Previous Topics
In RPG Theory

12/15/2003 Pteryx: Four main forms of RPGs (split)
As most of my RP experience has been online in various text-based forms, I hope I can be of help in clarifying the differences between them. From what I've seen,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Pteryx, Ron Edwards.

12/15/2003 Dev: Best system for Play-by-Post play?
I've noticed (and overheard, from other threads), that certain systems are particularly ill-suited for the time-lag inherent in play-by-post. The one PbP game I ran ultimately broke because I ran…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Dev, Christopher Weeks, MachMoth, M. J. Young, Andrew Norris, mark2v, The Benj, Grex, drozdal, RaconteurX, ejh.

12/13/2003 hawklord2112: Lumpley Principle (split)
[quote="lumpley"]At any moment during play any participant can stop using the game mechanics as written. At that moment, whether the game comes to a (likely screeching) halt or continues, changed,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: hawklord2112, Ron Edwards, Walt Freitag, John Kim, Paganini, greyorm.

12/13/2003 hawklord2112: A New take on the Lumpley Principal - or a new application?
OK so i'm going to stick my neck out here since a) i'm at work and a little pressured b) i dont fully understand the principle inthe first place and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: hawklord2112, Jonathan Walton, greyorm, Eero Tuovinen, Paganini, Bob McNamee, M. J. Young, Ron Edwards.

12/13/2003 eyebeams: Observation on Open-Ended Systems
Just something that;s come up for me lately: In an open-ended system (one where you can acheive many results beyond the scope of the ability of any GM to necessarily…
In RPG Theory
Participants: eyebeams, Noon, Mike Holmes, Walt Freitag.

12/13/2003 gobi: How does one go about "reactive" game design?
As opposed to "proactive" game design, wherein the designer gets an idea and develops it into a game, I'm considering "reactive" game design to be the act of trying to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi, anonymouse, John Kim, Andrew Martin.

12/12/2003 greyorm: Schizo Exalted
This arose from a discussion over in Actual Play about a Bumpy Exalted Game. Since I don't believe any of this has to do with John's actual problem, I'm starting…
In RPG Theory
Participants: greyorm, Eero Tuovinen, eyebeams, Ron Edwards, Blake Hutchins, Funksaw, Noon, qxjit.

12/12/2003 timfire: Help w/ D20 mod: Making initiative more TROS-like
I'm not sure how many d20 players/designers the Forge has, but I thought I would ask this question anyway. Inspired by TROS, I've thought about making a mod (or whatever…
In RPG Theory
Participants: timfire, Jack Aidley, MachMoth, Mike Holmes, Andrew Martin, M. J. Young, Drifter Bob, The Benj.

12/11/2003 Bob Goat: Game Master Sections
What kind of information is good to place in a Game Master Chapter/Section of a core rule book? In our game right now we have rules that apply only to…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Bob Goat, anonymouse, MachMoth, Andrew Martin, M. J. Young, Jack Aidley, ADGBoss, Marhault, Noon.

12/11/2003 quozl: How do you start designing an RPG?
Shane Hensley talks about how he gets started making an RPG over at http://www.peginc.com/Articles/DeadlandsReloaded/Part01.htm It's interesting that he gets a visual hook before he starts to churn out the text.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: quozl, Dev, Ron Edwards, ethan_greer, Jonathan Walton, ross_winn, Green, M. J. Young, ADGBoss, Jeph, gobi, Mark Johnson.

12/9/2003 gobi: Percentile probability question...
Say the task resolution is a percentile roll vs. another person's percentile roll, whoever is higher wins. Now consider that it is possible to roll several d10s and only take…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi, Dev, Brian Leybourne, John Kim, MachMoth, Ron Edwards, timfire.

12/8/2003 Andrew Martin: What is "realism"?
I've seen and read a lot of posts on various RPG forums and mailing lists, where the designer of a new RPG states that they wanted the design to be…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Andrew Martin, Christopher Kubasik, John Kim, contracycle, timfire, Thierry Michel, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Noon, pete_darby, Mike Holmes, Jack Spencer Jr, Ian Charvill, ADGBoss, M. J. Young.

12/7/2003 amper: Best/Most Popular Universal Systems?
I have been wondering lately about indie universal systems--which systems are considered the best and/or most popular out there these days? I've been away from gaming for a while, but…
In RPG Theory
Participants: amper, Bob McNamee, M. J. Young, peejay, Mike Holmes, cruciel, hawklord2112, Dev.

12/7/2003 Funksaw: Sayin' hi.
Hi. This is Funksaw. I was thinking about writing a non-fiction book about RPGs over winter break - so I figured I'd better take a vacation from most of RPG.net,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Funksaw, Dregg, Jonathan Walton, Christopher Kubasik.

