Post by Chris on May 27, 2020 11:10:22 GMT -5
Another in a series of insights into the inner workings of what passes for your Game Master's mind
While I think adaptation is the key to getting along in just about every aspect of life, I am of a certain age and set in certain ways.
One of those ways is the way I run games.
I have been running and playing in RPG's since they were invented. I still remember the day they were first available in our local Hobbytown (the only thing remotely like a game store near us.) The sense of wonder and excitement as my little brother, our best friend and I pondered the possibilities of playing games without boards (secret confession - we had been doing that for years every time we set up our army men, Matchbox cars, Micronauts, GI Joe's or made up spot rules to just about anything on the fly.) But this was different. This was something other people were doing as well (yeah, we didn't know others were probably playing with army men, or plastic ponies or whatever - naivete of youth).
We had been playing the standard board games, Sorry, Parcheesi, Monopoly, Emergency (with Randolph Mantooth), Convoy and had recently been exploring Avalon Hill bookcase games (Squad Leader, Panzer Leader, etc.) with a complete inability to properly digest the rules when we found the original saddle stapled pamphlets that began Dungeons & Dragons. Minds were opened.
Anywho, we took turns running and playing and dying - we died a lot. We played it very adversarially. It was not good. But it was excellent fun.
Other than periodic breaks here and there as I tried to figure out who I was as a person (I got it wrong for the better part of my life but finally figured it out) I always gamed or researched games or came up with game systems (never out of whole cloth - usually cobbled together from other ideas I had read about). I still spend a lot of time doing that very thing. In fact, whether successfully or not, I now do it professionally. That's a grown-up way to say I get paid for it. It's also a grown-up trick that "professional" neither implies quality nor rate of success. It just sounds important.
"Back when I was young" lied the old man - just kidding, I'm being honest - D&D was a team sport. You needed others to succeed. The more, the better. To dungeon crawl alone was almost certain death. No quarter was given, and non asked for. And we sorted it out. I have seen the evolution of gaming and society and watched the changes brought to both. Some changes I have embraced. Some I have not.
Here's an insight into how I run games. Again, no desire to change, and it might not be right for you, but the great thing is you can do whatever you want with games. Much of this is based on personal opinion and preference.
*I am a judge in my games. I am not playing to kill my players. I have no vested interest or ego in my monsters or my world. It exists. You must find a way to exist in it. i will adjudicate how that goes. This, somewhat mirrors my life philosophy. The world is wondrous. And dangerous. And beautiful. And awful. And awesome ( in the sense that it can inspire awe). We are owed nothing. We are where the adventure is. Crack on.
*I am a rules lawyer. I like rules. They govern what we can and can't do in the framework of a game. Unlike in real life, in a game you are not allowed to break the rules. This is provides a sense of comfort and framework for me. We will leave the importance of that for a philosophical/ psychological profile post (kidding - scared ya, huh?)
*I am not a storyteller. I believe the story we cooperatively tell is the narrative of shared experiences and memories. I don;t care much for story-telling games, personally. I think they are great for limited play and conventions but lack the direction and rules i need for a sustained enjoyable experience.
*I don't engineer times for everyone to shine. See previous reference. Here is a world. Here is adventure. Figure it out. Work together. The monsters like it when you don't. That doesn't mean I don't want you to shine. I just think it's for you to figure your character out. The nature of social gaming is such that some personalities will be dominant. For me to set aside equal time for all would certainly even that out, but not everyone wants to be in the spotlight. If you ever have a concern, you can always ask me about it privately after a game, but, I will be honest with you. Your plans not being accepted by the group is not the same thing as being ignored.
* I don't like drama, except when presented theatrically (even then I lean towards comedy). I despise anger. Leave it out of games. I have a very low tolerance for it.
*If you are frustrated about something, use your words. We can have incredibly intelligent conversations and words are wonderful ways to resolve issues. If you don't think those words would be acceptable, maybe the frustration stems from within you. Sort that out. When you have, come have fun. Fun is a pressure relief valve. It is not a substitute for life, nor will it make bad things go away. Use it as intended and it will provide untold benefits. Emotions are wonderful, horrible things. They connect us to all of the input we receive from our world(s). Knowing why you feel a way gives you a measure of control over how you react based on emotions. Practice that and others may wonder why you are so freaking happy most of the time (nobody is happy all of the time - I come close, tho).
*My grandmother used to say, by way of response to a statement the nature of which you will be able to deduce by the end of this sentence, that "if you are bored then you are boring." I miss her, but I remember her every day. Appreciate those who and that which is in your life now. You do not know how long you have to do so.
* I won't apologize for the way I am, but I will openly and honestly discuss my views, and I will try to not judge you if you don't share them. I may not want to share a table with you if we are too diametrically opposed (especially about the treatment of others) but the world is big enough that we can walk separate paths if we choose to not walk together.
