Viewpoint Roleplays: More Game or More Narrative?

[Crow]

You know, after some discussions with pals, I start to think about how people handle RPs and there are too distinctions - people who handle it like a game, be it akin to a DnD session, or an outright video game, prioritizing it over storytelling.

And people who think of roleplaying as a means of storytelling first and a game second, prioritizing narrative over other things.

Which are you, and which do you feel is better? If you feel that the other shouldn't be a thing, could you tell us?

 

[Werepunk]

I think it varies based on the individual's roleplaying style and background, and I don't think one is better than the other. I'm definitely a narrative person because I have a background in creative writing and I've always loved reading. I haven't played many tabletop rpgs and though I have played a lot of video games, I still mainly enjoy single-player, story- and character- driven games. I like narrative-driven roleplay because I personally find it easier to explore my characters and settings that way, and I'm not super into game mechanics and structured combat.

But all that being said... I don't think handling it like a game is worse by any means. In fact, it takes skill to be able to juggle strict game mechanics, dice rolls, etc. I definitely don't have the patience and talent for it, lol.

Really It just comes down to preference. For example: I love romance in roleplays, some people don't like it-- and both are fine. I'm not a better or worse roleplayer than someone who prefers not to write romance. It's the same concept here; nothing wrong with one or the other, just depends on what you personally have the most fun with.

I also do think it's possible to do both, have a game with a strong narrative. Just like there are video games with strong stories!

 

[Stone Cold]

I think it varies based on the individual's roleplaying style and background, and I don't think one is better than the other. I'm definitely a narrative person because I have a background in creative writing and I've always loved reading. I haven't played many tabletop rpgs and though I have played a lot of video games, I still mainly enjoy single-player, story- and character- driven games. I like narrative-driven roleplay because I personally find it easier to explore my characters and settings that way, and I'm not super into game mechanics and structured combat.

But all that being said... I don't think handling it like a game is worse by any means. In fact, it takes skill to be able to juggle strict game mechanics, dice rolls, etc. I definitely don't have the patience for it, lol.

Really It just comes down to preference. For example: I love romance in roleplays, some people don't like it-- and both are fine. I'm not a better or worse roleplayer than someone who prefers not to write romance. It's the same concept here; nothing wrong with one or the other, just depends on what you personally have the most fun with.

I also do think it's possible to do both, have a game with a strong narrative. Just like there are video games with strong stories!

I agree with this. There’s no right way to RP. There’s only what you’re most comfortable in.

My style is based on story-telling too. I think there’s something to being able to write something without having to quantify anything that’s satisfying. You can just go and allow things to take place without the parameters of a dice. Writing is easier for me when I can just write whatever’s in my head. No numbers please, we’re not in math class.

I can see how other people might like the dice aspect of it. It gives them some sort of structure to base their responses off from. That’s a cool way to do it too.

The biggest deterrent for me with dice/game RPs is needing a GM or a middle man. I stick with one-on-one role-plays because it cuts that out.

 

[Jannah]

Narrative all the way. I'm a writer first and foremost.

 

[Idea]

You know, after some discussions with pals, I start to think about how people handle RPs and there are too distinctions - people who handle it like a game, be it akin to a DnD session, or an outright video game, prioritizing it over storytelling.

And people who think of roleplaying as a means of storytelling first and a game second, prioritizing narrative over other things.

Which are you, and which do you feel is better? If you feel that the other shouldn't be a thing, could you tell us?

Where do you draw the distinction between the two, more specifically? What characterizes treating a roleplay "like a video game" versus "a means of storytelling", by your definition?

 

[nerdy tangents]

I think it is usually just a a matter of what your background is. I have never really played video games nor am I super familiar with DND.

I am familiar with fanfic though and when I was first introduced to roleplaying it was described to me as essentially fanfiction but with multiple participants.

 

[natsukashii]

Regardless of genre, be it anime, modern superpowers, fantasy, sci-fi, I have always treated every roleplay and story -- as both player and GM -- as more of a story than a "game". To put it quite simply, I think of more what my character will do and the development they'll go through rather than rolling for an interaction or move. This also brings me to a point I feel belongs in this conversation.

If you're in a roleplay that is gonna have some people punching each other, it's not a terrible thing to let those hits connect. People might say it's auto hitting, but how else will a fight organically progress if every hit is gonna be dodged. Gotta give your character some motivation to not get punched in the face next round!

