Gonzalo Frasca...rolls right off the tongue, don't you think?

Pertaining to an article called "Simulation vs. Narrative" by Gonzalo Frasca, she debates the differences between the simulation and the narritive in a game/gaming environment. The arguement proposed is that in this modern age in which we live in, the narrative, the story, is being lost in the overwhelming and continual growth of the simulation. To this, I have to say, I do not believe. In my personal opinion, simulation may be great and the more things about reality that can be simulated the better, but users, players, consumers, whatever you want to call them are more likely to pick up a title for the combine efforts of the simulation and the narrative. There have been many times a simulation of reality in a game has been promoted but fell through the cracks do to weak story elements, and likewise, a narrative might be engrossing but with not as much gameplay as the user would have been expecting (I'm looking at you "Metal Gear Solid 2"). So yes, I have to agree that simulation and narrative need to share the spotlight for a game to be successful (and good marketing is nessecary as well, poor poor "Beyond Good and Evil".)