Previous Topics
In RPG Theory

5/5/2003 SwordofLux: Transparency revisited
Just to put in a couple cents, I think of Transparency as relating to, as mentioned previously, intuitiveness combined with ease-of-use. I like to think of it in video-game terms.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: SwordofLux, Ron Edwards.

5/5/2003 Ben Lehman: Power Distribution in Games
Read some of the things about power dynamics in this forum, and thought I would delurk and post an essay about power in RPGs, and how it relates to system,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Ben Lehman, Mike Holmes, Emily Care, M. J. Young, Paganini, lumpley.

5/5/2003 Le Joueur: Elegance and Deliberateness
[Cracks his knuckles and begins typing...] Okay, today's the first asymptomatic day I've had since I got that cold; I think I'll celebrate by trying to unravel what I've wrought.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, dragongrace, Shreyas Sampat, deadpanbob, C. Edwards, Mike Holmes, Harlequin, Felix, Stuart DJ Purdie, clehrich, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards.

5/5/2003 Ben Morgan: Volatile and Non-Volatile Traits (for want of better terms)
Had an idea the other day, don't know if anyone else has come up with something similar. It revolves around separating elements of a character into two groups, for purposes…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Ben Morgan, Andrew Martin, Mike Holmes, Bankuei, Ron Edwards, Walt Freitag, Emily Care.

5/2/2003 Felix: Holy 'That's what PCs are' Batman
This was kind of inspired by Fang’s thread Psychotic (or is It Schizoid) Game Design. I’m not advocating what I’m saying here, just musing out loud and making observations. I’ll…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Felix, Clinton R. Nixon, Jeffrey Miller, Matt Wilson, Bankuei, Marco, John Kim, clehrich, Jack Spencer Jr, Valamir, cruciel, M. J. Young, Bruce Baugh, Le Joueur, Ron Edwards, Emily Care, simon_hibbs, Mike Holmes, Emmett, damion.

5/2/2003 clehrich: Aesthetics and Reality
Okay, so I was grading papers or something, and when I turned around, there had been this hugely interesting debate here about aesthetics, reality, emulation, genre, and a…
In RPG Theory
Participants: clehrich, Bankuei, Emily Care, deadpanbob, John Kim, Bruce Baugh, C. Edwards, Le Joueur, Jere, Jack Spencer Jr, cruciel, Marco, Caldis, M. J. Young, jdagna, Sylus Thane, Ron Edwards.

5/1/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: The switches and dials formerly known as Illusionism
I was posting this as a reply to Does Module Play Equal Participationism? when I realised it should split off into it's own thread. #3 (Flexibility) = how flexible the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, cruciel, Ian Charvill, Mike Holmes.

5/1/2003 Kester Pelagius: What to do when. . .
Greetings All, I guess this belongs here as well as anywhere else so here goes. . . There you are, surfing your favorite forum when someone's post makes you pause,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Kester Pelagius, Jay Turner, Marco, Jack Spencer Jr, Mike Holmes, jdagna, Jeffrey Miller.

4/30/2003 Le Joueur: Psychotic (or is It Schizoid) Game Design
Okay, this has been a long time coming, but I only conceived of it this week. It's a rather harsh theory and I need a lot of your experience and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, John Kim, Bruce Baugh, deadpanbob, Marco, cruciel, Jack Spencer Jr, Mike Holmes.

4/30/2003 Andy Kitkowski: "Indie" as a definition, and Getting Over It. (^.^
Hey, this kinda fell squarely between Theory and Site Discussion, so I'm posting it here. So there's another yearly meltdown over at "My House", RPGNet (don't bother. seriously.) about the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Andy Kitkowski, Malcolm, Ron Edwards, Wolfen, Valamir.

4/29/2003 Jay Turner: Character Generation: "Splats", Templates, or Kits
I'm working on a game that's a bit more freeform-Gamist (the way I understand the terms), and its skill-system is such that the players are free to create their own…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jay Turner, Mike Holmes, Jeffrey Miller, John Kim.

4/29/2003 M. J. Young: Does Module Play Equal Participationism?
Over in the thread, Do prewritten scenarios=Illusionism/Participationism?, M.J., what you describe sounds like straight-head Participation to me. I don't see why or how it's a different category.He was…
In RPG Theory
Participants: M. J. Young, Kester Pelagius, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, Le Joueur, cruciel, Tim C Koppang, John Kim, deadpanbob.

