011 Agendas

RPG XRAY

This episode’s topic is Creative Agendas. Whether we aspire to overcome challenges, embody characters, or simply socialize with friends, our high-level goals determine many of our choices and define what we are proud about in our roleplaying sessions.

HOSTS:

Erik Saltwell

Brendan Power

Ethan Schoonover

APPENDIX X:

Marvel's What If (TV, Erik)

The Guns of August (Book, Ethan)

Routledge Atlas of the First World War (Book, Ethan)

Slow Horses (TV, Brendan)

GAMES MENTIONED:

Sorcerer

Apocalypse World

My Life with Master

Microscope

SUMMARY:

In episode 11 of RPG Xray we dig into the concept of creative agendas in RPGs. We workshop the definition of agendas as the underlying motivations and goals that players and game masters bring to a role-playing game session. We explore different types of creative agendas, including gamism (focus on challenge and strategy), narrativism (emphasis on storytelling and thematic exploration), and simulationism (desire for realism and consistency in the game world). The discussion also touches on the history of RPG theory, particularly the contributions of Ron Edwards and The Forge, an online forum where many ideas about game design and player motivation were developed.

We debate the usefulness and limitations of categorizing player motivations into distinct creative agendas and discuss players with multiple simultaneous as well as how these motivations can lead to more satisfying gaming experiences. We also explore the dangers of pigeonholing players or assuming that one type of agenda is superior to others.