diff -r 000000000000 -r 9119688b1f02 couleurs.xml --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/couleurs.xml Mon Dec 26 19:21:22 2005 -0500 @@ -0,0 +1,1096 @@ + + +
+ + Les couleurs du système + Une typologie des mécaniques du jeu de rôle + + La conception de jeux de rôle est un art, un + système de principes et de règles pour obtenir un effet + désiré. 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. + + + modèle GDS/GNS + jeu de rôle + conception de système + simulationisme + ludisme + narrativisme + + + Fabien + Niñoles + + + 2002-2005 + Fabien Niñoles + + + + + 0.6 : + 2005-06-25 + + Traduction de la version anglaise à partir de la + version 0.5r3. + + + + 0.5r3 : + 2003-06-02 + + 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. + + + + 0.4r4: + 2003-01-26 + + 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. + + + + 0.3r2 : + 2003-01-10 + + 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 + Couleur Transparente. + + + + 0.2 : + 2003-01-10 + + Première version publiée. + + + + 0.1 : + 2003-01-01 + + Version inition (incomplète). + + + + +
+ Introduction + + 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. + + 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: Qu'est-ce qui est désirable, sinon + nécessaire, dans tout jeu de rôle? 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. + + 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. + +
+ +
+ Qu'est-ce qu'un jeu de rôle? + + 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: + + + + a description of an imaginary universe called the + setting; + + + a set of rules to handle events resolution in the + setting, called the system. + + + + 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. + + 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. + + 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. + +
+ +
+ The color model + + 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? + + 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. + + Here is the three primary colors and their definitions: + + + + Consistent Red + + + 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 Suspension of Disbelief. 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 stop attitude, as well as + the tendency of very high red system to be a bit bloody in + action. This is not, however, a universal + characteristic! + + A good example of system with a strong red color is + RoleMaster with their very detailed + systems for med-fan universe + + Really, I'm not sure if this is a good example. + Any better suggestions welcome. + + . + + + + Fluid + + 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. + + Green + + + 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. + + A good example of a green system is The Window, a free RPG game + with very simple mechanics. + + + + + Immersive Blue + + 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. + + One of the bluest system that the author know is + eight, a free RPG + where all of the few rules participate to the setting + atmosphere. + + + + + All of the three colors can be mixed together, in different + quantities. This give us 4 more different colors + + Remember, this is the three + additive primary colors, just like your + television but unlike water painting, which used primary + subtractive colors. + + : + + + + Clear-Sight Yellow (Red and Green) + + + 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. + + 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. + + + + Dramatic Cyan (Green and Blue) + + + 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. + + One popular example of Cyan systems are + Nobilis and the + Storyteller system (at least by + intentions). + + + + Expressive Magenta (Red and Blue) + + + A rare combination: Magenta systems tend to immersed + you into details. Many 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. + + Good examples of those systems included mostly + science-fiction or military oriented settings. + Heavy Gear can be described as one + of them under certain aspects. + + + + Pure White (Red, Green and Blue) + + + 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. + + 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. + + + + +
+ +
+ Freedom + + 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: + + + + Tenacity + + + 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. + + Example of system with a good Tenacity is + GURPS. + + + + Chameleon + + + 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. + + The only system I know which try to be chameleon is + Multiverser, a system with a bias + parameter for fitting with different universes. + + + + + 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. + + 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? + + + + 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. + +
+ +
+ Beauty of the system + + 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 in the eye of the + beholder, we use another quality related to our painting + metaphor that have the same characteristic: Beauty. + + 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 Transparent, a + matter we will see later in . + +
+ +
+ The visibility of the rules + + 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 + hiding such color into less visible aspect, + you can, for example, achieve an overall more reddish system, + without necessary affecting the green brightness. + + 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). + +
+ +
