Post originally by Roy Morgan at 2003-12-25 15:17:39
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Okay. Clarifying...

Personally, I don't disagree with your take on RPGA or its competitions. At the time this book was written, though, such tournaments were among the largest organized role-playing gatherings in the world. Since his game was the game of choice for such tournaments, Gygax probably felt nothing else was worth talking about (we've seen Gary's ego in action, right? , and that such tournaments were the ultimate test of playing and gamemastering skill. Heck, in the AD&D games of the time, the style was often /very/ competitive between GM and players, and even between the players themselves (and I can say that from experience as a long-time AD&D player). But then, it's been fifteen-plus years since this book was written. Time have changed, and for that we may be truly thankful. The more storytelling-oriented mindset that it seems like you (and I) embrace really was only in its infancy when this book was written.

My point was that there's more than just tournaments out there. I don't personally see convention games and comparing roleplaying styles as just an excuse to prove who is better. We all have our own styles, but seeing others in action often does point out ways in which we can improve. Not to dominate the field, but to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone, including ourselves, from either side of the screen. Personally, I think that's more important than 'winning'.