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Old 03-10-2008, 02:02 PM   #11
Burrytar
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Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Looking for an RPI, where the 'I' stands for "Immersive"

Thanks, Ide. This is also my view, if I read you right.

Although, I think I see where they are coming from. My character concept would likely be disastrous unless they were devoted to simulating a myth/fable feel. Not that simulationism is the only way it could go. You can also have immersive narrativism, freeing up the possibilities for character concepts even more. I spoke of RPIs instead of MUSHes because I feel the strongly automated resolution subsystems of MUDs allow for a more immersive form of narrativism, freeing people up to think about where the story should go next while still greatly experiencing the character's perspective of the events.

I am surprised to hear RPI advocates imply that you can't have an exciting conflict without mechanically-enforced death. Maybe you can't in your games, but it's a pretty flimsy generalization to make for all games, and particular for games focused on immersive roleplaying. Even if a character won't actually be killed, that doesn't mean they can't believe they will be killed, or that the player can't buy in to this construction. Have you never heard of a player allowing their character to die, despite its not being mandatory, simply because it felt right at the time? I'll wager even H&S muds occasionally have such moments of immersive roleplaying when it's an option.

Don't get me wrong: I like permadeath. Death is a fine way to end a story, but it's a terrible way to tell a story. Death makes a poor story because, in most cases, it's the easy way out. Inexperienced storytellers who can't decide how to escalate or resolve a conflict often decide to just kill or die their way out of it. Ugh. MUDs with death as a major subsystem often have that sort of thinking ingrained in their culture. I think this is a major reason why many roleplaying-mandatory muds seem little different from H&S muds.

Another thing that surprises me is the assumption that dark, ancient gods can only be roleplayed by GMs. But I'm not surprised that someone who thinks that would have a hard time understanding me. No hard feelings, just different cultures is all.

I'll probably just have to be patient until the indie storygaming industry and the mudding industry cross over into one another. See ya in a couple of years?
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