I find the “rules are toys” framing of tabletop RPG design useful for several reasons: (opens in new tab)

I find the “rules are toys” framing of tabletop RPG design useful for several reasons:The idea that system matters is reducible to recognising that toys have affordances; while there is of course no “wrong” way to play with a toy, no amount of open-mindedness will readily fit a bicycle through a basketball hoop. It puts a line under one of the main objections to the “why not just freeform it?” thing; if folks are discussing how to make or modify a toy to achieve a particular set of affordance...