Player One Has Joined the Game!-Part 1

(Found on Google Image Search: "Check for Traps")

**Before I begin, I'd like to dedicate these next two posts to my R.P.G group. Without you guys, none of my adventures would be possible. Thanks a lot for the good times, friendship, and know that I can't wait to continue our adventures together!-Leighton**

So, since I've been away for so long, here is an extra special two part special in one go! No time for stalling, lets get right into it!

The last few posts have been devoted entirely to the G.Ming aspect of R.P.Ging, highlighting all the ingredients one should consider when creating and running a game. (In my opinion...Of course, I'm not always right...) 

However, with these last posts I have neglected one of the most important parts of Role Playing Games, the guys and girls who make all the adventures into the unexplored regions of our imaginations possible...The Players!

They are the heroes of the story, the makers of adventure, the harbingers of  chaos, fates' chosen warriors, those pesky kids, the saviors of Middle Earth, as well as the people who will be playing the 'protagonist' of your chronicle/R.P.G/Game. But as I always do, I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, just be aware that they/you are an important part of the plot. 

Part One of these Player centered posts will deal directly with the Players Role(s) in an R.P.G and then part two will deal with How to be a Good Player in a game session. These two points are important to dealing with the overall 'flow'/consistency of a gaming session and help to keep everyone happy and interested. 

I also make this a section in my information posts because most people who play Role-Playing games (in my opinion) forget just how important a Player is to a gaming session ,taking the "Role" out of the "Player"...Every player, old, young, indifferent, eccentric, or otherwise, adds a completely new layer to a role-playing session and one gaming session can change completely by simply adding or removing a personality. Just some food for thought...Back to the task at hand!

The Player's; or P.C's meaning "Player Character's", are the driving force of a story. I've said before that without them R.P.G's would be moot, but it is because of this drive that they are so important to a games story. 

I mean, sure a G.M can plan a game all they want, setting out the epic storyline, getting all the maps drawn up, thinking up all those awesome N.P.C's, but without the players, the G.M has no one to set his domino's 'a-toppling. In short, the players start, continue, and finish the game by their choices and actions.

From this statement comes our first role of the player as The Drivers of the Story. Ones role as a player is to move the story forward as a character would in a story, constantly reacting to situations as the story unfolds. This usually means that when an obvious plot point comes around the characters react to their situations accordingly. So, when the princess of the kingdom gets stolen by bandits and the King offers a large reward, the P.C's should usually be the first ones to step up...Unless of course your character isn't the political sort, in which case he might try joining up with the bandits and keeping the other P.C's at odds, or perhaps he'll stay at the tavern a little longer until a juicier proposition comes around...

Regardless of what you decide, your character(s) should be the ones making the decisions and moving the general plot along. 

On that note, part of this process falls upon the G.M to react to the players decisions or indecision, but that is something every G.M should be able to do and plan for during character creation. During which you should TRY to know HOW each character would/could react to a situation when planning out your story-lines/story hooks, asking questions on who that character is, and what drives them.

 However, you should also know that characters/plots/people all change as the story unfolds, and it is O.K to take a quick break from a game and come back to the main plot...But that is more advice for the G.M then I intended, so let us return to our stars...

The Second role of a player involves Asking Questions.  This may seem a little strange but bear with me...Players asking questions helps keep everyone thinking, helps to keep the plot moving, helps to further the intrigues, and further creates the world around your characters. Asking the Who's, What's, Where's, Why's, When's, and How's of the G.M's world is essential to creating a good role playing session, and it is the players who get the (almost) G.M-like powers of creation in their story's by finding out MORE.

So, next time you are in King's Landing, ( 'A Song of Ice and Fire Role Playing' reference for all my players! Good job guys!) ASK about the defenses around the city, who runs the city guard, what are the main districts of the city, where your Inn is in relation to The Red Keep, why there are so many guards around, when do the taverns open, and how do we get an appointment with the King. 

Not only does it keep the plot rolling, but it helps flesh out the world around your characters, and thus provides more life to an otherwise hollow backdrop.

Finally, the third role of the player lies in Providing Constructive Criticism. This does not mean you should constantly bash the G.M's session with what you think they should have done better. It means giving your honest opinion on how the game might have gone better/smoother/been more fun for all of you. G.M included.

Good role-playing sessions THRIVE on constructive criticism, it helps the G.M plan entertaining gaming tailored to your groups needs, as well as provides a way for you to vent your needs, wants, and ideas to the rest of the group. (Which takes a HUGE load off the G.M's shoulders...I assure you...) It also, generally creates a tighter knit group through the exchange of ideas/thoughts/preferences...I mean, getting to know who you're slaying the dragon with is always a pretty important thing if you ask me...

Don't be afraid at the end of a session to ask your G.M and fellow players for a critique session,  (if they're up for it and not in a rush...) and G.M's don't be afraid to ask the players for feedback! In the end it is for the benefit of everyone and keeps to the main goals of an R.P.G session: Having Fun. 

