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  <articleinfo>

    <title>Les couleurs du système</title>

    <subtitle>Une typologie des mécaniques du jeu de rôle</subtitle>

    <abstract>

      <para>La conception de jeux de rôle est un art, <quote>un

        système de principes et de règles pour obtenir un effet

        désiré</quote>. Toutefois, c'est un art encore dans ses

        débuts. Bien que plusieurs modèles existent déjà pour décrire

        l'expérience d'une partie de jeu de rôle, très peu a été fait

        en regard aux mécaniques.  Nous avons la description DKF,

        quelques désignations en regards aux niveaux de concepts ou

        des éléments de mécaniques mais à peu près rien au sujet des

        objectifs de ces mécaniques, ou seulement sous une forme très

        abstraite.  Cet article a pour objectif d'explorer un seul

        aspect des mécanismes de jeu, soit de déterminer quelles

        qualités sont nécessaires ou au moins désirables dans tout jeu

        de rôle.  Ceci, je l'espère, permettra de jeter les bases pour

        une plus grande caractérisation des règles, afin de soutenir

        les discussions et l'évaluation de différents systèmes, et,

        avec l'aide d'autres outils, de créer finalement un véritable

        science du jeu de rôle.</para>

    </abstract>

    <keywordset>

      <keyword>modèle GDS/GNS</keyword>

      <keyword>jeu de rôle</keyword>

      <keyword>conception de système</keyword>

      <keyword>simulationisme</keyword>

      <keyword>ludisme</keyword>

      <keyword>narrativisme</keyword>

    </keywordset>

    <author>

      <firstname>Fabien</firstname>

      <surname>Niñoles</surname>

    </author>

    <copyright>

      <year>2002-2005</year>

      <holder>Fabien Niñoles</holder>

    </copyright>

    <revhistory>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.6 :</revnumber>

        <date>2005-06-25</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Traduction de la version anglaise à partir de la

            version 0.5r3.</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.5r3 :</revnumber>

        <date>2003-06-02</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Ajout d'un paragraphe apropos du lien entre Beauté et

            couleurs.  Ajout de quelques mots-clés au document.  Une

            petite remarque a été ajoutée dans la section sur

            l'adaptabilité.</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.4r4:</revnumber>

        <date>2003-01-26</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Beaucoup de petites revisions mineures.  Je me suis

            trompé dans mes couleurs!  Maintenant, le Magenta

            Nostalgique est maintenant appelé le Magenta Expressif et

            le Bleu Rêve est devenu Bleu Immersif.  Je pense beaucoup

            à ajouter un nouveau chapitre à ce sujet.  Aussi, j'ai

            modifié le titre puisque ceci est vraiment une typologie

            des mécaniques.</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.3r2 :</revnumber>

        <date>2003-01-10</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Ajout de la Brillance.  J'ai déplacé la Transparence

            dans la Brillance et ajouté une note au sujet de la

            différence entre un système transparent une

            <emphasis>Couleur</emphasis> Transparente.</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.2 :</revnumber>

        <date>2003-01-10</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Première version publiée.</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

