Episode 325 – limited narrative control

* (1:05) If you have any extra money this Christmas, please consider a contribution to Operation Underground Railroad, which is working to free children from sex trafficking.  (I realize O.U.R. has gotten verbal and financial support from Glenn Beck, but to the best of my understanding, this is not his charity.  It operates under the broader charity, Child Rescue Association of North America — whose reports can you can find here.  I hope this charity will be judged on its merits, not the opinion you may have of controversial individuals that have supported its work.) * (2:28) Derek would like your input on how to handle the raffle prizes for Fear the Con 7‘s charity.  You can place your votes in the forum poll. * (4:30) John makes a comparison between Dan’s apparent investment in and enjoyment of the XCOM Saga (which has crowd-sourced roleplaying elements) as compared to more traditional roleplaying games. * (6:08) A brief history of how the XCOM Saga got started and how it’s conducted now. * (10:35) Reversing the question from why Dan likes it more to why it’s getting so much traction among its players.  The investment created by playing something unabashedly personal. * (14:33) A quick aside to define ARG and note we’re not quite using the term quite right. * (15:36) When “close to home” gets too close to home. * (16:08) The overlap between the XCOM Saga and a traditional tabletop RPG.  How much control Dan is or isn’t exerting over the direction of the RP. * (30:09) Mining this experience for truths about tabletop roleplaying games.  What it means to trust a GM and how much trust a GM can fairly request. * (35:53) The role of geography and group composition in this issue. * (37:44) Rethinking the viability of playing yourself as a character. Hosts: Beth, Dan, Johann, John