Awareness is Fun too

I’ve touched on the concept of player awareness in passing before, but let’s go over some of this stuff again:

• A player who is aware, is one that practices active listening on the table, and considers his characters actions in relation to both the game, his interests, the story/plot and the other players.
• Awareness also requires a sense of empathy with the other players, including the GM.
• In being aware, a player learns to separate in-character knowledge from out of character knowledge and acts in accordance to what his character would know, without becoming a nuisance.
• Awareness eventually leads to a greater appreciation of the game as a whole.

I’ve run quite a few games, and I’ve had all sorts of players.  I’ve thankfully only had a few players that I’ve truly disliked and regretted ever inviting to the table, but that’s for another post.  Having had a chance to observe different people and how they play, and having tried to sit back and honestly assess how I play… here’s what I’ve noticed.

Players who have the qualities of awareness in game are a lot easier to run for.  I’ve had some players who insist on making loner characters that brood off in some dark corner until it’s time to kill something.  I’ve had other players who insist on twinking out the moment they get to character creation then complain if they haven’t seen any kind of combat in a non-combative game.  I’ve also had players who are more than happy to ham it up on their spotlight, but get annoyed when it’s time for the other players to have their time in the limelight.  I’ve also seen players who do perfectly well alone, but tune out immediately from the game, resulting in me having to recap the whole scenario when it’s his turn.

All of these have one thing in common: these players don’t care about what happens outside of their characters.  Everything must be focused on them, or else it doesn’t matter.  Needless to say, if you ever end up in a group that has all of these types together in a single table?  You’re in for a lot of headaches.

On the flipside, I’ve seen players who practice some form of awareness.  These are the players who pay attention to the game at hand in both the social meta level, and the in-game level.  Players like these will act in accordance to how their character will behave realistically, but will keep a close eye to the central question, “Is this going to be more fun for all of us in the long run?”

In asking yourself that question, you resolve a lot of issues.  “Is my loner ignoring the GM’s plot hooks?” “Is my character optimization and insistence on stockpiling weapons beginning to break the suspension of disbelief of the other players?” “Is my time in the spotlight really more important than others?” “Is it fair to the GM to be forced to give me all the details because I can’t be bothered to listen?”

You’d be surprised at how far a little bit of care can go when talking about RPGs.  It’s easy to fall into the trap of justifying your actions as “This is what my character would do.” but I feel that that kind of excuse has been overused as a cop out for disruptive play.

Roleplaying Games involve playing with other people.  If you take a step back and start considering that the GM is trying his best to tell a story with the players, and that other players are here to enjoy the game as well as you do, then things start to make sense.  You wouldn’t deliberately insult your host in a dinner party, so why would you turn around and insult the GM and the other players by being disruptive?

I know players are clever people.  I’ve been constantly blind-sided by incredibly well thought out solutions to situations I’ve come up with.  That being said, I don’t mind “losing” to the players in that sense, as it’s my job.  I’m not a GM because I want to “win”  I’m here to “lose” in the most satisfying way possible to the players.  (Take note that the satisfying way”doesn’t have to be easy way, mind you.)  I celebrate my player’s victories with them.

Perhaps that’s the source of this insight.  Having been both a GM and a player, I’ve learned to empathize with both.  Behind the GM screen, I work to make interesting games for everyone, incorporating their backstories and their expectations for every campaign into a story, just to make it feel that every character has a personal and compelling reason to be in the game.  As a player, I know that GM’s don’t have the easiest job, so I work with them, going along with plot hooks, and finding ways to involve other players so everyone gets their share of the limelight.  I try my best to cooperate with my fellow players, since I know that it’s not the GM’s job alone to provide the fun.

The GM is not a videogame console.  He’s a player in this cooperative game, and as such, it’s in my best interest, and the best interest of the group to work with him and the others to make a truly satisfying experience.  It’s the best way to make sure that everyone has fun.