| Author |
Topic:
The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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LightWarden
Registered:
Oct '01
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Date Posted:
6/26/07 11:22pm
Subject:
Truly bad entries are stuff that should be anonymously shared...
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How the heck do you sacrifice fun for success? "Here's a game that sucks more than my last one. Please play it." I can understand sacrificing vision for wider acceptability, but if you're sacrificing fun, you're doing something wrong. The game shouldn't be boring for the GM ever.
Also, if you can't solve your problems, you can always walk away. The thread is pretty much the property of the GM (except when trumped by TOS, since the thread is on the board and it's the property of higher powers), and the GM has the final word on everything. A good GM will attempt to make things fun for everyone, but doesn't have to, and it's perfectly legal for the GM to give a player the boot just because the GM doesn't like the player's font color. Likewise, the players have the power to leave the game at any time for any reason (including dislike of font colors). Really superficial reasons are usually the mark of poor players and poor GMs, but it's perfectly legal. You don't have to take anything if you don't want to (but if aren't willing to make concessions, you may run out of people to play with).
There's no rule that says you even have to play a game or a system that everyone (or even anyone) is familiar with. If you're a competent enough GM and really want to run your game, then help new players any way you can by providing information and guidance any time it's needed. A GM can run an entire game system completely under the hood, just as with your typical computer roleplaying game like anything from Bioware/Black Isle. Your player tells you "I want to punch that guy in the face" and you tell your player "congrats, you succeed. He bleeds" or "Sorry, no good" or maybe even "screw that, alien invasion".
I have no particular problem with the GM blocking a character because the character doesn't fit. It's a sign of a good GM if the GM works with the players and provides help and suggestions, and possibly sees if there's anything that can be done on the GM end to make the character fit... but you can't work with it, just toss it.
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CDG Guild Master
Strange how one small thing can determine the fate of so many... especially if it's a twenty-sided die
The Internet is SERIOUS BIZNESS!
It's all fun and games until someone loses a leg.
TF.N RPGs: Less fun than pretending to have sex
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Imperial_Hammer
Title: Manager:
• SWRPF
• NSWRPF
• RPR
Registered:
Sep '04
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Date Posted:
6/26/07 11:31pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
- Date Edited:
6/26/07 11:36pm (3 edits total)
Edited By:
Imperial_Hammer
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Light posted:
How the heck do you sacrifice fun for success? "Here's a game that sucks more than my last one. Please play it." I can understand sacrificing vision for wider acceptability, but if you're sacrificing fun, you're doing something wrong. The game shouldn't be boring for the GM ever
Thanks for bringing up a point of clarification. Yes, I do mean vision. In my experience, oftentimes the fun of the game is tied into the GM's vision. They see something that they find superfun, and they go full-bore on it, without any nod to acceptabilty or workability. As such, I tend to use the terms synonymously, though in a technical discussion such as this, that might not always be the case.
And I'll be doing an edit on that first post accordingly
-I_H
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Guildmaster of the GDG RPF Adopter of Sentinel001  NaboosPrincess The Jedi Way is something found within, not in the dead walls of any Order
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Penguinator-176
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
6/27/07 12:01am
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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Using a personal example, when I love an idea to bits, I try my best to make it into its best form. I try to make my game as good as I can, I don't try to get out there as fast as possible.
I never said that preparation equates zero fun, preparation is needed. A few words here and there, and you have some interest. But the game has to be playable, it has to be fun for all involved. No one here is going to say, "This game sucks, I think I'll stick with it for another three monts." It needs to be fun, and it needs to have some planning behind it.
And if leaving out that one little bit of pure awesomeness you loved is what's required to make the game easy for everyone, then so be it. Including canon characters may seem like the bee's knees, but it's not fun for everyone, much as you'd like to see Harry Potter deal with what you throw at him.
I dunno, I think I'm just rambling from lack of sleep right now, but the game must be fun. Above all else.
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"Don't try to take me away, like I can't live without you."
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GDG
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blubeast1237
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
6/27/07 6:30am
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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A GMs vision and preparation are all contributions to the fun of RPing.
The part of RP that I find most fun is the way I can interpret what the GM has given me.
Preparation should never lead to the game not being playable. If you prepare that much, then the game is more of a FanFic than an RP.
Beast
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"Conquest is made of the ashes of one's enemies."
The 1237 Holler
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Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Trials
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LightWarden
Registered:
Oct '01
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Date Posted:
6/28/07 2:14pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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Well, short of railroading, I don't think that it's really possible to prepare to the point of unplayability. It's better than the "Pardon Our Dust" style of making stuff up as you go along. Don't see too much trouble in spending a large amount of time making a big world full of things for the players to do, so long as you accept that they probably won't do everything.
And even if you railroad, it's not that bad so long as the view is nice, the ride is fun, and the destination is Awesometown.
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CDG Guild Master
Strange how one small thing can determine the fate of so many... especially if it's a twenty-sided die
The Internet is SERIOUS BIZNESS!
It's all fun and games until someone loses a leg.
TF.N RPGs: Less fun than pretending to have sex
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Penguinator-176
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
6/29/07 2:43pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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All good points, thanks for keeping this discussion going.
Next Topic:
Keeping the game fresh
If we know what makes a game fun to begin with, how does one keep this game going? How do the situations stay fun and interesting? How does a game stay fresh and not go rotten?