+ Brightness and Transparency + + Before going further, a little more clarification is needed. + What is Brightness? How it affects the role playing + experience? + + Well, Brightness in this model looks more like a spell of + Light, and is opposite, the spell of Darkness. Dark colors will + not only have a low effect but even make your settings and your + whole role playing experience darker, which + means less fun and less interesting. On the opposite way, a + brighter system will not only let your setting and GM talents + show up, but will enhance your experience, sustaining and even + creating a more fun and entertaining experience. + + So one should not think that ignoring a color will do no + harm. All colors are necessary, but some settings and/or GM can + provide their own light to the role playing experience and so + don't need much. So, the point where a rule color switch from + being dark to bright really depends on the quality of the + setting and the talents of the GM. A beginner GM will find a + system very bright that a more experienced GM will find too dark + for him. This is however not a good reason to compare GM with + the color system. How a GM can make a system looks Greener, + Bluer or Redder for the players it's an open question not + address in this article. Same thing about the settings. But + it's clear that the brighter the system, the best it can help + the GM to make a good role playing experience for his players, + and fit the needs of more GM. + +
+ Transparency + + There is some system which depends a lot on the GM + abilities to bring some brightness to it. We call this + characteristic Transparency. A Transparent system let the GM + take more decisions about the right way to handle differents + situations. They have a very low strictness, often just + providing guidelines on how to interpret some results, + determine difficulty, or even how to resolve differents + situations. + + There are two common misconceptions with Transparent + systems. The first is that Transparent System necessary + Green. This is not true at all. By letting the GM abilities + take care of many aspects of the role playing experience, + transparent system are mainly for mature and experienced + players, which is the opposite of some Green qualities. + + The other misconception is that Green systems are + Transparent. This misconception is part due to the fact that + Green systems seems to go mostly with the flow that we have + the impression that the system is absent, the game going by + itself. This is a quality of Green systems, not Transparent + one, although that with a good GM, it can be seen this way. + In fact, transparent systems take more easily the color the GM + want and, for this, looks a lot like Chameleon systems. + + Transparent system denomination is often in a more + broad context than here. The right definition seems to + vary a lot and so, I prefer to make my own. Generally + speaking, what people seems to call transparent systems + seems to be more a kind of either Bright Green or + Transparent systems in the Colors model. Try to not + confuse people by specifying clearly that you are talking + about Transparent Color systems. + + + + Transparency, however, is not necessary a goal desirable + for any RPG system. As we have said, Transparent system can + be very hard on newcomers to RPG. They need some experience + from the GM and also the players to make the role playing + experience fun and interesting. Transparent systems provide + no light by them self, but also no darkness. So, if you're an + experienced GM or aim your game to experienced GM, transparent + system can be great. + + Examples of transparent systems include The Window and Hero + Wars. + +
+ +
+ +
+ The red color + + Consistent Red elements of a particular system are hard to + define. The first thing to know when trying to set the red part + of a system (or to evaluate the red component of a system) is to + know what's the particular element of the setting which is + currently simulate and how this element must be and behave. For + most setting elements, the creator simply doesn't know. + + A common assumption is to considered the setting as an image + of our reality. This assumption is good most of the time except + that there is also many parts, not always explicitly state as + so, that differs from our reality laws. For example, we want + our characters to be greater than normal, to have special + powers, to not die easily and we have this special race which + are incredibly big or small and which could not have survived + within our physical laws or those spaceships that can warp the + universe using an improbability motor. For all of this, as well + as for avoiding useless complication, we normally don't want our + system to be an exact simulation of our + reality. We want it to allow some break with our normal + physical laws and history, without affecting too much the + overall credibility of the setting. Players are usually ready + and even interest to accept such break with the normal rules of + our daily reality, in exchange of some fantasy. + + But here an important word was said: + credibility. What's make a system + credible? A credible system act in a predictable way when you + ask it to simulate different setting aspects. If the setting + say that an experienced fighter will be able to resist easily + and with no danger to a peasant, the simulation should represent + this by giving greatest chance to the fighter to win against the + peasant. How much exactly is a matter of perception, but here + again, another important word was said: the system must be + predictable. With a predictable system, + the creator or the GM can adjust the representation of the + setting elements in the system, the way she expects them to + react, which is certainly the best way to have a credible + system. + + Another important factor for reddish system is about limits. + The setting often put some limits on the capacity of many of its + elements. A fighter can't lift more than a certain amount of + weight and magic power couldn't change the past for example. + Those limits must be represent in the system. Although those + limits can often be directly imposed by the mechanics used in + the system, another way is to use a limitless mechanics and to + let arbitration imposed such