>I believe that these ideas are essentially subsets of MGF (or in my
>heretical version, MLTGF - Maximum LONG TERM Game Fun*). They are MLD -
>Maximum Local Diversity - and MCI - Maximum Creative Input.
To avoid writing a simple "ditto" message, let me quibble thusly:
MCI is a phone company in this part of the world. And "Maximum Creative Input" is not a slogan that rings with meaning for me. I found the diagnosis 100% accurate, but I'm still a little confused about the treatment. What is "maximum creative input"? Is it having storylines that aren't hack 'n' slash? If so, how about offering more than just archetypes ("beast child" sounds damn interesting) and suggest how we incorporate these thoughts into a campaign.
I'm trying to run a campaign with a reasonable diversity of characters who somehow manage to do things together. I've been chastised (and rightly so) by some of my players when the climax of a story focused entirely on a single character. This is the central dilemma of the genre, for me. You can run the Sartar High Council (or something similar) as a one-shot, but turning that style of play into a campaign is pretty near impossible.
It's the group nature of the hack 'n' slash model which makes it so useful. As I see it, the problem is that the GM can only play one character at a time. Thus, he or she can't have multiple real time conversations simultaneously. => The players have to interact. => The players have to be provided a framework for interacting. I think John is right on the edge of telling us how to provide that framework, and his act of enlightenment interruptus makes me want to reverse the normal zen pattern and have the _disciple_ hit the _master_ on the head with a stick. Finish your thought!
In addition to the "what to do with a group" problem, there is the problem of how to integrate such new ideas with existing groups and persuade players that the changes are Good Things. My experience is that few people are willing to play a clearly second fiddle. "Every player is a star" is the motto of LARP, tho' observed in the breach for the most part, and it also needs to be the motto (or at least _a_ motto) of tabletop RPG's.
As for the lack of local color and non-swordfodder critters, I hang my head in shame at the truth. I resolve to know more about the ecology of the Grantlands before going to bed tonight.
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