12/6/2003 gobi: Word Banks / Knowing what a game is "about"
A few months ago, I was listening to music from Ecco the Dolphin 2. I loved that game as a kid, it was one of the few I'd play for…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi.

12/6/2003 Calithena: Hackmaster: The Postmodern RPG
OK, I've been trying to restrain myself on this one for a while, but since HM and KoDT came up in the Actual Play thread on Abused Player Syndrome, I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Calithena, Jack Spencer Jr, Bill_White, gobi, Noon, ross_winn, ColonelHardisson, Funksaw, eyebeams, Rob MacDougall, Jaif, John Kim.

12/6/2003 Noon: Computer RPG's and the difference perceived
I was looking at a thread from a few months ago 'Computer RP software' http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=8117 I just wanted to raise a few questions to this quote by an unknown mouse.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Noon, Calithena, Eero Tuovinen, Jack Spencer Jr, anonymouse, Andrew Norris, M. J. Young, Marhault, John Kim, Mike Holmes, Kataphraktos, Endoperez, Thierry Michel.

12/6/2003 John Kim: Anti-my-guy Syndrome
[quote="xiombarg"] One essay is particularly notable: "But I Vas Chust Follwink Mein Character Concept!" by Greg Stolze. In it, Greg posits the "Gamer Nuremburg Defense", characterized by the cry: "Not…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, Valamir, Jack Spencer Jr, Christopher Kubasik, M. J. Young, RaconteurX, greyorm, epweissengruber, xiombarg, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, pete_darby, Gordon C. Landis, eyebeams, contracycle.

12/6/2003 jdagna: Mystery Mechanic: A Clue Bank
I'm about to start a new campaign for Pax Draconis that will focus around a long-term investigation. The players requested the mystery and investigation parts, and to facilitate it, I'm…
In RPG Theory
Participants: jdagna, Andrew Martin, b_bankhead, M. J. Young.

12/5/2003 xiombarg: Social Contract Fodder
As we all know, problems with the social contract of the game are often part-and-parcel with overall social problems. Which is why I found this essay particularly interesting: http://www.plausiblydeniable.com/opinion/gsf.html I…
In RPG Theory
Participants: xiombarg, C. Edwards, jdagna, Ron Edwards, Christopher Kubasik.

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Subsequent Topics
In RPG Theory

12/17/2003 hyphz: Betrayal
In a gamist D&D3E game I've run recently, the players complained several times about being betrayed by either NPCs or environment construction. Hypothesis: In a Gamist/Illusionist game, betrayal of one…
In RPG Theory
Participants: hyphz, Andrew Norris, MachMoth, jdagna, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, Noon, epweissengruber, Comte, Troy_Costisick.

12/20/2003 gobi: Off-Balance Resolution: A mechanic looking for a home
A mechanic just jumped out at me over breakfast, but I'm having trouble thinking of a setting or genre in which it would be most ideally suited. It's a mechanic…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi, Noon, Bob McNamee, Andrew Martin, Chris Goodwin, Marhault, happyelf, M. J. Young, Shreyas Sampat, Harlequin.

12/21/2003 Endoperez: Advice wanted for a Percentile system
A long time ago, I found free rpg rules system called Knights of Legend from internet. It is a percentile system, and it has main attributes, attributes counted from them…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Endoperez, John Kim, Andrew Martin, Anthony I, M. J. Young.

12/26/2003 gobi: The Fun of Game Design
In response to the What are your goals as a game designer? thread, I'd like to ask slightly different questions. It is often said among big-time movie production crews that…
In RPG Theory
Participants: gobi, Lxndr, M. J. Young, ethan_greer, Palaskar, jdagna.

12/27/2003 Jody_Butt: Re: When Can We Stop Making "Games"?
[quote="Jonathan Walton"]I find myself increasingly frustrated, not by the expectations of those outside of the gaming community, but by the expectations that gamers and designers have set for themselves. To…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Jody_Butt, Troy_Costisick, Ron Edwards, Palaskar, quozl, Noon, contracycle, neelk, M. J. Young, Mike Holmes.

12/28/2003 doubtofbuddha: Social Context (split from older thread)
I just found this thread and thought I would go ahead and reply to it... 1. Consider yourself and the people you role-play with. Do you ever socialize with…
In RPG Theory
Participants: doubtofbuddha, Ron Edwards.

12/28/2003 Palaskar: Applying Martial Arts Theory to RPGs
I've been studying Tai Chi for about 6 years now, and it occured to me that there are some interesting parallels between martial arts theory and RPG theory. The two…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Palaskar, Jasper, Andrew Martin, cruciel.

