Re: Real Life Power Gamers

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 96 00:57:08 -0600

Me
> The more complex the world, the more difficult it is to make your
> formula. After a certain point, it's easier to roleplay.

Eric. G. Scharf
>Again, what is roleplaying but constructing a rewarding calculus
for behavior?

	It is
	A) a communal fantasy
	B) a social gathering
	C) a cooperative art form
	D) a system of transforming an interest in fantasy from a  
spectator sport (reading) into a participation sport (roleplaying).
	None of these has anything to do with constructing a  

rewarding calculus for behavior, unless your calculus includes events such as having your best-loved character throw his life away because it is the Right Thing For Him To Do. Or _starting_ out a new character with a pegleg. Or refusing to let the GM resurrect your dead character because it's too obvious to you that he's just being nice.

Sandy
> Also, my conclusion isn't based on armchair reasoning. After
> gamemastering for 23 years, I've seen a number of power-gamers
> become roleplayers. I've also seen power-gamers start making the
> first steps towards roleplaying, then backslide again.

Eric G. Scharf
>Despite the Subject:, I wasn't talking about power-gaming, I was
talking about >minimaxing. Or doesn't Sandy see this distinction?

        Yes, I understand the distinction quite clearly. A Minimaxer is a powergamer with brains.

        Feeling that there is a "right way" and a "wrong way" to play RPGs or that it is possible to "win" a cooperative game (Whom did you beat? The GM? The other players?) is powergaming. Minimaxing is a subset of the art, not a different art.

Sandy P.

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