      <revision>

        <revnumber>0.1 :</revnumber>

        <date>2003-01-01</date>

        <revdescription>

          <para>Version inition (incomplète).</para>

        </revdescription>

      </revision>

    </revhistory>

  </articleinfo>

  <section id="intro">

    <title>Introduction</title>

    <para>Quel est l'art de la conception de jeu.  Le Webster 1913

      défini l'art comme étant (entre autre) un système de règles et

      de principes pour atteindre une fin désirée.  Alors, quels sont

      ces règles, ces principes, et plus important encore, cette fin

      désirée?  Pour cette dernière question, je pense qu'il peut y

      avoir autant de réponses qu'il y a de joueurs.  Bien que

      plusieurs aient définis et décris en détails les motivations des

      joueurs, peu a été fait en ce qui concerne comment ces buts

      peuvent être atteints.</para>

    <para>Le but de cet article est de faire un pas de plus dans cette

      direction.  Ce que j'essaye de faire est de répondre à cette

      seule question: <quote>Qu'est-ce qui est désirable, sinon

      nécessaire, dans tout jeu de rôle?</quote> Cette question est

      très difficile car la plupart des jeux de rôle semble avoir

      différents objectifs, différents environnements, différentes

      façons de faire du jeu de rôle une expérience amusante et

      agréable.  Étrangement, toutefois, un certain consensus laisse

      percevoir que cet obstacle initial sera le plus facile.  Le plus

      gros obstacle sera plutôt au niveau du vocabulaire, ou plutôt du

      manque d'un vocabulaire commun parmi les concepteurs.  Personne

      ne semble avoir la même façon d'appeler les choses, que ce soit

      en français ou en anglais.  Aussi, les gens utilisent souvent

      les mêmes mots pour parler de choses différentes, ce qui ne fait

      qu'ajouter à la confusion.  Alors, pour éviter ce problème, j'ai

      choisi une approche légèrement différente: j'utiliserai une

      métaphore artificielle, celle des couleurs.  Hélas, une couleur

      ne voulant pas dire grand chose pour un concepteur, j'y ai

      adjoint un adjectif afin d'aider à en faire un outil de

      communication suffisamment clair pour aider à la mémorisation et

      à la compréhension du texte par un nouveau lecteur.</para>

    <para>La première version de ce papier sera seulement au sujet de

      la couleur des mécaniques, accompagné de quelques courts

      exemples.  Je planifie toutefois d'y ajouter d'autres éléments,

      spécifiquement au sujet des différents aspects du jeu de rôle,

      comme le liens entre les Couleurs et les typologies existantes,

      comme le GNS.  Mais pour commencer, nous devons définir ce

      qu'est un jeu de rôle et son système.</para>

  </section>

  <section id="rpgdef">

    <title>Qu'est-ce qu'un jeu de rôle?</title>

    <para>This section is not about defining in details what's a role

      playing game but mostly to propose a common vocabulary about

      what constitutes a role playing game, so that we can know what

      we are talking about.  A typical role playing game can be seen

      to be constituted of two parts:</para>

    <itemizedlist>

      <listitem>

        <para>a description of an imaginary universe called the

          <emphasis>setting</emphasis>;</para>

      </listitem>

      <listitem>

        <para>a set of rules to handle events resolution in the

          setting, called the <emphasis>system</emphasis>.</para>

      </listitem>

    </itemizedlist>

    <para>Usually, the setting is divided in many more elements, like

      the characters we can encounter in this particular universe, the

      environment (either social, technological, historical and/or

      geographical) in which those characters evolve, examples of

      situations those characters can encounter, as well as notes

      about the intended atmosphere of this universe.  Some or even

      all of those elements can be omitted or more or less detailed.

      When most elements are omitted, or without specified with much

      details, we call this kind of system universal or generic.  I

      prefer the second appellation because, although most generic

      system pretend to be usable in any setting, they are often just

      a generalization of one or many settings, sharing some common

      elements.  Except for this small difference, we will now only

      talk about setting and generic setting as a whole, without

      addressing more concerns about their internal elements.  Is not

      that those elements aren't important in designing a good role

      playing game, but it's a way to stay on our focus.</para>

    <para>Systems are also often divided into multiple parts,

      classified in multiple differents ways, etc.  Systems often even

      contains some elements of setting, like particularity of the

      environment.  For now, we just want to consider systems as a

      whole.  We only make one distinction: system elements that

      contain no element which can be considered part of the setting

      would be called mechanics, and mechanics or system elements that

      contains or describe part of the setting (including situational

      elements like combat or character description) will be called

      rules.  This is certainly not enough for a more in-depth

      exploration of system composition but it will be sufficient for

      our purpose.</para>

    <para>Meta-gaming elements are elements often external to a role

      playing game.  They included things like the location where the

      game is set, the current mood of the players, their perception

      of the reality, the quality (access, language, medium) of

      communication between them, the presence of materials, their

      relationship, etc. They are aspects of the gaming experience

      which can be seen as out of the current setting but are still

      part of the role playing experience.  Some systems or even

      setting elements can influence or help to make some meta-gaming

      elements either less intrusive or more fun and interesting.

      They can also adapt to accommodate some less optimal meta-gaming

      elements, like the presence of a noisy environment.  Meta-gaming

      elements can often influenced both (although the designer have

      mostly no control over them except written recommendation) and

      some role playing games even used them to enhance the role

      playing experience.</para>

  </section>

  <section id="colormodel">

    <title>The color model</title>

    <para>The color model are composed of the three primary additive

      colors: red, green and blue.  Just like any colors, some people

      prefers some of them more than the others.  That's OK, from

      taste and colors, one can't discuss.  However, we want to make a

      small exception to this rule: we will supposed that everyone

      will prefer bright colors instead of darker one.  Brightness

      represent the adherence of a system to a specific color (mix are

      allowed).  So, since we supposed that any color are at least

      desirable, you'll always prefer a brighter mechanic instead of a

      darker one, as long as it is of the right color.  Take note that

      a system that mix all colors will be white and bright.  And a

      system that have no color at all will be black.  Maybe you still

      prefer darker colors in real life (like most role players, if

      you look at the way most of them are dressed up), but make a

      small effort now or use negative vision.  Elsewhere, you'll just

      fall in the darker side of role playing game, full of munchkins

      and rules lawyers.  Are you sure you want to go there?</para>

    <para>To help to better understand the concept behind each color,

      especially when talking to a non-initiate, an adjective is

      added to each of them.  You are free to used it when you think

      is necessary but try to make a link to this page for reference

      so people know what you are talking about.</para>

    <para>Here is the three primary colors and their definitions:</para>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry id="reddef">

