What is fun when it comes to an RPG?

[Mr. Wilson]

It can be summed up for both DM and playing for me in this: Playing through a story with friends.

That right there is the most fun and enjoyable part of RPGs and I am currently hard at work on making up the plot-lines and world for my 4e campaign, so we can start doing this right away.

QFT. Star Wars, Deadlands, Vampire (but screw Werewolf ;p), DnD, it's all a vessel for a good story or good time with friends.

 

[jackston2]

1.) humor (gallows, usually)

2.) surprising developments (usually due to bizarre rule interaction)

3.) exploration through trial and error

4.) finding sacks of jewels and boxes of coins (ODnD baby!)

 

[Aus_Snow]

The threads that have come up latley make me wonder if the biggest difference between 4ed people and non 4ed is thier definition of fun. I think for people who are really into 4ed thier idea of fun is kicking but and killing bad guys.

Much as I dislike 4e, I'm going to have to disagree.

People either like the 4e mechanics (and, to some extent at this stage, 'fluff') or they don't. Those who do, well, they can do whatever they like with it.

The ways I've bent 3e out of shape to suit the things I've preferred DMing in certain instances, you might not expect such games to happen, if you simply looked at the core rules (or even most of the 3e splats too) and the implied or actual setting(s).

So yeah, I think you'll find people of many different persuasions playing and DMing 4e. Even if it seems to suggest one thing, there's no reason it couldn't be modified or reinterpreted in a multitude of ways.

Personally, I won't bother - partly because a while back I already found systems I love to use, and have incrementally modded and tweaked, just so - but never mind that.

As to what I find fun. . . pretty much all of the classic roleplaying elements: getting together with some great people in a relaxed environment, adventure, exploration, discovery, immersion, excitement, conflict, story, kicking ass. . .

All that stuff, and probably more.

 

[xechnao]

PC interaction around a module. If the module is good and the rules are good then we are having fun.
For the module to be good it needs to have a bit of challenges, rewards and risks. For the rules to be good they need to promote smooth PC interaction regarding the module and its scope.
Of course, for immersion in this kind of interaction the rules must be a bit realistic or simulationist. If verisimilitude is broken then there is a problem.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I get a big kick out of killing critters and taking their stuff...if that's what my PC's designed to do.

I also like roleplay.

I especially like running a PC that can do what I imagine him doing in my head. Often, that involves multiclassing.

I don't think 4Ed is any more combat intensive than previous editions are, but I do think it makes radically different assumptions about flexibility of PC design for players and fine tuning & flexibility of campaigns for DMs than the previous editions.

THAT is what is keeping me and many others away from the game.

 

[Ginnel]

I'm a supporter of 4th edition and currently playing it, heres what I like in an RPG.

I like having strong relationships with the rest of the party both good and bad.

I like getting together with a party to club together and overcome enemies and challenges

I like getting together with a party to club together and play with the environment sometimes (killing the bad guy taking his castle and flooding its basement with its magical taps and destroying the evil church and reconsecrating it [not within my characters powers as written but DM liked it])

I like being suprised by other players (this to me is probably the main reason for playing RPGs) in what they say, what they do, so anything that encourages a variety of actions is all good.

I like being suprised by the DM

I like gaining new powers and to have interesting stuff to do, in and out of combat.

All of these things are general likes, I could be playing any RPG I could be beating up Crime syndicates or Gods I could be helping Kingdoms or a lone widow, I could be striding over a plane of fire or threading my way through an alien jungle on the surface of an unexplored planet.

I can do all of these things in 3rd edition and can do all of them in 4th, not to mention M&M (a cowboy beebop version I ran) and the marvel heroes RPG based card game, Tribe 8, Whitewolf Vampire, Shadowrun, Ars Magica, Rolemaster, Star Wars D20 and Call of Cthulu.