4/28/2003 Walt Freitag: A different perspective on the Demoralizing Day
The heart of Hyphz's problem on the Demoralizing Day thread was stated very eloquently in the last few paragraphs of the initial post: But the negative feeling I got afterwards…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Walt Freitag, clehrich, Bob McNamee, Mike Holmes, Le Joueur.

4/28/2003 Christopher Kubasik: Stance is Still Not Power
Hi all, I've been turning the GM Secrets thread around in my head all weekend, and I'm not sure I can find the problem. I mean, there is a problem…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Christopher Kubasik, Ron Edwards, clehrich, Mike Holmes.

4/28/2003 Nick Pagnucco: the role of supplements
I read somewhere Ron criticizing a lot of supplements as either working off assumptions of playing a certain way at conventions, or as being disguised fiction. I don't remember for…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Nick Pagnucco, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, Felix.

4/28/2003 Chris: Icelandic Saga based campaign
Know how to cut them, know how to read them, Know how to stain them, know how to prove them, Know how to evoke them, know how to score them,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Chris, James Holloway, greyorm, John Kim, Paul Czege, Ron Edwards, RiP, Jeffrey Miller, jrs, Balbinus, Poenz.

4/28/2003 cruciel: Relationships Between GMing Styles
I've been thinking a little bit about how these different GM styles being discussed as of late relate to each other...so I drew (err, typed actually) a picture. Participationism…
In RPG Theory
Participants: cruciel, Rob MacDougall, Le Joueur, Marco, Mike Holmes.

4/28/2003 soundwave: Defining Genre Expectations
There's been a lot of talk around here lately about Genre Expectations, particularly in relation to Fang's 'No Myth' style. Now, it seems to me that Genre Expectations have to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: soundwave, M. J. Young, MoonHunter, Le Joueur, Bankuei, Mike Holmes.

4/27/2003 DaGreatJL: Do prewritten scenarios=Illusionism/Participationism?
First, I apologize if this is covering old ground; if so, please feel free to direct me to the proper thread. So, when a GM has a fully prewritten story,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: DaGreatJL, John Kim, M. J. Young, cruciel, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, clehrich, Mike Holmes, Bob McNamee, Marco.

4/27/2003 Garbanzo: SWM iso unopposed one-roll = one-exchange systems
All- I'm looking for systems to reference as I plow ahead with mine own game. Desired: Games with all-unopposed resolution where that one roll covers an exchange, not a swing.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Garbanzo, greyorm, Thomas Tamblyn, Bob McNamee.

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Subsequent Topics
In RPG Theory

5/7/2003 Jay Turner: Roll/keep probabilities?
I'm toying with an idea for a game that uses a roll/keep system for piloting vehicles, and I'm trying to think of a way to use it for other things,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jay Turner, Mike Holmes, Matt Wilson.

5/7/2003 Harlequin: Aesthetics and Conveying Reality
If I read the conclusion of the Aesthetics and Reality thread correctly, then Chris and Emily tried to pin down a specific tension, between two things: a Baseline, which is…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Harlequin, Mike Holmes, Matt Snyder, Emily Care, clehrich, John Kim, Ron Edwards, Le Joueur, Mark D. Eddy, Valamir, Bankuei, Jack Spencer Jr.

5/8/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: Content of an RPG
Since the Elegance and Deliberateness thread is now closed, and upon reflection is seems that I was breaking off from the original discussion, I've decided to start my own thread.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, Bankuei, Harlequin, LordSmerf, Mike Holmes, John Kim, Ron Edwards, Shreyas Sampat.

5/8/2003 LordSmerf: The Three Levels - An introductory thread
This is my first post, so i figured i'd start with something i've already worked on. Please feel free to provide feedback and criticism... Beginning canned essay... I don't know…
In RPG Theory
Participants: LordSmerf, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, Jay Turner, Ron Edwards.

5/8/2003 ejh: The Lumpley Principle?
Can someone summarize this for me, and point me to the threads it comes from? It's gotten to the point that Ron is using it without defining it in essays,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: ejh, Ron Edwards, lumpley.

5/9/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: Fighting with the Interface
Those old enough to have played text adventures remember the pleasant frustration (?) of trying to figure out just the right wording for a command to try to figure your…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, LordSmerf, Mike Holmes, Bob McNamee, Ron Edwards.

5/9/2003 Matt Wilson: Of course you win, but at what cost?
Just another one of my ideas that's influenced by Joss Whedon. Angel Season finale spoilers below, so quit now if you need to. On a TV show, or even in…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Matt Wilson, LordSmerf, Adam Dray, Paul Czege, M. J. Young, Bankuei, clehrich, Mike Holmes, Bob McNamee, Jeffrey Miller, Scripty.

