Feminist game design II (split)

[Akos Szederjei]

Remarkable notion to say one builds a RPG to battle social problems. Commendable, but I so not think this is the most efficient approach. Naturally,  RPGs includes social problems, but is it, or should be the real aim, or the primary aim of an RPG?

I applaud all souls, who try to better our society whoever and wherever he/she is. If one creates an RPG about feminism in a proper way, it will do good without question. Yet, I think Dewey was misunderstood (beside the fact that I am not sure who was rude, but lets leave that for the moderator). He did not state a RPG about feminism will cause "someone being victimized".
I think Dewey meant, there are more efficient tools to tackle this issue. Why not aid women-help group? The hours one spends on designing a game would be well spent there.

Of course in the end, it is a personal decision.

Out of curiosity, what would make you come up with this?

Courtesy, good will to name a few.

The last post to this thread before it was ressurected was 4.5 months old.

I am sure the moderator is a big boy and handled this issue accordingly.

Most people go to the movies for fun

Hmm, I am not most people than. Beside the arguable fact, that movies are worse than RPGs to convey a message, movies are neither the most efficient way to tackle social problems.
But let me formulate in other way: you play RPGs for what reason then? Moral obligation? To combat social problems ?
I play it for fun too, so for me RPGs would have the same problem.

I don't see that as empty, personally.

OK, empty is bit much, I agree with you. Can we compromise, that there are more efficient way to change the world than writing an RPG about a problem?

I was under the assamption that Sorcerer was a game in which we have fun and tackle some moral question (in that order). Another formulation: we play it for fun, and the moral question is a tool for it (which can be useful without doubt).
Now, the reply below seem to indicate that Sorcerer moralist game, which aims to tackle problems in the real world. I am confused...
I mean it is cool to be a world-shaking sorcerer, and face moral dilemmas. But I think the cool parts dominate, before the moral dilemmas. Of course it depends on the group, but still I play it for the fun.

Akos Szederjei

[dewey]

While a movie/tv show/broadway musical/book/comic book/rock song/whatever may be a more powerful tool for conveying an idea to the masses, that doesn't mean that less powerful tools should be completely ignored in favor of the more powerful one. It doesn't follow that a less effective means of communication implies an empty gesture.

Not everybody can make a movie. Not everyone can write a novel. But some of those people who can't make movies can write RPGs.

Yes, that's unarguably true. However, I need to correct what I said, because it wasn't exactly what I meant. But, this is not only about feminism, so I'm going to open a new topic for that and continue there. When it's done, I'll put here the link.

Here it is: Current social issues in RPGs

[Ron Edwards]

The above posts were split from Feminist game design.

Dewey, welcome, and please review the site etiquette sticky post at the top of the Site Discussion forum. This site is pretty different from most internet forums.

Everyone who's posted, especially long-timers, please reflect privately on your interactions in this thread.

Best,
Ron