[POLL] What style of game do you prefer? (please respond!)

[Col_Pladoh]

Voter RPG Experience

What would be interesting here is to have the game style preference correlated with years of RPG experience. As it stands, it is noteworthy that the even mix is the favorite of the great majority.

In commercial modules this mix is difficult to supply, of course...

Happy New Year,
Gary

 

[randomling]

I'd love to play in a campaign where every combat mattered, and had a good reason to happen. that's what I consider the most important thing.

I'm with you here. As a player, it makes the game seem more realistic -- and it's the way I want to DM, I want every fight to be life-threatening and to have a purpose, not just "oh, we fought two gnolls, that was fun".

 

[bret]

I find this survey somewhat disappointing because there is more to the game than just H&S or roleplay.

I've forgotten where it was, but someone once wrote an article that split it up into four categories. I forget exactly what the four categories were, I think they were something like Tactical (the battle part of combat), Puzzle, Story, and Simulation (imagining that you are in that situation).

I feel that the best games have a mixture of all of these components. You have a story line explaining how things got to the current situation, tactical battles between the PCs and opposition, a few puzzles or mysterys to keep the thinking characters guessing what is coming next, and avoid breaking the suspension of belief so that the characters are more immersed in the environment.

BTW: I voted more storytelling because I find the straight combat boring.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I find this survey somewhat disappointing because there is more to the game than just H&S or roleplay.

I've forgotten where it was, but someone once wrote an article that split it up into four categories. I forget exactly what the four categories were, I think they were something like Tactical (the battle part of combat), Puzzle, Story, and Simulation (imagining that you are in that situation).

...

Right you are. There are a lot of elements to the RPG form. There are in addition to those you noted, at least the following: building, commerce and finance, exploration and mapping, intregue, politics, random chance, role assumption (thinking and acting "in character), and strategy. The mix can be great or narrow, and many elememts possible to employ in the game need not be included in an adventure.

Given that, I voted for an even mix because I believe that category subsumes inclusion of other elements now and then

Happy New Year,
Gary