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Woo I really am enjoying reading this. To add another perspective in the recursive demon of internet conversation: I actually think ‘storygames’ would probably have more in common with limit rules than tool rules so here I go because I am very excited to talk about this... https://twitter.com/distemperedgus/status/1259504423346114565
Functionally as I run or enjoy or see ‘Storygames’ the dice are there to adjudicate things that are of central importance to the story you are telling. The same way that THAC0, AC, Initative and Spells are granular rules for adjudicating the downside to adventuring (attacks!)
If everything is a collaborative story (and to a degree I’d say even Gygaxian high naturalism is even if it is just because your one market has a lot of chain because the party fought Flinds and couldn’t sell their weapons as anything but crude tools) then meaningful decisions...
Are when in D&D I’d simply want to say “my character wins the fight” and move on because combat is an obstacle that changes the game state (spell slots, consumables, HP, etc are game state changes) same with PbtA array outcomes: in that story those are the outcomes Luck dictates
System maybe matters to the extent it is a collaborative decision about “who acts as judge” and “who they are accountable to” ex. an individual judge beholden impartial rules (I prefer my players winning) if or being collaboratively accountable to “the story”
They’re very similar impulses because what there are rules for say a lot about what the game needs adjudicated. Shadowrun has complex fiddly John Woo gun based action economy that accounts for adjusting a shotguns choke or running like hell behind partial barriers because...
Those are the brushes telling you something about the painting the same way different selection of mechanically identical polearms says a lot about puzzle solving with a piece of metal on the end of a long stick (hammer vs tines vs point, etc.) not about combat use, maybe?
I think this maybe also accounts for “what people think is difficult”: people want to roll for social outcomes either because they are good at them and wanna roll with the punches or they aren’t used to being a carnie double talker telling someone to Follow the Ball
I struggle to play someone who makes good decisions, gaming has some built in social checks for that—at the table, selecting a game, rolling up a character, prodding the world and in escalating decisions & consequences: I can ask if it’s ok for me to endanger everyone or just me
