The GNS Theory, as originally developed by Ron Edwards, is a relatively amorphous body of work attempting to create a theory of how role-playing games work. Primarily, GNS Theory holds that participants in role-playing games reinforce each other's behaviour towards ends which can be divided into three categories: Gamist, Narrativist and Simulationist.
Strictly, GNS theory is concerned with players' social interactions, but it has been extrapolated to direct game design, both in and outside the world of RPGs. A game can be classified according to how strongly it encourages or facilitates players reinforcing behaviours matching each category. Game designers find it useful because it can be used to explain why players play certain games.
Ron Edwards later discarded GNS Theory in favor of The Big Model, which includes the GNS categories as different kinds of creative agenda.
Gamist refers to decisions based on satisfying clear predefined goal conditions in the face of adversity: in other words, on the desire to win. As Ron Edwards mentions in Gamism, Step on Up:
Now is the hour when we must say goodbye.
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea.
While you're away, oh, PLEASE, remember me.
When you return, you'll find me waiting here.
Sunset glow fades in the west. Night o'er the valley is creeping.
Birds cuddle down in their nest, soon all the world will be sleeping.
Now is the hour when we must goodbye.
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea.
While you're away, oh, PLEASE, remember me.
Now is the hour when we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea
While you're away please remember me
When you return you'll find me waiting here
[ steel ]
Now is the hour when we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea
While you're away oh then remember me
When you return you'll find me waiting here
[ steel ]
Sunset glow facing the west night o'er the valley is creeping
Birds cuddle down in their nest soon all the world will be sleeping
Now is the hour when we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea
While you're away oh please remember me
When you return you'll find me waiting here.
Now is the hour that we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea
While you're away oh please remember me
When you return you'll find me waiting here.
Now is the hour
That we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing
Far across the sea
While you're away from me
Oh, then remember me
And when you return
Now is the hour that we must say goodbye
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea
While you're away oh please remember me
When you return you'll find me waiting here
Sunset glow facing the west night where the valley is creeping
The birds settle down in their nest and the whole world is sleeping
Now is the hour
When we must say goodbye.
Soon you'll be sailing
Far across the sea.
While you're away
Oh, then, remember me.
When you return
You'll find me waiting here.
Sunset glow fades in the west.
Night o'er the valley is creeping.
Birds cuddle down in their nest
Soon all the world will be sleeping.
Now is the hour
When we must goodbye.
Soon you'll be sailing
Far across the sea.
While you're away
Oh, then, remember me.
When you return