        <term>Consistent Red</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Consistent Red is the color of system that are

            consistent with the setting elements they are supposed to

            describe.  If your setting describe, or more often

            suppose, swords as more lethal than daggers, the system

            should respect this and not make daggers equally or more

            lethal than swords. A dark red system tend to interfere

            with <literal>Suspension of Disbelief</literal>. Break in

            Suspension of Disbelief is a phenomena which can be best

            described as players rolling their eyes toward you, the

            mouth wide open in an expression of incredulity, and

            leaving your table to never came back again (and no,

            that's not because their lost their way to the

            refrigerator).  Red was chose because of the its relation

            with this <emphasis>stop attitude</emphasis>, as well as

            the tendency of very high red system to be a bit bloody in

            action.  <emphasis>This is not, however, a universal

            characteristic!</emphasis></para>

          <para>A good example of system with a strong red color is

            <trademark>RoleMaster</trademark> with their very detailed

            systems for med-fan universe<footnote> 

              <para>Really, I'm not sure if this is a good example.

                Any better suggestions welcome.</para>

            </footnote>.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="greendef">

        <term>Fluid<footnote>

            <para>Don't like this name but I want to avoid using

              Simple in it, since Green is much more than only

              Simplicity.  Fluid is currently the only word I can

              think.</para>

          </footnote> Green</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Fluid Green system are easy to learn and have often

            low search and resolution time.  They can however have a

            lot of options to chose from, as long as those options are

            clear and easy to handle.  Those systems are often perfect

            for beginners or people wanting quick pace systems,

            without stopping to details.  This is two good reasons to

            give them the green color, this color being often

            associated with beginners and speed.</para>

          <para>A good example of a green system is <trademark

            class="copyright">The Window</trademark>, a free RPG game

            with very simple mechanics.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="bluedef">

        <term>Immersive Blue</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Immersive Blue rules help to sustain a particular

            atmosphere in a game.  This atmosphere can be either

            dramatic, heroic, epic, scary, peaceful, imaginative, or

            all of them at the same time.  Just like the Consistent

            Red, blue rules are strongly associated with the setting.

            Blue was chose because of its association with atmosphere

            and emotions.</para>

          <para>One of the bluest system that the author know is

            <trademark class="copyright">eight</trademark>, a free RPG

            where all of the few rules participate to the setting

            atmosphere.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>

    <para>All of the three colors can be mixed together, in different

      quantities.  This give us 4 more different colors<footnote>

        <para>Remember, this is the three

          <emphasis>additive</emphasis> primary colors, just like your

          television but unlike water painting, which used primary

          <emphasis>subtractive</emphasis> colors.</para>

      </footnote>:</para>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry id="yellowdef">

        <term>Clear-Sight Yellow (Red and Green)</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Usually, when you want brighter red, you compromise on

            a darker green, and when you want brighter green, you

            often compromise with darker red.  So this color is quite

            rare, and yellow rules are real pearl of wisdom.  Yellow

            systems are able to give a maximum of consistency and

            details from your setting, without removing speed and ease

            of play.  They promised really good play for those who

            like to explore different elements of the setting.</para>

          <para>As I said, yellow rules are quite rare.  Yellow

            systems even more.  I failed to see a system where this

            color dominate.  If you think you have one, please tell

            me.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="cyandef">

        <term>Dramatic Cyan (Green and Blue)</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>One of the most popular color in new games presently.

            The Cyan systems bring to front a very narrative aspect

            with quick pace and easy rules.  Consistent is not really

            important since GM will just adjust the plot consequently.

            This however give somewhat limited play and one should be

            careful with the Suspension of Disbelief syndrome which

            often augment with those kind of systems.</para>

          <para>One popular example of Cyan systems are

            <trademark>Nobilis</trademark> and the

            <trademark>Storyteller</trademark> system (at least by

            intentions).</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="magentadef">

        <term>Expressive Magenta (Red and Blue)</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>A rare combination: Magenta systems tend to immersed

            you into details.  <emphasis>Many</emphasis> details.  You

            will be transport in a world where everything, actions or

            materials, are described to the finest element.  The trap

            is that, too often, the lack of green in those systems

            lead to a very hard to use and very slow progression of

            the action.  The players must be patient or the GM a real

            expert to be able to handle such systems.</para>

          <para>Good examples of those systems included mostly

            science-fiction or military oriented settings.

