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<H1>[MUD-Dev] Re: Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Roomdescriptions)</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev] Re: Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Roomdescriptions)</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: "Travis S. Casey" <<A HREF="mailto:efindel#io,com">efindel#io,com</A>></LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 09:44:02 -0500 (CDT)</LI>
<LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI>
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<PRE>
On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 ApplePiMan#aol,com wrote:
> Is the implication in the quote above that simulationist and storytelling
> worlds are at opposite ends of a continua? I don't see that they are, of
> necessity. Why can't a world's primary focus be storytelling, and yet
> have it still be simulationist?
Since someone else has already pointed out that "storytelling" also refers
to White Wolf's games, I'd like to propose that we use the terms that
rec.games.frp.advocacy uses for these two styles: simulationist and
dramatist.
The difference is in how decisions are made: a simulationist makes
decisions on the basis of "how would it really work," while a dramatist
makes decisions on the basis of "what will make a good story."
Note that most people fall in the middle, using a mix of simulation and
drama. Also, note that one does not have to simulate things in detail to
be a simulationist.
An example might help; this is drawn from an example that was used
recently in rgfa to explain the difference, and it's based in a
pencil-and-paper system, but I think it'll still be clear enough:
Let's say that the players manage to kill an evil sorceress... who just
happens to be the lover of an evil sorcerer who is a recurring enemy
in the campaign. Now, the GM has to decide when the evil sorcerer will
learn about it, and when he'll come back to try to exact vengeance.
A simulationist GM would take the information he/she has about the
situation and try to figure out when would be reasonable. The GM might
have already decided that the evil sorcerer is on a trip to an evil
sorceror's convention, and figure out how long it'll take someone to
get a message to him, how long it'll take him to wrap up things there
(if he's even there yet), how long the return journey will take, and
how much time the evil sorcerer will take preparing his revenge before
springing it on the PCs.
Note that none of this has to involve actually simulating the evil
sorceror's actions during this time: just the fact that the GM makes
the decision based on what would happen in the game world makes it
simulationist.
A dramatist GM would choose the time of the evil sorceror's return to
maximize drama -- for example, if one of the PCs has a wedding coming
up, it might happen during the wedding.
Again, most people fall in the middle. Someone who leans more towards
simulation might still fudge the times a bit, to make things happen at a
somewhat "better" time, but wouldn't do it much. Someone who leans
more towards drama might make sure that the timing is at least possible.
Lastly, note that good stories can happen either way -- the difference is
that a dramatist consciously plans things to ensure a good story. It's
like the difference between a biography and a novel; many biographies make
good stories, but the story is secondary. A novel, on the other hand,
should have a good story, and whether things would probably actually
happen that way should be secondary.
</PRE>
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<LI><STRONG><A NAME="00003" HREF="msg00003.html">[MUD-Dev] Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Room descriptions)</A></STRONG>
<UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> ApplePiMan#aol,com</LI></UL></LI>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>[MUD-Dev] Re: Telnet Echo OFF/ON commands and other thingies..</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00006" HREF="msg00006.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Telnet Echo OFF/ON commands and other thingies..</A></strong>,
Marc Bowden <a href="mailto:ryumo#merit,edu">ryumo#merit,edu</a>, Thu 01 Oct 1998, 14:03 GMT
</LI>
</ul>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00003" HREF="msg00003.html">[MUD-Dev] Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Room descriptions)</A></strong>,
ApplePiMan <a href="mailto:ApplePiMan#aol,com">ApplePiMan#aol,com</a>, Thu 01 Oct 1998, 05:45 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00013" HREF="msg00013.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Room descriptions)</A></strong>,
Brandon J. Rickman <a href="mailto:ashes#pc4,zennet.com">ashes#pc4,zennet.com</a>, Fri 02 Oct 1998, 03:56 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00024" HREF="msg00024.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Room descriptions)</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Fri 02 Oct 1998, 17:16 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00022" HREF="msg00022.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Storytelling vs. Simulationist (Was Re: Roomdescriptions)</A></strong>,
Travis S. Casey <a href="mailto:efindel#io,com">efindel#io,com</a>, Fri 02 Oct 1998, 14:44 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00002" HREF="msg00002.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Marian's Tailor vs. Psychopaths</A></strong>,
ApplePiMan <a href="mailto:ApplePiMan#aol,com">ApplePiMan#aol,com</a>, Thu 01 Oct 1998, 05:43 GMT
<UL>
<li><Possible follow-up(s)><br>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00025" HREF="msg00025.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Marian's Tailor vs. Psychopaths</A></strong>,
Benjamin D. Wiechel <a href="mailto:strycher#toast,net">strycher#toast,net</a>, Fri 02 Oct 1998, 20:19 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00026" HREF="msg00026.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Marian's Tailor vs. Psychopaths</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Fri 02 Oct 1998, 21:50 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00040" HREF="msg00040.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Marian's Tailor vs. Psychopaths</A></strong>,
Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Sat 03 Oct 1998, 14:30 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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