Thought Experiment Game: Game God

Mrglwrf · February 22, 2007, 08:41:47 PM

Whatever the Game God says about the Game is so. If there are other players, they can only affect the Game through the Game God.

Weaknesses of the system? Strengths?

Blackleaf · February 22, 2007, 08:46:25 PM

"Whatever the ~~Game God~~ DM says about the Game is so. If there are other players, they can only affect the Game through the ~~Game God~~ DM."

Sounds familiar.

Did you mean something different? Are you asking what the strengths and weaknesses of a traditional RPG like D&D are?

KrakaJak · February 22, 2007, 10:02:55 PM

I think this could be a fun game.

You could call it a Meta-Live-Action Roleplaying Game.

You want control over the story, challenge him to a dice game, or a round of Virtua Fighter and declare some in-game result based on the outcome. Or just bribe him, offering favors, snacks, money or sex to have him change things around how you want them to be.

I think this could be a rather fun game (especially if you have submissive friends, and you are the game god)

To Stuart: This isn't like traditional play. Traditional play has all that Dice Chance empowering players. There is no chance in this game, only pure monotheistic arbitration.

TonyLB · February 22, 2007, 10:16:59 PM

Quote from: MrglwrfWhatever the Game God says about the Game is so. If there are other players, they can only affect the Game through the Game God.

So no direct control by players over characters? Innnnnteresting.

Spike · February 22, 2007, 10:20:42 PM

But only the one post from the OP?

It sounds like an interesting concept, though without more details about 'influencing the game through the Game God' I'd be reluctant to make any judgements any given way.

KrakaJak · February 22, 2007, 10:40:01 PM

If you need someone to tell you how to be the Game God, you are not the Game God.

Mrglwrf · February 23, 2007, 04:38:58 PM

Quote from: Spike...It sounds like an interesting concept, though without more details about 'influencing the game through the Game God' I'd be reluctant to make any judgements any given way.

It's just supposed to mean that the players can only do something in the game by getting the Game God to do it for them.

Mrglwrf · February 23, 2007, 04:54:20 PM

Quote from: TonyLBSo no direct control by players over characters? Innnnnteresting.

I only realised afterwards that rules said nothing about player characters, and that therefore, the game isn't a Role-Playing Game. But it does give 'Game God' a kind of purity.

Mrglwrf · February 23, 2007, 05:05:49 PM

Quote from: StuartSounds familiar. Did you mean something different? Are you asking what the strengths and weaknesses of a traditional RPG like D&D are?

There's definitely a resemblance to the non-combat parts of D&D games I've played. So it's kind of like asking what the strengths and weaknesses of D&D are as anything but a squad-level wargame. Though without any special player-controlled characters, as TonyLB points out.

Pseudoephedrine · February 23, 2007, 05:40:49 PM

Game God sounds like a shit game designed to stroke the ego of some asshole GM. It also doesn't sound like D&D in play, where you're consulting books whose rules mediate the DM's authority and the players' agency.

Jared A. Sorensen · February 23, 2007, 10:43:21 PM

Quote from: PseudoephedrineIt also doesn't sound like D&D in play, where you're consulting books whose rules mediate the DM's authority and the players' agency.

I'll just jump in to say that it's the players' interpretation, knowledge and mastery of the rules that mediates the DM's authority. Hence the existence of rules lawyers, min-maxers, "good" and "bad" choices/tactics/strategies, etc.

That said, someone run a Game God session and we'll see where it goes.

- J

Pseudoephedrine · February 25, 2007, 11:14:23 PM

Quote from: Jared A. SorensenI'll just jump in to say that it's the players' interpretation, knowledge and mastery of the rules that mediates the DM's authority. Hence the existence of rules lawyers, min-maxers, "good" and "bad" choices/tactics/strategies, etc.

Indeed, you're right.. That doesn't change the fact that the description of Game God as being like D&D is bad..

QuoteThat said, someone run a Game God session and we'll see where it goes.

- J

Why would you want to play it? Why would it be fun?

KrakaJak · February 25, 2007, 11:30:35 PM

Quote from: MrglwrfI only realised afterwards that rules said nothing about player characters, and that therefore, the game isn't a Role-Playing Game. But it does give 'Game God' a kind of purity.

In it, you play associates of the in Game God.

Jared A. Sorensen · February 26, 2007, 02:46:02 PM

Quote from: PseudoephedrineWhy would you want to play it? Why would it be fun?

.

I don't know if it would be fun. It might be interesting...

But you know me, I'm one of those people who hate fun. And games.

- J

Mrglwrf · February 26, 2007, 06:07:31 PM

Quote from: PseudoephedrineIndeed, you're right.. That doesn't change the fact that the description of Game God as being like D&D is bad..

Since I was specifically talking about D&D games I've played, it's also accurate. In D&D games I've played (note the qualifying phrase), almost everything outside of combat was handled by the DM making stuff up, with no reference to die rolls or PC stats. That's what I was saying is similar to Game God. Your experience with D&D, of course, could be entirely different.

QuoteWhy would you want to play it? Why would it be fun?

If the Game God is a good story teller and open to the other players' suggestions, it might easily be fun. If the Game God is a bore and an asshole, it won't be fun, and will quickly become a solo game. Those are my theoretical predictions, anyway.