Late last week Rule of Thule posted this threat at Twitter.
Every TTRPG, by virtue of its inherent qualities, begins with an establishing question. The ANSWER to that question forms the game's Hierarchy of concepts.
— RuleOfThule (@RuleOfThule) March 29, 2024
As soon as this Hierarchy is found, there's almost nothing left to do but DISCOVER what supports it (and what doesn't). pic.twitter.com/1IcA8o3aIR
You can read the rest here.
What the thread gets at is that competent game design is not just what you see on the surface. It is what manifests when the full extent of the game's rules and procedures play out at the table when used as intended. The synergy of these mechanisms create an emergent effect that is intended BY DESIGN and this cannot be comprehended by most people unless and until it is encountered through actual play- this is discovery.
This is one of the most recent rediscoveries by the Bros. It will be built upon, fleshed out, and in due course able to be Explained Like You're Five. Be patient with the process as it will take time to refine this into something Normie-friendly.
[Explained Like You're Five] is a hell of a filtering process.
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