Escapist players are foremost concerned with their own entertainment. Every player has some of this in them, of couse; but some players want nothing more. I’ve met players who don’t even want challenges, much less to developcharacter or story. They just want simple die-rolling and socializing.

The simulationist approach is aimed at creating the most believable (”realistic” isn’t quite the right word for most RPGs) setting and characters possible. Pure simulationism is rare (historical wargamers, Civil War re-enactors, and Anna Deavere Smith), but most good gamers have some of this in their makeup.

Neither of these approaches can support a good game in itself, but neither can be overlooked. All five aspects must work together in an RPG. A good story relies on good characters, but also on a believable and internally consistent setting. None of this is important if the game isn’t enjoyable (which requires both a good story and an appropriate level of challenge).