doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
So, I have been thinking about what makes roleplaying games different from other games.
For me, at least, it seems to be the ability to create a character that allows me to explore my “inner selves”, confront my limitations and inner fears, enjoy and lean into perfectly normal aspects of myself that I was taught to be ashamed of (being sensitive and nurturing as a man, for instance), and like...play a character who has experienced the bad in life that I have, but who gets to do something more substantial, tangible, and satisfying, about it than I ever got to do.
I’ve got characters who let me enjoy my impulsiveness, or explore more fully my brief flashes of easy-going confidence in myself, or express and deal with a shared difficulty trusting that people will stick around, and that their affection and admiration is genuine, or through whom I can express and practice being okay with my need to sometimes shut out all stimulus and find peace in total quiet darkness and the panicked mania that can come when I’m unable to do so.
Or just like, the fun of being able to move like I’ve always wished I could move.
And so I have a wonder.
Do any of you do this? Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?
If you do, does it make it harder to play evil characters or those who simply have no moral similarity to yourself? I find it does.
For me, at least, it seems to be the ability to create a character that allows me to explore my “inner selves”, confront my limitations and inner fears, enjoy and lean into perfectly normal aspects of myself that I was taught to be ashamed of (being sensitive and nurturing as a man, for instance), and like...play a character who has experienced the bad in life that I have, but who gets to do something more substantial, tangible, and satisfying, about it than I ever got to do.
I’ve got characters who let me enjoy my impulsiveness, or explore more fully my brief flashes of easy-going confidence in myself, or express and deal with a shared difficulty trusting that people will stick around, and that their affection and admiration is genuine, or through whom I can express and practice being okay with my need to sometimes shut out all stimulus and find peace in total quiet darkness and the panicked mania that can come when I’m unable to do so.
Or just like, the fun of being able to move like I’ve always wished I could move.
And so I have a wonder.
Do any of you do this? Do you explore, confront, encourage, or otherwise poke and prod at yourselves via your characters?
If you do, does it make it harder to play evil characters or those who simply have no moral similarity to yourself? I find it does.