How to Roleplay, by TBG

[thebitterguy]

When the GM starts an adventure by saying "You are in this place, doing this thing", DON'T FUCKING START ASKING QUESTIONS.

Don't go "how did we get here?" Don't ask any questions. For the love of all that's holy, don't interrupt! If the GM starts the game in media res, GO WITH IT. Maybe it'll be a dream. Maybe it'll just get the game started quicker. Endless, bloody inquisitions will just make the game slow down to a crawl.

In other news, don't question the GM's knowledge of the game world during character generation. Big hint, chucky: he IS the game world now. And your ability to quote chapter and verse from the Requiem rulebook and the latest chatter on the Forums means two things: Jack, and shit. Ask questions, if you like. Offer suggestions, if you will. But when he says something doesn't matter, don't act like it should.

Feh. I'm just cranky.

Comments

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

Hehe.

[thebitterguy]

No basis in any factual events, of course.

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

Purely hypothetical.

[creativedv8tion.livejournal.com]

I can mostly agree with you on the in media res part, except that if the players have no reason to expect it, it's also a courtesy to say, "We're starting in media res, just go with it for now" before dropping it in their laps. Otherwise, then it's your job not only to expect the questions, but to put up with them and answer 'em.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[easyalchemy.livejournal.com]

No, no, so many games have been ruined by memorize-and-obssess players that there's no need to apologise for crankiness. I'm cranky about those kind of gamers right now, and I haven't been in a game in probably eight years.
In fact, I believe that it was those kind of gamers who drove me away from the last bunch of games I had been playing.

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

I'll buy that. I'll also assert that if a player can't handle "that's the way it is" from a GM, s/he needs to walk away from this table, Jayne. Right now.

[mneme]

It's correct, though.

Some games are of "interrogate the GM or you won't get anywhere" sort, but some are not, and players need to be able to distinguish between the two.

[the-solecist.livejournal.com]

As well some GMs are of the can't share details, so one has to interrogate them to know anything variety.

It's best when the GM and the Player mesh on the way they interact. Philosophy of role-play, and expectations play a big part in whether any given GM-Player pairing will work well, or at all.

Memorize and obsess players are why I created my own world. Then they can't know the stats of something they've never even read about, and have to approach it with more caution. :D

[creativedv8tion.livejournal.com]

As long as it's done to 'protect' plot-stuff, and not just to be a sockcucker, I agree wholeheartedly.

And I say all of this as the guy who is more often a GM than a player.

[kaijugal.livejournal.com]

Do you have a munchkin infestation?

[thebitterguy]

It's just my experience that in most games you start off with briefing/"where we left off last time" type of thing. When it doesn't happen, the players should be perceptive enough to know something's happening and go along with it.

If they're confused, of course, it's perfectly within their rights to make sure they understand the situation, but it would just ruin the situation to ask questions when the GM is going to be making reveals as the plot progresses, or even in the introduction to the night's adventures.

[kinra.livejournal.com]

Hey, I got a idea. If she knew the access codes, why didn't she just pull the job herself?

(smiles, satisfied with his insight)

[creativedv8tion.livejournal.com]

*nods* Well, that's just basically what I wanted to clarify - the way you stated it, you weren't happy with questions of any sort, just expecting the players to blindly follow, with no caveats on how much/little was given to them for them to pick up on whether or not they were missing on something intentionally or not.

Ie, some players will react, Oh, cool, we're starting in media res!

Others first reaction will be (and I wager this is a more common one), Oh, shit, I must've missed something - fuck, what did I forget? I was here last week, wasn't I? Did I miss out on an email?

As for it ruining the situation to ask questions, I disagree. For the GM to get pissy and yell, or get a bug up their ass and say, "Ok, you fucknut, we're starting in media res b/c you guys are under a spell!"... that would ruin. But to ask questions? No. AGain, a good GM: a) should have given some kinda heads-up, even a vague one, like, "Ok, guys, just go with the flow - you'll figure things out as we go along".

[creativedv8tion.livejournal.com]

Because players who ask questions are now "munchkins"?

[madmanofprague.livejournal.com]

Yes. Thought-munchkins!

[terminal-pariah.livejournal.com]

Geeze, it's been years since I've played any RPGs. All of my dice-addicted friends fizzled and disappeared at once! Don't take it for granted!

[thebitterguy]

It's a matter of GM/Player communication, true. Communication and trust.

Two things that every gamer I've ever known has had in spades. :)