 

[Crow]

Where do you draw the distinction between the two, more specifically? What characterizes treating a roleplay "like a video game" versus "a means of storytelling", by your definition?

How do I put this in words... let's see let's see...

I guess if it's more 'gamey', decisions, actions and the like are decided by mechanics, dice and whatnot, events and their conclusion basically dictated by a system.

If it's more storytelling, narrative sense takes priority over a percentage chance of things happening.

 

[Phantom Thief of Hearts]

People might say it's auto hitting, but how else will a fight organically progress if every hit is gonna be dodged. Gotta give your character some motivation to not get punched in the face next round!

Agreed. I mean the fight would be boring if people complain about getting punched once. Like being a wrestling fan thought me that one can actually look strong in defeat. People need to realize that and put their egos aside.

Hell, looking strong in defeat is what Comics Spider-Man goes through on a regular basis.

 

[Chordling]

Oooh, for me it depends on the roleplay. Both methods can be a lot of fun! I feel like dice games tend to feel more like a video game than text-based roleplays do (but not to say that dice games are without good narrative). One isn't better than the other. They're both forms of roleplaying, and as long as the objective to having fun is being met, then deciding which is better doesn't actually matter to me.

 

[Phantom Thief of Hearts]

Oooh, for me it depends on the roleplay. Both methods can be a lot of fun! I feel like dice games tend to feel more like a video game than text-based roleplays do (but not to say that dice games are without good narrative). One isn't better than the other. They're both forms of roleplaying, and as long as the objective to having fun is being met, then deciding which is better doesn't actually matter to me.

In general, I feel the same. I usually prefer narrative driven RPs for Fandom RPs that allow you to play canon characters since I personally feel that it fits the style more.

 

[Onmyoji]

Depends on the roleplay, but I usually go for more 'narrative', because in 1x1 you don't really need game mechanics because you can discuss things OOC.
In group I actually enjoyed 'game' elements, it helped to keep things more fresh. But I almost never play groups, so... narrative all the way XD

 

[Idea]

How do I put this in words... let's see let's see...

I guess if it's more 'gamey', decisions, actions and the like are decided by mechanics, dice and whatnot, events and their conclusion basically dictated by a system.

If it's more storytelling, narrative sense takes priority over a percentage chance of things happening.

I see. Well, as a rule of thumb I prefer to favor narrative, but in reality I do quite enjoy incorporating game -like mechanics as well. I generally try to incorporate the two into one another, but unless I'm outright just taking a roleplay as a game (such as an actual game of D&D) then I will prioritize the narrative. Heck, even then I will act suboptimally if it makes more narrative sense a lot of the time.

Sorry my answer is kind of all over the place. Been mulling on this for a few days but I'm having trouble figuring out what answer really best represents my approach, where the nuances are within my style .

 

[Stone Cold]

The thing that I’m learning in terms of people’s responses is that it comes down to individual preferences.

You could have a mix of both aspects as well, if you’re dedicated enough to gamifying a narrative. Constructing a really well written script for your more gamey RPs.

You also can switch styles for when another form of role-play suits you at the moment. There’s no rule that says narrative writers can’t enjoy D&D and dice type of RP. And vice versa for D&D players. As long as you’re enjoying the process, I think the “type” of RP becomes less relevant.

Think less, have fun - it might be an unpopular opinion, but it keeps RP as a hobby to return to rather than a stressor to avoid.

 

[Daisie]

Narrative all the way, hahaha. Even in video games, I usually lean towards the story-centric rather than the strategy! Was never overly fond of dice-rolls, statistics, or maps, and I like reading my RPs similarly to how one would read a book or watch a movie - it's a story to be crafted rather than a plot to be played through.

 

[diamondhandss]

I think it's kind of both? I love worldbuilding, and I'm actually a d&d DM too, so when I'm doing a roleplay with an idea of mine or a world I plotted out, sometimes it makes sense to have my character lead yours through the plot.. it's not like I don't discuss things ooc though

 

[Malphaestus]

I see too much competitiveness in 'games,' I do not think that belongs in roleplaying; it usually just drives a wedge through most dynamics (both IC and OOC). The potential that I, myself, am quite competitive when it comes to games, and thus I attribute the idea of a 'gamey roleplay' with such a quality, is possible. Though I've also seen too many disputes over who should 'win,' and who 'games' the system the best.

