Comments on: A difference between online and tabletop play http://games.spaceanddeath.com/yudhishthirasdice/92 Where kings throw dice and universes play Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:29:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brand Robins http://games.spaceanddeath.com/yudhishthirasdice/92#comment-676 Brand Robins Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:33:44 +0000 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/yudhishthirasdice/92#comment-676 I agree, the anonymity and distance are big factors. In LARP I think there is an assumed adultness, or a permission given by the medium that makes them work differently. Part of it, I'm sure, is also a difference in backgrounding. Most LARPs tend to be older than a lot of TT games (at least in my experience), more gender balanced, and often have some expectation that some players may hook up in the game -- which is absent in every TT I've ever played. I also think that any LARP or TT game that in any way bills itself as "art" gets some special license. After all if you're making art you have permision, and what is created is outside yourself and so you can do what you will. Hell, it may even be that for it to be art you must do so. Now, I know next to nothing about Jeepform. Can you tell me a bit more about it, and why it might be more open to romance? Is it because the spectators make it more of a performance, and so there is less assumed about what it means on the part of the performer? I agree, the anonymity and distance are big factors. In LARP I think there is an assumed adultness, or a permission given by the medium that makes them work differently. Part of it, I’m sure, is also a difference in backgrounding. Most LARPs tend to be older than a lot of TT games (at least in my experience), more gender balanced, and often have some expectation that some players may hook up in the game — which is absent in every TT I’ve ever played.

I also think that any LARP or TT game that in any way bills itself as “art” gets some special license. After all if you’re making art you have permision, and what is created is outside yourself and so you can do what you will. Hell, it may even be that for it to be art you must do so.

Now, I know next to nothing about Jeepform. Can you tell me a bit more about it, and why it might be more open to romance? Is it because the spectators make it more of a performance, and so there is less assumed about what it means on the part of the performer?

]]> By: John Kim http://games.spaceanddeath.com/yudhishthirasdice/92#comment-675 John Kim Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:19:21 +0000 http://games.spaceanddeath.com/yudhishthirasdice/92#comment-675 Well, to be fair to tabletop, I think the primary reason for openness in online play is the anonymity -- i.e. the same reason why porn is so popular on the Internet. I don't think that's the whole story, though. In my experience, larp and even Jeepform (which is like tabletop in that everyone in the group is watching) are often more open to romance than traditional tabletop (and this is including various indie story games). Well, to be fair to tabletop, I think the primary reason for openness in online play is the anonymity — i.e. the same reason why porn is so popular on the Internet.

I don’t think that’s the whole story, though. In my experience, larp and even Jeepform (which is like tabletop in that everyone in the group is watching) are often more open to romance than traditional tabletop (and this is including various indie story games).

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