been playing a bit of Roblox with a friend and a thing that's v common in Roblox & rare elsewhere in videogames is all the games which are about roleplaying. where half the mechanics are social rules rather than game code rules.

here's two screenshots. in one, I look at the FAQ for a game about doing gymnastics. in the other, I'm a swan in a nest. in both games, you can perform actions in a social space, and you receive satisfaction from being seen to perform those actions, rather than a "game mechanic"

i always think about this being the difference between a boardgame and a videogame - in boardgames, the rules are like a legal law - they're socially negotiated. in videgames, the rules are like a law of physics - they're a property of the space.

but of course, that's kind of simplistic - Jenga uses physical rules, and videogames can also have socially negotiated rules (for a good example, press "Show Rules" on this page: https://www.speedrun.com/oot#Glitchless )

there are pockets of roleplaying in other multiplayer games - I've got fond memories of playing Plunkbat as a group of lads on a stag do - but generally they're overshadowed by defined goals & a culture that doesn't think that way

maybe it's just an adult/kid thing - kids do love to play games of pretend... but honestly so do adults, there's just fewer socially acceptable spaces for them to do so.

like, I recently got Game Pass, and have played a good amount of both Flight Simulator & Crusader Kings III. and both are games without a defined goal where one of the main joys is inhabiting a role. yes yes, lots of systemic complexity, but it always comes back to the role

anyway... Roblox! it's neat. hope all of the designers suddenly realising it's a thing & paying attention gives rise to some more multiplayer games with some really thoughtful socially constructed rules

it has been about 12 hours since I tweeted this thread... and I still regret now starting it with "Buckle up, guys, it's time for some game theory"