Previous Topics

9/21/2002 Le Joueur: Call for Playtesters; Let's Make a Deal.
I received an interesting private message yesterday. It was about a comment I made over in Electronic Publishing Potential about not having enough setting to go to blind playtest. I…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Paul Czege.

9/16/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: The Suspense is Killing Me
Well, let's try and make this a biweekly thing, shall we? Suspense It's what die rolling is for. Heck, I could go so far as to say it's the whole…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

9/3/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Creating Detail
I'm running a bit late so this is a little pressed, excuse (or question) the vague parts. This Technique describes how you can use Scattershot's various Mechanix to create Detail…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, damion.

8/7/2002 Le Joueur: What's a Metaphor Phor? Metaphorically Speaking. [LONG]
You know how it is; you think you've just about got it. Everyone keeps telling you to sit down and write your darn system, it's done. So down you sit,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Ron Edwards, Seth L. Blumberg.

7/26/2002 Le Joueur: You May Be at a Disadvantage, But It's Gonna Cost You!
There's something I've been thinking about for some time. (Hiding it from game design actually.) Everyone knows Scattershot is a fairly familiar 'buy abilities with points during character creation' game,…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, Seth L. Blumberg, Zak Arntson, Ron Edwards, Mike Holmes, xiombarg, Valamir, Andrew Martin, efindel, Philippe Tromeur, Paul Czege.

7/22/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Challenge and King Solomon's Auction
I'm gonna throw two Techniques together (mostly because it's past time I spelled out one of them). The first is mentioned in passing in the Mechanix, the second it Scattershot's…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Paul Czege, Mike Holmes, damion.

7/22/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Who's in Charge
So far, most of Scattershot's Emergent Techniques have been about handling what happens between the players and their games or within those games. It's past time to discuss what happens…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

6/20/2002 Le Joueur: Roughly, But It Should Be Magic
Bankuei asked for information for using the Scattershot mechanix for Dungeons & Dragons type play. I dug up my ancient notes. Okay, this is in super rough-draft form, many things…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

6/11/2002 Le Joueur: Who's in Charge Here?
I am preparing the next "Emergent Techniques" article for the Scattershot forum and I think I'm having problems. I want to 'capture' more of the usual unspoken dynamic that drives…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, Paul Czege, Laurel.

5/27/2002 Le Joueur: Okay, Dramatism Again...
You've brought up three points (I think) that I want to address separately, no offense intended. With respect, you have fallen into the same trap that others have fallen…
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: Le Joueur, Ron Edwards.

5/16/2002 Le Joueur: Ideal to Application: Examining a Technique [Long]
How about another 'ideal game' example? For the sake of brevity, I'll use the movie Ghostbusters as the in-game dialogue of play (saves you the trouble of having to read…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, Mike Holmes.

5/16/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Mystiques and Intrigue
What is a Mystique? The definition is "an aura of heightened value, interest, or meaning surrounding something, arising from attitudes and beliefs that impute special power or mystery to it."…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

5/14/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: an Ambitious Approach...
[Reading [u]Robin's Laws[/u] by Robin Laws got me thinking. So many of his "Player Types" rang clearly of the Scattershot Model, I thought it scary, except numerous times he had…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, mtr1966.

5/9/2002 Le Joueur: Ideal to Application: Turning an Example into System [Long]
In the spirit of presenting 'ideal play' situations to bring rules up to par with, I'd like to present this little vignette. While I was reviewing some of my favorites…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur.

5/1/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Genre Expectations
Okay, next Emergent Technique time! This time let's visit the Genre Expectations concepts. Previously I briefly covered the idea, here and referred to it, here, but I haven't really gone…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Walt Freitag, Paul Czege.

4/28/2002 Le Joueur: Should I Make This as an Announcement?
I've put up a number of new things down in the Scattershot forum that I would like help 'working through.' All are invited to participate in the development of our…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, Ron Edwards.

4/28/2002 Le Joueur: Emergent Techniques: Sine Qua Non
Once upon a time, I might have tried to parse these techniques on something like a weekly basis, but due to the 'rough cut' nature of what I am now…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Joe Murphy (Broin), Mike Holmes.

4/28/2002 Le Joueur: Down with Just a Few SMACS
[i]Originally, I wanted to really impress everyone with a mini-shot of Scattershot, but heck, I just can't bring myself to finish this. So, in keeping with the new 'rough cut'…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

4/28/2002 Le Joueur: Scattershot Undergoes a 'Transition' of Its Own.
This comes as something of a sad announcement for me. I've decided to scrap the 'for print' design specification for Scattershot. Being a 'serious' or 'professional' game designer has been…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Joe Murphy (Broin), Gordon C. Landis, Ron Edwards.

3/21/2002 Le Joueur: The Gaming Model: Basic (First Stage)
Before I put this up, I'd just like to give credit where it is due. It starts 'back in the day' on r.g.f.x and their little three-sided thingie. Many of…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Laurel, Marco.

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Subsequent Topics

9/24/2002 Le Joueur: Gaming Comes Out-of-the-Box [was "Beginner-Friendly Gam
This is a response to a post directed at me in the thread "What is a beginner-friendly game?" I was moved to respond there, but I feel the topic diverges…
In Publishing
Participants: Le Joueur, Jeremy Cole, quozl, Clay, Ron Edwards, Gordon C. Landis, Mike Holmes, Seth L. Blumberg, Clinton R. Nixon, Eugene Zee, wyrdlyng, Valamir, Walt Freitag, deadpanbob.

