I hypothesize that one of the reasons the "collaborative storytelling" claim persists is that both RPGs and stories produce powerful emotions. Stories and games can feel the same or at least very similar. This makes them seem like the same thing but they have a crucial difference.
Category: design theory
Why Focus on Player Emotions in Tabletop RPG Design?
Role-playing games are unique for their capacity to evoke a wide range of emotions, profoundly influencing players' decisions. This emotional aspect makes role-playing games memorable and engaging. The most successful game designers focus heavily on triggering these emotional responses.
Game State, Story, and The Truth
Games answer questions. Stories answer questions. Games and stories answer questions in different ways. The game state taught me how they are different.
What is the Game State?
Putting my focus on the current "Game State" refined the way I think about and run role-playing games.
Subtleties of “Rulings, not Rules”
Most of the time, old school referees use the rules and not all the rules are written.
Make Good Rulings
In this essay, I'm going to clear up why good rulings are not arbitrary and offer you some suggestions about how to make a good ruling.
When Did “Old School” Dungeons & Dragons Become “New School” Dungeons & Dragons?
What is the point in time and design ethos when "new" D&D becomes fundamentally different from "old" D&D?
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