I think it just isn't really an apples-to-apples comparison to be honest...
I do think though this is an area in the design space ripe for experimentation and innovation. I think the vast majority of games are meant to be played in a certain way that hasn't really deviated much in thirty-plus years. I think we should be looking into how we play games now (sometimes in person, sometimes via video chat, sometimes by post, etc.), who we play games with (a static group, a static group with some drop outs, a totally changing group, etc.), when we play games (real time (for an hour or four all at once), asynchronously (PbP), etc.), how the narratives proceed (generally linearly, sometimes in flashbacks, almost always with a static cast of main characters often bound solely to a single player, etc.)... There are definitely a handful of games that push against these norms, but not many.
Something I am deeply interested in exploring is whether there can be a focus on the cohesion and power of the narrative as a whole and design for that and incentivize that...
(Apologies to PaulCzege if I am thread-jacking.)
Your timing is actually quite good with this post since I have been kicking around design ideas related to it, though more related to the idea of RPG play as art..
"Literariness" as implied by the quote I think necessarily requires planning and review and intention. An author spends days to years honing the one story such that there is much in it that needs to (likely) be reread to really "get." Generally the playing of a session of an RPG doesn't allow for those sorts of things. Usually there is too much action/reaction occurring to allow for such intention. Additionally, when does the "reread" occur? In general there is no record of the game that can be later mulled over.
There are a couple places where I think these things are kind of changing though, or at least have the possibility of changing. Specifically I am thinking of play-by-post games and streaming (and recorded) games. Play by post games certainly could be (or at least become) literature - it requires time and intention and revision - but seeing as though it is the written word - that is totally feasible.
I think streaming can head in a literary direction assuming the players are reviewing past "episodes" and working to reintegrate things into future ones - or even better - intentionally putting things in in earlier episodes planning to reintegrate them later.
I think the issue that mostly holds this back is that games aren't designed with this in mind. They aren't designed to push players towards reflection, revision, layering, motifs, foreshadowing, etc. They also aren't designed for exact replay. All the words are the same every time you read a book. You can't make that happen playing a game a second time. You can watch or read or listen to a game that has been documented and maybe notice literary qualities (assuming they are there and are there intentionally) - but not replay it the exact same way.
I also think that literature (and really art in general) has an idea of an audience. Generally when you are playing an RPG there is no audience outside of the people participating in the game. (Again, this isn't the case if you are streaming or maybe publicly playing by post.) I think that leads to different personal goals while playing. I think it also leads to more openness and willingness to push personal boundaries - you know only a few people are seeing you do this completely unscripted thing.
All that being said, I don't think anyone has written a game yet with the goal of literariness. (ie designs in mechanics to make it happen and rewards it) I am intrigued by the idea though.



Paul Czege PostsWhat do you think?Mar 22 at 6:40 PM