For what is suddenly the 14th day of RPG a Day for this year we get the word 'Guide'.
In this hobby I think having a guide is important. It is so easy for a beginner to get overwhelmed by the ruleset of even the simplest RPG. To steal from Scott Garibay--another YouTube RPG commentator--Rulebooks are like candy for me. They really are. I'm currently reading the new Cyberpunk Red Jumpstart Rules and I'm loving every minute of it. CP:Red is one that I intend to run, but other systems and rulesets I read in my leisure time with no intention of ever playing or running the game. However, that's not the norm I'm afraid to say. Most people--even enthusiasts--don't have time to read pages and pages of rules even if they have the inclination to do so. That's why having someone who can be a guide is a good thing,
At my live table this past year we had an older player--possibly the oldest I've ever played with--who had never played any games before. She was a colleague of the GM. While she was there visiting with his wife as they used to do some crocheting together, she started to listen in on our sessions. Although the wife had no interest in giving it a go--my own wife won't try either. She is competitive and doesn't understand about a game that you can't "win"--the older lady really dug what was going on. It wasn't long at all before she made a character--Antigone, a human, lawful good Paladin--and joined in. Unfortunately, she was greener than grass.
The rest of us tried to guide her as best as we could. She was very good at the role playing end of things, but the mechanics were--and in some ways still are--beyond her grasp. We were all patient because she was fun to play with and consistently showed up for sessions. I wish I could say the same for myself but it was a tough year. Anyhow to make a long post less long, being patient and being a good guide helped the entire group to have fun and it took some of the load off of the GM. Throughout the year she continued to improve and will be returning with the rest of the group next year. Again, which is more than I can say for myself. I really closed a chapter of my life this past year. I am six days out from beginning my new chapter in China. I hope to find or form a group when I get out there.
Tomorrow--Door.
In this hobby I think having a guide is important. It is so easy for a beginner to get overwhelmed by the ruleset of even the simplest RPG. To steal from Scott Garibay--another YouTube RPG commentator--Rulebooks are like candy for me. They really are. I'm currently reading the new Cyberpunk Red Jumpstart Rules and I'm loving every minute of it. CP:Red is one that I intend to run, but other systems and rulesets I read in my leisure time with no intention of ever playing or running the game. However, that's not the norm I'm afraid to say. Most people--even enthusiasts--don't have time to read pages and pages of rules even if they have the inclination to do so. That's why having someone who can be a guide is a good thing,
At my live table this past year we had an older player--possibly the oldest I've ever played with--who had never played any games before. She was a colleague of the GM. While she was there visiting with his wife as they used to do some crocheting together, she started to listen in on our sessions. Although the wife had no interest in giving it a go--my own wife won't try either. She is competitive and doesn't understand about a game that you can't "win"--the older lady really dug what was going on. It wasn't long at all before she made a character--Antigone, a human, lawful good Paladin--and joined in. Unfortunately, she was greener than grass.
The rest of us tried to guide her as best as we could. She was very good at the role playing end of things, but the mechanics were--and in some ways still are--beyond her grasp. We were all patient because she was fun to play with and consistently showed up for sessions. I wish I could say the same for myself but it was a tough year. Anyhow to make a long post less long, being patient and being a good guide helped the entire group to have fun and it took some of the load off of the GM. Throughout the year she continued to improve and will be returning with the rest of the group next year. Again, which is more than I can say for myself. I really closed a chapter of my life this past year. I am six days out from beginning my new chapter in China. I hope to find or form a group when I get out there.
Tomorrow--Door.
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