Last week, the Funster posted this video.
He's got the right idea. He just doesn't take it to the conclusion: all of the milieu is collaboratively-determined, using random generation first and reasoning out from there.
This is why you don't need to buy settings; the Real Game has the procedures needed to generate one on the fly, so all you need (top-down or bottom-up) is a blank hex map and some dice, generate what players will interact with, and stop. Don't do more until a player makes it necessary.
This is why you don't need to buy adventures; the Real Game has the procedures needed to generate one on the fly, so all you need is a blank grid map and some dice, generate what players will interact with, and stop. Don't do more until a player makes it necessary.
No preparation required. No need to waste time on things that won't get used. No need to pile on the cognitive load.
Now the next part: make the players do the work. Total Non-Stop Braunstein is the way. With the reveal of the existence of gameplay loops being a key driver of action in a campaign, both in general and character-specific ones, we can use these loops as the way to implement off-loading worldbuilding to players without overtaxing them cognitively; they just need to be told that fulfilling the requirements to advance the gameplay loop is their problem to solve, not the Referee's, and then suffer consequences when they don't- no leveling up, minions fuck off for not being paid, holdings go away for lack of maintenance, and even having their man benched for not paying upkeep costs.
There is no need for Endless Product Slop when the Real Game has all that you need to generate what you require when you require it, such that all players participating can just handle their shit themselves as required.
Which is why 99% of Tabletop products are not Real Games, never have been, and never will be- and thus are not fit for purpose, and as a result can be summarilly dismissed.
