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In RPG Theory

8/7/2003 FruitSmack!: Suspense in RPGs
Hey all, One thing I’ve been thinking about recently is suspense in role-playing. In most games I’ve ran/played in, suspense is a hard, if not impossible thing to accomplish. Usually,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: FruitSmack!, Troy_Costisick, jdagna, Valamir, Alan, contracycle, Ian Charvill, simon_hibbs, Jonathan Walton.

8/7/2003 Dev: Blurring attributes and skills
Most RPGs do have a relatively standard attribute / skill dichotomy. I was recently tooling with my system of choice when I realized that it was very easy mechanically to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dev, Andrew Martin, gobi, Ron Edwards, Clinton R. Nixon, HMT, Mike Holmes, Valamir, iago, Windthin, M. J. Young.

8/5/2003 ejh: System and the Lumpley Principle (split)
I notice also that in this particular formulation of the Lumpley Principle, game rules as written in a book are a subset of System. And in this formulation, the Lumpley…
In RPG Theory
Participants: ejh, Jack Spencer Jr, lumpley, Ron Edwards, C. Edwards, Gordon C. Landis, Alan, Cemendur.

8/5/2003 Ian Charvill: Examples of the Lumpley Principle in By-The-Rules Play
Over in another thread... Please don't make assertions without some kind of argument to back them up. How is it universal? It does not describe what happens…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Ian Charvill, Alan, Valamir, John Kim, Marco, kamikaze, C. Edwards, contracycle, Nicolas Crost, lumpley, Ron Edwards.

8/5/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: RPGs and related media
Over in this thread, the topic of things that may or may not be RPGs cropped up again. A by-no-means complete list of such things are as follows. Solo RPGs…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, James Holloway, Mike Holmes, ejh, John Kim, Ron Edwards, Paganini, M. J. Young.

8/4/2003 John Kim: Multiple Reality Roleplaying
OK, I am starting a separate thread on this topic, because it seems like an interesting approach for a game. My idea is to have a game where the intent…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, Ben Lehman, Julian Kelsey, contracycle, Lxndr, ejh, Walt Freitag, Mike Holmes, M. J. Young, Rob Donoghue.

8/4/2003 Nicolas Crost: Understanding Spiritual Attributes
I was thinking about using a broadened mechanism of Spiritual Attributes (The Riddle of Steel) in my game. Therefore I was pondering what Spiritual Attributes are in game terms. I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Nicolas Crost, Valamir, simon_hibbs, Windthin, Rico, Brian Leybourne, cruciel, Jake Norwood, Ron Edwards.

8/2/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: How to Design a Fantasy Heartbreaker.
[i]note: although there is a system contained herein, I am posting this more as a matter of general theory. Any comments about that design, if any, should go in the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, Ben Lehman, AnyaTheBlue, Hardpoint, kamikaze, Ron Edwards, Comte, Valamir, Jeffrey Miller, madelf, contracycle, Mike Holmes, Chris Goodwin.

8/2/2003 Paganini: The Lumpley Principle Goes Wading
Ejh posted to this old thread: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=6537 And here is my reply: Ejh, I think you're on the right track, but are in semantic danger. The thing is, it really…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Paganini, kamikaze, ejh, John Kim, C. Edwards, Jack Spencer Jr, lumpley, Lxndr, Marco, Valamir, Matt Snyder, contracycle, Mike Holmes.

8/2/2003 ClaudeC: Are there any rpg games that...
... Allow you to play it with dices or diceless? And what would be the pros and cons of this kind of game? ClaudeC
In RPG Theory
Participants: ClaudeC, gobi, Shreyas Sampat, efindel, kamikaze, mike wiemholt.

8/2/2003 Paganini: Finding Characters
This reference thread: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=4738 Is pretty much a theoretical description of a practical approach to creating thematic play. In a nutshell, the goal was to create characters that would produce…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Paganini, John Kim, Windthin, Ron Edwards.

8/1/2003 Dev: Blow-by-blow Combat because combat... isn't important?
Was reading this: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=2024&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 And I got thinking. Combat in my current game does run in a relatively turn-by-turn fashion, since that's what I know; and it thusly slows things…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dev, Jake Norwood, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, iago, kamikaze, Ben Lehman, Cadriel, simon_hibbs.

8/1/2003 Dev: A time-based resolution mechanic? (WAS: "ChronStat"
[i]The originial thread was here: [url]http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?p=77433[/url]. I'm trying to bring it here because there might be a spare idea or two in here.[/i] For convenience, I'm going to call the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dev, Jack Spencer Jr.

7/30/2003 ejh: Towards a Semiotics of Roleplaying Games
I tried to work this out years ago but there was no Forge then. I'm going back to it now in my blog. Please feel free to comment, but don't…
In RPG Theory
Participants: ejh, Hunter Logan, Gordon C. Landis, Walt Freitag, Ben Lehman, lumpley, Valamir, John Kim, GB Steve, Cemendur.

