http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91 In which Mo explores the social pathology of roleplaying and begins to experiment with game design. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:22:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-760 Matthijs Holter Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:44:10 +0000 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-760 Nice. So this explains why I like campaign play a lot, but in a different way than short-form play. Campaigns are all about letting context grow organically ("we know Betty's brother hates elves, from that session last month; so that joke about elves is doubly funny"). Short-form games are often about the creative challenge of playing in a low-context environment and catching what other players throw at you ("I say to your character, 'That's just because you hate elves!'" "Uh... yeah, okay. 'Sure, I hate elves! So what?'") Nice. So this explains why I like campaign play a lot, but in a different way than short-form play. Campaigns are all about letting context grow organically (”we know Betty’s brother hates elves, from that session last month; so that joke about elves is doubly funny”). Short-form games are often about the creative challenge of playing in a low-context environment and catching what other players throw at you (”I say to your character, ‘That’s just because you hate elves!’” “Uh… yeah, okay. ‘Sure, I hate elves! So what?’”)

]]> http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-761 Mo Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:55:08 +0000 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-761 Exactly! Exactly!

]]> http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-762 Mo Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:05:49 +0000 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/91#comment-762 I should say too that not all long-play/campaign games are created equally high context. Most of the games Brand runs for me are both long play and very high context, however the games I run for Brand tend to be long-play mid-level context. He likes framing cut quicker to action, favors symbolic reaction rather than exposition style on screen reflection, pickup after a time lapse to illustrate long term character, story or setting evolution rather than in the immediate aftermath of things etc.. However, just based on the much bigger mass of collective material produced at the table to work with long play/campaign style games will likely always be higher context than short-play or pickup games. Good observation. :) I should say too that not all long-play/campaign games are created equally high context. Most of the games Brand runs for me are both long play and very high context, however the games I run for Brand tend to be long-play mid-level context. He likes framing cut quicker to action, favors symbolic reaction rather than exposition style on screen reflection, pickup after a time lapse to illustrate long term character, story or setting evolution rather than in the immediate aftermath of things etc.. However, just based on the much bigger mass of collective material produced at the table to work with long play/campaign style games will likely always be higher context than short-play or pickup games. Good observation.

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