08-30-2017, 07:25 PM
Thanks! 
it's one of the reasons why I have mostly withdrawn from that sort of debates, actually. Most scholars - or, rather, internet pundits - in the field seem to critically underestimate the value of improvised storytelling when they talk about gaming - or rather, they ignore it because ignoring it allows them to create more reliable models with specific source material. And while that is convenient, I don't think it's the right direction, at all.
The way more interesting question would be to determine the daily vernacular of nerds in the '70s. You know, what the vernacular, conversational standard was when it came to fantasy literature: Did people know "Conan the Barbarian", and did they refer to him the same way we do, now? - Stuff like that. Much harder to investigate, though.
it's one of the reasons why I have mostly withdrawn from that sort of debates, actually. Most scholars - or, rather, internet pundits - in the field seem to critically underestimate the value of improvised storytelling when they talk about gaming - or rather, they ignore it because ignoring it allows them to create more reliable models with specific source material. And while that is convenient, I don't think it's the right direction, at all.The way more interesting question would be to determine the daily vernacular of nerds in the '70s. You know, what the vernacular, conversational standard was when it came to fantasy literature: Did people know "Conan the Barbarian", and did they refer to him the same way we do, now? - Stuff like that. Much harder to investigate, though.