While I am always amazed by your thoughts, this time I do not feel aligned with the 'vibe theory'. My first consideration is that I could possibly be wrong as this is a matter of semantic and I am not a native English speaker. For this reason, I clarify what I understand with the word 'vibe': it comes from vibration, therefore is the a feeling you perceive without any specific input, that is simply an subconscious input you get from something. If that is the correct understanding, unfortunately I don't find myself on the same page. The main reason is that there is a confusion between vibes from a purchase and vibes from a game. The underlying concept is that 'vibe' in this case turns out as 'appeal for a purchase or for the mere fact of owning an RPG'. This is pretty far from the vibe coming from a gaming experience. The later is provided by the GM with little (or none) contribution from the RPG itself... (i.e. I doubt the GM is going to show how cool are the tables in the book during the game).
This implies that the concept of 'vibe' is a pure marketing feature, in other words it is the measure of how worth is the product to be bought... (I could have the best graphic designer of the word and the worst RPG ever and come out with a product which provides vibes...). I don't want to offend anyone however I find that contents should prevail over form, it is not a coincidence that the last sentence of my game is an old saying: Roma pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus. Happy to clarify any aspect of my comment, as a matter of fact it should be more extensive and detailed than this short explanation. thanks
If the author's idea is this one, this time he didn't get to this point... the fact that the equipment is called in a certain way in the book, it doesn't imply the transmission of the vibes from the GM to the players within the game... the fact that a word used for the concept of equipment can generate good/bad vibes is not true to my eyes: from this specific detail of the explanation I came to the Latin saying. Re to this one, its meaning is simple (despite the underlying concept is deep!): today we miss the original item/idea (i.e. the rose), we don't know it as it doesn't exist anymore in its pure and true form; we hold only names. I know it sounds ridiculous using such a philosophical concept here, however it perfectly fits the case: the word equipment or any other synonym is a mere exercise of semantic, we actually miss its original concept (i.e. it's a pure exercise of form with absence of substance). Unfortunately this is not an 'error' of Monte, this is a trend of our society which is reflected also in RPGs...
I think the colloquial interpretation from the US is less distinct. But I think Mr Cook looks at this as the impression or imprint that the game is providing to the players and GM.
Colors. Fonts. Stylistic graphic presentation. They all matter to the impression that the reader gets.
But so do the words. I think MC does a great job of a military “load out” versus the “kit” that a career professional might have in a heist game or the “equipment” from a D&D character.
Also even though I was a founder of Numenera, Cypher has slipped off my radar as a go-to at my table. Need to get “ The Strange” (a personal favorite) back in rotation.
"Colors. Fonts. Stylistic graphic presentation. They all matter to the impression that the reader gets."
Spot on! Firstly you're pointing out only formal features and no substantial ones: that's my first and greatest concern. Secondly you confirm me that the target is the reader, not the player. The player (and the GM) won't likely never read text of the game during the game...
I would explain 'vibe' as a way to sum up the expected play experience. It can encompass anything from the type of stories told within a genre, to something as subjective as the emotions the mechanics hope to elicit through play.
As an example, if you were faced with a bookshelf of plain white covers with titles in black Helvetica, you'd have a hard time picking the RPG about being pirates at a glance (without the publisher restoring to just calling the game 'Pirate RPG', a name that doesn't exactly elicit the excitement of plundering the 7 seas).
For me, form is incredibly important as a communication tool. It's the quickest method possible to portray the intended pay experience to the DM, as they absorb it's literal and figurative vocabulary and, as a consequence, pass it on to their players. This established vibe then needs to deliver on its promise through content that lives up to its premise. This is why I hold form and function in equal regard in that sense. Without one, the other suffers.
You can have a bunch of people in a room but, if the vibes not right, it's not a party.
This was a great read, thank you! I've been fascinated reading the Cosmere RPG beta, the Draw Steel backer release, and the Daggerheart beta; your article helps give me words to describe the vibe I'm noticing. The article also makes me wonder how games will develop and change further in the future. I've been able to try more non-D&D games this year, which was a goal of mine last year, and the horizon is SO vast. So many different games, and they're evolving and changing too.
Incredibly helpful for someone like me, a hobbyist game creator who is just starting to wrap my head around writing adventures for others to enjoy. Thank you sharing.
Great article, almost a rehabilitation of vibes on design. From a design point of view it may be important to say that “vibes matter”. Feeling is a tool the designer can and, nowadays, has to use when writing, side by side with the rules.