 

[Phantom Thief of Hearts]

I see too much competitiveness in 'games,' I do not think that belongs in roleplaying; it usually just drives a wedge through most dynamics (both IC and OOC). The potential that I, myself, am quite competitive when it comes to games, and thus I attribute the idea of a 'gamey roleplay' with such a quality, is possible. Though I've also seen too many disputes over who should 'win,' and who 'games' the system the best.

The mean spirited competitiveness of Gamey RPs is what turns me away from those.

 

[grimmmy]

I'm really starting to dig systems in games, and I think I would prefer to have mechanics if there's combat or a magic system. I don't get hype about numbers but I honestly do like the busy work of building a set, also seeing a character grow overtime.

I feel like people in this thread have been attributing tabletop style games with "scripting" or even railroading, but you can absolutely have a sandbox world with systems in place, especially online.

 

[Darkmaster006]

Zero game, to be honest. Though I do like dice and find it fun, I never really played it. I find it more fun to delve into the characters and the story, but especially the characters and their interactions within the story and how they evolve.

 

[Redfork2000]

I actually love both, but I do participate in a lot more narrative roleplays than game roleplays. The thing is, what I love most about gameplay based roleplays is the systems. I love to work with different mechanics, movesets and stats. Ever since I played my first game where different characters had different abilities or strengths, I've been a real fan of anything where you have distint classes, characters or builds that vary so that everyone has different abilities or strengths. In fact, I'd say I have more fun exploring and creating game mechanics and unique characters and movesets than actually playing them out.

As an aspiring videogame designer, I find a lot of excitement in creating systems and exploring how they work out. I love to get creative, invent different movesets and abilities, and explore how different mechanics interact with each other. I'm currently running a dice RP on this site where I use a system I created myself inspired on some videogames I enjoy, and honestly for me the creation process turns out to be the most enjoyable part. I don't really have a problem in running the numbers and rolling the dice to play out the battle, but my favorite part has to be not only creating the system, mechanics, enemies, etc, but also to see how the players react to and interact with the system I've created.

However, the reason I only have 1 dice RP, and several ongoing narrative RPs, is very simple: Dice systems usually take a lot more thought and processing energy from me to work with. Even if I were to work with an existing system (which I don't really have any experience with), basically taking the role of the engine or computer that runs the numbers for everyone tends to be exhausting in the long run. Yet I prefer doing that, because if I joined someone else's dice RP, it's unlikely I'd be granted as much freedom as I like to grant my players with how much they can tweak and customize their character's builds. It's like a videogame where the player gets to be a game developer as well, and is allowed to develop the character in any way they want, with me only tweaking their character if they're unbalanced.

In the dice RPs I've joined as a player, there's usually more strict rules on how you can build your character, and while I understand it's for balance sake, I feel very limited with how I can build my character. As a person who loves to customize, come up with creative ideas, I guess I find more enjoyment in building a unique system than having to work within tight parameters. In my dice RP, I like to provide a lot more freedom to my players on how they build their character, and have sometimes even allowed them to create their own dynamics and mechanics. One player even created a completely new mechanic for their character, which I'm perfectly ok with. I enjoy the creative process so much, and I like to let my players experience that same freedom of creativity with their characters. Then all I have to do is to check the character, ask for explanations of anything I don't understand, and help them balance the character if they seem to overpowered or underpowered. Is it harder to ensure everyone is balanced? Perhaps, but I feel it's a risk worth taking to enjoy greater creative freedom with how everyone designs their character to play.

But that's the reason why I can only have 1 dice RP. I like to have a lot of freedom to create, and unless I myself take care of the task of creating a system myself and function as the computer that runs all the ingame numbers and calculations, I'm unlikely to find a dice RP that will grant me with the amount of freedom I enjoy in character creation, which is why I mainly do narrative RPs for the most part.

I do love a good story, and while there's no mathematical calculations to be done in more narrative-focused RPs, I enjoy a lot seeing how characters interact with each other, develop different kinds of relationships and dynamics with each other, etc. In that case I like to add a bigger emphasis on different characters with diverse personality types and traits, and that's also something I really enjoy a lot as well.

 

[ChasmOfOrganicMatter]

I suppose more of a story driven game: like an old "choose your own adventure" esque text-based one really only the GM can only imply rather than give choices.