I've looked and listened and learned and read all around and all about all different kinds of theories and ideas about gaming. GNS, Trifold, Big Model, Small Model, Basic Schizophrenia Model, and all this other stuff, and now... it's time for my theory!
Cheetoism
We game for the snacks.
And also the dice.
But mostly, just to hang out with friends and tell tall stories.
Rpg books are just a bunch of guidelines for how to tell your tall stories, and give you a fair excuse to roll lots of dice and eat cheetos.
To make your games more fun, talk to your group.
In any game, it's part social, part game. For most gamers, it's social first, game second. Game first, social second - that's for people that get paid to do it. Mike Jordan never said to his coach, "but it's just a game, who cares about the rules." he took it seriously, because of money. Well, give me ten million bucks a year to roleplay, and I'll take it seriously, too.
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"Good show, you rock, and may take that in point form if you wish." - Lord Lucifer
"Damiar the Wolf, your imagination is awesome." - djones
"He's like Plato hangin' out on a street corner in a leather jacket, ready to roundhouse kick someone's ass for questioning his enlightenment." - Dan Davenport
There is, to be honest, a lot to be said for thinking about games as social props. Different kinds of social occasion call for different props.
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The society based on production is only productive, not creative.--Albert Camus
Going on hiatus, late March/early April, to settle annoyances and worries
Maybe not a cheetoist as such, but I'm a firm believer in figrollism, a related movement.
See, when I game I do it because I want to spend time with my buddies, talk shit and have fun. We could spend several hours in the pub, watching DVDs or gaming. We happen to prefer gaming, but at the core it's all about the social aspect, and having the chance to relax.
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Dr. Device, resourceful gadgeteer of the Supers Gamer Pack.
Running: Exalted, Savage World of Solomon Kane, Scion, DeadLands Classic.
Playing: Call of Cthulhu.
About what in particular? I've got nothing against cheetos and dice, but this seems like a big hole in your "theory." I mean, every group I've ever played in has thought "Just talk" was a good idea, but at least half haven't had any idea of what to talk about. They didn't know how to say what wasn't fun, didn't know how to change things so they would be more fun, didn't have any idea that there were multiple ways to have fun, etc.
Perhaps, some more suggestions on "how" to just talk to your group about fun would be in order...
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Read about my rotten luck in Race for the Galaxy!
I'm so bummed this thread is actually making a whole lot of sense. I was hoping for wackiness.
So, seriously then: I have tried game first social second (the Jordanism approach) and you're right: they don't pay me enough to hang out with gamers that I wouldn't hang out with for social reasons. I came to the conclusion that social first, game second -- Cheetoism -- is saner. If I'm going to spend X hours with these people trading cheetos and Monty Python lines, then I'd better like them -- otherwise it's not fun. And if I like them, then they are more important than the game, and I'd better be ready to bend my character concept a little, etc., to make sure we all have a fun afternoon.
That said, it doesn't always work; it's a give-and-take with a bunch of humans who, as we all know, are most annoying species on the planet. But hey, yeah, we try.
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