https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v2_JDz2Di0
I think that this is an excellent video. In light of many discussions I have seen not only around Blades, but other RPGs as well. I dont want to discourage discussion about the rules as written, but often I find that I worry to much about playing the game exactly as I feel it was intended by the developer, instead of just playing the game.
The book already has some pretty neat advice on that sort of conversation, it was very easy to participate in discussing the game after reading the book.
This video is the heart of Blades.
I disagree with some of the finer points of his argumen – most notably, and especially in the case of Blades, the game belongs to all the players, not just the GM. But yeah, this is great.
The initial point about recipes and scripts and the fact that “the map is not the territory” is more broadly applicable to all games, not just RPGs. Board games, video games, forest games – none of them actually exist when they aren’t being played. It’s an important thing to keep in mind when judging and critiquing a game – the players are just as important part of the equation as anything else.
Yeah, a slight issue with this video is that it talks about the authority of the DM over others as a top-down thing, rather than the conversation, which is exactly what drove me away from D&D and it’s communities. I can’t stand the a game and community that so strongly embraces the authority of the DM over all else.
The things you all mentioned are the things I too disagree with the most. I dont think the GM is any more responsible for the “fun” of the group than any of the other players. Also I disagree with his premise that if you play a game as written, and no one has fun, it is your fault as the GM. That is just not true.
Yeah, of course the GM isn’t the ultimate authority in all games (especially in Blades), but I think the message shines through anyway here.
I’d love to have Matt Colville as my DM, however authorative and I have enjoyed D&D once in this millennium (two weeks ago).
Off course everyone here is right, and I really don’t enjoy the “DM makes everything up”*, but I really don’t think Matt (or rather Mr. Colville, I’m from quite the egalitarian heritage) doesn’t allow player input. On the contrary, I believe he has the “ask questions”-principle well under control, but this series is for aspiring DMs (and I’ve watched them all, just to hear him talk about things we both love).
I am sorry if it seems I’m defending Mr. Colville, because he is in no need of a defence; I’m just professing my love for him and the shared love for the GM-craft. (I’m more often a player than a GM.)
* )though I’m kindof in a Blades game were I am doing this as a GM now
:shame-emoticon:
Michael Esperum Unfortunately many of those very important principles that further TTRPGs as a conversation are conspicuously absent from this video and the main focus is DM as the authority, as is also a very strong and popular sentiment in D&D. It’s nice if some people think like that, but that has failed to change the D&D Community. Ommitting that from a video on this which is the perfect topic to talk about it is far from helpful and reinforces the contrary which might shed some light on why that sentiment is still strong.
Whatever the focus of his playing style, his message here is pretty awesome: start with the rules, where they conflict with fun, fun wins.
Besides, every table is different. I have some players on one table who are very capable of running their own campaigns, but because of the collaboration we share participate with me as a GM. At my other table, I have players that can’t answer any questions under pressure. A blanket statement that there is one right way is, in my opinion, misguided.
In the end, focused or unfocused on the GM, fun wins.
Nuance. The internet’s kryptonite.