No-Prep game design

In “Simulationism: The Right to Dream,” Ron Edwards talks about how in Simulationist games (as he defined them) character-creation itself is often part of play, and occasionally setting-creation is as well.

Again, this got me thinking of Apocalypse World. I have heard and read many times how RPers love the low/no-prep of starting an Apocalypse World game; you just get your friends together and watch it all come together. That aspect of the game is often pitched as an end in itself. What that actually means is that what was once work for the GM has been turned into play for all, like wine from water. When we say that an RPG is no-prep, what that means (ideally, I think) is that character, setting, and situation itself are all part of play. That’s a bitchin’ bit of design work.