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<blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8861334" data-attributes="member: 6785785"><p>I was reading the latest newsletter by comic writer and now RPG designer Kieron Gillen, and he was discussing gaming advice. It’s mostly comics related, but there’s a good chunk devoted to gaming. Here’s a link to his newsletter:</p><p></p><p><a href="https://buttondown.email/KieronGillen/archive/241-when-all-hope-is-lost-i-must-shill/" target="_blank">Kieron Gillen’s Newsletter</a></p><p></p><p>He mentions how most gaming advice is directed at GMs, so he came up with a list of best practices for players. This is meant to be (mostly) general advice applicable to any/all RPGs. Here’s his list below:</p><p></p><p><strong>GENERAL PLAYER PRINCIPLES FOR BETTER PLAY</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><em>1) Make choices that support the table’s creative goals</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>If you’re playing a storygame, don’t treat it like a tactical wargame. If you’re playing a tactical wargame, don’t treat it like a storygame. If it’s bleak horror, don’t make jokes. If you’re in a camp cosy romp, don’t bring in horror. It also varies from moment to moment – if someone’s scene is sincere, don’t undercut it.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong>2) Be A Fan of The Other Characters</strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>This is GM advice in almost all Powered By the Apocalypse games – for the GM to be a fan of the characters. It’s a good trait for a player to cultivate. Be actively excited and interested in the other characters’ triumphs and disasters. Cheer them on. Feel for them. Players being excited for other players always makes the game better. Players turning off until it’s their turn always makes it worse.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong>3) Be aware of the amount of spotlight time you’re taking</strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>This is a hard one for fellow ADHD-ers, but have an awareness of who is speaking more and who is speaking less. A standard GM skill is moving spotlight time around to players who have had less time. Really good players do this too. Pass the ball.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong><em>4) Learn what rules apply to you, to smooth the game, not derail it.</em></strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>To stress, this isn’t “come to the table knowing everything” but learning the rules that are relevant to your character along the way, especially if they are marginal (looking at you, Grappling and Alchemy rules). Doing otherwise adds to the facilitator’s cognitive load and hurts the game’s flow. The flip is being aware that knowing stuff isn’t an excuse to break the game’s flow with a rules debate either – that’s an extension of the third principle.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong>5) Make choices which support other characters’ reality</strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>If someone’s playing a scary bastard, treat them like a scary bastard. If they’re meant to be the leader, have your character treat them like the leader , for better or worse. A fictional reality is shared, and you construct it together.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong>6) Ensure The Group Understands Who Your Character Is</strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>This is the flip of the above – having a character conception that is clear enough that everyone gets who you are, what you want to do and how you want to do it. If you don’t, the table will be incapable of supporting your choices. This links to…</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong>7) If asked a preference in a story game, a strong choice is almost always better than a middling choice.</strong></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Don’t equivocate. If asked “You’ve met this person before. How do you feel about him?” either “I love him” or “I hate him” is better than anything middling. The exception is if it’s something you’re really not interested in pursuing.</em></p><p></p><p>I think it’s a pretty solid list, so I figured I’d share it here to discuss, and to see what other bits of player advice people might suggest to add to the list.</p><p></p><p>What do you all think?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hawkeyefan, post: 8861334, member: 6785785"] I was reading the latest newsletter by comic writer and now RPG designer Kieron Gillen, and he was discussing gaming advice. It’s mostly comics related, but there’s a good chunk devoted to gaming. Here’s a link to his newsletter: [URL='https://buttondown.email/KieronGillen/archive/241-when-all-hope-is-lost-i-must-shill/']Kieron Gillen’s Newsletter[/URL] He mentions how most gaming advice is directed at GMs, so he came up with a list of best practices for players. This is meant to be (mostly) general advice applicable to any/all RPGs. Here’s his list below: [B]GENERAL PLAYER PRINCIPLES FOR BETTER PLAY [I]1) Make choices that support the table’s creative goals[/I][/B] [I]If you’re playing a storygame, don’t treat it like a tactical wargame. If you’re playing a tactical wargame, don’t treat it like a storygame. If it’s bleak horror, don’t make jokes. If you’re in a camp cosy romp, don’t bring in horror. It also varies from moment to moment – if someone’s scene is sincere, don’t undercut it. [B]2) Be A Fan of The Other Characters[/B] This is GM advice in almost all Powered By the Apocalypse games – for the GM to be a fan of the characters. It’s a good trait for a player to cultivate. Be actively excited and interested in the other characters’ triumphs and disasters. Cheer them on. Feel for them. Players being excited for other players always makes the game better. Players turning off until it’s their turn always makes it worse. [B]3) Be aware of the amount of spotlight time you’re taking[/B] This is a hard one for fellow ADHD-ers, but have an awareness of who is speaking more and who is speaking less. A standard GM skill is moving spotlight time around to players who have had less time. Really good players do this too. Pass the ball. [B][I]4) Learn what rules apply to you, to smooth the game, not derail it.[/I][/B] To stress, this isn’t “come to the table knowing everything” but learning the rules that are relevant to your character along the way, especially if they are marginal (looking at you, Grappling and Alchemy rules). Doing otherwise adds to the facilitator’s cognitive load and hurts the game’s flow. The flip is being aware that knowing stuff isn’t an excuse to break the game’s flow with a rules debate either – that’s an extension of the third principle. [B]5) Make choices which support other characters’ reality[/B] If someone’s playing a scary bastard, treat them like a scary bastard. If they’re meant to be the leader, have your character treat them like the leader , for better or worse. A fictional reality is shared, and you construct it together. [B]6) Ensure The Group Understands Who Your Character Is[/B] This is the flip of the above – having a character conception that is clear enough that everyone gets who you are, what you want to do and how you want to do it. If you don’t, the table will be incapable of supporting your choices. This links to… [B]7) If asked a preference in a story game, a strong choice is almost always better than a middling choice.[/B] Don’t equivocate. If asked “You’ve met this person before. How do you feel about him?” either “I love him” or “I hate him” is better than anything middling. The exception is if it’s something you’re really not interested in pursuing.[/I] I think it’s a pretty solid list, so I figured I’d share it here to discuss, and to see what other bits of player advice people might suggest to add to the list. What do you all think? [/QUOTE]
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