008 Authorities

This episode’s topic is Authorities. Who can say what, and when can they say it, in an RPG? Authorities determine this, and have, since the foundation of tabletop role playing.

Small changes to the authorities in your game can have huge, sometimes unexpected impact on the gameplay experience.

HOSTS:

• Erik Saltwell
• Ethan Schoonover
• Jason Beaumont

APPENDIX X:

• City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City (Book, Ethan) 
• Old Army Firearm Training Films (Video, Erik) 
• SCP (Website, Erik) 
• Alan Wake 2 (Video Game, Jason) 
• The Night House (Film, Ethan) 

GAMES MENTIONED:

• Psi*Run
• Inspectres
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Call of Cthulhu
• Spelljammer
• Masks of Nyarlathotep
• The Pool

SUMMARY:

Episode 8 of the “RPG XRAY” podcast, titled ""Authorities,"" dives into the concept of authorities in role-playing games (RPGs), a topic discussed by hosts Jason Beaumont, Ethan Schoonover, and Eric Saltwell, along with their experiences and insights on how authority distribution affects gameplay. 
The episode begins with the hosts sharing their recent media consumption and its relevance to gaming. Ethan discusses the book ""City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City,"" reflecting on its implications for world-building in RPGs, particularly in creating dense, lawless environments. Eric shares his exploration of World War II training videos and SCP (Secure, Contain, Protect) Foundation content, highlighting their potential for storytelling in games. Jason talks about playing ""Alan Wake 2,"" emphasizing the game's use of sensory experiences and subjective reality to enhance horror elements.
The main discussion centers on the concept of authorities in RPGs, referring to the rules that dictate who can say what within a game's narrative and mechanics. The hosts outline three primary roles with potential authority in RPGs: the player, the game master (GM), and the rule system. Traditional games typically grant players authority over their characters, the GM authority over the game world and narrative, and the rule system authority over the outcomes of actions.
The conversation explores various distributions of authority and their impact on gameplay. Examples include traditional games, where the GM has significant control, and non-traditional or story games, where players may have more narrative authority. The hosts discuss how shifting authority can create different play experiences, from collaborative world-building to games where players have significant control over the story's direction.
The episode concludes with the hosts reflecting on their personal preferences and the potential for experimenting with authority distribution in their games. They express interest in exploring how changing who has authority in specific situations can lead to innovative and engaging gameplay experiences.