thread: 2006-07-27 : 10 Observations from my Berlin trip
On 2006-08-01, Georgios wrote:
Frank, I agree with this.
I think I only have one criticism of the text, and that is that there are no "training wheels" to help you along your very first game. It's a very sink-or-swim situation. You either *get* why it's fun and tinker with it, until it works right or you don't. That's something that has always annoyed me in regular RPGs. I know Spione is not really an RPG, but still. I enjoyed the game, even if I did feel as if the game had smashed straight into a wall a few times. I felt that at the core of our game, was something exciting and raw, in a good way. But I couldn't get to it. We created this cool thing with the game: this web of confusion, lies and twisted loyalties, but we didn't know how to really let it rip. We couldn't make it shine and the game didn't tell us how to do it either.
I remember Ron telling me this anecdote about a group of East German guys, who got hold of half a D&D book and painstakingly pieced together a complete game from that. Because, damnit there obviously was a good game in there. But I don't think one can expect this kind of commitment and enthusiasm from your average reader. Gamers will do that kind of thing. They got their hands on a new game, and they will make it work one way or the other. As you can tell by this discussion, I think.
So, in short: Training wheels. You gotsta have da Training Wheels.
BTW, I don't like the term "hand-holding design". It sounds as if it's belittling the reader. I prefer "in-your-face usability". ;)
