I remember reading some classic thread where Ron broke the traditional "GM" role apart into constituent functions/roles. Unfortunately, it appears I didn't bookmark it, and I can't remember the thread title (I doubt the analysis I'm looking for was part of the thread starting topic, more likely it was Ron's answer to an ongoing AP or theory discussion thread).
Can anybody help me find what I'm looking for, from just this limited information?
Hi Raffaele,
Is this the thread you're looking for?
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/archive/index.php?topic=20791.msg216100#msg216100 (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/archive/index.php?topic=20791.msg216100#msg216100).
I know there was another thread about the GM role broken down into hosting and teaching the rules and other stuff, but I can't find that at the moment.
Steve, thank you.
I think the thread I was looking for is the other one you mention (and I'm still looking for it), but this one is also going to be extremely useful for the work I'm doing.
I found this:
http://indie-rpgs.com/archive/index.php?topic=21694.msg222607#msg222607
Please read "PART THREE: SORENSEN", which is the relevant bit.
I'm looking for the thread or threads where Ron defined and discussed these "GM tasks". I need to include it/them as reference(s) in an article I'm writing for this (http://www.larpsymposium.org/?page_id=428) thing.
Thanks everybody who can and will help! ^^
Rafu, you could have asked me, I was the one who cited these threads in my articles on Gente che Gioca, and the links are cited there...
The threads are:
Silent Railroading and the Intersection of Scenario Prep & Player Authorship (http://indie-rpgs.com/archive/index.php?topic=20791.0), that was already cited, and
You've Landed on Gaming Group "Park Place", Pay $15 Rent (http://indie-rpgs.com/archive/index.php?topic=22268.0)
Some threads where these concepts were used a lot (and defined more exactly):
[Lacuna] OK so I tried it... [SPOILER ALERT] (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forge/index.php?topic=25522.0)
][PtA] How are the narrative authorities working in this scene? (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forge/index.php?topic=26667.0) (this is a follow-up to [PTA] Players wanting their PCs to fail? (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forge/index.php?topic=26413.0), that should be maybe read before, for context)
Other threads of interest, but tangential to the issue, are:
The Rustbelt] Cruel cargo; also, more GM clumsiness (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forge/index.php?topic=25948.0)
Christopher Kubasik's posts in this thread: [TSoY] I fought "The Party" and "The Party" won (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forge/index.php?topic=26025.0)
Thank you, old man!
Just a pet peeve: of course asking The Forge users includes asking you as well. What's your point there? O_o Also, I genuinely couldn't remember who pointed me to those threads in the past, could be you or anybody else.
BTW, it turns out that the one I had on my mind was "Park Place", and I even bookmarked it a long time ago, but wasn't able to find it in my bookmark folders anyway because I was clueless about the thread title. I'm sure there's a lesson to be learned here, but I'm not quite sure what it is.
Thanks, again, to everybody who helped me out.
In case you're curious... the finished essay, "There is no such thing as a 'GM'", is available for download from this link (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38479421/LF_2_14_Manzo.pdf) and included in the Larp Frescos, vol. II (http://tinyurl.com/larpfrescos2ebook) book — which you can download (http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_71/11700000/11700467/1/print/LarpFrescos_vol2.pdf) as well (it's half Italian, half English, with my essay found in the English section).
I was waiting for a read-online version to link around, but now I'm told that (unlike last year's book, Larp Graffiti (http://www.larpsymposium.org/?page_id=189)) there are no such plans for Larp Frescos — thus, downloadable PDF file it is.