Comment on “Constraints”

"3) Instead of using computers to simulate DMs, so that users can play, create simulations of players, so that users can DM."

As of Monday I officially have become a graduate student - and my research will, in some fashion, center around new ways of adding the computer to RPGs. (I think the techniques I use for doing will be generalizable to other kinds of real-time, high intensity knowledge work.) One of my goals is to be able to create"practice environments" for DM's and for players, so that they can Master the game rules away from the table... Using the same code-based environment that (eventually) will power my game itself.

The point is that computerizing the rules for everything from "what is the THAC0 for a 9th-level assassin" to "how many and what size HD does a typical bugbear" have means that you could construct a constrained version of the game which is just "here are three player characters and a bugbear in a room - DM it!"

Which is, sadly, not something I have ever seen anyone do.

I hope one effect of my work Will be to create a more robust player to DM pipeline. At least among people around me.