Do you prefer a single style of campaign?

[Shadowslayer]

sometimes I want a really deep plotzy based game

"Plotzy" just replaced "sandbox" as the gaming term du jour.



In answer to the question, I don't have a preference. As long as I can bring my PHB and know the game within it is the same game we're playing, I'm happy.

Recreate the game in your own image and I'm out the door.

 

[Desdichado]

I have preferences. I wouldn't say that I only focus on my preferences to the exclusion of all other styles, but there are some styles that I really don't enjoy nearly as much. And others that I do a great deal and am much more likely to utilize.

My preferences are slightly looser on tone and style than they are on type of game, but I've got actual easily identified preferences there, too.

As far as running games goes, I've long since decided against trying to be a jack of all trades do it all type of GM. I do certain types of games really well, probably because I enjoy that fusion of game type, style and tone, so I focus on doing those. As a player, I'm more open to other ideas. Although even then, I have to admit, what I most want is someone to run a game for me that's exactly the kind of game that I tend to run.

 

[jdrakeh]

Kind of. I'll play several styles of campaign, but I have my favorites, too. Frex, my favorite campaign style (above all others) is 'fly by the seat of your pants' with plenty of improvisation and fast-moving action. Pre-scripted stories, conversely, are probably my least favorite campaign type, although they can be fun when handled right.

 

[The Ghost]

Prefer? Yes, I do. I prefer playing and running sandbox-style campaigns. Of course, I also enjoy playing modules, adventure paths, skirmish battles, delves, and many other variations of D&D. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

 

[Stormonu]

I'm not sure my DMing has a style, it just is. I'm not too deep in any one thing I do and I often shift my style somewhat according to who I'm playing with and the game system I'm using.

 

[Hussar]

Prefer? Yes, I do. I prefer playing and running sandbox-style campaigns. Of course, I also enjoy playing modules, adventure paths, skirmish battles, delves, and many other variations of D&D. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

But only D&D?

I like to play everything, but as with food, I don't like to partake of the same thing for too long. I believe that within a single campaign, its possible to mix and match periods of exploration, detective work, drama, tactical combat, and so forth to create a hopefully harmonious whole experience. At least, I've had that experience playing and hope to provide that experience when I run a game.

There are limits to my ability as a game master though. I can't run a humorous game. My attempts invariably turn dark and serious. Ever played Paranoia as a straight up dark dysotopian sci-fi? Wasn't my intention, but that's where it ended up. I'm afraid I get creepy and scary alot better than I get funny. If I did an RPG based on 'Red Dwarf' it would probably end up a nightmarish exploration of the horrors of isolation and lonliness, complete with regular sanity checks and interludes of terrifying halucinations. My 'Squirrel Attack' would probably end up as a feral gorey splatterfest red in tooth and claw. I probably should not be let anywhere near the 'My Life With Master' rules. I'm just not good at being intentionally funny.

Heh. I'm of the opinion that a good humour game is extremely hard to do. One of the GM's in my group just did a great one based on the Discworld world. Very very funny. Great group to do it with as well. But, yeah, I don't think I would pull it off very well. I know I wouldn't pull it off as well as he did.

 

[Lanefan]

I believe that within a single campaign, its possible to mix and match periods of exploration, detective work, drama, tactical combat, and so forth to create a hopefully harmonious whole experience.

Agreed, particularly in a longer campaign. Even if a given adventure doesn't contain many of these elements, chances are the next one - or the one after that - will pick up the slack.

There are limits to my ability as a game master though. I can't run a humorous game. My attempts invariably turn dark and serious.

We should combine forces then, as I'm somewhat the opposite. No matter how serious I think a given adventure or story will be, sooner or later it'll veer sharply into humour - sometimes never to recover.

I'm just not good at being intentionally funny.

Intention has nothing to do with it. The best 'funny' is usually unintentional.

As for game system, it's Victoria Rules D+D all the way for me these days.

Lanefan

 

[Doug McCrae]

Reading through the forums, I've noticed that some people really, REALLY like a single style of game - be it plotzy, sandbox, whatever.

Eh, that's just the internet.

 

[Jhaelen]

Well, I have different preferences depending on the rpg system I'm playing. If I'm playing D&D I have certain expectations about the frequency of combat encounters vs. investigation, roleplaying or delving into politics. If I'm playing Ars Magica my expectations are quite different.

I'm a strong believer in using the right rpg for a given 'job'. While you can theoretically play any kind of campaign using the D&D rules, why would anyone want to?

Actually, I'm always trying to be in at least two game groups that use different rpg systems and focus on different aspects of the game.

I'm not really sure if that's what the OP meant when talking about campaign styles, though. E.g. I prefer all of my games to be 'plotzy' (if I understand the term correctly).

 

[The Ghost]

Prefer? Yes, I do. I prefer playing and running sandbox-style campaigns. Of course, I also enjoy playing modules, adventure paths, skirmish battles, delves, and many other variations of D&D. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

But only D&D?

I thought about adding SW:Saga and M&M to that sentence but decided not to as I have only played one campaign in each. Quite frankly, the guys I play with really enjoy fantasy role-playing; and have for the past twenty-to-thirty years. D&D (and I include Pathfinder as D&D) scratches our fantasy itch nicely.