            <trademark>Heavy Gear</trademark> can be described as one

            of them under certain aspects.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="whitedef">

        <term>Pure White (Red, Green and Blue)</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>White system can be think as the perfect system and

            can be easy obtain for a very limited and specific

            setting.  However, such settings are often very limited in

            use and, as we will see later, white system tend to dilute

            (we call this a lack of Tenacity) and get darker very

            easily.</para>

          <para>I have no really good example of such systems.  As

            said, most white system tend to became darker with usage

            and/or a new color quickly dominate.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>

  </section>

  <section id="freedom">

    <title>Freedom</title>

    <para>Since both the red and blue colors have deep root in the

      setting, we also want to know how colors are affect by change to

      the setting.  For this, we defined two different movements or

      degrees of freedom for the color:</para>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry id="tenacitydef">

        <term>Tenacity</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Tenacity represent how much a system retains the same

            color when the setting change.  This is a researched

            quality for generic systems, but also for RPG with a very

            diversified setting.  Systems that are limited to a few

            character types or situations (like only combat) doesn't

            need a great Tenacity in their colors.</para>

          <para>Example of system with a good Tenacity is

          <trademark>GURPS</trademark>.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="chameleondef">

        <term>Chameleon</term>

        <listitem>

          <para>Chameleon systems are able to change their colors to

            fit better with the new setting.  This is a very rare

            quality, mostly research for generic system.</para>

          <para>The only system I know which try to be chameleon is

            <trademark>Multiverser</trademark>, a system with a bias

            parameter for fitting with different universes.</para>

        </listitem>

      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>

    <para>Both degrees of freedom can appear together for a particular

      system and react differently.  They can also keep their quality

      only for a specific range of settings.  For example, the D&D

      system has a Tenacity mostly in general medieval-fantastic

      settings.<footnote>

        <para>I think the best way to describe of this components is

          talking about inertia and direction changes, but this add a

          new level of metaphor so I ended up inventing new terms that will

          fit better with the metaphor.  What do you think about?</para>

      </footnote></para>

    <remark>I currently doesn't like this section much.  The old idea

      behind adaptability is not well enough represent.  But for this,

      I should probably work a little more with the background

      setting.</remark>

  </section>

  <section id="beauty">

    <title>Beauty of the system</title>

    <para>The colors aren't the only important qualities of a system.

      One very important, if not the most important one, is the fun

      factor.  We are doing role playing for only one thing: having

      fun.  However, fun is a very personal thing where everyone have

      opinion about.  Some people can find one system fun and other

      can find them dull.  Since fun are <quote>in the eye of the

      beholder</quote>, we use another quality related to our painting

      metaphor that have the same characteristic: Beauty.</para>

    <para>Why some people find something beautiful and not something

      else?  Well, there is too much factors to enumerate all of them,

      but colors can have something to do with it.  Someone can prefer

      the red color, and another one will prefer a yellow color.  Same

      thing for mechanics.  Some people can prefer Red Mechanics,

      other want Yellow mechanics and dislike Blue mechanics.  Could

      you satisfy all of them?  Well, the golden rule in RPG is that

      if you dislike a rule, ignored it.  It's very easy to ignore a

      rule, less easy to change it or replace it.  In the color

      metaphore, this is equivalent to wearing colorized glasses.  If

      you have some white light and wear yellow glasses, you'll see

      the world in yellow.  But if you only have blue light, your

      yellow glasses will block it and you'll see nothing.  Same thing

      for mechanics.  White mechanics are good because you can please

      everyone by simply using the right filter on everyone.  If one

      color is lacking, however, whatever the color of your glasses,

      you will not be able to create it, except if the mechanics is

      sufficiently <link linkend="transparency">Transparent</link>, a

      matter we will see later in <xref linkend="brightness"/>.</para>

  </section>

  <section id="visibility">

    <title>The visibility of the rules</title>

    <para>Systems are composed of rules, but not all rules are

      necessary of the same color.  How each rule influence the global

      system apparency is called the visibility of the rule.

      Visibility represent mostly how often a rule can be used and

      what will be their influence on the current game.  This is an

      important aspect when designing a role playing system.  Often,

      you can make a tradeoff in a not so much visible aspect of the

      system without affecting the whole color.  By

      <emphasis>hiding</emphasis> such color into less visible aspect,

      you can, for example, achieve an overall more reddish system,

      without necessary affecting the green brightness.</para>

    <para>Visible rules are often the resolution mechanism, combat

      rules (in action oriented settings) and PC statistics.  Less

      visible rules are often the initial creation mechanism (you just

      used it once) and evolution mechanics of the character (which

      usually only happens at the end of a game).</para>

  </section>

  <section id="brightness">

    <title>Brightness and Transparency</title>