limits. This make things more + complex a little but act like a chameleon mechanism to the + system. So the creator or the GM don't have to change the core + mechanics when the setting change, they just have to change the + few rules that set the limits. + + Having a limitless mechanism also give another degree of + freedom to the system. Limitless mechanism act on a more + broader range of settings by definition and so have a better + Tenacity. Finding what's the limits of a system is a very good + way to evaluate both the red component of a system, as well as + its Tenacity. A system that have some setting elements out of + its limits doesn't have a bright red color, and a system that + have limits very close to the setting elements usually doesn't + have a good Tenacity neither. System that can move its limits + however without big modification also have a good Chameleon + freedom. + + Finally, an important thing to understand about this color + it is that's not because you put more details that your system + became necessary redder! Details often just add to the + complexity, without giving any real brightness to the red + components. To add brightness to the red color, details must + really sustain a dissimilar assets to the setting elements + linked to it and this asset must be justified in the + setting. + +
+ +
+ The green color + + The green color is probably the color which is the more + affected by the visibility. + Putting a green element on a low visibility aspect of your + setting will probably not affect your gaming experience very + much, but putting a bright green element on a very visible + system can totally change it. + + The green color is the only one who addresses only system or + meta-gaming aspects. The setting isn't touch by it, at least + not directly. Its importance however is very high if you want + to let the setting take some place since a dark green system + often take all the place in the game, taking away all the other + elements. The Green color help a lot to not let the system + impede into the role playing experience. + + There is many way to make a system greener, some of them + being quite opposed to each other and more a question of + balance. For example, a complex formula can be replace by a + chart for a better access, but too many charts is slower than + using a generic formula. There is also a learning curves that + can change the color aspect: a system can have a very stiff + learning curve (making it very dark green for a beginner) but + once learn and some practice add to it, becoming very quick and + easy to use (bright green). The best is to have both aspect + together (smooth learning curve and fast resolution time) but + it's all a question of tradeoff. + + Using character classes, not only make the system greener, + but can also help to aboard the setting. Using derived + attributes instead of summing them in play can also help, as + long as they aren't too much. This method is especially useful + for high visible elements of the system. There can be many + gaming help also like a good index, summary charts for most + visible elements, especially on the player character sheet or + the game master screen. Multiple rolls or too much dice can + also slow down the game, as well as too complex formula or too + many factors. Try to combine them when needed in just one roll + and avoid adding unnecessary randomness. For example, use the + success margin of a to hit roll instead of + rolling another dice to determine the level of damage can help + if the margin of success is easy to determine, or in an + opposition roll, let only one opponent roll instead of both: the + result will automatically determine the result of the other + guy. + + This is good only if that make sense, like in a strength + test. If they are some chance for both opponents to fail + simultaneously, just allowing this kind of rolls could + tarnish the red color of your system. + + +
+ +
+ The blue color + + This color is clearly the more difficult to talk about. + Blue is the less tenacious + color and is mostly based on the setting elements. More over, + contrarily to the red color, there is no clear common ground of + setting elements that we can consider to be desirable for most + settings. So, the only way we can speak about the blue color, + is by speaking about genre. + + Genre is a very vague term defined as a specific kind of + artistic work. For our concern, we will define genre as a set + of different setting elements share between many settings. + Genre can overlap between them and a setting can have different + genres at the same time. The most common elements addressed by + rules are the following: + + + + Risk factor + + The risk factor is a common concern of many genres. + It measures the importance or consequence of decision by + the players. A very risky setting will put players on + their toes, carefully thinking about any decision. Rare + and scarce resources (like hit points), with very hard + actions difficulties and possibility of botches, increase + this aspect. High risk factor is popular in the horror + genre and some very realistic + setting. + + On the other side, a low risk setting will encourage + players to try different things and take risk. Generous + resources or a resolution mechanism allowing impossible + actions to be succeed (like destiny points) are different + ways to achieve such goals. Low risk factor is especially + popular in the so-called epic and heroic genres. + + It's not very clear how Fortune mechanics (mechanics + primarily based on random elements) can affect this + aspect. A very high fortune system may allow incredible + success but also incredible fumbles. So, how much an + open-ended dice affect this factor is not clear at all and + can vary. + + + + We are heroes + + Heroism is for characters that are kind of chosen by + their Gods. They aren't allow