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GDG
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Reynar_Tedros
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
6/29/07 2:49pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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This has always been the problem with my games, and so far I've found no solution. So I'll be intently waiting for some responses to this one.
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Gaming: Guitar Hero III, Mass Effect, Saints Row XBL GamerTag: martian janitor http://boards.theforce.net/non_star_wars_fan_fiction/b10808/28827381/p1/?2
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Hammurabi
Registered:
Jan '07
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Date Posted:
6/29/07 2:52pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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Planning is part of it. It doesn't all need to be done when the game starts, but you never want to run out of ideas. When that happens, you better get creative.
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and i know no one can sing the blues like blind willie mctell
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Saintheart
Title: Manager and Wandering Swordsman of the RPF
Registered:
Dec '00
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Date Posted:
7/1/07 9:31pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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Is it perhaps changing the situation? 'Exiles' seems to be all about changing worlds periodically, and it seems to do okay...?
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Michelle: my Italian queen, my angel, my reason, my wife.
Jessica: my little princess, my daughter, born 10 August 2007
Director -- Star Wars: Knighthood
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Penguinator-176
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
7/3/07 4:13pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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"Okay" is an understatement; that game began when the NSWRPF was first conceptualized, and is still running to this day.
In part, it's because of an ever-rotating cast of characters; some players who were there for the game's inception left, returned, disappeared, et cetera.
In part, it's because of the changing scenarios. Players aren't limited by being stuck in one universe for too long, making each change of scenarios a breath of fresh air.
It would appear to me the Dubya Scott has got the ultimate game to keep players interested. It's always changing.
And this brings me to my next point - and a possible future topic: Exiles is, to me, the first episodic game on the NSWRPF.
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"Don't try to take me away, like I can't live without you."
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Zedd-Vega
Registered:
Dec '03
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Date Posted:
7/3/07 4:27pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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Exiles wins my vote for anything. Put any game against it and force me to choose, and I'll certainly choose Exiles before it.
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"All your base are belong to us..." Cats I'm 97% high fructose corn syrup! "Boba Fett? Boba Fett?! Where?!" Han Solo: RotJ The One and Only Darth Mandalore  Sev in Ghost Ship Executor
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Saintheart
Title: Manager and Wandering Swordsman of the RPF
Registered:
Dec '00
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Date Posted:
7/3/07 5:32pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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I think it must have elements in common with "Jedi Outcasts" on the SWRPG. That RPG is just a black-hole-scale anomaly in the RPGing laws of physics. 
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Michelle: my Italian queen, my angel, my reason, my wife.
Jessica: my little princess, my daughter, born 10 August 2007
Director -- Star Wars: Knighthood
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blubeast1237
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
7/4/07 10:29am
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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I have fun when the GM gives me obstacles to overcome and lets me relax in the RP.
NJO and Exiles keep it interesting by the fact that they are like a society RPG, where commnications and actions are done like you would normally do it.
Exiles is just amazing by the fact that it is so loose its fun. I have to agree with another by saying if you had to make me choose between another NSW RPG and Exiles, Exiles has it. Dubya knows how to run a RPG and by that factor alone the game becomes fun.
The players are creative in both RPGs and along with loose and fun GMs the RPGs become great, which is why they have lasted so long.
Sadly, I haven't had time to participate in them as much as I would like to.
The factor of fun is a combined teamwork, even relationship, between the GM, the players, and the game itself. The ability to imagine how the enviroment is and what would be appropriate is a challenge alone with me, a challenge that I enjoy.
Outlaw Sessions is a prime example of what I mean. Being able to relate to every factor is very fun.
A) The GM: Peng is a loose, yet complex, GM that you can come up and work ideas with. He hasn't put too much pressure on anyone and his updates leave enough to the imagination, yet still set the setting for the players.
B)The other players: The players seem to be able to relate to one another, yet remain individuals. I, myself, have been watching the conversation between Reynar's character, Brother, and Winged_Jedi's, Hideo Higashi, with much interest. Brother, a young, eager, and simple cowboy who loves big flashs and explosion, then you have Hideo, who is a vet who prefers the sniper approach to things. It has been quite amusing to watch the back and forth between them. That is the relationship between players/characters that if it is in all games, will make the game much more fun for everyone involved.
C)The Game: The game itself is fun for the main factor that we are really familiar with the enviroment of Cowboy Bebop and its not hard for me to imagine the settings. Being a fan isn't necessary, but it does help me if I can picture what the setting is. It allows me to interpret and take the proper steps to do certain things.
Beast
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"Conquest is made of the ashes of one's enemies."
The 1237 Holler
Jabb-Awoc-Deez-Nuts
Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Trials
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Penguinator-176
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
7/5/07 8:16am
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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I say this with only humour meant...
No, I will not let Kane out of his cage.
Thanks, Beast - I'm flattered. But I'd wait until the game's a bit further on, and then we'll see what you think of it.
New Topic tomorrow!
Next Topic: Episodic Games
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"Don't try to take me away, like I can't live without you."
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GDG
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blubeast1237
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
7/5/07 12:40pm
Subject:
RE: The Society of Free-Range Gaming
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No, I will not let Kane out of his cage.
Dangit! All that work down the drain.
No I was just saying what I liked about it so far.
Who knows, I might end up hating it.
Beast
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"Conquest is made of the ashes of one's enemies."
The 1237 Holler
Jabb-Awoc-Deez-Nuts
Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Trials
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