Weekly Review May 28st to Jun. 3rd

This week has been fairly sparse in RPG theory developments, in definite contrast with last weeks sudden influx.

RPG Goals

Thor Olavsrud re-examines the relationship between goals and RPGs. In particular he applies some classifications in computer games to RPG structure, suggesting that the delineation between game and simulation may be a relevant one for RPG theory as well, focusing on the presence of win conditions for the former, but not the later.

Playing without the Rules

Thomas Robertson argues that non-freeform games operate by players granting a portion of the group authority to the rules themselves. He compares this to the rules becoming virtually an additional player, and a stabilizing influence on the game. Without this influence, more dynamic allocations of authority are possible, and he suggests that this makes freeform play both difficult and worthwhile.