While I am always amazed by your thoughts, this time I do not feel aligned with the 'vibe theory'. My first consideration is that I could possibly be wrong as this is a matter of semantic and I am not a native English speaker. For this reason, I clarify what I understand with the word 'vibe': it comes from vibration, therefore is the a feeling you perceive without any specific input, that is simply an subconscious input you get from something. If that is the correct understanding, unfortunately I don't find myself on the same page. The main reason is that there is a confusion between vibes from a purchase and vibes from a game. The underlying concept is that 'vibe' in this case turns out as 'appeal for a purchase or for the mere fact of owning an RPG'. This is pretty far from the vibe coming from a gaming experience. The later is provided by the GM with little (or none) contribution from the RPG itself... (i.e. I doubt the GM is going to show how cool are the tables in the book during the game).
This implies that the concept of 'vibe' is a pure marketing feature, in other words it is the measure of how worth is the product to be bought... (I could have the best graphic designer of the word and the worst RPG ever and come out with a product which provides vibes...). I don't want to offend anyone however I find that contents should prevail over form, it is not a coincidence that the last sentence of my game is an old saying: Roma pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus. Happy to clarify any aspect of my comment, as a matter of fact it should be more extensive and detailed than this short explanation. thanks
I think the thesis is that vibes of a product are channeled through the GM into the game.
What does the Latin say?
If the author's idea is this one, this time he didn't get to this point... the fact that the equipment is called in a certain way in the book, it doesn't imply the transmission of the vibes from the GM to the players within the game... the fact that a word used for the concept of equipment can generate good/bad vibes is not true to my eyes: from this specific detail of the explanation I came to the Latin saying. Re to this one, its meaning is simple (despite the underlying concept is deep!): today we miss the original item/idea (i.e. the rose), we don't know it as it doesn't exist anymore in its pure and true form; we hold only names. I know it sounds ridiculous using such a philosophical concept here, however it perfectly fits the case: the word equipment or any other synonym is a mere exercise of semantic, we actually miss its original concept (i.e. it's a pure exercise of form with absence of substance). Unfortunately this is not an 'error' of Monte, this is a trend of our society which is reflected also in RPGs...
Fascinating commentary.
I think the colloquial interpretation from the US is less distinct. But I think Mr Cook looks at this as the impression or imprint that the game is providing to the players and GM.
Colors. Fonts. Stylistic graphic presentation. They all matter to the impression that the reader gets.
But so do the words. I think MC does a great job of a military “load out” versus the “kit” that a career professional might have in a heist game or the “equipment” from a D&D character.
Also even though I was a founder of Numenera, Cypher has slipped off my radar as a go-to at my table. Need to get “ The Strange” (a personal favorite) back in rotation.
"Colors. Fonts. Stylistic graphic presentation. They all matter to the impression that the reader gets."
Spot on! Firstly you're pointing out only formal features and no substantial ones: that's my first and greatest concern. Secondly you confirm me that the target is the reader, not the player. The player (and the GM) won't likely never read text of the game during the game...
I mean it IS a book…
I would explain 'vibe' as a way to sum up the expected play experience. It can encompass anything from the type of stories told within a genre, to something as subjective as the emotions the mechanics hope to elicit through play.
As an example, if you were faced with a bookshelf of plain white covers with titles in black Helvetica, you'd have a hard time picking the RPG about being pirates at a glance (without the publisher restoring to just calling the game 'Pirate RPG', a name that doesn't exactly elicit the excitement of plundering the 7 seas).
For me, form is incredibly important as a communication tool. It's the quickest method possible to portray the intended pay experience to the DM, as they absorb it's literal and figurative vocabulary and, as a consequence, pass it on to their players. This established vibe then needs to deliver on its promise through content that lives up to its premise. This is why I hold form and function in equal regard in that sense. Without one, the other suffers.
You can have a bunch of people in a room but, if the vibes not right, it's not a party.
This was a great read, thank you! I've been fascinated reading the Cosmere RPG beta, the Draw Steel backer release, and the Daggerheart beta; your article helps give me words to describe the vibe I'm noticing. The article also makes me wonder how games will develop and change further in the future. I've been able to try more non-D&D games this year, which was a goal of mine last year, and the horizon is SO vast. So many different games, and they're evolving and changing too.
Incredibly helpful for someone like me, a hobbyist game creator who is just starting to wrap my head around writing adventures for others to enjoy. Thank you sharing.
Great article, almost a rehabilitation of vibes on design. From a design point of view it may be important to say that “vibes matter”. Feeling is a tool the designer can and, nowadays, has to use when writing, side by side with the rules.