My advice? Sit back a bit and plan for a five, fifteen, or even thirty minute after-session on what everyone wants to see and I'm sure you'll always come out better for it.

In closing a players roles are simpler, but no less important to creating a lasting, fun, and smooth role-playing session for everybody. Firstly players should seek to Drive the Story Forward, to Ask a Lot of Questions, and Lastly, they should provide Constructive Criticism when they can.

Thanks again for reading folks! I appreciate all of your support and as always keep 'em rollin'!

      Cheers,

              Leighton

 

Their World is Your Sandbox-Part 2

(Image from: http://hiki.trpg.net/en/?TRPG)

Hello everyone!

Sorry it's been a while...I'm sure you all know how hectic "real life" can be. But, as promised, here is part two of my G.Ming series. This week I'll be covering the last three roles as a G.M: Storytelling/Narration, Writing, and Acting. So, without further ado, let us pick up where we left off shall we?

Story Telling/Narration; in my opinion, is basically the entire point of a pen and paper R.P.G. It is not simply enough to create the plot graphs, the awesome N.P.C's, and gather the players together...One of the best ways to run a good game, with memorable scenes, and enjoyable characters is to make your focus the Story and the Narration. 

Parts of this aspect of R.Ping are done in the Game Design Process and I'll go over that in more detail as we continue our journey together but for now I'll just give you some advice...

Keep in Mind your Characters and Your Play Style: On that same note, different people have different G.Ming styles and different players like different types of games. I mean, some peoples' greatest joy in R.P.G life is to grab all the loot, kill all the monsters, and save the princess. If that is the kind of game you want to play, that's great!  Kill those goblins and get all the loot!

However, if you're more like me, and wish for a less monotonous, less straight forward approach to role playing, then perhaps you'll take a few pointers?

Q: What's the difference between Story Telling and Narration?: Storytelling is the process in which you tell the story and it involves a lot of Narration. They are not one and the same, yet they work in tandem to create a very interesting process.

Your job as G.M is to ultimately tell a Story, however, you do this with the help of your characters and thus, you all "story-tell" together.

This harkens back to the days of the oral story-telling tradition, where people used to sit around the camp fire and start a story, passing it around the circle and each individual would add their own bits and pieces to it until eventually they had the works of a great folk tale.

Some people still do this today around the camp fire by starting a story with one sentence and then the person next to them continues it with another, and another, until....BAM! Completely wacked out storyline in less than five minutes.

Story Telling then, is how you interact with your players in the story, how you fit them into your plot, how you keep the story on track, (or don't!) and ultimately how the story eventually unfolds. You as the G.M set the game in motion, figuring out the scenes you want the players to play through, getting the N.P.C's in the players faces, figuring out what you want to throw at your characters next etc. However, without the players, the story never goes anywhere and thus, you need to work WITH the players and roll with whatever they eventually decide. After all, they are the stars of the show.

Narration however, is more personal. This is the part where you start describing the scenes, the characters, and set the overall tone to the story at hand. It's easy enough to just describe a room as:

"Your characters find a square room that is a forty feet-by-forty feet, with a fifty foot ceiling. A chest sits on one side of the room with a bridge to cross a narrow gap that is ten feet-by-ten feet across...." 

...But, It's a little harder to describe the actual feel of the room, the smell, the quality of light, the condition of the chest, the entrance way etc.Using the same example above, I could narrate the same room like this:

"Your characters walk into a square open-roofed, domed cavern of some sort which is carved out of cold limestone, that has grown slick with condensation from the rain pouring in from above. The area smells damp with the fresh spring rain and the ground is dotted with puddles filling in a few broken tiles. There seems to be an old-worn chest on the other side of the room, however, the only way to reach it, is a rickety rope bridge; that has seen better days, over a narrow, seemingly endless chasm."

Clearly, I have over exaggerated the example above, but there is a difference. Not only do the characters get a lovely picturesque image of a ruined underground sanctuary eroding away to the elements, they now understand that there is enough light to see all of this scene by, the floor is wet and thus, more treacherous, and there is clearly fatal consequences to continuing forward for what looks like a worn, treasure chest.

(Doesn't mean they won't go for the chest anyways...I mean...I would!)

Narration is the personal flavour you give everything that you have created. If you want to make a weapon seem more dark and ominous, describe it as such, if you want a room to look like a haven, describe things that make it feel comfortable and safe. Not everyone is going to be great at this at first, (nor does everyone like this style of play) but with a little bit of practice, planning, and patience you can create scenes that would even give Hollywood a run for it's money.

Thus, Story-telling, is what you and your R.P.G groups goal is, creating a story using your imaginations. Narration is a tool which helps you set the pace, the scene, and breathe life into what would otherwise be a very dull and boring setting.

The only tips I can give you folks right now would be to Practice and Work With Your Players.