12/29/2003 Christopher Kubasik: Game Rule Clarity: Monopoly vs. any RPG
Hi All, On my way out to my cousins on Christmas eve, I listened to a NPR program. The theme was games: computer games, board games, old tactical wargames from…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Christopher Kubasik, rafial, anonymouse, Ian Charvill, efindel, jdagna, C. Edwards, M. J. Young, Paul Czege, Noon, Jack Spencer Jr, Scripty, James V. West, Ron Edwards, Andrew Martin.

12/30/2003 sirogit: Types of mechanics?
What different types of mechanics can a game system have? Immediately, I can think of: Task-resoloution Metagame-quality management Resource management Character creation In-game creation:Items, spells, etc etc Narrative Structure Personality-tracking…
In RPG Theory
Participants: sirogit, M. J. Young.

12/30/2003 C. Edwards: Social Reinforcement
Over in the Game Rule Clarity thread, Jack Spencer Jr wrote: Perhaps it would work if everyone played "please everyone else most?" I was going to reply in that thread,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: C. Edwards, Shreyas Sampat, M. J. Young, gobi.

12/31/2003 rafial: Monopoly vs. RPGs, rule evolution, and the social contract
I was inspired with the following thought based on Christopher Kubasik's thread on clarity in rule writing, and his choice of Monopoly as an iconic game to represent the world…
In RPG Theory
Participants: rafial, Noon, jdagna, contracycle, Jack Aidley, Bill_White.

12/31/2003 kwill: thinking, talking, gaming (PNG graphics, 15kB total)
in some recent discussions in the forums I felt that talk about simulationism, immersionism (simulationism focussing on Exploration of Character in a method-acting kind of way) and IC dialog were…
In RPG Theory
Participants: kwill, bcook1971, Jasper.

12/31/2003 kwill: theory with comix (contains no graphics)
in the "thinking, talking, gaming" thread I've discussed gaming issues with comix (well, not so much sequential and hardly art, but you get the idea) - and I'd like…
In RPG Theory
Participants: kwill, Ron Edwards.

1/1/2004 Valamir: Bad Roleplaying? I blame Tolkien.
Ok, after several aborted attempts at rereading LotR, I decided to get the books on CD and have them read to me on my long long long drives over the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Valamir, Mark Johnson, Lxndr, LordSmerf, Paganini, Trevis Martin, Brian Leybourne, M. J. Young, quozl, John Kim, Endoperez, Eero Tuovinen, xechnao, Troy_Costisick, Jack Spencer Jr, greyorm, mark2v, Dr. Velocity, jdagna, Noon, ethan_greer, Calithena, Andrew Norris, b_bankhead, Gordon C. Landis, Caldis, C. Edwards, s3kt0r, apeiron, Matt Wilson, Ozymandias, Taina, Bob McNamee, contracycle, Halzebier, Ron Edwards.

1/2/2004 Rob MacDougall: Cthulhu's Clues (split)
In the thread from last November on Cthulhu's Clues, b_bankhead wrote: ....and stay tuned for my next essay 'Chtulhubabe and darkest secret of Call of Cthulhu.' Are we ever going…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Rob MacDougall, b_bankhead.

1/4/2004 greyorm: What is Bad Roleplaying?
Over in Bad Roleplaying? I blame Tolkien, Taina brought up a new subject, so I'm starting a new thread to exploer the issue. Given all this discussion about what influences…
In RPG Theory
Participants: greyorm, jdagna, xechnao, Jack Spencer Jr, Wolfen, Taina, M. J. Young.

1/4/2004 xechnao: Bad roleplaying-> blame fantasy
In the popular thread about bad role-playing and blaming tolkien poster apeiron mentioned: "In D&D it gets harder and harder to make challenges without shattering suspension of disbelief. How do…
In RPG Theory
Participants: xechnao, Ron Edwards, Brian Leybourne.

1/5/2004 johndehope3: Non-Combat Fortune at the Beginning
Let's say you have a combat system with fortune at the beginning. Something like... each guy rolls, the guy with the higher roll picks a battle result, based on how…
In RPG Theory
Participants: johndehope3, anonymouse, greyorm, Lxndr, Matt Wilson, M. J. Young.

1/5/2004 John Kim: Writing Style, Detail, and Simulationism
The following are comments from the Bad Roleplaying? I blame Tolkien thread. I think the more general question which comes out of it is important, though. most…
In RPG Theory
Participants: John Kim, Matt Wilson, Ben Lehman, lumpley, Gordon C. Landis, M. J. Young, contracycle, pete_darby, Valamir, cruciel, C. Edwards, Ian Charvill, Emily Care, Paul Czege, Mike Holmes.

1/5/2004 jeffd: alternate reward systems
The reward system in most RPGs is premised around increasing effectiveness in terms of the system (ie, better stats). Usually the currency is experience (or XP or whatever) that is…
In RPG Theory
Participants: jeffd, Jeph, Alan, M. J. Young, Michael S. Miller, Noon, Mike Holmes.

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