I don't base my judgements on prior experiences. ...
That pretty much a definition of what thinking beings do. Otherwise you are just operating on animal instinct.
I think that making emotional judgements based on prior bad experiences and reading too much into what someone wrote aren't good things.But very, very human things.
Extrapolating from past experience and guessing at what people mean when they might not be saying the exact truth is a big part of what we do.
Especially when it comes to avoiding bad experiences. I'm sure most of the GMs that led to those bad experiences weren't up front about how bad they were going to be.
Hama, I can agree with you in the abstract. That's part of why I didn't want to start throwing accusations.
Consider. If what someone says/writes agrees almost precisely with your 'prior bad experiences,' how likely are you to decide join their group? Or might you just decide to pass on them and find a different group who says things the match up with prior good experiences?
As I said, a few words along this line are not enough by themselves to cause me to get up and leave a table. But it is a red flag that does get me thinking along that line and watching carefully how things are going to proceed.
I can absolutely guarantee you that not one of those 'prior bad experiences' said they were going to try see how miserable they could make my gaming experience. However, that's pretty much what happened.
I personally have a moderately limited amount of time that I am able/willing to devote to this hobby especially face-to-face gaming sessions. They aren't always easy to work into my schedule.
Therefore I will put that time into a situation that seems most likely to be fun rather than not fun. How do I go about making that decision? The only way I know of to make an evaluation like that is based on what I have experienced in my life.
I have had one GM say she was going to see just how horrible she could make the game for me... Such upfront honesty was indeed a unique experience however.
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I think Hamma is treating any new game like a first date.
Yes every gamer has baggage. We have all have had bad games, Hamma just checks his baggage at the door and goes in with the expectation of having a good time.
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I've stipulated over and over that the GM
1. Not be a jerk about it
2. Work with the playerBut to say that the backstory is somehow immutable I find disturbing.
I agree.
Like I've said, I am upfront with my players that I sometimes use elements of character backgrounds; which is not to say that whenever I do, it automatically means that something will happen to the character's friends and/or loved ones.
So when I do use an element of a character's background, the player isn't blind-sided by it...
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If I ran the forums, I think all discussion of JRRT's books as campaigns would be banned (though not grounds for banning a poster, nothing personal guys).
It's apples to oranges. I'm an experienced GM and a huge fan of Prof T's, and I think that almost nothing productive comes from comparing the two things.
Oh man, you killed my human fighter, but I just introduced him. That sucks... well, if you're going to make me use a new character I'm just renaming him. Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. My old character was Boromir... I'll just rename him... Foromir... naw that doesn't sound right... Faramir. Yeah, that's it. Oh, and they're brothers too, so I'm using the same stats. Screw you GM!
This is the conversation in my head that happens after Boromir's death.
Sounds VERY appropriate.
So Hama, if every new game is like a first date, does that make PFS games like speed-dating?
As for backstory, like everything else that falls outside the ruling of the CRB mechanics in this game, all parties should work with, not for or against one another.
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For the same reason that gms shouldnt introduce npcs or scenery or 'themes' that they dont want the players to be able to kill, destroy, or ruin, players should not introduce elements to the world that they are not comfortable with experiencing the unpredictabe trauma and consequence of being in a fantastical world where bad things can and often do happen.
As long as you're giving your players total agency, as you should, they should also expect that you're free to control every other thing. Of course try not to go overboard (always know your dealer), but if its too precious to be messed with, don't put it in the world (only take what you can handle).
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Oh, I loved paying him. I just didn't care if he died. It's a game, and he is just the shoe piece in Monopoly. That's the ting, I've never considered RPGs anything but games. And I don't get upset if I "lose" at a game. The play is the thing, not the result.
We are defiantly not playing the same game. I aspire to run and play in games that are akin to a good book or movie.
Having a healthy emotional response to a hobby is not a bad thing despite what houstonderek says.
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Like anything else in the game, the character background and its impact in-game are something that should be part of the compact between the GM and the players. If the GM says up-front that character backgrounds are fair game for GM intervention, then that's fine, as long as the players have agreed to that. It's only wrong if the GM does it without letting the players know, or if the player has specifically requested that some element of the background be left untouched and the GM messes with it against the player's wishes.
I've seen a GM mess with a character background without explanation and without the player's consent. It was a source of much disappointment and frustration to the player. It didn't completely ruin the game for that player, but it took some of the fun out of the game. If the GM had discussed the changes with the player in advance, it probably would have been fine. It was just the lack of communication that made it bad.
I've also had a GM mess with my character background, but the GM discussed it with me in advance. It turned out to add a lot to the roleplaying experience and made the game more fun for me. Communication is key.
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That's the thing. I like to play games where the dice mean something. And, sometimes, they mean a "crappy" death.
If I wanted to script a death, I'd write a screenplay.
I think you might have misunderstood me HD (assuming you are responding to my "crappy death" comment).
I saidMy group takes a different approach - they would be more upset with a crappy death - but a good one, its totally worth it.
Being more upset about it doesn't prevent it from happening - just their frustration with the result when it does. There have been many "crappy" deaths - the players tend to enjoy a worthy death more. This is a value statement on their part.
If you don't care between "crappy" vs. a "good" death as a player - then yeah, IDK what to say to that. I would think the latter would be preferable to the former just from a common sense/standards of value perspective. YMMV and every player wants something different out of their game.
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The way I see it, messing with a PC's backstory is like flirting. Sometimes, the player likes it, reciprocates with roleplay, and it leads to fun character development. Sometimes, though, they get annoyed, and want you to cut it out, and then they call the cops and this is why I'm no longer allowed in
To a certain point, I agree with what's been said: Never outright change backstory (like turning a PC's dad from a noble knight to a coward). You can make more clever changes, but it's important to understand why a PC made a choice before you try and tinker with it. Before you have his wife get killed, ask yourself, why did he have a wife? And what message am I sending? If he's the only PC who's married, killing the wife creates a dark, Supernatural-esque tone of "I'm a loner. And a loner's gotta be alone."
The NPCs are your domain, but relationships with those guys are an important part of a PC, too. Meddle with caution, cross your fingers, and remember not to
