When is the last time you have a 100% in character role-playing session? Is that a myth, like the unicorns or the GM who makes profit from doing professional GameMastering? In more than a decade of game-mastering, I can count with one hand the number of sessions which can be described as “immersive and in-character”. It’s not just the out-of-character jokes; it’s more than that. I always find that most of my friends are usually playing caricatures of the archetype they have chosen or an extreme on the spectrum.
In-Character Excuses to be A Jerk
In one of the Order of the Stick’s earlier strips, Roy (Fighter, MBA, party leader) agonizes over who to relieve him from his night shift. The thief? Oh no, ‘in-character’ she would kill everyone and run away with all the loot. The bard? He’s too loony. The evil-aligned halfling ranger? Bad idea. Roy sighs and decides to take the watch all by himself
There are tales of people being a jerk at the table because of in-character reasons. “I am a thief, so naturally I steal.” they argued. Or “No one stares at Gort the Strong and get away with it!” There was a time when I actually join an evil D&D 3.5 game, being a neutral character and find that attempts to ‘be evil’ can come across childish.
Is there ever a real ’100% in character’ session, I wondered?
Should the GM Enforces In Character Behaviour?
I tried to have a 100% in character session once. About six years ago. When someone made an OOC comment, I stared at him and said softly, “OOC”. If someone attempt to do something that I deemed ‘not suitable to the atmosphere’, I would ask him to consider. Thinking back, I was behaving like a tyrant and I wonder if I was any fun to game with!
The truth is, after being a player in some games myself, being OOC and irreverent of the setting seems to be the package of role-playing. However, as the GM, I am more gratified when characters are in the style of the setting and set the mood. Back in that game I ran, there was this scene where a PC had an encounter with the NPC, talking at the docks. The PC cautioned the NPC about a threat, but the latter disregarded him and just walked off. Then the player just said, “I would just say, ‘You are wrong, this time’, to no one in particular at the docks, to the wide open seas.”
That gave me kicks as a GM. Perhaps I should attend film school instead.
After many long years of fighting a losing battle of irreverent players and OOC joking, I joined in the fun too. I tried all sort of ways. Docking experience points, awarding “Hero Points” for role-playing and the usual. Finally I gave up. I laughed at their jokes, and then say, “Seriously guys.” and go on with the action. I even made some jokes of my own. I had fun too, but somehow I felt that something was missing.
In-Style Roleplaying
I had thought over this subject for a while, and come up with something hypothetical which I am going to try for my next few games. In-Genre roleplaying. I realised that while many RPGs give advice on how to detail a character and much information on the theme and motiff of the setting, there is something lacking in the style of the game?
Consider two different takes on the same setting. The Cthulhu Mythos spawn Call of Cthulhu and Cthulhutech. The wuxia setting gives us both Qin and Weapons of the God, where the latter literally features fighters whose hands are on fire, while the latter is more toned down, such as the Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movies. It’s like comparing a live action movie to a manga.
The same setting can be protrayed in a different style. The style defines cliches, catch-phrases, reoccuring motiffs and themes. Why not try setting the style with the game with the player? Come to one which is comfortable with all the players. The process begins, I notice, during character creation. One of the players of the Nobilis campagin I am running wished to be affiliated with the Dark; the players leapt on the idea, wishing to play ‘evil’ when I say ‘no’. That is not a style of game which I like. We finally settled on ‘manipulating the cosmos from behind the curtain’ type of game.
So taking this same ground rule further, I will try to decide on a mood and atmosphere with the players. I may have tried to do it this before without consulting the players and enforcing on them. Perhaps a better idea is to discuss about it. “Okay, I want a Bladerunner-feel type of game. In-character speech are cryptic and it’s always raining or something, so feel free to describe the effects the weather have on you. Help me with creating the mood too”. Yes, maybe I am a poor GM when it comes to evoking a mood. Maybe you can do better. So please help me. This is the mood and style we are targetting for. Help to fill in the part which you think is lacking in the descriptions. (Which is why I really like Fate and its Aspects system, but that’s for another time)
Sometimes the GM can’t do all the work, you know. He’s already doing the NPCs, coming up with the plot and details. If the players want atmosphere, they all need to create it together. I know this is like heresy and not something you would find in the GM section, but the atmosphere and mood of the game is not totally up to one individual. The players have a part to play too, and if they know what I want, perhaps the chances of me getting what I want is higher.
At least I hope so.
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August 1st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I wish every RPG I ever played was like the first: a somewhat-based-on-D&D campaign my old friend Charlie ran in 1978. Neither of us had much experience in either GMing or playing, but we had good imaginations, and as GM, Charlie was mentally nimble enough to keep the thing rolling across an entire continent, and weeks if not months of game time. I don’t even remember if we ever actually rescued the kidnapped Son of the Godking, but it was fun and worth every minute. I later translated some of those characters into T&T and some still live in my gameworld, retired, ultra-level, and add to the history of the place (if any new players should happen to hear of or meet them).
There were Currier & Ives, elf brothers, and Dubious & Obvious, dwarf kin, and others. Ives lives on, with his wife Kikoli, who at one point was turned into a magical, talking crossbow in a later T&T adventure.
So, imagination is key, as may be naivete.. but the GM should always remember that he is the ultimate authority, because the World is His.
Mayve the GM could give OOC players a choice: either get back into character, or suffer the whims of fate?
My son, BTW, GMs a wicked overland adventure.
Perhaps better than I..