Simulation: another word

[Gordon C. Landis]

OK, I haven't sold myself on this, but if we must have another word for Simulation (I'm also not sold either way on that), I offer . . . Situation.

Minus - It has baggage of its' own, as a component of storytelling (Character, Situation, etc.).

Plus - Well, think about the useage in "Situation Comedy."  The "situation" can be just about anything - a character/set of characters,  a place, a recurring theme, a combination of all of 'em . . . the situation is the "gimmick" that sells the show.  A "Metaplot Situational" game focuses around the somehow-preset story.  A "Character Situational" game focus on Immersion in character.  A "World Situational" game focuses on what-if exploration.  Mix/match as appropriate . . .

Like I said, I'm not sold.  For one thing, it makes Gamism even more the odd man out "Situation" and "Narrative" go together, but "Game" doesn't fit for me.  Hmm . . . maybe that "Challenge" replacement for Game I've seen some folks argue for.  Challenge, Narrative, Situation - CNS.  Could work.

Gordon C. Landis  

[Dav]

Stop changing titles.  It is a useless digression that solves nothing.  If you want, tape little notes to your computer that have your own little names for them, but renaming them so that everyone feels "comfortable" seems a waste of time.  A title is a title.  (or, as some mediocre writer once said:  "What's in a name?")

This is semantic.

Dav

[Gordon C. Landis]

Dav,

From a fundamental/philosophical standpoint, I disagree very strongly here - just like system matters, WORDS matter. It matters what title is given to a concept/set of concepts.  Semantics ("of or relating to meaning in language") matter.

As a practical issue, here on the Forge re: GNS - *I* think Simulation is good enough.  We might could do better, but it doesn't stop me.  Seems to stop others, so I thought I'd respond to the "offer something else instead" challenge.  Sorry if my post indicated otherwise - I thought I'd thrown in enough quaifiers to make it clear Situation was just a thought that I'd have no trouble seeing attacked/dismissed.  

And I did think it would be possible to learn something useful in seeing WHY it was dismissed (if it was).  If you're arguing that discusion is a distraction from more interestiing/substantive issues . . . well, since that discussion isn't happening, I guess you don't have to worry about the distraction :wink:  And unless someone else responds in this thread, I'm off to other issues myself - so theoretical disagreements aside, that's fine by me.

Gordon C. Landis