7/30/2003 gobi: Democratic Mechanic?
(Pasted from Theory) One could in theory devise a system where the player and the referee each propose an outcome of an action, and everyone votes (perhaps as…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi, Ben Lehman, Hardpoint, Shreyas Sampat, iago, Mark Johnson, contracycle, simon_hibbs, Rob Donoghue.

7/30/2003 Comte: Metaplots a Rebuttal
I started this as a reply to this thread: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=7333 I got half waythough my point when I realized I would most likely get a moderater teling me ,very politly,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Comte, Lxndr, xiombarg, kalyptein, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Gordon C. Landis, simon_hibbs.

7/28/2003 xiombarg: Kirt's Standard Rant #1: Metaplots
[url=http://www.rpgnews.com/article.php?sid=2583]Recent events[/url] have [url=http://www.livejournal.com/users/xiombarg/319163.html]gotten me thinking[/url]... I've voiced this before, and it's perhaps more relevant to "traditional" RPG publishers who are overly-reliant on the three-tier system, but I think it…
In RPG Theory
Participants: xiombarg, Lxndr, jdagna, John Kim, Hardpoint, pete_darby, kamikaze, Valamir, Ron Edwards, Bogie_71, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, contracycle, M. J. Young, talysman, AnyaTheBlue, eyebeams, Green, Gordon C. Landis, James Holloway, Kurosawa.

7/27/2003 Mad-Eye Moody: RPG Theory and Horror gaming
I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts on the application of RPG Theory to horror gaming. I can't seem to find anything with the search function of the forum. I've…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mad-Eye Moody, Jere, permacultureguerilla, M. J. Young, simon_hibbs.

7/26/2003 permacultureguerilla: Paganism and role playing
I'm following a discussion on the link here . . . http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=7187&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15 Which basically boils down to a discussion between Greyorm and Madelf. Madelf wants to get a fictional game…
In RPG Theory
Participants: permacultureguerilla, madelf, greyorm, John Kim.

7/24/2003 permacultureguerilla: Help with word-based system?
Bear in mind it's hard for me to start a post without "braindumping." Also, I've started a few threads. If the moderators mind, feel free to delete some or I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: permacultureguerilla, Ben Lehman, Tony Irwin, Rob Donoghue, M. J. Young.

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In RPG Theory

8/8/2003 Jack Spencer Jr: a perspective on roleplaying
This was originally going to be a reply to the RPGs and related media thread, but I'm going to talk about all kinds of things that would most likely derail…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Spencer Jr, simon_hibbs, Mike Holmes, John Kim, Jonathan Walton, M. J. Young, Ron Edwards, Windthin, ejh, Emily Care.

8/9/2003 Sir Thomas: 'Crunchy' scene-resolution
Hi, I'm a long-time lurker at The Forge, and have seen many great ideas that have got me thinking about my game. For a long time now I've GMed a…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Sir Thomas, cruciel, HMT, Mark Johnson, Windthin, ethan_greer, Ron Edwards, Comte, Clinton R. Nixon, Jack Aidley, Lxndr, Mike Holmes.

8/10/2003 Dune: help out the newbi
i've been really intreasted in making my own RPGs. and i've actually got a ton of ideas, but i'm not quite sure how to actually start the process of creating…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dune, M. J. Young, Alan, Ron Edwards.

8/10/2003 M. J. Young: In-game Fear
I've got a bit of a problem with a scenario, and Fruitsmack's thread on Suspense in RPGs was very close but not quite on it, so I'm starting this…
In RPG Theory
Participants: M. J. Young, jdagna, Cemendur, Marco, Jake Norwood, Windthin, Mike Holmes.

8/10/2003 CplFerro: Defining Published-Style RPGs
Ferro’s General Theory of Role-Playing Version 1.02 1 The /idea/ of /published-style role-playing games/ (RPGS) is a meaningful genre, expressed negentropically. That idea causes the hobby worth of specific games…
In RPG Theory
Participants: CplFerro, Mike Holmes, contracycle, Ron Edwards, Valamir, M. J. Young.

8/11/2003 Seidaku: Skill System Woes
I'm part of a team in the process of designing a skill structure for a MUSH. Some fairly unique problems have cropped up; I'm hoping you guys are able to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Seidaku, iago, HMT, Mike Holmes, Shreyas Sampat, M. J. Young, Andrew Martin, Walt Freitag.

8/11/2003 Dev: Bringing In your Angsty Past: ad hoc or pre-fab?
That is to say: a mechanic in my game/setting will be invoking a past "event" to modify some in game event. It would almost be akin to a flashback, really:…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dev, Windthin, contracycle.

