Comments on: Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games: the hardest thing to explain ever. http://www.pleasantfluff.com/2009/06/30/pen-and-paper-roleplaying-games-the-hardest-thing-to-explain-ever/ better than wikipedia Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:29:58 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: Luke Corbin http://www.pleasantfluff.com/2009/06/30/pen-and-paper-roleplaying-games-the-hardest-thing-to-explain-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Luke Corbin Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:26:03 +0000 http://pleasantfluff.wordpress.com/?p=665#comment-82 Shared story-telling is definitely the key term for role-playing games. I also like 'collaborative narrative.' But there is a difference between writing a collaborative narrative in, say, a script-writing workshop, to the 'playing' of a role-playing game, and that boils down to the participation of the writers, and subsequently, the tense used in the story-telling. Multiple first-person tenses don't make for a very intelligible script. Maybe a better term for role-playing games coud be 'interactive narrative.' One of the major appeals for role-playing is the reclaiming of power in a social context - people doing what they cannot do, pretending they are who they are not, acting out desires and escaping reality. The difference between writing and playing here is what's really interesting, especially when coupled with the trope that 'we write our own stories' by living every banal moment. Shared story-telling is definitely the key term for role-playing games. I also like ‘collaborative narrative.’ But there is a difference between writing a collaborative narrative in, say, a script-writing workshop, to the ‘playing’ of a role-playing game, and that boils down to the participation of the writers, and subsequently, the tense used in the story-telling. Multiple first-person tenses don’t make for a very intelligible script.

Maybe a better term for role-playing games coud be ‘interactive narrative.’ One of the major appeals for role-playing is the reclaiming of power in a social context – people doing what they cannot do, pretending they are who they are not, acting out desires and escaping reality. The difference between writing and playing here is what’s really interesting, especially when coupled with the trope that ‘we write our own stories’ by living every banal moment.

]]> By: Bailey http://www.pleasantfluff.com/2009/06/30/pen-and-paper-roleplaying-games-the-hardest-thing-to-explain-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Bailey Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:07:36 +0000 http://pleasantfluff.wordpress.com/?p=665#comment-46 It's a good summary of the social function of it all, man, but I think you should do a follow up regarding the concept of RPG worlds and Source Books. I don't think it's quite clear from what you've written how one goes about creating the story and from where the inspiration and rules are to be derived. It will also be good establishment for your future reviews of specific games. :) It’s a good summary of the social function of it all, man, but I think you should do a follow up regarding the concept of RPG worlds and Source Books. I don’t think it’s quite clear from what you’ve written how one goes about creating the story and from where the inspiration and rules are to be derived.

It will also be good establishment for your future reviews of specific games. :)

]]> By: Al Bruno III http://www.pleasantfluff.com/2009/06/30/pen-and-paper-roleplaying-games-the-hardest-thing-to-explain-ever/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Al Bruno III Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:56:22 +0000 http://pleasantfluff.wordpress.com/?p=665#comment-45 I thought it was a nice write up of what a role playing game is. It is amazing the number of misconceptions there are about the hobby. Apparently fantasy football is ok but fantasy gaming is the first step on the road to ruin... I thought it was a nice write up of what a role playing game is.

It is amazing the number of misconceptions there are about the hobby. Apparently fantasy football is ok but fantasy gaming is the first step on the road to ruin…

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