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Message: <blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8995758" data-attributes="member: 6785785">I personally don't mind if the bulk of creativity in a game is primarily the GM; I just want to know if that's the case so that I can align my expectations to the game. My preference overall is for their to be more player input, but that need not always be the case. I'm currently playing in a 5e campaign of Temple of Elemental Evil right now. The GM in that game is clearly the primary source of creativity. The players are responsible for choices in how to engage with the existing scenario, and by adding a bit of color in how we portray our characters. So I don't think it's a case of considering someone else's imagination unenjoyable or anything like that. I think it's a matter of application. To offer a bit of an example, I'm playing in the 5e Temple game mentioned above, and I'm playing in another game as well, which allows for a lot more player input, and is largely about the player characters rather than some predetermined plot. I absolutely love when the focus is on characters other than mine in that game because those moments tend to be exciting and tense... I want to find out how things are going to go for the character. There are stakes involved that make it interesting in the same way a book or movie might be. I want to know what happens. In the Temple game, when the focus is on another character than mine, it's mostly just for them to make a decision. Once they've done that, we can move on. I don't mind people giving a bit of portrayal to their characters... some flavor that makes the Fighter seem unique in some way... I like that stuff. But it should be kept to a minimum. I think it easily goes into self-indulgence when it's nothing more than flavor. The game isn't about the characters... so spending a lot of time on character seems wasteful to me. It's not going to lead to much, so keep it short and focused. Now, with a GM, I think the concern is that the more control the GM has... the more of the world and the situation that the GM is deciding... the less say the players have. So in games where I'm expecting or hoping to have more input, if the GM (or rules) don't allow me that space, then I'm going to be disappointed. I'd much rather they be up front about it and then I can adjust my expectations. I think this is something that isn't always obvious to everyone here, especially when they almost always play on game and almost always are the GM and almost always play with the same people. When one's always the GM and it's for the same group of friends always playing the same game, you all kind of know what to expect, and so that default setting can become something that one assumes is true for the hobby in general. I know that I did this... I was almost always the GM for the same group of friends and we almost always played D&D... I didn't think that me or my group as exceptional in any way, so I figured most folks who played RPGs had a similar experience.</blockquote>

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