5/10/2003 LordSmerf: A little help on probability curves please...
This is something that i just started working with the other day, so the answer may be simple and i'm just missing it. Anyway, i was messing around with curves…
In RPG Theory
Participants: LordSmerf, M. J. Young.

5/10/2003 taalyn: Real life atrocities?
I'm wondering what the general thought is on incorporating real world nastiness into game history. For example, does anyone have strong thoughts or feelings about incorporating 9/11 into a world…
In RPG Theory
Participants: taalyn, lumpley, Brian Leybourne, Matt Wilson, Jared A. Sorensen, Christopher Kubasik, deadpanbob, clehrich, Bob McNamee, Ron Edwards.

5/12/2003 talysman: dungeon crawls and relationship maps
in another forum, I started a discussion about GMless role-playing (defined loosely to include any shared or rotating GM duties.) I started the thread mainly because it was obvious from…
In RPG Theory
Participants: talysman, Mike Holmes, Matt Wilson, Ron Edwards, efindel, jdagna, John Kim, Gordon C. Landis, Emily Care, Thierry Michel, Bill_White.

5/14/2003 Ron Edwards: More D&D history help
Hello, I have acquired a wealth of information regarding the history of Dungeons & Dragons publishing from about 1982 through 1995 or so, but very little of it is rock-solid…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Ron Edwards, Matt Snyder, Christopher Kubasik, Valamir, Jack Spencer Jr, efindel, Jeff Klein, Gordon C. Landis, Caldis, talysman, jrs, Mike Holmes, greyorm, Rob MacDougall, Jack Aidley.

5/16/2003 Bankuei: Super Happy Game Ball
Here's an idea in the forming...we'll call it the Ball for short. The Ball, represents input into "what happens next" in a game by the group. This input, is not…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Bankuei, Emily Care.

5/17/2003 Jeph: Does anyone else distinguish between System and Mechanics?
System is defined as the means by which the group agrees to imagined events during play. Or at least, that's waht Vincent, Ron, and everyone else seems to agree on.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jeph, Le Joueur, Valamir, jdagna, M. J. Young, Jared A. Sorensen, Alan, lumpley.

5/18/2003 epweissengruber: Book for people interested in narration and human nature
I came across a book by a congitive science researcher by the name of Mark Turner. It is entitled The Literary Mind: The Origins of Thought and Language, Oxford: Oxford…
In RPG Theory
Participants: epweissengruber.

5/19/2003 Bankuei: The Ball in Play
Hi folks, I've been twirling the idea in my head for a bit, and got something a bit more clear and coherent. The Ball "Avenues of Potential" I find that…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Bankuei, damion, Jack Spencer Jr, Emily Care, Mike Holmes.

5/19/2003 M. J. Young: System versus System
According to the Lumpley principle, System is that which exists at the social contract level by which participants decide what is happening in the shared imaginary space. As such, it…
In RPG Theory
Participants: M. J. Young, Le Joueur, lumpley.

5/19/2003 M. J. Young: Why Incoherent Games Sell
In a thread in the Scattershot forum entitled Vive La Resistance or System Doesn't Matter, Fang Langford raises the question of why incoherent games sell. He suggests that it…
In RPG Theory
Participants: M. J. Young, Le Joueur, jdagna, Jeffrey Straszheim, clehrich, Jack Spencer Jr, LordSmerf, talysman, John Kim, Balbinus, damion, C. Edwards, woodelf, Mike Holmes, Ron Edwards.

5/19/2003 clehrich: Confused Agendas and Practicality (LONG)
I'd like to throw the following out, and see whether it strikes a chord. If not, I'm not going to push about it. I mean what I say, but if…
In RPG Theory
Participants: clehrich, Gordon C. Landis, Le Joueur, Matt Snyder, Eric J-D, Mike Holmes.

5/19/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: What sells?
Over in Why Incoherent Games Sell Fang drifted the topic a bit and I realised that I would wind up drifting the topic completely so I started a new thread.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, Bankuei, DaGreatJL, Gordon C. Landis, Jack Aidley, C. Edwards, John Kim.

5/20/2003 Emote Control: RPGs as art form?
I have been thinking recently about RPG design, and something struck me about the nature of the process itself. It consists of human beings devising concepts, which they put into…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Emote Control, clehrich, John Kim, M. J. Young, jdagna, Mike Holmes, C. Edwards, Ron Edwards, dragongrace, Emily Care, Paul Czege, John Kirk, Jack Spencer Jr, Hunter Logan.

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