Design Games

This time, we talk about communications between a game’s designer and its players—especially the GM—both implicit and explicit. We also refer again to our previous questions, written by Nathan and refined/revised through our conversations, about (but not just about) GM tasks, authority, and responsibility: What need to be created (or established)? Why does it matter who does it? Who does the buck “stop with” in terms of content? Who maintains authority over it once play begins? What’s the propellant? Who does what to make the (plot/action/story/situation/etc.) dynamic? Who does what to keep it going? What makes things “interesting” (and what does "interesting” mean in your game)? Where does antagonism, challenge, or fictional friction come from? What makes things non-trivial or non-obvious? What makes the outcome of the game both unpredictable and inevitable? Which personal visions for play do you prioritize (and why, and when)? How do you handle the conflict of personal visions? What structures i