8/11/2003 pete_darby: "Bluff" mechanic in RPG's
In This thread, I asked: Question: has there been an RPG that uses a Perudo like device where you can "bluff" your results? Could there be? (Thinks: Perduo Rune... time…
In RPG Theory
Participants: pete_darby, Mike Holmes, Walt Freitag, Michael S. Miller, iago.

8/11/2003 Matt Snyder: 'Exhuastion Escalation' in illusionist play
In another thread, Ron Edwards, while discussing possible pitfalls in Illusionism, wrote: And finally, such play may suffer from "exhaustion escalation," in which the game-world crises become larger and larger…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Matt Snyder, Ron Edwards, jburneko, Jack Spencer Jr, GB Steve, WDFlores, Walt Freitag, contracycle, Marco, Mike Holmes, Gordon C. Landis, John Kim, cruciel.

8/12/2003 madelf: celtic mytholgy in RPGs
Some may remember a while back I had a thread going where some debate cropped up about pagan religions, their inherent morality/amorality, and the impact of religion on society. I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: madelf, taalyn, simon_hibbs, contracycle, Ron Edwards, ejh, Windthin, John Kim, James Holloway.

8/12/2003 Jack Aidley: Developing Mr. Jack's Crunchy Combat System.
This is a sort of follow on from 'Crunchy' scene-resolution, in which I suggested I figure the basic reason D&D combat gets dull is because of it's take turns standing…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jack Aidley, kregmosier, M. J. Young, HMT.

8/12/2003 Marco: More illusionism
[b] This was split from a thread about players modifying dice results in Actual Play.[/b] Assuming that the GM ran a game "straight" (pinball-sim, here's a map, go explore ...…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Marco, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, Walt Freitag, cruciel.

8/13/2003 anonymouse: Smacked Upside the Head with a Guitar:
or, FLCL-inspired play design. (FLCL - pronounced 'Fooly Cooly' - is a six-episode anime series from Gainax. i watched it again after a space of a few years this past…
In RPG Theory
Participants: anonymouse, Paul Czege, Mike Holmes, gobi.

8/13/2003 Hunter Logan: Benefits and Uses for Metaplot
I think the ongoing discussion of metaplots is pretty counterproductive. Metaplots are tools, and they can serve a purpose. They can provide a more dynamic background for a game world,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Hunter Logan, xiombarg, AnyaTheBlue, Valamir, contracycle.

8/13/2003 Hunter Logan: The problem with published rpgs (rant, long)
I've been following some of the more recent threads in rpg theory and I haven't really wanted to say anything. Then, over the weekend, I went with my friend to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Hunter Logan, Dr. Velocity, Alan, John Kim, pete_darby, Bankuei, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, contracycle, WDFlores, Gordon C. Landis, Wolfen, M. J. Young, Jeph, Clinton R. Nixon.

8/14/2003 GB Steve: Narrative rpgs make good card games
In this thread, I propose that MLwM would make a cracking card game. Now thinking about this a bit more, it seems apparent that much the same could be said…
In RPG Theory
Participants: GB Steve, Mike Holmes, Valamir, Wolfen, iago, Ron Edwards, gobi, contracycle, simon_hibbs, RaconteurX.

8/15/2003 John Kim: Handling Detail and What it Means
In the thread on escalation, Gordon thought that the stuff on detail escalation should be split into a separate thread. So here it is... Going back to the comment that…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, Alan, Jack Spencer Jr, Windthin, M. J. Young, Mike Holmes, Gordon C. Landis.

8/15/2003 sirogit: Personality mechanics that work(for you)
Thanks to Ron for the GNS essay which I grabbed this phrase out of and may even have have mislabeled for something else entirely. Thanks Ron! I've always found personality…
In RPG Theory
Participants: sirogit, Alan, gobi, Valamir, Mike Holmes, Rob Donoghue, Ron Edwards, John Kim, talysman, AgentFresh, M. J. Young, Windthin, Emily Care, Zheng He, Jack Spencer Jr, Andrew Martin, James Holloway, kamikaze, Walt Freitag, Lxndr, Hunter Logan, Paul Czege, RaconteurX.

8/15/2003 Marco: The gap between CRPG's and Pen and Paper breached!
Check this out: http://www.gamespy.com/fargo/august03/realrpg/ It's a joke (a pretty good one, IMO)--but it does raise issues with the pervasiveness of trends of dysfunction in the RPG experience. My own experience…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Marco, Windthin.

8/15/2003 talysman: an approach to multiple simultaneous GMs
over in the Smacked Upside the Head with a Guitar thread, which I just now noticed (having just gotten back from a trip,) Michael (anonymouse) raised the idea of swapping/reversing…
In RPG Theory
Participants: talysman, gobi.

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