It is ABSOLUTELY intended to be played! It is probably even my currently favorite ttrpg, if I had to pick only one. (There's an argument to be made that some of Jenna Moran's works, such as Wisher Theurgist Fatalist a.k.a. "WTF," are more thought exercises than traditional games, but 1. people can and do play WTF; and 2. Chuubo's is very fully in the "intended to be played" category.)
In reblogging this from you, I'm kicking this post into dedicated Jenna Moran fan space, so I wouldn't be surprised to see you get additional, better answers, but I'll at least start:
Prokopetz is, I'm pretty sure, largely framing this description of CMWGE (as it's commonly abbreviated) to make a point challenging how people think about game mechanics in the first place. In practice, though, playing Chuubo's feels tremendously organic, with the greatest difference between itself and other ttrpgs I've played being that, despite not being GM-less, players have way more agency to simply declare that a thing happens because it fits with their character's story.
Indeed, all these described mechanics are a way of keeping story logic front and center with CMWGE: your character does not learn and grow through defeating enemies, and even XP from just attending a session is downplayed. Instead, narrative beats are what concern you—both big milestones and smaller ones. A strange dream or "imagine spot"; a moment where a character tries and fails to voice their feelings; the time wielding a forbidden power—all of these can have narrative heft to them. You're encouraged to linger in quiet moments, but also to be unafraid in declaring that now is the time for your character to step up and do something incredible.
This is, likewise, why the game measures "intention" strength for actions. (And, to be clear, just like in other games you're used to, you don't need to set intentions for narratively insignificant actions any more than you'd be expected to make a dice check for them. It's just that a much broader span of actions could be narratively significant, in a game like CMWGE.) Intention, as a system, ends up highlighting two things: first, the way that characters who seem mythically powerful in one area may genuinely struggle to do things like "navigate a customer service conversation like an ordinary human"; and second, to show how hope, passion, and the wishing power of the heart can allow even "ordinary humans" to accomplish wonders.
It takes some getting used to, to be sure. But having felt what it's like to have my character's losses and (to be blunt) crashouts be truly leaned into as advancing the story productively? Having my "moss Galatea" character finish her storyline by having her two partners cut out her heart that they might collectively plant it in a forest grotto, allowing her to transcend to a kind of godhood? And it's not just allowed but actively encouraged by the narrative beats of her arc "quest"? Holy shit.
Yes, yes you can play Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine. You absolutely should play Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine.
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