I'm responding to the question that was directly posed to me.
where I can find such playfulness? During games? Check. During phone calls with -Spiegel-? Check. On the forum? Uhm, I don't know, how does it work on GCG, if it's present?
That issue is clearly still in flux for this forum, as it matures. The situation is very similar to a phase of the Forge's development. In 2001, a number of people became very emotionally invested in being considered "real game designers," which as far as this current discussion goes is at least recognized as an issue by the people here. However, another problem developed soon afterward and really poisoned the Forge until about 2005: people who specialized in esoteric and hyper-intellectualized critique, and who seemed determined to avoid
conclusions through discussion. This is why I closed the old forums called "GNS Discussion" and "RPG Theory," because we saw 5-page threads about the tiniest and most abstract bullshit; and I then insisted that all such topics be grounded in actual play.
I don't think that problem has developed here in exactly the same form. The community here has its politics and personality clashes, but the most prolific and authoritative posters are already committed to the actual-play foundation. What is happening here, though, is indeed similar in that the intellectual atmosphere of talking about game design is not yet fully established. What the Forge discussions at that time lacked was a sense of whimsy and fun, the ability to stay on-topic and to be productive, but also the ability to share fun.
Here, the "fanmail" convention seems like it might be turned toward that end. As I see it, fanmail is most often expressed to declare solidarity with an intellectual point, which is potentially a great thing, but carries the risk of establishing turf over identity politics, like all the women in Oprah Winfrey's audience clapping when the stupid cow on stage is sniffling about her husband not listening to her, and then the admittedly-unattractive guy receives silence when he retorts that she's refused to sleep with him for ten years. It's also used to express amusement at jokes, which is also a great thing, but carries the risk of fun and laughter being reserved for trivia.
I think it would be nice to see these things combined: that posing an idea or possible game design concept can receive fanmail here on the basis of its genuine attractiveness to someone, without such a response becoming a referendum-vote, and without being subject to immediate criticism merely because someone dislikes it on the basis of personal preference. It's related to one of my moderating points at the Forge, which is that if you don't like someone's idea strictly on the basis of personal taste, then your criticisms are not relevant to the discussion about the idea.
Best, Ron
