What Does Your Perfect Session Look Like?

[Reynard]

If you imagine your perfect session of an RPG, what does it look like to you?

What game? What campaign? How many participants? How long is the session?
What is the "breakdown" between time spent in combat, exploring, roleplaying with NPCs, PCs interacting, players fooling around, wtc..?
And finally, what's on the pizza?

 

[Umbran]

Perfect? No such thing. Much like there's no single perfect movie, or perfect flavor of ice cream - what is "perfect" depends on the moods of the day.

So, how about we talk about an awesome game session....

For me, what game/campaign doesn't really matter - I have a great time playing all sorts of things. Similar for the "breakdown" of the session - that mix can vary.

The session is probably about 6 hours long, but there's a lot of wiggle room there.

It is probably part of a long campaign, in which the characters have all had a lot of time establishing who they were, and those characters aren't just broad stroke cliché sketches, but have some depth to them. The session is focused on some major events in the narrative - it doesn't need to be the big climactic campaign conclusion, just something important.

The most important thing is that everyone is "on". They are happy to be there, and focused on the room at hand, not their kids, how they have to mow the lawn, or the worries of the world today.

And there's several pizzas, so everyone can have their favorites.

 

[payn]

If you imagine your perfect session of an RPG, what does it look like to you?

A steady and consistent great time!

What game?

Could be several. PF1 or Traveller as they are my two favorites.

What campaign?

PF1 likely an adventure path, but Traveller is likely a sandbox.

How many participants?

I like 4-5 players tops. Anything more is too much time to spread around.

How long is the session?

4 hours

What is the "breakdown" between time spent in combat, exploring, roleplaying with NPCs, PCs interacting, players fooling around, wtc..?

Limited OOC chatter, but not none either. My games tend to be more in the social and exploration pillars, using D&D parlance. Probably 70% social/exploration and 30% combat in character game time.

And finally, what's on the pizza?

Canadian bacon, Pineapple, and banana peppers.

 

[Jacob Lewis]

If you imagine your perfect session of an RPG, what does it look like to you?

Playing at a table with a group of people like this:

Perfect? No such thing. Much like there's no single perfect movie, or perfect flavor of ice cream - what is "perfect" depends on the moods of the day.

So, how about we talk about an awesome game session....

For me, what game/campaign doesn't really matter - I have a great time playing all sorts of things. Similar for the "breakdown" of the session - that mix can vary.

The session is probably about 6 hours long, but there's a lot of wiggle room there.

It is probably part of a long campaign, in which the characters have all had a lot of time establishing who they were, and those characters aren't just broad stroke cliché sketches, but have some depth to them. The session is focused on some major events in the narrative - it doesn't need to be the big climactic campaign conclusion, just something important.

The most important thing is that everyone is "on". They are happy to be there, and focused on the room at hand, not their kids, how they have to mow the lawn, or the worries of the world today.

And there's several pizzas, so everyone can have their favorites.

Sold!

 

[Reynard]

To answer for myself now that I have a spare minute:

My "perfect session" is probably an in-person (possibly convention) game of either Shadowdark, Daggerheart or Savage Worlds with 4 or 5 players(I have a list but I won't go into it). The actual adventure is off the cuff but built on a solid "situation foundation" where I managed good prep (from my perspective; mostly meaning plenty of easily integrated or discareded NPCs, locations and other ideas). One of the most important features is enthusiastic players who have all bought in to the premise and give back as much as I present them. There is probably one big set piece combat encounter, with lots of player-driven exploration and interaction leading up to it. Then a little denoument.

We are having beers and eating pizza with spicey pepperonis and hot honey.

 

[John Dallman]

The session is probably about 6 hours long, but there's a lot of wiggle room there.

Four is more to my taste, simply because players in the fifties or older tire faster.

It is probably part of a long campaign, in which the characters have all had a lot of time establishing who they were, and those characters aren't just broad stroke cliché sketches, but have some depth to them. The session is focused on some major events in the narrative - it doesn't need to be the big climactic campaign conclusion, just something important.

To refine this a bit, it's definitely part of a campaign that has well-established characters*. There's development of the campaign narrative, opening up new possibilities. At least one of the characters gets some significant personal development or insight.

The most important thing is that everyone is "on". They are happy to be there, and focused on the room at hand, not their kids, how they have to mow the lawn, or the worries of the world today.

Yup, that's the key. That may be a reason why so many gamers search for the game which will recapture the fun of their youth: they didn't have today's worries and preoccupations in the past.

*A tactical test: do the characters know each other well enough to act as a team without the players having to consult each other?