thread: 2005-06-03 : The Subtle Rules
On 2005-06-03, Emily Care wrote:
So right on, V.
When we enact rules, we create a dynamic that's not evident in the rules themselves.
There it is, the dynamic of play that the rules create. There's the internal dynamic of each individual participant ("oh, I almost got it that time" in Pit etc). And their solo dynamic interacts with the interpersonal dynamics between the players. The rules shape the emotional (intellectual, etc) experiences that the people actually playing the game have.
That's the dimension we are all really designing for. That's where people "have a good time" or not. That part is why I don't play Diplomacy. It has an incredibly cool dynamic, that grates on my like fingernails on a blackboard. Positioning mechanics (like in PtA & tMW) may be so powerful because they do this directly & create strong positive reinforcement/feedback between the players themselves.
Rules that take the players into account. Good thought.
