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This might be my perspective/experience coloring things, but I think there's great critique happening with the #TTRPG space. It's just that it's happening through a medium that is unique to RPGs, so it doesn't LOOK like other critique.
Which is to say, Actual Play. (Thread)
Which is to say, Actual Play. (Thread)
I think games are a medium that, however you define "play" (reading is a form of play, game design is a form of play, etc.), are an explicitly expriential medium; they're meant to be played.
AP provides a critical lens that is explicitly experiential as well.
AP provides a critical lens that is explicitly experiential as well.
And through that play, Actual Play content (whether blogs, podcasts, streams, etc.) offers a glimpse into how people interpret games, both on a specific and broader level.
And I think that carries with it a lot of implicit, and often explicit, critique.
And I think that carries with it a lot of implicit, and often explicit, critique.
Whether you're a player or designer, you can learn a lot about a game through watching an AP of it; which mechanics drive home the theme, which mechanics people bounce off of, the rules people stumble over, the ones they change on the fly, the ones they lean on.
I've listened to APs of my games, as a designer, and said "oh, yeah, they interpreted that rule this way," and it gave me a lot to think about.
Granted, this is also true of playtesting, but that's a form of critique in and of itself.
Granted, this is also true of playtesting, but that's a form of critique in and of itself.
I think streams are a really prominent area where this is happening, because they're live, and you can't edit out if you stumble over a rule, or if you have to pause and suss out what a designer is trying to get at with a text.
That live energy gives it a sense of immediacy.
That live energy gives it a sense of immediacy.
Additionally, as @HydroForge pointed out when we were discussing this earlier, the vast majority of AP is made in good faith, which fosters a positive, constructive aura of critique. Most AP producers are aiming to have fun and entertain, not tear down a game for its own sake.
Now, candidly, I'm not sure Party Of One is the BEST example of this (I think we do this pretty well and pretty intentionally, but there are definite issues of objectivity, due to us regularly featuring the guest, that make us not the most strictly critical podcast).
I also recognize all of this is happening implicitly, and often "critique" is not the main goal of an AP. But I think it's there, and I think there's a lot of room for AP born in a place of critique.
(And if you're producing that content, feel free to drop a link in the replies)
(And if you're producing that content, feel free to drop a link in the replies)
I guess to wrap this up, the things I want to see more of in Actual Play are:
- More Actual Play as critique
- More Actual Play spotlighting indie RPGs
- More support for APs spotlighting a broader array of perspectives and critical angles
- More Actual Play as critique
- More Actual Play spotlighting indie RPGs
- More support for APs spotlighting a broader array of perspectives and critical angles
(Closing note; I'm leaving replies open on this, but will be muting the thread. I'll be peeking into the replies periodically to see perspectives, but not engaging with debate or argument over anything; I'm just not particularly interested in debating this, just thoughtcrafting.)
