On a Side Note: How to talk Out-of-Character

Written by Tyson J. Hayes on 2009/12/03 – 08:00 -

Character voice is the most important tool in a roleplayer’s arsenal. Their speech patterns and vocabulary help create the character at the table, but what happens when you want a snack? How can you signify you are no longer talking as Grognar, mighty chief of the half-orc tribe, but as you the player?

Simple, take your index and middle finger, and place them gently next to your temple.

This now signifies to the rest of the table that you are speaking out-of-character. Hence forth, until you remove your fingers from your temple, anything you say is out of character.

This technique allows for further immersion into the game because everything you say is what your character is saying. The action of speaking out of character reminds everyone at the table that anything else is in character. Since we started using this at our table we have found that people are apt to speak in character more often, and interactions between characters become more commonplace. The Game Master may use this to further his immersion, as he may restrict himself to responding only to what characters specifically say or do, tracking the conversation and narrating appropriately. This rule may also be applied to the GM, as anytime he speaks without using the gesture he is speaking for any present NPC’s. This will force him to focus on his own roleplaying and immersion, as well as that of the players.

Personally I have found this method brings me to a blurry line where players seem to become the character, fully embracing their characters actions and mannerisms, and have become disrupted when players choose to speak out-of-character.

This rule should be enforced to taste, as some of you may be more hardcore about it than others.

How do you signify out-of-character speech?


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Introducing a New Player – Converse Before the Game Starts

Written by Jeff Carlsen on 2009/11/17 – 08:00 -

Last week we covered how you should be well prepared. Today we move on to when your new player is present and what to do before the game.

The first challenge when a new player arrives is getting them acquainted and comfortable with this new social group. This can be intimidating by itself, and will add to the newcomer being overwhelmed by the game.

While chances are the newcomer knows one or more of the players, they won’t be familiar with this particular set of people. The best thing you can do is to socialize with this player before starting the game. This also allows the gamemaster an opportunity to discover what kind of player the newcomer might be. Obviously, this won’t really be known until after a few sessions have gone by, but it’s a good idea to get a head start. Beyond the natural conversations that will ensue, here are a few tips for the pre-game socialization.

  • Offer them a drink. Assuming your group is comprised of adults, start the socialization off with drinks. This has been the magic bullet of choice for most of human history when it come to getting people to relax. Plus, it paints the gaming group as more sophisticated than the iconic image of sweaty nerds in a basement.
  • Take your time. Give the conversation time at least an hour. It may cut into your session, but this time is important, and if everyone is having fun, then it’s alright. That’s why you play, anyway.
  • Avoid discussing the game. Yes, everyone is there to play, but at this point the newcomer is already dealing with getting to know new people. Don’t add the complexities of the game to this initial conversation.
  • Talk about books, movies, and TV shows. You want to find out what the player likes, and this is where it will come out. When they mention a movie they like that is even remotely like the game you’re going to play, ask what their favorite parts were. This might give you some clues as to what type of player they might be, and what kind of character they might like playing.
  • Don’t just talk to the newcomer. You’re not interrogating the new player. Instead, have a natural conversation including all the players. You’ll naturally break off into smaller groups of conversation.
  • Avoid inside jokes. This holds true for the whole session. You don’t want to exclude the new player by spending half your time laughing at things the newcomer can’t understand.

After a while, it will be time to start introducing the character to the game. Depending on how you’ve arranged to do this, you should probably have the newcomer and whoever is teaching them separate from the group to do that, while the rest of the group continues to talk.

Join us next Tuesday while we continue Apathy University‘s series on Introducing a New Player.


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Why We Play: The Social Aspect

Written by Jeff Carlsen on 2009/11/06 – 12:00 -

At some point nearly every role-playing session gets bogged down with out-of-character conversation, and in some cases this can bring an entire session to its knees.  Although occasionally irritating, especially to a Game Master who has an important adventure planned, in most cases these diversions are tolerated and unconsciously encouraged.

This is because role-playing is social, and oftentimes it is the only opportunity we get to see our friends. Remember, one cannot role-play without other people (we call that dementia, and prescribe drugs for it). If you enjoy role-playing, it’s partially because you enjoy interacting with others.

But social fulfillment has two aspects–action (or the need to do things together) and conversation–and while role-playing readily satisfies the former, its very nature inhibits the latter. Therefore, a gaming session should reflect both these needs, and be planned accordingly. Here are some social tips for making your gaming session more enjoyable:

  • Set aside time to bullshit – Preferably, everyone should arrive at a designated time.  When they do, set aside as much as an hour to converse before beginning play.  This time might also be useful for pre-session setup, but other distractions (such as a TV or computer) should be removed to encourage interaction.
  • Take a food break – If the session lasts more than a couple hours, take a break to eat. This recess is when most campaign related discussion is likely to take place, as the game is fresh in the player’s minds, while no one has grown tired yet.
  • Know when to end the session – Eventually most sessions reach a point where it becomes nearly impossible to keep the player’s attention on the game. End the session here, or (even better) beforehand. Some players may want to leave, and others just to bullshit, but they no longer want to play. Just remember not to take it personally.

Do you have a tip to keep sessions from bogging down? Let us know!


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Introducing a New Player: Introduction

Written by Jeff Carlsen on 2009/11/03 – 10:00 -

Apathy University: Introducing a New PlayerBringing in a new player to an established group can be a big challenge, especially if the new player has never played an RPG before, but even if not. The truth is, roleplaying is very intimidating. Even as an experienced player, joining a new group or learning a new game can be a source of fear. I recently joined a game of Legend of the Five Rings, and found myself overwhelmed by the depth of an unfamiliar setting and the nuances of a new rule system.

With a completely new player, there are a number of challenges to overcome.

  • Overcoming intimidation.
  • Integrating the player with a new social group.
  • Making the new player comfortable with the concept of roleplaying.
  • Teaching the game, both setting and rules.
  • Making sure the new player has fun.

This series, Apathy Rules for Introducing a New Player, provides a set of rules and tips for game masters and players to help introduce a new player to their group. Here is an overview of the rules, with a brief description of each. A separate article for each rule will give advice for implementing it effectively.

  1. Be well prepared. More than ever, you want to make sure things run smoothly. Have extra dice, paper, and pencils for the newcomer. Know your adventure, what rules will be needed, and how to explain them. And make sure you have all the snacks and drinks your players could want.
  2. Converse before the game starts. Take some time to bring the newcomer into the social group without involving the game, while simultaneously getting to know some of the newcomer’s tastes.
  3. Provide limited character options. The newcomer doesn’t know the game. Give him some choice, but keep his options limited to prevent intimidation.
  4. Introduce only the basics of the game. Teach only the core mechanics and the basics of the setting. Too much will overwhelm the player.
  5. Keep the adventure simple and quintessential. A newcomer’s first adventure should show the standard expectations of the game, and nothing more.
  6. Provide a simple tailored objective. Give the newcomer a sense of success by giving him a task that he is best at achieving.
  7. Engage him gradually. Allow him time to get used to the game, and slowly introduce the characters and new elements, assisting him whenever necessary. Also, at some point during the adventure, each player should interact with the newcomer in an In-Character fashion.
  8. Ask him questions. After you’re finished, ask the new player what he thought of the game, and socialize for a bit more. Hopefully he just had fun.

Please come back next Tuesday for Apathy Rules of Introducing a New Player: Be Well Prepared.

Call to Action: Tell us your horror stories involving new players. Successes are okay too.


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