to fail easily nor even to + die. For this, they often have a kind of Destiny points + that can be spent at critical moment to avoid a fatal hit + or succeed a critical action. They can also be more + powerful than most of the other characters, either by + greater statistics, special gifts, or a systematic + advantages against their opponents. Sometime, this + systematic advantage is replace by a systematic + disadvantage towards minor NPC, which are treated as a + single opponent, how many they are. Those advantages + aren't necessary reserved for PC. Important NPC have + often similar advantages and so, constitute greater + adversaries for the PC. + + This aspect is part of many genres, including heroism, + action movies, super heroes and often space opera. They + are often link with a low risk factor, although not + necessary. + + + + Temptation of the Dark Side + + + Temptation is an important part of many fantasy + settings (either medieval, modern or space opera) and + represent the struggle of passion where a character lost + control upon herself. It is usually represented with a + counter that count down (sometime without even the + possibility of reversal) and make the player lost the + control over her character. Each time the player do + something wrong or are in contact with a temptation, the + counter can decrease (may be after a failed test) and the + PC must check if it doesn't fall in the dark side (often + represent by some frenzy). The check usually represent + just a temporary lost of control, but when the counter + goes down to zero, the PC is, must of the time, considered + a NPC, and the player must create a new one. + + Temptation can also take another aspect of opposite + values (like Chastity and Lust) going from one side to the + other. Each test failed reinforce the Value on the + victorious side, making each new test either more harder + to resist. It's usually very hard to change the balance of + the pairs of value otherwise. + + + + + This list is very partial and mostly presented here as + examples of blue color rules. A more complete study of genres + and their support in system elements are expected in a future + project, not yet plan however. One important thing to note is + that the system is not the more important part into getting the + right atmosphere to a setting. The GM style and the setting is + often far more important. The blue color is more about how a + system can support such atmospheres but doesn't necessary create + neither guarantee it at all. + +
+ + Meta-gaming elements + + Meta-gaming elements can be as important to a role-playing + game as the system or even the setting. Why not rules can + used them as well to encourage a better role playing + experience? In the color model, system that encourage some + positive meta-gaming elements are considered bluer. This is + mostly because positive meta-gaming elements often also + encourage to create a better atmosphere for game play. + + Although citing every way a system can encourage the usage + of positive meta-gaming elements to sustain a good playing + experience is not the scope of this article, a good example + how this can be achieve is by rewarding (either in direct + action bonus, or gain of some resources like Destiny points or + XP) for good role playing attitude (good description, + character sacrifice that increase the drama, etc.), extra work + on the character background, or log keeping for the group, + etc. Some games even have very specific mechanism for + meta-gaming, like Marvel Super Heroes's + Humor Points. One could even encourage other players to + participate into this kind of rewarding by allowing them a + certain amount of points to give each session to other + players. +
+ +
+ +
+ GDS-derived model and colors + + The GDS model, also known as Threefold + model was created to address the concern that many role + players have diverse interests in role playing games. How those + aspects are exactly defined or even named vary between people, + and how those aspects must be addressed by role playing games + vary even more, to the point of complete contradiction between + different opinions. However, I will try to see how system can + sustain the different interests expressed in the models, using + the colors. It's clear that, by definition, all colors are + important, but we will try to see why they are, and how much, + relatively to each other, for each group of interests. + +
+ Gamist interests + + Gamist interests can be seen as mainly defined by challenge + and fair play. Importance is set to being able to have + relatively large set of options to influence the game (and + make the challenges interesting), to be able to have good + knowledge of the situation for fair decision, and some + measurable goals must be set to determine a condition of + victory. + + This is probably the most difficult aspect to determine + the right color, but will we go for the Red color. This color is important to + provide a good environment for fair play. If the rules are + incoherent, your players will begin to play by the rules + instead of letting them go in character, to have some chance + of winning. You'll recognized this by sentences like: + I do this since it gives me a greater bonus + instead of I do this since it puts me in a better + position. + + The Green color is also + important, as long as it doesn't remove dissimilarities of + assets. The player should be able to distinguish between + different options here and there and their decision shouldn't + be simply based on pure luck. Green rules can still lead to a + very good set of options with a lot of complexity in it. + Think about games like chess. Also, green rules allow someone + to more quickly be efficient, so the mental abilities of the + players become more important than it's knowledge of the game + rules, although this can also be taken as an element of + competition that please to some gamist oriented + players. + + Finally, the Blue color can + sometime help to give players some goals to reach. This + shouldn't be neglected although, sometime, the goal + of gamers can be in a more meta-gaming level. +
