Theory review #72

• GM’s log: table talk [Challenge values, Ep.2 – C] by Runeslinger, Ron Edwards and K.C., discusses challenging values and how the game master should not aim at being interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKOXW6_wscA&list=PLZfuKgeD5fl5kODiiRaumSatFGJr5NnLh&index=51
• Fantasy realism! by James Maliszewski looks at an old advertisement for Runequest and how it frames realism. https://grognardia.blogspot.com/2022/08/fantasy-realism.html
• Dungeon checklist by Arnold K. clarifies the OSR trend of making rich dungeons with fair challenges. https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2016/01/dungeon-checklist.html
• Railroading manifesto – Addendum: random railroads by Justin Alexander defines lack of railroading as presence of player choices, rather than defining it as game master control. https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/36982/roleplaying-games/railroading-manifesto-addendum-random-railroads
• The good parts of old school RPGs by Johnstone looks at exploration (of a map) as the main attraction, with light rules not being relevant. https://chthonstone.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-good-parts-of-old-school-rpgs.html
• Tilting at windmills: The theatricality of role-playing games by Edward Choy looks to roleplaying as a limit case of theater and how similar perspectives of empowerment can shed light on both. https://nordiclarp.org/w/images/8/84/2004-Beyond.Role.and.Play.pdf
• From Forgotten realms to Red steel: Here’s that full D&D setting sales chart by Russ Morrissey reports on exactly what the title implies. https://www.enworld.org/threads/from-forgotten-realms-to-red-steel-heres-that-full-d-d-setting-sales-chart.689984/
• Retrospective: Lathan’s gold by James Maliszewski tells how the solo adventure in question is different from others and what it tried to achieve. https://grognardia.blogspot.com/2022/08/retrospective-lathans-gold.html
• Sorcerer diagrams construction and use by Ron Edwards has a descriptive title. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6loq0DnMKU&list=PLju-wHxFDuebkq3nPIAxxDX5JOGdzcgQk&index=1
• Dan talks games discusses his «aesthetic of numbers theory», the observation that many players want to play which magically leads to desired story beats and outcomes. They blame the difficulty of this on the badly balanced rules of D&D 5. https://twitter.com/DanTalksGames/status/1548796782280208386?t=Iaaw6Otqzq6Yk7rNDWnszw