Let down your chains

When people talk about mechanics in gaming what they are discussing is really process. Mechancis are just tools to get the process of gaming accomplished. I personally view mechanics as an enabler, as a means to a more important end. Which is fun. Mechanics are successful when they are a vehicle for expressing and releasing the knowledge, creativity and energy that lies within a group. Thus while mechanics can be valuable the main challenge is to compile and validate specific ways to inspire meaningful, creative play. And I’m not a firm believer that mechanics are necessarily the best way to do that, and even at times mechanics may (like any tool) be an impediment.

That’s right. Mechanics can be an impediment to gaming. shiffer has thrown down the gauntlet. There is a growing group of us who have long felt that way and perhaps its time to star being more organized about it. Goodness knows communities of gamers in non-English speaking countries have been doing so for years.

I think one of the problems is that the folks best capable of writing about process beyond mechanics are either too busy gaming to do be bothered with it, or have done the majority of their work in one specific sub-community (Amber) and it hasn’t leaked out that successfully. I’m as guilt of this as the next person.

Okay this post may be a little more twelve-step than I intended. I am going somewhere but for now that somewhere is to go home so I can game.