#15: Why Awkward Pauses are like Burps

[RPGnet Columns]

http://www.rpg.net/columns/nextlevel/nextlevel15.phtml

Summary:

About pauses in RPGs and what to do with them.

Go to the column (http://www.rpg.net/columns/nextlevel/nextlevel15.phtml) for more information.

[Tropico]

Very interesting... I've never had anything like this happen. Moments where I have to consult my notes yeah, but actual pauses? Like actual silence where people look at each other and raise their eyebrows... no... and I think I'd find it reeaally uncomfortable if I ever did!

Maybe the difference is the playstyle.. my games are very loose, gamey, tactical and friendly, everyone is having a beer, discussing options and teasing or ribbing each other, so that when I fall silent and read a bit there's never any lack of some player going to another one, 'I can't believe you went down so fast' or, 'We won that fight thanks to me you know', etc.

I imagine in a game (and a GM) that tried to take itself more seriously the 'silent' thing would happen eventually, though. Makes me glad for my playstyle at least. But to each his own.

[Wratts]

Preparation is the key. Even the best GMs need time to prepare, if only to avoid rpg-pauses and keep the game flowing as swiftly as possible. Pauses and preparation are inverse relationships, the more preparation that a GM does, the less you can expect rpg-pauses to interrupt the game. The key, for every good GM, is find that sweet spot of preparation that allows you to lead the game at a comfortable pace for your players while also not forcing you to do too much homework.
Not to nitpick, but this kind of struck me funny. I *somewhat* disagree on this part. Or rather, have something to add. Mainly, my experience is that too much preparation also leads to such pauses, because you need to reflect on what happens next -- but the what-happens-next must not contradict the preparations.

It's not only about finding a sweet spot in which you can work against the pauses while not having to do too much homework -- it's also about finding a sweet spot in between sufficient preparation to keep games smoothly moving along, and too much preparation which will crush your creativity in-game and bog down the gameplay (perhaps with the necessity of referencing prepared material, or merely the act of interpretation of the prepared material in conjunction with the occurances in-game caused by the players).

[Praetorian]

I imagine in a game (and a GM) that tried to take itself more seriously the 'silent' thing would happen eventually, though. Makes me glad for my playstyle at least. But to each his own.

Thanks for the feedback... in all honesty, my games are pretty open and very rarely scripted, and depending on the game, can be serious or not. However, I think the pauses are more dependant on the players rather than the playstyle. My players have only been playing with each other for a few months now and we have a large number of newbies... so we don't have the instant support you get from years of being friends and playing together.

...which is why I really wanted to put the onus on the players to keep the game moving. I'm happy to step up most of the time, but at times I think these pauses are great opportunities to push the players to make the game their own.

[Praetorian]

It's not only about finding a sweet spot in which you can work against the pauses while not having to do too much homework -- it's also about finding a sweet spot in between sufficient preparation to keep games smoothly moving along, and too much preparation which will crush your creativity in-game and bog down the gameplay (perhaps with the necessity of referencing prepared material, or merely the act of interpretation of the prepared material in conjunction with the occurances in-game caused by the players).

I can agree with this 100%. For me, having notes about where I expect the game to go and a few "set-up" events that I can slot in just about anywhere is the preperation I need. However, I do feel that, on average, for most GMs its better to err on the side of more prep than not enough... though "more prep" varies from GM to GM.

[Tykhin Vess]

I think the pauses serve another purpose that wasn't quite mentioned; Assimilation.

Ever come out of a great movie that hit you relentlessly and feel like just standing there and blinking for a while? Or just sitting in your seat in the theatre and staring at the credits?

I think pauses after exceptional scenes are a lot like that. They might serve an emotional function, letting players and GM alike stop, assimilate what just happened, process, take a breath and move on.

The games I play in tend to be highly character-driven with a general but loose storyline, and at times there are massively intense scenes. Usually there is a pause afterwards which gives an opportunity for some oog talking about what just happened, the effects on the characters and world and just generally space for that WOW feeling, and to come down a bit. It's almost essential to come down a bit, because that kind of intensity is hard to keep up!

Just my two bits. :)