Re: (TFT) Megahex definition

[Joseph Beutel <mejobo@comcast.net>]

I don’t know that this is necessarily distinct, though. I’m not sure that RPGs are unique in being story-telling games that use mechanics and various models (maps, miniatures, images, etc) to help resolve a common vision from several separate creative minds. I’m not sure that video games aren’t doing the same thing but using a much more clear visual representation to resolve at least the physical components of imagination— and even then I’d say only certain video games (modern “show everything,” highly graphical video games) even attempt that in a way that is any different from tabletop games. 

That said I think the overall point is accurate— even if it is just accurate to a wider range of genres than you have suggested. But where does abstraction come in?

I think the key is that abstraction must serve the purpose of the story-telling. While any abstraction inherently hurts ‘common resolution’ of the story, the concession can be made when it allows the story to be told more effectively overall. The most common example I see cited in game-design discussions would be designing a higher level skirmish game— say World War 2, battalion level— where players are meant to be the officers leading a battalion. While one could use a highly detailed set of rules to accurately resolve all of the combat that takes place at a 1:1 level, it would actually hurt the story-telling. It does this mostly through perspective; our officers don’t know what the 2nd squad of the 3rd platoon of Bravo company is doing at a man-to-man level at all times, and so abstraction is actually necessary here (and not just desirable from a ‘playability’ standpoint) to make the story work properly. 
> On Dec 7, 2015, at 1:09 AM, Jay Carlisle <maou.tsaou@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I hold that the trait that sets tabletop RPG gaming
> apart from other imaginative mediums is the participatory creation
> through play of what results in a story most commonly formed privately
> then presented as a gestalt for a passive audience. This indicates
> that game tools such as hex tiles for movement help serve to focus all
> Players imaginations on the same idea instead of the Ron White joke
> that runs "I'm between 5' 8" to 6' 4" depending on which stop and go
> I'm leaving...
> Abstract works against this directly
> 
> 
> On Sun, Dec 6, 2015 at 11:01 PM, Jay Carlisle <maou.tsaou@gmail.com> wrote:
>> At a standard walking pace (3mph) Joe Average hero's foot falls are
>> roughly center hex to hex-side to center hex to hex-side.
>> Running is hex center to hex center
>> 
>> On Sun, Dec 6, 2015 at 10:58 PM, Jay Carlisle <maou.tsaou@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> the Melee-hex in equal height reaches the nipple-line and when drawn
>>> on graph paper like that a hex 1" across side to side is equal in area
>>> to a square 1" x 1" which is 16" sq which is aprox the area of Joe
>>> Average hero's skin surface
>>> Easy peasy counts
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