RPG a Day #20 Foundation

 

I’m going to try and take part in the #RPGaDay writing prompts for 2021. The idea is there’s a prompt every day that asks you to write about something in RPG’s you really like. There are a couple of alternate prompts offered but I’m going to try and do the main one every day. If you want to try it yourself, you can head here for the calendar for this year.

What is the foundation of a good game? I’ve read some of the other response to this prompt today. I’ve seen a lot of great answers. People have talked about rules, systems, culture, mechanics, and so many other things.

However, for me the foundation of a great game is the people at the table. I’ve talked about a lot of different things this month and it occurred to me I haven’t talked about my friends. I’m not going to get very specific because I haven’t talked to them to ask if it was okay; it’s something I like to do. I will talk in general terms though.

For me, setting up a game starts and stops with the folks at the table. I always try and pick who I think will have the most fun in a game when I invite people to play. There are some of my friends I won’t ask to a horror game because they don’t like that type of story. There are people who don’t like mysteries and I’ll not invite them to take part. Beyond those few things we all try and meet in the middle about pieces of the story we tell. We try and work together to figure out what characters will work best in the group.

There are specific stories about each one of them I’d love to tell. Maybe someday I will.

We do invite new folks to the table. I’ve met many good friends for the first time at an RPG night. My current DM was introduced to me in another friend’s game. That’s how it works.

Maybe for you it is a focus on the rules or the system. For me it’s always been about who will enjoy the game the most? Even with that I usually give my players a couple of choices for which setting and story we’d like to tell.

That’s my take on foundation. I’ll come back tomorrow to talk about simplicity.

Until then. Stay safe and be well.