9/24/2002 Le Joueur: Combined Techniques: Experience Dice and Genre Expectations
[b]Pieces Parts[/b] There are four primary components to any GenEx, Central Concept, Metaphor, Motif, and Running Gag (well, Running Gag is what we call it). The Central Concept is the…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

9/24/2002 Le Joueur: Scattershot Time Travel - Maybe in the Future
Hey Paul, Maybe you should toss in your idea anyway; if it took that long, perhaps your players might be ready. Well...in my opinion, the great unmet need…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Paul Czege.

9/25/2002 Le Joueur: Brainstorming 'What is Gaming' Outside the Box
So I made a call to action, I better back that up, right? Okay. I also said that the first part ought to be laden with "that's so inside the…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, C. Edwards, Christoffer Lernö, Mike Holmes, Walt Freitag, Paul Czege, deadpanbob, wyrdlyng, damion.

10/31/2002 Le Joueur: We Take You Now, Live...
It's alive! It's alive! That's right folks, the secret's out. I got me a webpage. You're all welcome to come on down to Uncle Fang's Playtest Emporium, better known as…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

10/31/2002 Le Joueur: Whoopee! I Did It!
In case you missed it, the Scattershot Webzine has arrived! Fang Langford
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Le Joueur, Christoffer Lernö.

11/15/2002 Le Joueur: Um...Magic: the Gathering?
Simple request (for a difficult answer): Can someone explain to me why Magic: the Gathering isn't a product like Ron's discussing over in Mainstream: the Revision. It is arguably a…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Mark Withers, Jared A. Sorensen, Ron Edwards, Jonathan Walton.

11/18/2002 Le Joueur: I Have Seen El Dorado! [ultra-long]
Hello, My name is Fang Langford and I'm an intrepid explorer, this is my cat Schroedinger. I just got back from a lengthy journey; I have some things I need…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Christoffer Lernö, RobMuadib, C. Edwards, Ron Edwards, Sylus Thane, Mike Holmes, joe_llama, Walt Freitag, Jake Norwood, Daredevil, Seth L. Blumberg, contracycle, Jonathan Walton, JMendes, M. J. Young.

11/19/2002 Le Joueur: How to Host a Deserted Island
I've been following the "Desert island" game idea since it was first proposed. After discussing it with my partner, I'd like to share how we'd do it. First of all,…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Don Lag, Mike Holmes, Walt Freitag, M. J. Young, talysman.

11/27/2002 Le Joueur: So...What is Railroading? (Using Illusionism Terminology)
Simple (highly emotionally charged, hot button issue, loaded) question:Given Illusionism terminology, what is Railroading?For the sake of argument, we'll assume that the Railroading in question is about 'story conscious' gaming.…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Emily Care, Mike Holmes, Marco, Ron Edwards, Andrew Martin, Christoffer Lernö, contracycle, Jack Spencer Jr.

1/17/2003 Le Joueur: GenEx: Not Just 'Jack and the Beanstalk'
I've been asked to whip up a GenEx for Jack and the Beanstalk. While that's too narrow for me to create (beyond my meager abilities, but not impossible), I thought…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

2/13/2003 Le Joueur: All Things in Moderation
It's about time I got around to posting the Scattershot Forum's moderation guidelines. Without further ado:There are no 'dead threads' (unlike the remainder of the Forge). If you have any…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

2/13/2003 Le Joueur: The Official Scattershot Reading List
This is The Official Scattershot Reading List. As a Forum 'topper,' I intend to keep modifying it's content to keep it as up-to-date as possible; feel free to add comments…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

3/10/2003 Le Joueur: Setting, Information, and Suspense Don't Matter* [long]
We had an epiphany last night. My wife and I were gearing up for yet another one-on-one game and there was some confusion over a discussion of such from the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Le Joueur, Bankuei, Mike Holmes, Sylus Thane, ThreeGee.

4/9/2003 Le Joueur: Important Annoucement
Scattershot is undergoing a major rewrite; I've taken it back to formula. Don't worry, none of the parts will change, just the presentation (and a major, if defining, addition). If…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Ron Edwards, Valamir, greyorm, Mike Holmes.

4/30/2003 Le Joueur: No Myth Gamemastering
First, let's see if we can centralize the No Myth Gamemastering Style. The most important thing to remember about gaming is that it's all made up! Every bit of gaming…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, Bankuei, clehrich, Emily Care.

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.

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.

5/16/2003 Le Joueur: Vive La Resistance or System Doesn't Matter
Pretty much all of the below grows out of an understanding of the many works of Ron Edwards...and dissent from them. System Doesn't Matter As far as I can tell…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur, greyorm, Garbanzo, M. J. Young, clehrich, Bankuei, Gordon C. Landis, damion, Mulciber.

5/16/2003 Le Joueur: Mike - DO NOT READ Until After the Judging! - The Critique
The Critique of "In Your Element, Out of this World" (or IYEOW) I'm attempting to show how to use the 'tools' from the "Deliberateness and Elegance" thread in the making…
In Scattershot
Participants: Le Joueur.

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