Many thanks!

[Silmenume]

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to leave a open note saying how much I enjoyed posting my experiences in Actual Play.

My reservations about posting were (notice please - past tense!) –

[*]The process would take me out of GNS theory for a while (which did happen – I am completely wiped out, but in the long run who says that's a bad thing?)[*]That the game would be quickly pigeonholed into a specific CA and I would end up losing much ground in my GNS theory efforts (this did not happen at all – my very public and heartfelt apologies to each and EVERYONE for my lack of faith)[/list:u]What I got in return was well in excess of the minor interruption in my theorizing efforts.

In my reservations prior to posting, I did not think that no one would be interested, but I feared that the process would be a distraction to my efforts.

I came to the Forge quite accidentally.  A friend of mine had purchased the Riddle of Steel and he told me about the Forge or more specifically the TROS forums at the Forge.  I went sniffing around, found the theory forums and the articles page.  The Forge struckme as a place that was truly unique and dove in.  I read the articles, started reading and posting on the boards.  I was enthralled.  It took me a fairly long time to grok the Big Model, but once I got it (or at least I think I got it) I noticed that the game that I was playing wasn't really accounted for.

I didn't consider that to mean the model was broken, but rather it needed some tuning.  The problem was that the problems or inconsistencies lay beyond or below the model as it was structured.  So I started to figure what the model did do, and what it failed to do.  Oi!  No easy task, nor am I necessarily the right person for it.  Nevertheless I was driven to see how the game I was playing could be fully accounted for by the model.  Had I posted in Actual Play early in my time here I would not have been savvy enough to discuss the game effectively.  Certain ideas would have been lost and once a notion gets established it is extremely difficult to undo.  Nothing more than human nature.

So here I am, a year later.  I am totally enthused by everyone's interest and question.  I am delighted that I could discuss it competently and in the process come to realize a few new things about the game I do play.  The time was right.  I don't know if the process will help my efforts, only time will tell, but the experience itself was delightful.

Thanks everyone for making this such a pleasant experience.  Hats off to the all those who have come together to make such a great community at the Forge.

edited to add a dropped word

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

You're welcome, and I know I'm speaking for the community, not just myself. Let's, uh, try to keep this thread from being a big ol' hug from everyone, though. A silent nod will be sufficient, I'm sure.

We'll all need to know more. You will learn a great amount by exploring the diversity of role-playing via others' threads in Actual Play, and I hope by interacting in them. Others will learn more about your game with further Actual Play posts of yours (e.g. a typical session).

What really matters is all of us getting out of the closet about our hobby.

Best,
Ron