Re: Re: Singing 10%, Snooker 85% (was: stuff)

From: Benedict Adamson <yahoo_at_...>
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:50:23 +0000

Ian Cooper wrote:
...
> If there is a trend in gaming it is to coherence - D&D 4.0 is more
> coherent. HQ2 is more coherent.

...
> I would
> recommend breaking away from a mixed apporach if you can.
...
> I would recommend to anyone who like HQ that they look at games like
> Primetime Adventures, Houses of the Blooded, My Life With Master, In a
> Wicked Age to compare against

...

Trotsky replied:
...
> This is very true and, for me, very disappointing; its a trend that
> cuts out a large chunk of the audience.
...

Last week (Ian was absent) we introduced out neighbouring D&Ders to In a Wicked Age. (For the uninitiated, IaWA is a zero-preparation game, for which you make up everything as you go along. There is no "thing" to be simulated, and no real objective to be "won"). They loved it, and had no problem "getting" how the game worked. There is talk of them reciprocating with D&D 4e for us, which I know Ian is looking forward to.

This suggests that a game can retain broad appeal without compromising. I'd further suggest that a coherent game, by more clearly indicating how it is designed to be played, better guides the players to a style of play that is more appropriate, and therefore *more fun*, for that game.

As we do not need to restrict ourselves to a single game, there is no need for games to compromise in their style of play. We have both HQ and RQ for Glorantha gaming. That suggests RQ should be uncompromisingly "simulationist" and HQ should be uncompromisingly "narrativist".