This is definitely part of what I am proud of in my own designs - being able to use mechanics to redouble/emphasize narrative makes everything feel so much more cohesive and intentional!

Great thread. https://twitter.com/the_strix/status/1354869283054964739

For instance, this is what made the Corruption system in patch 8.3 work, IMO. This is also why the Punchcard Trinket was cool in Mechagon in patch 8.2.

Can you normally put a bunch of stuff in your game that attacks players and have them like it? No, definitely not. But can you do that when the fantasy of what they're doing is fending off an omnipresent eldritch being? Yes, absolutely.

Systems designers in live games have a unique challenge here. Because of how live games are made, we often are operating silo'ed from the content designers, and sometimes not even working at all with narrative designers

But you can make your work so much better by collaborating!

(all opinions expressed above are just my personal opinions, this minithread is intended for people who make games, players don't come yell at me about how you don't like one of my systems lol)