For this first post I’ll lay the groundwork to Doing it RAW. I may revisit this framework from time to time; to update it as my style evolves or fill in gaps as I find them. For now, I am not going to stress over the perfect tool. It’s time to start writing.
The principles of Doing it RAW are as follows
Respect the premise
According to the rules
We experience the game as art
Respect the premise
We tell the story the game wants to tell. We treat the pitch as the intended experience and we play to it in good faith. We will not attempt to subvert the game’s tropes or run from the path before us.
You can do anything in ttrpgs, much in the same way you can run away with the football, read the book backwards, or drive the car off the tracks. We are not here to evaluate the existential limits of human potential; we are here to play a game.
According to the rules
We do no believe in Rule Zero at this table. We assume that every rule in the book was put there with intention. If the rules produce an unfun, harmful, or unpleasant experience it is not inconsequential just because we can change them. If the rules produce a fun, moving, and engaging experience it is to their credit.
There is a wealth of paratext for any given game. Discourse, player tips, interpretations, hacks, splats, actual plays, etc. While I will not pretend I can approach any game tabula rasa, I will do my best to play and discuss the game based on the actual text written in the book.
We experience the game as art
We can critique a game with many lenses; is it balanced? Is it fun? Is it worth your money? In this framework, we are going to critique games as art. We come to them with assumptions, beliefs, and expectations. We will leave the game having experienced and responded to it.
I am not going to describe the game as a product or an experience. It is a piece of art I interact with. Regardless of the quality of its individual parts, the value gained is from experiencing it.