Tuesday 23 June 2009

Looking down the nose

Elitists in roleplaying just piss me off. First of all I play the kind game I’m interested in, and secondly how I play that game depends on the mood I’m in.
Several years ago I was running a WFRP game that was pretty intense. The relationships between the characters, PCs and NPCs, were strained. There were double-dealings and betrayals, vows of revenge and pitched battles. It was intense, required some serious roleplaying in character and was downright awesome.
Right now, I’m playing in a D&D 4e game. All I want to do is some old-fashioned dungeon bashing - I want to twat goblins on the head, nut drow in the face and kick undead in the ghoulies*. I want to put some smackdown on some evil dudes, beeyatch! If something comes of that and a fully-fledged character with a personality and a history develops so much the better.
Just because I’ve not sat down and designed an intricate, deeply emotional character with a definitive modus operandi and background does not mean that I’m ‘not roleplaying’ or that I’m ‘doing it wrong’. Yeah, yeah, I’ve had my fair share of games, I know what makes a character. I’ve gamed with pretty much every type of group. I’ve played RPGs tactically, emotionally and socially. I know what makes a good game.
Why don’t you try doing a game outside your comfort zone? If you get deeply involved then just create a warrior and get in a basic dungeon. If you just batter evil shit all day then try developing your character, creating a history and growing a personality. Everyone games in different ways and there’s no harm in trying new methods of roleplaying.
Just don’t tell me I’m playing it ‘wrong’.

*Do you see what I did there? Comedy gold!

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