General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
In Praise of Stuff that Doesn't Get Praised Enough
I'm in a mellow mood today. It's probably a combination of various factors: it's Friday, the weekend is almost here, and I've got a game to look forward to on Sunday. So, I've decided to write a few words in praise of some things that I think don't get appreciated often enough.
1. The Combat Mini-Game
It might not require as much imagination as the role-playing mini-game or as much creativity as the open-ended problem-solving mini-game, but combat is usually a quick way to increase the level of tension and get all the players involved.
The turn by turn structure of combat means that all the players will get involved, unless they consciously choose not to. The fact that their PCs' lives are typically on the line means that everyone has an interest in the outcome. And when a player's turn comes up, he usually has an interesting choice to make, even it is simply whether or not to move (and if so, where to) and which at-will attack to use.
Interesting things happen in combat: random dice rolls mean that success or failure is never certain, critical hits evoke cheers or groans (depending on who scored the hit), and the PCs often find new ways to work together and pull off some devastatingly effective combination of attacks.
Sometimes, I feel that combat has become so engaging that the players don't want to focus on the other aspects of the game.
2. Simplicity
While I have nothing against PCs with extensive back stories, well-fleshed out personalities, complex motivations and relationships with various organizations and NPCs, or intricately crafted campaign worlds with detailed descriptions of their history, geography, cultures and current political landscape, or carefully-crafted campaigns full of mystery, twists and surprises after every adventure, a straightforward adventure in a vanilla campaign setting with PCs who are typical examples of their races and classes can be fun, too.
More importantly, games like these take very little effort to prepare for. A Dungeon Delve style series of three or four linked fights can be put together at short notice and provide several hours of entertainment for a gaming group.
Casual gamers might even prefer such an approach. If each adventure is more or less self-contained, they will not need to remember the details of previous sessions and can approach each new game afresh. This makes it easier to play periodic games in which weeks or months may pass between sessions.
3. DMs who Give Their Players What They Want
Between the extreme caricatures of the doormat DM who gives in to his players all the time, and the demon DM whose only aim is to frustrate his players, there are (I'm fairly sure) the ordinary everyday DMs who are quite happy to give their players what they want, within reason, provided they work for it.
They might use wealth by level tables as a guideline when giving out treasure, but they don't treat them as player entitlements. They see wish lists as feedback, not orders from the players, and have no qualms about giving them something else if their requests are unreasonable. They see treasure parcels as a way of organizing the rewards to be found by the players, but don't feel obliged to give them out if the players do nothing to earn them.
All in all, they act pretty much like how you would expect a reasonably tough but reasonably fair and reasonably nice person to act. They run games that are challenging, but flexible and fun. I'm glad to say that I play with DMs like these.
4. Players who Respect their DM
Among other things, they make requests, not demands. They appreciate the effort that their DM has put into preparing for the game and work with him instead of against him to get their PCs to the adventure. They take challenges and setbacks in their stride, and work to solve problems instead of sulking and accusing the DM of being unfair. When the DM screws up (it happens from time to time - we're all human) they don't hold a grudge.
In short, they are a joy to DM for. I consider myself pretty lucky that my players are like this.
What would you like to praise, that you think doesn't get appreciated enough?
Somewhere between sandboxing and railroading is this wonderful little town in desperate need of help. It might be over-run with goblins who abducted the mayor's daughter. Or it might have a ghoul problem in the local cemetery. Or the town priest might be a rahsasha and demanding ever-increasing tribute. Or an army or orcs is on the way to pillage and plunder. And all that's stopping these nefarious schemes in a group of plucky heroes armed with swords & wands.
Along the way, they're going to encounter twists (OMG! the mayor's daughter learned of the raksasha, and was kidnapped by the goblins!) and turns (but the orcs ALSO learned of the raksasha and were coming to destroy it!) with backstory (the mayor was a former hero and the raksasha is extracting his revenge) red-herrings (what are the ghouls part? Nothing. They're just hungry.) and foreshadowing (Is the raksasha a sleeper cell in a larger infernal invasion?)
The players might learn all this; they might not. They might stop the raksasha and they might die trying. Either way, it sure beats another 10' by 10' room with an orc & a pie in it, right?
I'd like to praise people who step up and take on the role of Dungeon Master or Game Master, particularly at larger events. Folks, without these people there would be no game.
I sometimes see attitudes of players who come to meetings and gripe that there isn't a seat for them at a table, and yet snip it is suggested they sit down and run a game.
