no contention really. You WILL found out what the characters make of their world, and it may be "nothing."
Am I missing something, or is Vincent really telling us "virtually no RPG ever, including most of mine, actually has an object under these definitions?"
(I've noticed lately it's hard to decide whether to address questions to Vincent directly or just throw 'em out for discussion. I don't want to expect/seem like I'm demanding a response, but is failing to be direct rude in its own way? I guess all I can do is confirm I'm OK with the obvious: response or none from any or all is totally their choice.)
