So from another thread. Not that I think GM Agency is even a thing. But the idea is that RPGs in general have "informal expectations and even rules" that everyone playing the RPG must follow.
Even more so is the idea that all gamers.....somehow.....have mostly the same "informal expectations and even rules".
Of course I stand seemingly as the Lone Gamer that thinks all the above is balderdash.
I agree that any social group of people needs to have some sort of organization...even rules. At least the should. Often though this is part of a bigger 'gate keeping' of people just picking and choosing people in a social group or even friends. After that it just falls to the 'host' of the group or at least the 'leader' or at least the most 'socially aware'.
As the DM is often the host, they make rules for everyone except themselves, things like "don't smoke or vape in my house" or "don't steal my stuff".
Beyond that, the DM nearly always has to be the "Adult" of the group. The DM often has to make rules for all the players, because the players will outright refuse to even act like adults no matter their age. Things like "show up for the game on time", "don't insult others" and "don't cheat".
And then we get to the DM. As the maker of the rules, the DM does not have to follow any of the rules. And many won't make sense for the DM, like when the DM as host says "don't steal form me".
And, sure, I lot of DMs will "fall on their D20" and say "the informal expectations and even rules" are for "everyone". But this is again silly as most DMs would never even consider doing all the bad things most players will try to get away with in any game. Few DMs would say "oks..game pause...I gotta text my wife for twenty minutes" or "lets stop playing and watch some You Tube videos!". And even for the few DMs that might do such things, the players will be right there next to them and approving.
And that just leaves the crazy ones like "the DM can't cheat", that sound good...but are meaningless.
So....what are your "informal expectations and even rules" ? What are your Table "informal expectations and even rules"? Do you happen to know any of the "informal expectations and even rules" that "everyone" knows and follows without question?
Even more so is the idea that all gamers.....somehow.....have mostly the same "informal expectations and even rules".
Of course I stand seemingly as the Lone Gamer that thinks all the above is balderdash.
I agree that any social group of people needs to have some sort of organization...even rules. At least the should. Often though this is part of a bigger 'gate keeping' of people just picking and choosing people in a social group or even friends. After that it just falls to the 'host' of the group or at least the 'leader' or at least the most 'socially aware'.
As the DM is often the host, they make rules for everyone except themselves, things like "don't smoke or vape in my house" or "don't steal my stuff".
Beyond that, the DM nearly always has to be the "Adult" of the group. The DM often has to make rules for all the players, because the players will outright refuse to even act like adults no matter their age. Things like "show up for the game on time", "don't insult others" and "don't cheat".
And then we get to the DM. As the maker of the rules, the DM does not have to follow any of the rules. And many won't make sense for the DM, like when the DM as host says "don't steal form me".
And, sure, I lot of DMs will "fall on their D20" and say "the informal expectations and even rules" are for "everyone". But this is again silly as most DMs would never even consider doing all the bad things most players will try to get away with in any game. Few DMs would say "oks..game pause...I gotta text my wife for twenty minutes" or "lets stop playing and watch some You Tube videos!". And even for the few DMs that might do such things, the players will be right there next to them and approving.
And that just leaves the crazy ones like "the DM can't cheat", that sound good...but are meaningless.
So....what are your "informal expectations and even rules" ? What are your Table "informal expectations and even rules"? Do you happen to know any of the "informal expectations and even rules" that "everyone" knows and follows without question?