Is prep time "gaming?"

[el-remmen]

Some prep is fun.

Some of it isn't.

But I never consider it actual gaming. It is prep for gaming, that's why its called "prep".

 

[barsoomcore]

Is there any way in which this question is not simply semantic? I don't understand.

I mean, I can define "gaming" as "any and all things related to the playing of role-playing games, including prep time", or I can define "gaming" as "sitting at a table with my buddies, playing a game". Who cares how I define that? And how is that remotely interesting?

I'm not trying to be obnoxious here, I just feel like I'm missing something.

 

[bento]

My wife thinks so.

Ditto. Any gaming book I read, time spent making NPCs with Hero Forge, or e-mailing my group is "gaming" to my wife.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Hairy balls of the gods, no!

Prep time is work.

I don't count time made filming a movie in the 90-120 mins it takes to do it's thing, nor do I count time writing the script, hiring the actors, greenlighting the film, blah blah blah....

Everything I prep I do for the enjoyment of myself and my players at the table.

Anything that can cut down on "Me alone in a room thinking about how cool elves are" time is more time I have for doing things I enjoy more -- which could mean running a longer game. Or whatever.

This is why I LOVE what WotC's new formats are doing. They're taking time thinking about what I would normally have to think about. Which means more time for the fun stuff!

 

[KB9JMQ]

To me the prep work is not gaming, but I do enjoy it.

 

[The Shaman]

I mean, I can define "gaming" as "any and all things related to the playing of role-playing games, including prep time", or I can define "gaming" as "sitting at a table with my buddies, playing a game".

So pick one that most closely represents your point of view.

Who cares how I define that?

I do - that's why I posed the question.

And how is that remotely interesting?

It's interesting because "gaming" can be defined differently by different people, as you yourself just demonstrated.

I'm not trying to be obnoxious here, I just feel like I'm missing something.

I don't think you're missing anything so much as trying to read too much into the question.

 

[Henry]

It's not gaming to me any more than talking about golf is playing golf, or watching a sports event is playing in the sports event.

 

[barsoomcore]

To be honest, I try NOT to be too specific in my definitions -- that way lies madness. And endless semantic arguments.

I can accept either definition of "gaming". You can consider gaming as analogous to watching a play, or you can consider gaming as analogous to putting on a play -- the rehearsal/prep time is not part of the former but is part of the latter, while the performance is part of both. Either way is logically defensible and doesn't involve some insane definition of the word "gaming". I don't need to pick either and so I don't. Both are perfectly acceptable to me.

If somebody wants to disagree violently with either definition, I guess they can. I would find such a disagreement strange.

 

[Morte]

No, it's work, and I rarely enjoy it.

I'm especially unhappy because most RPG publishers seem downright determined not to sell things that will save prep time.

 

[barsoomcore]

RPG publishers seem downright determined not to sell things that will save prep time.

What sorts of products would save prep time for you?