Episode 348: Pass-Fail vs Open-Ended Play

RPG Design Panelcast

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2021

Presented by Joan Moriarity, Darren Watts, Beth Rimmels.

Which is better, a game that concludes when somebody wins, or a game that concludes when the story is deemed to be complete? It's a trick question, obviously; both styles have their benefits and drawbacks, but what are those exactly? Why do certain kinds of players tend to gravitate toward one or the other? What can devotees of one type gain from playing the other, and how can we make it more enjoyable to cross that divide?