Practicing: This should be self explanatory, but good narrating and story telling comes with lots, and lots, and lots, of practice! Personally, it has taken me YEARS to become confident with my narrating abilities, and I am always being surprised by unexpected character developments and plot movements, but eventually it becomes easier to tell the stories. It becomes easier to create the settings, the people, the places, and the world you take your friends too. Until, one day, you all will know it so well, you won't even need to go over some of the mundane things. You'll start finding your players have become more descriptive and outgoing then they used to be, and eventually the story will move forward swimmingly.

However, it all takes time and practice.

Work With Your Players: This is not a suggestion for me, but a rule. The players are who you want to impress, they are the protagonists in your novel, the stars of the stage, the winners of the tournaments, they are the reason you all get together every Saturday night to play another round of "Mage: The Awakening", come hell or high water, for one simple, yet important reason.

Because everyone wants to see what happens next!

You may create the story, you may do the most work to keep the game going smoothly, and you may be the person who creates the world, but really the only reason ANYONE G.M's is to find out where their story will go next.

Face it. The players help move the story forward, for better or for worse. Everyone should laugh at the parties triumphs, or gasp at one of the party members missed rolls, because even though you are the one who creates the settings/characters you never truly know which way the dice are going to be thrown.

What I'm trying to say here, is work with the people who make your Saturday evenings (or whenever you play) on your story lines, ask them where they would like their characters to go, what they would like to see, how they see their characters progressing, what they enjoyed and it will make every ones' experiences that much better.

Writing for an R.P.G is something that everyone takes to differently. It involves a lot of thought and some spare time, however, not everyone writes everything they want to explore or go into detail on, nor do they have too.
Some methods and techniques I've found that have been useful include: the creation of plot graphs, writing down important descriptors down on a piece of paper, (Like REALLY fancy and specific item descriptions; also called "flavour text", N.P.C appearances and clothing, etc.) or writing out important dialogue you want to share with your characters.

(I have used the later technique more than once to create epic war speeches, or to drop in a few minor clues to help the characters in the right direction, and it has always been worth the extra time and effort!)

Some tips to help you in this section include:

Keep Notes: Writing is also a great way to keep notes on a game and chronicle the adventures of your characters. It really helps being able to just flip back a few sheets and see what had happened in the previous game in order to help figure out what to do for the next. I forget some minor details of my games all the time, but usually a quick read over what happened last game really helps jog my memory.

Keep a Game Master's Log Book: I highly recommend keeping a written record of what happened after each game session or even asking the characters before the beginning/end of a session what happened previously. It helps keep everyone on the same page and keeps the game moving.

Start Early: Planning your flavour text ahead of time helps to keep the game moving slowly. If you make up the General's speech literally right before the battle, nine times out of ten, it will be less inspiring or less well thought out then if you had written it a few days before....(Although, some of my best lines have been said "in the moment"...)Most of the time this will help you and with practice you might not have to write some of the cooler things you want to share with your R.P.G buddies, you'll just remember on the spot, or create something that sounds awesome out of thin air. (Patience my young padawan's...Patience...)

Writing then is simply a part of the Game Design process and is a tool one can (and probably should) use to help with all the micro-managing a G.M goes through to ensure a great ,consistent and game.

Finally, we come to possibly the most embarrassing part of G.Ming Acting.

This usually comes into play when the G.M takes the role of an N.P.C and believe me when I tell you that it can be A LOT of fun!

On the other hand, if you are not the greatest actor in the world, then this process can also be glossed over quite easily. It just makes the game a tad bit more amusing if you at least try to act out the part of the busty bar maid. (Come on. You know you want to.)

Seriously though, part of playing an R.P.G is acting out different roles, trying on new personalities, with different goals, experiences, viewpoints etc. Eventually, your P.C's are going to want to talk to the King, or the Bar Maid, or the Black Smith and you are going to have to (at least try) to act out their parts differently.

This doesn't mean that you need to slip into accents, or wear a corset, (As hilarious and memorable as that might be...) but trying to give the Black Smith a gruffer stronger voice, or give the King a more dignified dialogue makes all the difference when you are trying to describe two very different N.P.C's.

There is only one true way to help you with this part:

1) Booz....I mean...*Ahem* Practice: Yes, it's that word again. Practice. The more you play with your group of friends, R.P.G buddies, etc, the more you will become comfortable acting around them and the better you will get at acting. (You're starting to see the trend now, eh?)

Just remember the golden rule and bottom line of R.P.Ging: HAVE FUN.

Anyway folks, I hope I helped a few of you out, or enlightened a few of you to the wondrous world of G.Ming, and with that I conclude the second part of the Intro to G.Ming section of this blog...*Phew*...

I'll be back sometime next week with a quick look at the Players role in R.P.G's and how to be a good "Role-Player". But until next time,

Keep 'em rollin',
Leighton Smith