thread: 2006-01-05 : I suspect but can't prove...
On 2006-01-05, Neel wrote:
Here's why I think weakening the PC role is a good idea. There are probably more, but this one is the one I think of most often.
First, Vincent and TonyLB are always going on about how you really need solid adversity to make a good story. Getting rid of the GM helps meet this need, because in a typical rpg, the GM is the moderator AND the source of adversity, and that means he or she can't go all out in the opposition. Okay, problem diagnosed, solution prescribed.
Now, what does having a strong notion of "PC" do? It ties the player's status to the character's status. It becomes socially risky, among the players, to play your character in a way that can lower his or her status. (It's important to recognize that there's a difference between status and formal success or rank.) It creates places where you don't want to go.
If you weaken the ownership, though, then the status of your PC might not be tied as strongly to your status, which could make it easier to play with a bigger palette of story.
