Are human essential in Rpgs?

[Mach2.5]

Role-playing something that is very non human in mindset (and not just physically) is very difficult, but it can also be very rewarding. Some of the best science fiction novels (or at least the ones I like most) usually develope an alien race beyond the simply human with a mask and an overdeveloped personality trait. The puppetteers from Ringworld, the pequinos and the buggers from the Ender's Game novels, the people of Karhide from Ursula LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness, the martians (though their mentality is displayed through the human main character) of Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, amongst other notables. Of course it takes more work to create a truly 'nonhuman' type of race, just as it takes more effort to role-play one. But that doesn't mean its impossible. Just as a good actor enjoys a very challenging and demanding role, I personaly love a more esoteric role-playing challenge. Some people though like their games to be less of a chore, and role-playing a drastically inhuman mindset can be just that. If it makes the game feel more like work and less like play, then certainly, its not for you. I say, bring it on.

 

[Ranger REG]

Are humans necessary in an RPG? Not necessary, but fun. After all, who am I going to kill for fun? Orcs?

 

[Ranger REG]

Are humans necessary in an RPG? Not necessary, but fun. After all, who am I going to kill for fun? Orcs?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Yes, it just isnt fantasy without Humans.

 

[Ferret]

Not fantasy, RPGs.

Your looking to deeply into it, by saying it is human nature to personify it you are turning everything into humans. By similiar I mean the other races are as different as the wheeled creatures in "his dark materials", so by comparison being blue and have small noses makes little difference.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I'd be willing to play in a humanless game, depending on a few conditions.

Would I play in a game that had elves, gnomes, dwarves, and halflings but no humans? Sure.

Would I play in a game where everyone was an elf of some sort? No.

Would I play in a game where everyone was an anthropomorphic furry animal? No chance in hell.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

I don't think humans are essential, per se, but I don't think they are non essential either. I have never played a human ( I personally think it's rather dull...I get to play a human in real life) and I think a human-centric world would be kind of boring.

But that's just me. Some people I know like playing humans because of the stats. I think it's really a matter of preference, moreso than necessity.

 

[Kichwas]

It depends.

You need something for the players to latch onto as 'mundane' but it doesn't have to be human.

Take a look at RPGs like Ironclaw or Albedo after all - The "Furry" genre (not to be confused with Furry Porn), where there are no humans, but the 'animals' are fairly close to such - being permutations of humanity just like standard fantasy races are.

 

[Dirigible]

I personally think it's rather dull...I get to play a human in real life

You hide your antennae under some form of cunning hat, I take it?

 

[Remathilis]

Are human essential in Rpgs?

Of COURSE they are! Ever try to GM nothing but animals, aliens and robots? Impossible! One knows all the rules and min-maxes constantly, one never understands the rules and calls the game illogical, and one keeps trying to chew on the miniatures. Its terrible and very unproductive.

Give me humans any day!