A Simulationist/Narrativist Manifesto

2007/06/20

I'm getting increasingly tired of game designers treating the Simulationist and Narrativist preferences as mere nice-to-haves (or, even worse, as undesirable distractions) compared to Gamist features.

Worldiness matters, dammit. Flinging a bunch of arbitrary, semi-random rules out there is fine for some people, but there are others -- and I'm one of them -- for whom that is utter junk. For us, a game where consistency is considered a distraction is not fun, and it's not worth playing. Conversely, a game in which consistency is respected, in which the objects and activities in that gameworld fit into a coherent physical/sociological model, would make everything that could be done in that game significantly more fun.

For us, consistency increases fun. Are we irrelevant? Are our notions of what's fun unworthy of respect? I don't think so, and I'm sick and tired of being being told to go sit in the back of the bus and not get uppity by asking for the gameworld to be designed in such a way that I'm an equal player.

It's time for game designers to start treating Simulationist and Narrativist interests as equals to Gamist preferences. All of these styles (and probably some of the Experientialist mindset as well) need to be consciously considered when designing content for a mass-market MMORPG. Excluding Simulationist and Narrativist features means excluding logical and emotional consistency in the game world. It means a lack of, yes, "immersiveness." Any designers who think that's either desirable or necessary in a game intended for broad consumption have no business being paid to design games.

In short, "gameplay" does not only mean catering to Gamist interests -- what Simulationists and Narrativists (and Experientialists) enjoy doing for structured fun counts as "gameplay," too.

Until their interests are taken seriously by designing actual content for them, they won't play these MMORPG things. And publishers will fail to make as much money as they otherwise could.

Why should any of us settle for that?

End manifesto.