So, I think I've fallen into an apathetic funk again. I've always butted heads with the predominating mentality of game-mastering purported by... group roleplay culture overall, really. But I was discussing ideas with a friend yesterday and discovered a void in terms of the games I participate in, or consider participating in.
My friend's method of game-mastering involves a foremost consideration of universal ideas and messages; he's very much in-tune with what each one of his "NPCs" — otherwise, the characters that hold dominance over the player-driven cast — means on that thematic level. In his case, exploring relationships between groups A and B is his main priority while insinuating social commentary regarding how quickly we as humans come to exemplify bigotry, the latter which is done through the typical mechanics, background info, etc. In my case, since I'm also developing a roleplay of my own on a different site (which is half of why I don't just whip up something here), I want to focus on exploring themes of initiative in terms of honest self-expression — having the balls to come out from behind a mask — and artistic integrity versus the demands of market appeal. These ideas will be introduced by my characters, a panel of pretentious performance judges and the host of their broadcast talent show, and accentuated by story events concerning the degradation of their favored art form in the public eye, such which the show is intended to rectify. This is the other reason why I'm not being the change I want to see — I can't stretch myself that far; I have a lot of ambition rested on this idea —, that and I feel I've bitterly caged myself into overlooking examples of meaningful roleplays that are right under my nose.
"Meaningful" to me is indicative of a game master's willingness to take a literary approach, to explore and evaluate themes and ideas, and to apply mechanics self-expressively rather than out of necessity. "Meaningful" and "detailed" or "intricate" aren't synonymous in my opinion. A faux-Harry Potter anime fantasy high school roleplay could be meaningful simply by addressing the ingenious escapism of the subject matter similarly to J. K. Rowling's original novels. (Each book started out in the real world for a reason!)
Authors can craft every element of a story to induce a narrative, many of which game masters don't have access to, including a leading cast. However, I think the latter can work with what they do have to give the impression that everything is intentional. It gives the players more to reflect on; it gives more worth to the actual writing.
In my experience, there's a lot of talk of world-building pretty much everywhere and mechanics in terms of player incentives are catching on in places, as they rightfully should. But as important and fun as a substantial setting and game elements are in a lot of instances, that's not enough on its own to motivate me as a writer. Anyone can "lore"; not everyone can engage with that lore, y'know? And lore can be inspired by events but that doesn't make for an "inspired" roleplay overall if there's not a purpose to why X is Y other than, "It makes sense in literal context for there to be five kingdoms."
So to address my "bitterness" and "apathy," I wanted to make a thread here to express — hopefully effectively through all those words — what I want to see and maybe get some recommendations, like what roleplays taking those strides that have I impassively passed off. And since I already indulged with my friend and I's ideas, what themes would you like to see explored in roleplays? If you could apply some universal concepts to any games you're running or participating in now, whether they capitalize on them mechanically or not, what would they be?
My only intention is for this to become a more constructive discussion thread than a flood of isolated, self-indulgent responses. If you disagree with taking a literary approach to roleplaying, it'd be on me to disrespect that (don't let anyone tell you your opinion doesn't matter), and any rebuttal should address my overarching argument as it stands rather than enter a separate diatribe, I suppose to make the "shadow version" of my paragraphs above.
And I apologize for condescending, but I do want to retrieve something from this thread. It helps to write my perspective out, at least.
My friend's method of game-mastering involves a foremost consideration of universal ideas and messages; he's very much in-tune with what each one of his "NPCs" — otherwise, the characters that hold dominance over the player-driven cast — means on that thematic level. In his case, exploring relationships between groups A and B is his main priority while insinuating social commentary regarding how quickly we as humans come to exemplify bigotry, the latter which is done through the typical mechanics, background info, etc. In my case, since I'm also developing a roleplay of my own on a different site (which is half of why I don't just whip up something here), I want to focus on exploring themes of initiative in terms of honest self-expression — having the balls to come out from behind a mask — and artistic integrity versus the demands of market appeal. These ideas will be introduced by my characters, a panel of pretentious performance judges and the host of their broadcast talent show, and accentuated by story events concerning the degradation of their favored art form in the public eye, such which the show is intended to rectify. This is the other reason why I'm not being the change I want to see — I can't stretch myself that far; I have a lot of ambition rested on this idea —, that and I feel I've bitterly caged myself into overlooking examples of meaningful roleplays that are right under my nose.
"Meaningful" to me is indicative of a game master's willingness to take a literary approach, to explore and evaluate themes and ideas, and to apply mechanics self-expressively rather than out of necessity. "Meaningful" and "detailed" or "intricate" aren't synonymous in my opinion. A faux-Harry Potter anime fantasy high school roleplay could be meaningful simply by addressing the ingenious escapism of the subject matter similarly to J. K. Rowling's original novels. (Each book started out in the real world for a reason!)
Authors can craft every element of a story to induce a narrative, many of which game masters don't have access to, including a leading cast. However, I think the latter can work with what they do have to give the impression that everything is intentional. It gives the players more to reflect on; it gives more worth to the actual writing.
In my experience, there's a lot of talk of world-building pretty much everywhere and mechanics in terms of player incentives are catching on in places, as they rightfully should. But as important and fun as a substantial setting and game elements are in a lot of instances, that's not enough on its own to motivate me as a writer. Anyone can "lore"; not everyone can engage with that lore, y'know? And lore can be inspired by events but that doesn't make for an "inspired" roleplay overall if there's not a purpose to why X is Y other than, "It makes sense in literal context for there to be five kingdoms."
So to address my "bitterness" and "apathy," I wanted to make a thread here to express — hopefully effectively through all those words — what I want to see and maybe get some recommendations, like what roleplays taking those strides that have I impassively passed off. And since I already indulged with my friend and I's ideas, what themes would you like to see explored in roleplays? If you could apply some universal concepts to any games you're running or participating in now, whether they capitalize on them mechanically or not, what would they be?
My only intention is for this to become a more constructive discussion thread than a flood of isolated, self-indulgent responses. If you disagree with taking a literary approach to roleplaying, it'd be on me to disrespect that (don't let anyone tell you your opinion doesn't matter), and any rebuttal should address my overarching argument as it stands rather than enter a separate diatribe, I suppose to make the "shadow version" of my paragraphs above.
And I apologize for condescending, but I do want to retrieve something from this thread. It helps to write my perspective out, at least.
