AWP Chicago: A Gamer’s Notes
J.S. Tonutre, a designer for survival games for the newly fledged “aggression arcades” industry, gives his perspectic on AWP for Agni Online. Here’s an excerpt:
[WARNING: Do not drink hot liquid while reading, for any number of reasons as to why you might spill it on yourself!]
In AWP Convention Game regulations, a salutation, an exchange such as the above, between people who already know each other, technically counts for nothing. It must either be truncated—for economical use of time is vital—or else parlayed, turned to advantage. The point of play, if I haven’t made this clear enough yet, is to trade up, to advance the avatar, and the only way this can happen is when someone with a higher-stratum position (more publications, better publications, more ascertainable connections) sees you, and with that certification promotes you along the board. This is hardly arbitrary. For as everyone knows, being seen from a higher position only happens when there is something to be seen, though of course the appearance of being seen has value insofar as you might be seen being seen, and therefore score second-order points (described in game book) whether or not there is genuine substance behind the encounter. The calculus is very tricky, and point scoring is often hotly contested…[read the rest on Agni].
