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Yeah we’re on the same page as to where our tastes differ. I’m not keen on the episodic model but I would use it, just never for something like Monsterhearts (which yes, is ironic given the source material). If I am doing episodic stuff then it’s going to be split into pretty discrete chunks...

Ah you might be misunderstanding me. I introduce no name NPC’s if needed but they’re essentially extras. If the werewolf goes for a drink with his uncle and his uncles buddies. Then I’m not going to detail the buddies, they’re essentially background furniture. So it would be more correct to say...

I don’t really think about other media that much when I’m looking at role-playing structure. I used to reference The Wire, the Sopranos and Game of Thrones when talking about how things might shake out but even those aren’t great structural references. Although I am finding myself referencing...

The base game tends to go longer because the characters are more enmeshed in the setting, so yeah about 3-6. It depends on how many npc’s you have and how quickly and dramatically the various relationships can change. I tend to play the overwhelming majority of games in this way though. I’m...

I think of situation as the cast of characters and the relationships between them. So there’s only one capital S Situation. I’m about to play Sorcerer and the way I’m creating the Situation is by detailing the cast and then creating the relationships. In this instance the PC is coming into town...

Ah I didn’t know that. It seems like keeping it immediate stops any kind of pre-play or breakdown into prolonged negotiation happening. I don’t think I’d like playing it* but mostly just because I really vanilla conflict resolution. *I say this but I did actually GM Blades for a few sessions...

Does negotiation over consequence happen in Blades? I don’t really like the system so I’m not that familiar with it. You can clarify stuff about position to clarify consequence, this happens in all role-playing though and it happens very frequently in all good role-playing. I throw the petrol...

I agree. If I was playing a game where you could ask for suggestions, I’d suggest to the group we either disallow it or hack it out. I’m pretty picky about this kind of stuff, even if it isn’t break the game egregious. I’ve also only adopted this view in the past few months but I'm finding it...

I was attempting to use the phrase in the way I think Emberash is using it. I regret doing so because I don’t think video games or their design have anything at all to do with RPG’s. Buy yeah I agree with all your points.

Well the issue with emergent story in Narrativist terms, is that it’s a form of ‘story after’. Narrativists basically don’t care about emergent narratives. As you say, all games produce an emergent narrative.

Yeah that’s a good example. There’s always a trade-off between granularity and dramatic stuff. I think everyone should track time and space (in most but not all games), it’s just the more exactly that you do it, the more it limits the potential for drama. Same with resolution by pre-established...

Can you write out an example or two to illustrate what you mean? I’m interested specifically in how the attempt at organic mechanics fails.

I can’t get to my copy of 1e at the moment but it’s also possible I’ve gone crazy. There’s a small chance I mixed it up with the run away move (run into something worse) which has the same problems. Anyway I’ll look through 1e tomorrow for my own sanity because I was sure it was Monsterhearts...

If you're talking about being watched from the shadows, it's Monsterhearts.

I had to find the right people and the right structure/system. Until I had a conversation with Ron I was still putting too much emphasis on the system to facilitate things. Afterwards I focussed on finding the right people and it worked out. Part of that process was realising I couldn’t just...

It doesn’t to me. I think GNS Narrativism is a red herring in a lot of these discussions and Narrativists (including me), get defensive about the term and drift the conversation. Other than that, I think your overall analysis very broadly matches what’s going on. Although I think you over...

I’m not sceptical that it happened. Just surprised because the inertia of trad play and especially D&D play tends to override what a system is doing. Although. This could very well be an artefact of the play culture I grew up with (White Wolf). I’m surprised (although less so) when people find...

To be fair, you’re right. I apologise. I find the analogy apt but my framing was condescending.

To swipe from @pemerton I think doing a cross word puzzle and reading a book of fiction exist on a continuum. They both happen on a page and involve words. I mean you can read cross word puzzles right? and the words don’t necessarily refer to anything that exists? That’s the same as fiction...

That’s fascinating. I know a lot of people talk about 4E as Narrativist (I know Ron does) but I never believed it could actually change the nature of play like that.