A 'Step On Up' Question

[Cassidy]

The players, armed with their understanding of the game and their strategic acumen, have to Step On Up. Step On Up requires strategizing, guts, and performance from the real people in the real world. This is the inherent "meaning" or agenda of Gamist play (analogous to the Dream in Simulationist play).

Gamist play, socially speaking, demands performance with risk, conducted and perceived by the people at the table. What's actually at risk can vary - for this level, though, it must be a social, real-people thing, usually a minor amount of recognition or esteem. The commitment to, or willingness to accept this risk is the key - it's analogous to committing to the sincerity of The Dream for Simulationist play. This is the whole core of the essay, that such a commitment is fun and perfectly viable for role-playing, just as it's viable for nearly any other sphere of human activity.

Is the notion of 'Step On Up' only applicable to Gamist play as the text of the essay seems to suggest?

Take a situation where a player has a decision to make in a crucial situation. The player could sit back, make a few dice rolls when asked to and adopt a passive mode of play, i.e. they don't 'Step On Up' they decide to sit firmly in their chair.

The player could also choose to 'Step On Up', grab hold of the situation, roleplay their character to the max, and Sim their little heart out.

Their actions could create an instance of play gains them major kudos in the eyes of the other players. Alternatively they could end up making a play that fails to engage and excite the other players entirely.

Am I right in thinking that on a 'play' level their actions could be observed as Sim whilst on a 'social' level their behaviour could be seen as Gamist?

[Ron Edwards]

Hi there,

One thing to remember is that Step On Up is not about getting approval, or enthusiastic response - it's about gaining respect, and also about not losing respect. Even little teeny bitsy pieces of respect. The risk feature in the paragraphs you quoted is key, and so is the notion that the venue being evaluated involves strategy, expertise, and guts.

It strikes me that what you're describing, on the other hand, is enthusiasm - about Exploration, and by extension about any GNS application (the Dream, Step On Up, or Story Now). You happened to pick The Dream. Now, enthusiasm and kudos (approval) from others is great stuff, but it's possible in any mode of role-playing.

Finally, I tend not to distinguish between "play or social" in the way that you might be implying at the end of your post. Play, to me, is a subset of social stuff.

Best,
Ron