+ +
+ Dramatist interests + + Dramatists interests are mostly toward the story line. + They tend to consider a good story as the most important part + of role playing, with interests directed more toward a good + drama then victory or even verisimilitude. The system must + give them greater control upon the events with, if possible, + mechanics to create good climax and interesting endings, while + sustaining the right atmosphere for the game. + + The must important color of dramatist is Blue. A blue system have a lot of + elements to favor climax and atmosphere. The Green color is also important since it + usually give a little more control in the hand of the GM, and + doesn't impede too much into the flow of the game. Finally, + the Red have still an important + part to play to enforce some verisimilitude of the story, as + long as this doesn't contradict with the goals of the + story. +
+ +
+ Simulationnist interests + + Simulationist interests are also called Explorer interests + and I tend to prefer this latter term. Explorers are mostly + interest in discovering new setting elements, but also, to a + minor extend, some elements of the system or even meta-gaming + aspects (like how players react to RPG situations). + + For Simulationists, the Red + color is the more important. An inconsistent system will + invalidate the exploration experience, making the situation + sound not very believable. The Blue color is also very interesting for + this kind of interests, allowing them to better immerse into + the game world, sustaining the experience by itself. Finally, + the Green color is seen more like + a default necessity, the system must be fluid enough to not + impede into the exploration experience. +
+ +
+ Summary + + So, Gamers are mostly Orange (Red, Green and Blue), + Dramatists are Turquoise (Blue, Green, Red), and + Simulationists are Purple (Red, Blue and Green). This is very + near the Clear-Sight Yellow, + Dramatic Cyan and Expressive Magenta of the , seen before. Those colors are called + complementary of each other and make me think that the colors + model is complementary to the threefold model about role + playing games and so shouldn't be ignored when designing game. + It make in contrast the fact that's different kind of + interests can be addressed by the same system, although some + tradeoffs are often necessary. +
+ +
+ +
+ A SCARy history + + The story of the color model begin with a heat discussion + between me and Cédric Lemaire on the createurs-jdr mailing list. + The thread subject was about what's a better system, or what's + can be ameliorate in a given system, regardless of personal + taste. We quickly find that we were talking about different + things using the same words, and so that we need to find a + little bit of vocabulary. After some work, we find up four + qualities upon which we agree that can only be an asset for any + role playing games, with particular definition for each, since + some of this qualities aren't very well defined when applied to + role playing game. + + Months passed and I began to follow the English RPG forums + on Game Design. I found a lot of new theories about RPG but + nothing like the four qualities we have ended up on the French + mailing list. I decide to make an attempt to translate them and + call this system SCARF, including a new fifth quality to it, the + Fun factor. SCARF stand for Simplicity, Coherence, + Adaptability, Realism and Fun, and the definition were very + conceived (for example, a better definition of Realism should + have been Consistency between setting and system). The awaited + flame war that follow were bigger than I was expecting and I was + a bit surprise. On a somewhat impulsive reply where it seems + that all this mess where mostly a question of vocabulary, I + ended up to suggest that the SCARy Qualities were replace with + colors. I set Green for Simplicity, Blue for Coherence, and Red + for Realism. Adaptability was declared to be Tenacity. + + It ended up that I really like the system. True, this were + more opaque than the precedent, but the color metaphor bring + with it many different aspects, especially the some undiscover + one, like the fact that Adaptability wasn't truly a Quality by + itself, but a Quality over the other Qualities. I promise to + get back with a more develop version of the SCAR color model and + return to the createurs-jdr mailing list. One post and a few + replies later, I quickly added new aspects to the Tenacity + model, dividing it between Tenacity, Chameleon and Transparency. + A remark about Légendes as a bright green + system once you pass the creation rules made me think about the + Visibility of a rule. Some more thoughts, and reading from the + Forge make me push Transparency was move from the colors freedom + to the Visibility section and finally to Brightness section + (which was mostly create the same day, with the Darkness Spell + metaphor add to it.). + + That's all for the moment folks, but I think the color model + doesn't have entirely reveal itself and can still reserved some + good surprises. More works on it is to come soon, I + hope. + +
+ +
+ Acknowledgements + + I would like to thank Cédric Lemaire, with which I develop, + in the context of a very heat flame war, the SCAR model, the + createurs-jdr mailing list members for their first commentary on + this system, John H. Kim, Brian Gleichman and Ron Edwards for + their wonderful works on RPG theory, and the members of the Art + of Game Design RPGnet forum for their inspirational comments that + lead to the colors model. +
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