[RPGs] Minor Rant (Not fair, completely biased, and YMMV)

[pyrephox]

From BRPS, not commented there because it would be diverting the discussion from the topic of the post. But.


1. The ability to play a character in a setting where it's kill or be killed is limited. Sooner or later you die, you lose the character and the time you wasted creating the character is gone.

I HATE THIS. Yes, I use the big, scary caps of doom. I hate it. Time playing or creating a character is not 'wasted' if that character dies, damn it. If you're having fun, then the game is doing what it's supposed to do: be a game. You play.

It is not an investment. (Yes, you are investing time. However, the payoff is immediate: fun and interaction with others. That is all there is.)

I hate the line of thought that says it only matters if the character survives. Stop worrying about the damned character.

Play the game. If you didn't spend so much time bending over backwards to try and negotiate your way out of harm, or whining about the danger that you character might die, then you MIGHT be able to seize the moment and get some roleplaying done.

The code of Bushido says something along the lines of, "A samurai must accept that he will die. Death is inevitable. It is only by accepting death that he can live in the present moment, and attend to the battle right here and now. Fear of death distracts. It's only by understanding that you /will/ die that you can learn to truly live."

In RPGs, at least, it makes sense.

Comments

Re: Part 1 of 2 (it got longer than I expected)

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

OOC BS should never be a reason for character death. I would have gotten irritated, too. :) While it's good to let all the PCs have their share of the spotlight, you don't actively screw one over for the purpose of it.

Unless they don't show up for a session and give the GM no warning. Then the PC is fair game. Ahem. >_>

More stuff in the comment on the second part.

Re: Part 1 of 2 (it got longer than I expected)

[sariel-di.livejournal.com]

Indeeeeeeeed. [laughs] Like I said, Haru got the "OOC BS == character death" more; I mostly got "OOC BS == character incompetance". But, yeah. Not a good reason at all, that. (Well, barring "OOC BS" in the sense of "the player is being a dick OOC and has quit or been ejected from the game, we need to kill off the character fast and get it out of here".)

[snrrrrrrk] I assume no mitigating circumstances at all? But, yeah. I dunno how happy I'd be with a GM who killed off my character (unresurrectably) because I wasn't there to protest (now, Trauma or making it hard to get back to the party, sure thing), but I can see annoyedness easily, and if the player'd deserved it/knew it was a risk.... [grins]

[nodnods]

Re: Part 1 of 2 (it got longer than I expected)

[pyrephox.livejournal.com]

Usually, with characters of people who don't show up, and don't give me warning, Something Unpleasant happens to them, and the party sends the session trying to cure them. :p