Those most excellent roleplayers who upload great free stuff to public sites, including this one, putting in the time and effort to create it, and bothering to make it available. Thank you! When I'm actually happy with some of my own stuff, even with its presentation, I intend to follow suit.
DM Fiat (or, as I prefer to call it, DM Judgment).
It's half of what makes RPG's well, RPG's (the other, of course, is the notion your playing piece is a fictional person of some sort). I want a real, live human being creating a (half-baked fantasy) novel around me while I play one of the main characters. I want them to use the rules as guidelines, helpful suggestions, because no set of rules/system/algorithm/set of procedures alone is going to create the kind of experience I'm looking for.
Does that mean my PC's might get screwed over from time to time? Of course. You know what? I'll live. People are fallible, even friends anger and hurt you from time to time. No set of rules is going to change that.
(Was that too rant-y? I felt myself veering into rant...)
__________________ "We're pimps and killers, but in a philanthropic way." -- Boyd, Dollhouse.
I'd like to praise people who step up and take on the role of Dungeon Master or Game Master, particularly at larger events. Folks, without these people there would be no game.
I sometimes see attitudes of players who come to meetings and gripe that there isn't a seat for them at a table, and yet snip it is suggested they sit down and run a game.
Yes x 100. Players who do nothing but whine about how every game being run isn't to thier satisfaction and then look at you as if you had asked them for a grilled weasel on a bun with french fries when you suggest that they run thier ideal game are irritating.
What would you like to praise, that you think doesn't get appreciated enough?
People not trying to be clever and inexplicably setting the color of their text to white. Especially since the default text color is white. The entire indented portion of your post is invisible to me on my RSS reader unless I highlight it.
The shapes... The colors... The heft of a well-filled dice bag... That wonderful sound they make as they roll across the table...
What would the game be without them?
__________________ The Pbartender
"I don't believe it. There she goes again! She's tidied up, and I can't find anything! All my tubes and wires and careful notes and antiquated notions..." - Thomas Dolby
Yes, life takes precedence. As does responsibility. But someone you can rely on and expect to be there, unless something blows up, is a great thing.
I have to second this. And it doesn't have to be people who show up to every game, but they are not flaking out on you at the last minute. As a DM, I go out of my way to make sure people know enough in advance to set up a game so that they can work it into their schedules or let me know if they can't make it.
It not only shows respect to the DM, but also to the other players who show up too.
Players who do nothing but whine about how every game being run isn't to thier satisfaction and then look at you as if you had asked them for a grilled weasel on a bun with french fries when you suggest that they run thier ideal game are irritating.
Well, that's understandable. You don't eat fries with grilled weasel. Mashed potatoes or rice are the only acceptable sides for weasel.
__________________ Iain Fyffe
Original member of the Rouseketeers!
I have played 4E. And just like all other editions of D&D, it is awesome!
no one quotes me in sigs - Crothian
For some reason, this doesn't fill me with rage. I must be interwebbing wrong. - Cadfan
Having a community of like-minded people to talk with. Even when you disagree it's ok, because how fun would it be if everyone always agreed about everything?
Having a community of like-minded people to talk with. Even when you disagree it's ok, because how fun would it be if everyone always agreed about everything?
I agree.
__________________ The Pbartender
"I don't believe it. There she goes again! She's tidied up, and I can't find anything! All my tubes and wires and careful notes and antiquated notions..." - Thomas Dolby
I appreciate fridays. Not because I don't have to work tomorrow; quite the opposite, really. Saturday's are my game day and on my Fridays I spend a couple hours in the game room arranging tiles, picking out the minis, painting the new baddie, etc... all while the wife sits with me enjoying a movie and talking about our week.
I also appreciate cool posts like this that are enjoyable to read without shaking my head at one person and waiting for the Mod to arrive from another
__________________ "..Death greets me warm; Now I will just say goodbye.."
Even-handed folks who realize the difference between their tastes and objective quality.
Tony DiTerlizzi. I miss him. A lot.
Hell, all RPG artists in general, whether I like their styles or not. I appreciate every one of them for giving people who are looking for inspiration what they're looking for, all the way from Erol Otus to Wayne Reynolds.
I'd like to praise people who step up and take on the role of Dungeon Master or Game Master, particularly at larger events. Folks, without these people there would be no game.
I sometimes see attitudes of players who come to meetings and gripe that there isn't a seat for them at a table, and yet snip it is suggested they sit down and run a game.
Agreed. And XP for Firelance for a thread that praises rather than flames.
__________________ Scrag 'em all and let the gods sort 'em out!
When I'm actually happy with some of my own stuff, even with its presentation, I intend to follow suit.
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