*We should be laughing. A lot. At least a good portion thereof at ourselves.
I may add more from time to time.
While I think adaptation is the key to getting along in just about every aspect of life, I am of a certain age and set in certain ways.
One of those ways is the way I run games.
I have been running and playing in RPG's since they were invented. I still remember the day they were first available in our local Hobbytown (the only thing remotely like a game store near us.) The sense of wonder and excitement as my little brother, our best friend and I pondered the possibilities of playing games without boards (secret confession - we had been doing that for years every time we set up our army men, Matchbox cars, Micronauts, GI Joe's or made up spot rules to just about anything on the fly.) But this was different. This was something other people were doing as well (yeah, we didn't know others were probably playing with army men, or plastic ponies or whatever - naivete of youth).
We had been playing the standard board games, Sorry, Parcheesi, Monopoly, Emergency (with Randolph Mantooth), Convoy and had recently been exploring Avalon Hill bookcase games (Squad Leader, Panzer Leader, etc.) with a complete inability to properly digest the rules when we found the original saddle stapled pamphlets that began Dungeons & Dragons. Minds were opened.
Anywho, we took turns running and playing and dying - we died a lot. We played it very adversarially. It was not good. But it was excellent fun.
Other than periodic breaks here and there as I tried to figure out who I was as a person (I got it wrong for the better part of my life but finally figured it out) I always gamed or researched games or came up with game systems (never out of whole cloth - usually cobbled together from other ideas I had read about). I still spend a lot of time doing that very thing. In fact, whether successfully or not, I now do it professionally. That's a grown-up way to say I get paid for it. It's also a grown-up trick that "professional" neither implies quality nor rate of success. It just sounds important.
"Back when I was young" lied the old man - just kidding, I'm being honest - D&D was a team sport. You needed others to succeed. The more, the better. To dungeon crawl alone was almost certain death. No quarter was given, and non asked for. And we sorted it out. I have seen the evolution of gaming and society and watched the changes brought to both. Some changes I have embraced. Some I have not.
Here's an insight into how I run games. Again, no desire to change, and it might not be right for you, but the great thing is you can do whatever you want with games. Much of this is based on personal opinion and preference.
*I am a judge in my games. I am not playing to kill my players. I have no vested interest or ego in my monsters or my world. It exists. You must find a way to exist in it. i will adjudicate how that goes. This, somewhat mirrors my life philosophy. The world is wondrous. And dangerous. And beautiful. And awful. And awesome ( in the sense that it can inspire awe). We are owed nothing. We are where the adventure is. Crack on.
*I am a rules lawyer. I like rules. They govern what we can and can't do in the framework of a game. Unlike in real life, in a game you are not allowed to break the rules. This is provides a sense of comfort and framework for me. We will leave the importance of that for a philosophical/ psychological profile post (kidding - scared ya, huh?)
*I am not a storyteller. I believe the story we cooperatively tell is the narrative of shared experiences and memories. I don;t care much for story-telling games, personally. I think they are great for limited play and conventions but lack the direction and rules i need for a sustained enjoyable experience.
*I don't engineer times for everyone to shine. See previous reference. Here is a world. Here is adventure. Figure it out. Work together. The monsters like it when you don't. That doesn't mean I don't want you to shine. I just think it's for you to figure your character out. The nature of social gaming is such that some personalities will be dominant. For me to set aside equal time for all would certainly even that out, but not everyone wants to be in the spotlight. If you ever have a concern, you can always ask me about it privately after a game, but, I will be honest with you. Your plans not being accepted by the group is not the same thing as being ignored.
* I don't like drama, except when presented theatrically (even then I lean towards comedy). I despise anger. Leave it out of games. I have a very low tolerance for it.
*If you are frustrated about something, use your words. We can have incredibly intelligent conversations and words are wonderful ways to resolve issues. If you don't think those words would be acceptable, maybe the frustration stems from within you. Sort that out. When you have, come have fun. Fun is a pressure relief valve. It is not a substitute for life, nor will it make bad things go away. Use it as intended and it will provide untold benefits. Emotions are wonderful, horrible things. They connect us to all of the input we receive from our world(s). Knowing why you feel a way gives you a measure of control over how you react based on emotions. Practice that and others may wonder why you are so freaking happy most of the time (nobody is happy all of the time - I come close, tho).
*My grandmother used to say, by way of response to a statement the nature of which you will be able to deduce by the end of this sentence, that "if you are bored then you are boring." I miss her, but I remember her every day. Appreciate those who and that which is in your life now. You do not know how long you have to do so.
* I won't apologize for the way I am, but I will openly and honestly discuss my views, and I will try to not judge you if you don't share them. I may not want to share a table with you if we are too diametrically opposed (especially about the treatment of others) but the world is big enough that we can walk separate paths if we choose to not walk together.
*We should be laughing. A lot. At least a good portion thereof at ourselves.
I may add more from time to time.