Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 7760862" data-attributes="member: 6779310">No. The point of RPGs in general is to have an interesting story emerge that's fun for all involved. When players go out of their way to make the GM's job harder, they literally are sucking the fun out of it for the GM, and often the other players. IRL, people like KODT's Sara would tend to find a new group, rather than stick it out with Brian and Dave. The Ludicrous players I've encountered usually have multiple of...<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">little interest in the story unfolding at present</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">little interest in story continuity in general</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">little interest in in-character interaction</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">doesn't worry about remaining "in-character", or hasn't defined what the character's "in-character" traits are</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">a push your luck attitude</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">some lack of social skills, usually from immaturity</li> </ul>The common alternate reasons<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The player is smarter/more socially adept/wiser than the PC, and overplays the difference</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Powergamer looking to munchkin</li> </ul>Note: None of these are "no interest."A few are simply folk who get their enjoyment from making others suffer — sadists of a mild form, in a non-sexual way — but those are the exception.The thing is, many who are prone to the ludicrous actions don't do so when the story is actually engaging them; it's when they get bored that they start the stupid. Little interest in in-character interaction can be a problem in and of itself, but ludicrous actions are often a veiled request for, "Lets go back to a tactical scene," or "lets go to a puzzle scene."Little interest in story continuity, and little character definition both tend to be indicative of a minis-wargamer RPG style: Just enough story to explain the battles. It's a valid way to RPG, even fun, at times, for me... but it's not why *I* RPG. And, the MWG style RPGer tends to be willing to try all sorts of disruptive actions to win the tactical. A whole group of them works just fine - but can be a lot of work for the GM. A lack of social skills — player, not character — often results in the character lacking the same social skills, even if the sheet suggests they should. It's the same issue as D with the Brain Damage trying to play a smart character - he cannot do it without GM cooperation. Essentially, any time the character should know better than D, D needs to make an int check (called for by the GM); any time D is at a loss for what the smart choice is, he can ask for an int check to get candid GM advice. Often, RP-focused players overdo the stupid when trying to play stupid characters; it's humorous to a point, and annoying after that. No, your int 8 fighter is NOT a sufferer from mental retardation, and is not a 5 year old in a 20 yo body. And munchkins, when not finding ways to boost the character sheet, often try to do so by treating the GM as a push your luck game: How far will he let me go?</blockquote>

Verification