My Dream RPG
In search of mechanical-narrative coherence.
Imagine a game where your character mechanically is the same as your character narratively.
That’s the pitch. A game where there is no difference between how you would describe your character and what’s on their character sheet.
Call it mechanical-narrative coherence.
Here’s what Samwise Gamgee might look like:
Just traits and items. No terminology, even.
But this wouldn’t be a story game. Oh no— this would be an adventure game, with an all-powerful GM (no Player co-authoring) and delicious, clacking dice.
But what’s so bad about rules?
I have, on occasion, operated a backhoe.
Stay with me.
Using it is hard! I know what dirt I want to scoop, but I can’t just do it. All of my intention has to be mediated through this wonky mechanical arm and two joysticks.
That, to me, is how I’ve started to feel about mechanics in an RPG.
+++
Clayton talked about Dominant Mechanics recently and makes a strong case that problem-solving gets richer when the mechanics are smaller.
I agree.
I don’t hate rules. But RPGs are about Deep Fictional Choices and a Living World. And when Players are playing the rules, they are no longer playing the game.
- Sam