Post by chris on Apr 1, 2014 18:50:58 GMT
Hello! I thought following the agm it might be useful and interesting to give a basic rundown of what playing a roleplay game is like in case anyone would like to know more
Here's my take on the topic:
A tabletop roleplay game is essentially a storytelling game. Most players in a game take the part of a single character in a jointly told story. They decide what that character would say or do in any given situation. Characters controlled by players are often called 'player characters' or 'PCs'.
Normally players don't have to 'act' what their character is doing. A player can simply say things like, "Denver walks up to the guard, insults his mother and attempts to headbut him hard before he can react".
One other player, often called the 'gm' (gamesmaster) or 'dm' (dungeon master), sets the scene and the situation and takes the part of any other characters in the story. Often the gm sets out some sort of challenge or obstacle for the PCs to overcome. The gm also helps resolve the actions of the players so in the above example he or she would then describe the results of the attempted headbut.
Similarly to a story told round a camp fire, the gm sets a scene, the pcs decide what their characters would do or say. This process continues and the story unfolds often in completely unexpected directions and with a degree of hilarity!
So, I hear you ask, what is there to stop a player deciding their character wants to do something nigh impossible? Isn't this wishy washy do whatever you like thing going to get difficult?
I'm glad you asked! Yes! And that's why when a player chooses an action which may result in an uncertain outcome, a dice roll is normally called for. If a certain result or set of results on the dice is achieved, then the action succeeds.
For example, if my character is a veteran ww2 soldier, and I wanted to declare that I want him to snap to attention when the senior officer rides past on a jeep, I wouldn't normally need to roll a die. This is something very easy that he is trained to do, has done a billion times and at this time he is not under any pressure to succeed.
If however I wanted the same veteran soldier to be disguised as an SS officer, infiltrate an enemy camp, salute the general as he rides by then leap onto the car, seize the general's own pistol,knock him out with it, shoot his bodyguards, and, drive off through downtown Berlin singing "god save the king"loudly with the general in the back AND then get him safely to Switzerland, .... then a few rather difficult dice rolls might be called for along the way...
Often most game systems allow you to build your character so that dice rolls for actions they are good at are less difficult than others. Often as the story continues, you can also choose options to train your character to get better at certain things too.
There are many many different game systems in many different genres of story. From high fantasy (like dungeons and dragons - the game that started it all) to pulp adventure (think Indiana jones) to horror, sci fi, and modern day settings and many more. The common element is normally that the characters themselves are in some way out of the ordinary. This is just to ensure the stories are interesting otherwise you might spend 3 hours of an evening deciding on the actions of a character who watches TV and then makes a cup of tea...
Roleplay games also range a great deal in complexity, some have very few and very simple rules. These often involve little more than a few stats for a character, a few dice, some paper and imagination.
Others include a set of detailed rules for combat that involve miniatures on a map, grid, dungeon tile etc.
In all cases though, the storytelling is what makes the game in some way different to a board game or war game. There is normally no winning or losing it is simply about enjoying the ride.
So why do I love RPGs?
I love the fact that I never really know what's going to happen, the fact that people are funny and come up with the silliest bizarre solutions to overcoming challenges in a story.
I love seeing my character grow and change as the story continues and also the process of deciding how I want then to improve as they gain experience.
Most of all though, I can honestly say that some of the best fun I have ever had has been in an RPG as the people round the table collapse In giggles over something someone has said or done in the story.
No doubt the other regular players have other reasons too.
If anyone would like to know more, or would like to try a game, do let me know!
Chris
Here's my take on the topic:
A tabletop roleplay game is essentially a storytelling game. Most players in a game take the part of a single character in a jointly told story. They decide what that character would say or do in any given situation. Characters controlled by players are often called 'player characters' or 'PCs'.
Normally players don't have to 'act' what their character is doing. A player can simply say things like, "Denver walks up to the guard, insults his mother and attempts to headbut him hard before he can react".
One other player, often called the 'gm' (gamesmaster) or 'dm' (dungeon master), sets the scene and the situation and takes the part of any other characters in the story. Often the gm sets out some sort of challenge or obstacle for the PCs to overcome. The gm also helps resolve the actions of the players so in the above example he or she would then describe the results of the attempted headbut.
Similarly to a story told round a camp fire, the gm sets a scene, the pcs decide what their characters would do or say. This process continues and the story unfolds often in completely unexpected directions and with a degree of hilarity!
So, I hear you ask, what is there to stop a player deciding their character wants to do something nigh impossible? Isn't this wishy washy do whatever you like thing going to get difficult?
I'm glad you asked! Yes! And that's why when a player chooses an action which may result in an uncertain outcome, a dice roll is normally called for. If a certain result or set of results on the dice is achieved, then the action succeeds.
For example, if my character is a veteran ww2 soldier, and I wanted to declare that I want him to snap to attention when the senior officer rides past on a jeep, I wouldn't normally need to roll a die. This is something very easy that he is trained to do, has done a billion times and at this time he is not under any pressure to succeed.
If however I wanted the same veteran soldier to be disguised as an SS officer, infiltrate an enemy camp, salute the general as he rides by then leap onto the car, seize the general's own pistol,knock him out with it, shoot his bodyguards, and, drive off through downtown Berlin singing "god save the king"loudly with the general in the back AND then get him safely to Switzerland, .... then a few rather difficult dice rolls might be called for along the way...
Often most game systems allow you to build your character so that dice rolls for actions they are good at are less difficult than others. Often as the story continues, you can also choose options to train your character to get better at certain things too.
There are many many different game systems in many different genres of story. From high fantasy (like dungeons and dragons - the game that started it all) to pulp adventure (think Indiana jones) to horror, sci fi, and modern day settings and many more. The common element is normally that the characters themselves are in some way out of the ordinary. This is just to ensure the stories are interesting otherwise you might spend 3 hours of an evening deciding on the actions of a character who watches TV and then makes a cup of tea...
Roleplay games also range a great deal in complexity, some have very few and very simple rules. These often involve little more than a few stats for a character, a few dice, some paper and imagination.
Others include a set of detailed rules for combat that involve miniatures on a map, grid, dungeon tile etc.
In all cases though, the storytelling is what makes the game in some way different to a board game or war game. There is normally no winning or losing it is simply about enjoying the ride.
So why do I love RPGs?
I love the fact that I never really know what's going to happen, the fact that people are funny and come up with the silliest bizarre solutions to overcoming challenges in a story.
I love seeing my character grow and change as the story continues and also the process of deciding how I want then to improve as they gain experience.
Most of all though, I can honestly say that some of the best fun I have ever had has been in an RPG as the people round the table collapse In giggles over something someone has said or done in the story.
No doubt the other regular players have other reasons too.
If anyone would like to know more, or would like to try a game, do let me know!
Chris
