thread: 2009-07-27 : Resolving Player Conflicts by Reconciling Their Interests
On 2009-07-28, Vincent wrote:
Carsten: It absolutely is still roleplaying, as in portraying a character, yes!
I can give you some supporting arguments if you want, but I'm not going to be able to talk you into that. You'd have to play the games yourself to see it - I sell my games on the strength of their roleplaying, not on the theory backing them up. Unless you play them, you'll remain unconvinced. That's fine with me, and nothing I could do about it if it weren't!
Here's a supporting argument if you want it:
Say your character's arm gets snapped, by the game's rules.
If you're disappointed, irritated, and reluctant about your character's arm getting snapped, are you going to turn around and portray it well? Are you going to emotionally engage with it? Are you going to go there for the other players, or for yourself?
"Yeah yeah my arm's snapped I'll take the -2 to future rolls involving it, now can we move on, okay?"
If, on the other hand, you're enthusiastic, energized, and ready-and-willing about your character's arm getting snapped, are you going to turn around and portray it dully?
"You BASTARD! You BROKE MY ARM! I'm going to KILL YOU AND PISS ON YOUR CORPSE. Aaaauugg! Aaii!" [clutching arm to chest, rocking in pain]
The end of the supporting argument.
Again, I don't expect to convince you, and I have no desire to argue about it. Playing the games is the way to see what they do.
