Resolved: that one of the reasons why we get into roleplaying games is to engage in wish fulfillment. I’m not going to argue against that one. Goodness knows there are a lot of games that I’ve given up on in large part because things showed up in there that were sufficiently antithetical to what my [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, Player Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: concept clash, player etiquette, roleplaying | 
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An RPG doesn’t need to start with every little detail worked out. It helps, but it’s not necessary. I’ve seen games with rules for half-built characters, and games where the characters were talking IC and nobody’s sheet was even remotely finished. There are games where you can get away delegating figuring out what brought the [...]
Categories: Exposition, For Roleplayers, GM Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated, Tactics, Technique, The Real World |
Tags: GM tips, informing players, potential hazards, roleplaying | No Comments »
It’s rough being a new player in an unfamiliar system, particularly when there isn’t much time to learn, or you’re the only one who’s functionally a new player. Particularly when there are two ways of figuring out what you’re supposed to be doing; look through the book again, and ask questions. (Probably ask questions; I [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, Player Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated, The Real World |
Tags: new players, questions, roleplaying | No Comments »
“What is a role-playing game?” they ask tentatively. And I feel the need to preface the answer with a story.
Though I didn’t get into role-playing games fully until after the turn of the century, my gamer stepbrother had introduced me to the concept with war games in my parents’ garage a good decade and change [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
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Requested by my wonderful colleague crsenter. (As a side note, I highly recommend her blog for people who want to work on their writing; she has an excellent approach to creativity and inspiration.)
Her question was how to get into the game late in the game, namely around the age of 40. Now, aside from the [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, Player Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: original posts | 1 Comment »
The most difficult thing about putting together a world is often the people. This goes double when you’re running a game, as the impressions your players can get of your secondary characters can have plot-changing repercussions. (Note: If looking for straight writing advice, substitute “Main characters” and “audience” for “PCs” as seems appropriate.)
So how do [...]
Categories: Characterization, For Roleplayers, GM Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: Characterization, gaming, writing | No Comments »
“You’re looking for the writers, the musicians, the drama people, and the sociology majors.” That was the recruitment advice I got from the first person who ran a game for me at college. It’s not always accurate, but for people like us it’s a good start.
The big thing about finding a group is making sure [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, GM Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: beginners, gaming, getting started, original posts, style, tone | No Comments »
So now that you’ve decided to play, and figured out approximately how (no need to commit yet, though, since these things are all intermingled), the next choice is what you’re going to play. Now, this part gets a bit more difficult.
First, there’s the simple question of whether you’d prefer a freeform or an established system. [...]
Categories: For Roleplayers, GM Advice, RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: beginners, game systems, gaming, original posts | No Comments »
As joanne1398 has pointed out in her response to my opening post, a lot of the problem with getting into roleplaying is knowing where to get started and whom to get started with. This series will be on the basic decisions that go into game setup.
The first thing you want to consider is the medium [...]
Categories: RPGs for the Uninitiated |
Tags: beginners, game formats, game systems, gaming, getting started, original posts | 1 Comment »