Simplified GNS theory for old school gamers

[Eero Tuovinen]

Heh, I think the point with Craig's forum is more in allowing Craig himself to discuss GNS interactively within a comfortable framework. If I've learned anything about the Internet during this decade, it's that presentation counts for quite a lot, and social impulses direct people's activities quite a bit. Thus the very fact that somebody's taking the time to engage in discourse makes the words more valuable than some better words in some article out there.

[Morbius_of_Oz]

Thanks for the links M.J.

Craig J. Brain

[Morbius_of_Oz]

Heh, I think the point with Craig's forum is more in allowing Craig himself to discuss GNS interactively within a comfortable framework. If I've learned anything about the Internet during this decade, it's that presentation counts for quite a lot, and social impulses direct people's activities quite a bit. Thus the very fact that somebody's taking the time to engage in discourse makes the words more valuable than some better words in some article out there.

Eero,

I am going to try to list the topics in an order that will make a bit more sense so that others can drop by and see if they can find simple answers to their questions as well.

I am finding the discussion useful, and I hope others do too

The 500 character limit has been handy, it has forced everyone (including me) to be frugal with statements, questions and answers, and kept this fairly understandable.

Craig J. Brain

[Eero Tuovinen]

No offense intended, Craig - I find your format amusing, and while I don't necessarily agree that it makes the topic simpler to learn, I wouldn't be the right person to judge, either: I learned GNS theory solely by reading the articles and forums and didn't find it onerous, so obviously I'm not in the target audience for new ways to parse the content.

[Morbius_of_Oz]

Eero,

No offense taken. It is a work in progress

A friend of mine is a physicist, and I asked him for some help with working out time dilation for a sci fi adventure. I knew about it, but couldn't explain it half as well as he could. In plain English he explained the what's and why's and gave me the equation that I'd need to use to work it out. He did it in under five minutes. No worries.

I figure if a physicist can explain time dilation in plain English to a normal bloke and provide him with a tool to allow him to work it out, then getting the authors of GNS to explain their theory in plain English should be a snap

Craig J. Brain

[hoefer]

I, for one, enjoy Craig's board.  The forge has endless resources on GNS and other related theories, but Craig's constant "How would that read without the "Bull Sh*t" is refreshing.  I think if I ran into his board 4 years ago, it would have saved me a day or two of "hard thinking" to put a useful understanding behind some of these theorectical concepts.  From his board I have taken a special interest in the concept of "sandbox" games... expect a future post...


Louis Hoefer
Whole Sum Entertainment

[Morbius_of_Oz]

Louis,

I'd love to hear from you. The more the merrier

The way I see it, GNS is a theory designed to improve games. I think that most game designers are regular folks who don't want to learn a whole new technical lexicon to design a game. For GNS to be understood by the average gamer on the street, I think it needs to be in plain English. To be blunt, most of the rants I have read from GNS's detractors are based largely on the use of jargon and a perception of elitism. By putting it into plain English, you also remove both of these.

Game design, let alone becoming a publisher, is already a challenge without adding the hurdle of jargon.

Craig J. Brain

[Morbius_of_Oz]

Hi All!

Sorry things have been quiet, been moving house and had a lung infection as well Just to make it interesting. New members have been approved and all is happening again.

Craig J. Brain