My husband Alexi and I were guests on Questing Beast for a discussion of game design and storytelling. I really enjoyed the conversation, particularly when we talked about how social conflict in incorporated into a game’s mechanics.
A more freeform game can turn on the player’s quick-thinking, rather than the character’s. We talked a bit about what kinds of design give you freedom to improvise while still giving structure to the story.
You can check out Alexi’s games at Cloven Pine Games, and I’ve tried my hand at a few myself! I’ve written about Back Again from the Broken Land, the game we wrote together, for the Gauntlet and for Mere Orthodoxy.