Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Xamnam" data-source="post: 8819707" data-attributes="member: 7037765">Mechanical optimization is the easiest thing for me to give a backseat, thankfully, and why I tend to shy away crunchy games, or tables that enjoy and expect optimization. However, similarly to setting details, with games at the level of 5e, rules aren't too hard for me to internalize, and the not-bad option usually doesn't require much meta-level thought.When I say &quot;right choice&quot;, it's a fairly direction function of &quot;what I as my character should do&quot;. The biggest component. If I'm a character that belongs to the world and table, hopefully tonality/genre appropriateness comes as a given. Setting details are what give me confidence in crafting that character, and in knowing what my character would do. Lack of confidence creates stress*, and that stress brings me right back to an awareness of playing a game rather than being the character, which rips me out of any state of immersion. If I know the setting will actively fold to endorse the choices I make, then I can be confident, but I'll also be much more aware of my author-state, and that likewise pulls me out. Not that that is not its own type of engaging, but there, immersion is worlds harder for me to experience.*In a situation where I as character should have some degree of confidence, but I as player don't. Not referring to where my character and I should have an equal lack of knowledge. There's stress there, but that's the good kind, of taking the world seriously.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Xamnam, post: 8819707, member: 7037765"] Mechanical optimization is the easiest thing for me to give a backseat, thankfully, and why I tend to shy away crunchy games, or tables that enjoy and expect optimization. However, similarly to setting details, with games at the level of 5e, rules aren't too hard for me to internalize, and the not-bad option usually doesn't require much meta-level thought. When I say "right choice", it's a fairly direction function of "what I as my character should do". The biggest component. If I'm a character that belongs to the world and table, hopefully tonality/genre appropriateness comes as a given. Setting details are what give me confidence in crafting that character, and in knowing what my character would do. Lack of confidence creates stress*, and that stress brings me right back to an awareness of playing a game rather than being the character, which rips me out of any state of immersion. If I know the setting will actively fold to endorse the choices I make, then I can be confident, but I'll also be much more aware of my author-state, and that likewise pulls me out. Not that that is not its own type of engaging, but there, immersion is worlds harder for me to experience. *In a situation where I as character should have some degree of confidence, but I as player don't. Not referring to where my character and I should have an equal lack of knowledge. There's stress there, but that's the good kind, of taking the world seriously. [/QUOTE]

Verification