(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb208/Piestrio/d03134ba8051bfbeb0f7e8dec2f30db6.jpg)
So following the trend of shitty threads that serve only to stroke our own e-penises I thought we could all sit around and talk about what we find most important in games and then yell at each other when someone is fapping in a way we don't like.
For me I have 5 things that stick out and then a whole mess of lesser stuff that I'll ignore for the time being.
A couple things about my list:
Higher items can usually make up for deficiencies in lower items and lower items can by and large NOT make up for deficiencies in higher items but can make a game better so long as there are no total stinkers higher up. (I.e. a good adventure can make up for a mediocre GM but can't save a bad GM).
So without further ado:
1. The group. The actually people playing the game are the most important thing going on. A good group can make up for just about anything while a bad group will make anything shitty.
2. The GM. A good GM is a godsend and will make up for everything but a shitty group. That said if the group is simply mediocre a good GM can go a long ways.
3. The scenario. Or adventure, etc... What the GM has prepared for the group, whether it be a sandbox, plot based adventure, etc...
4. The setting. The fictional space where the game happens.
5. The rules/mechanics. Whatever rules you use to play the game.
Below this would be things like the game space, snacks, etc...
What about you?
The group above all.
I like to have fun with my friends. Sometimes that means Savage Worlds, sometimes that means Marvel SAGA, sometimes that means board game night.
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;587743The group above all.
I like to have fun with my friends. Sometimes that means Savage Worlds, sometimes that means Marvel SAGA, sometimes that means board game night.
Totally agree.
Sometimes it means going and seeing a movie.
The group. One player can bring a whole game down, so it's important to make sure everyone is chill.
The inspiration. Ideally everyone should be excited to play in this game because it pushes all of the right buttons. If the group loves the premise and the fictional trappings, they're more likely to buy into the game and really get into the role-playing aspect.
The rules. Because once you get past people and creative goals, your tools are super-important.
Atmosphere. It can help reinforce inspiration and create a mood that's conducive to good RP/creative play.
To crush the basket weavers, to drive them before me, and to hear the lamentations of their mothers.
Quote from: Piestrio;587747Totally agree.
Sometimes it means going and seeing a movie.
Yep.
If I'm havin' a good time and they're havin' a good time, everything's gold.
Depends: What's more important to me in a game book? Or what's more important to me in a game session?
In either case, the difference between good and great doesn't improve the whole by much. But any one thing falling from good to bad is a dealbreaker.
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;587743I like to have fun with my friends.
This, having fun is the most important thing.
I remain a Cheetoist. People, snacks, setting, system.
Quote from: beejazz;587833Depends: What's more important to me in a game book? Or what's more important to me in a game session
I consider a game book outside of the context of a game session to be valueless.
So the latter.
QuoteIn either case, the difference between good and great doesn't improve the whole by much. But any one thing falling from good to bad is a dealbreaker.
I think the ability of a crappy element to tank a whole game is porportional to its importance.
A bad group will definitely tank a game.
A bad GM will probably tank a game.
A bad adventure might tank a game.
A bad setting may tank a game.
A bad system could possibly tank a game but probably won't.
Quote from: Piestrio;587878I consider a game book outside of the context of a game session to be valueless.
So the latter.
In the context of actual discussion, sometimes we are talking about actual play, sometimes about the rules/fluff/settings/adventures. I make no assumptions about the topic of conversation based on relative importance.
QuoteI think the ability of a crappy element to tank a whole game is porportional to its importance.
A bad group will definitely tank a game.
A bad GM will probably tank a game.
A bad adventure might tank a game.
A bad setting may tank a game.
A bad system could possibly tank a game but probably won't.
For me any and all of the above can be dealbreakers.
If it's a bad group I'll find another group.
Won't play a bad adventure.
Will ignore a bad setting.
Will use a better system.
And so on. Life's too short.
Quote from: beejazz;587882For me any and all of the above can be dealbreakers.
If it's a bad group I'll find another group.
Won't play a bad adventure.
Will ignore a bad setting.
Will use a better system.
And so on. Life's too short.
Oh sure they
can be dealbreakers but I've played in too many games with shitty adventures/settings/rules and still had a blast because of the group to believe that any of those things is more important (or even of equal importance) than the people around the table.
I've even had fun under bad GMs because the rest of the group.
In my experience anyway.
Fun. I have to enjoy it. I enjoy interesting characters, interesting narrative, consistency, and fun game play.
Deal breakers for me are: Inconsistent rules/roleplay, huge breaks in verisimilitude, arguing over pointless minutia/dick waving contests/drama. Now of all the things listed I've only ever walked away from the table as a player because of inconsistency so it is safe to say that consistency is a big fucking issue for me though I'd imagine the other things are things I'd walk away from a table for or at least stop showing up over if they could not be resolved. Also since I GM a lot I am less inclined to walk away from the table.
I just realized that I'm a cheetoist!
Fun folks, tasty snacks, chill vibes at the gaming space, and a fun version of D&D make the game for me!
The subject of the game and campaign has to interest me, first and foremost.
I'll play with close friends or complete strangers. Snacks aren't important, and though I like to imbibe a barley-pop or three when I play, plain ol' water's fine, too.
But first and foremost, it's gotta be about something that excites my imagination, and if it doesn't, then there's no reason for me to be there.
Speaking as someone who thinks that no gaming is better than bad gaming, the most important things to me are group cohesion, GM flexibility (whether it's me or someone else), and an engaging story.
I created my current gaming group by taking with me the other players who'd had enough railroading and poor time management with the way-too-big Serenity gaming sessions done by the local Browncoats. :)
Quote from: Piestrio;5877361. The group. The actually people playing the game are the most important thing going on. A good group can make up for just about anything while a bad group will make anything shitty.
2. The GM. A good GM is a godsend and will make up for everything but a shitty group. That said if the group is simply mediocre a good GM can go a long ways.
3. The scenario. Or adventure, etc... What the GM has prepared for the group, whether it be a sandbox, plot based adventure., etc...
4. The setting. The fictional space where the game happens.
5. The rules/mechanics. Whatever rules you use to play the game.
This is interesting.
I would say:
1: The DM is more important than the players in general. I say this because I always introduce friends to the game and induct them in the old ways.
1: I dont draw any distinction between the DM and his campaign setting.
1: I don't draw any distinction between the scenario and the campaign setting.
2: Players: Good players are a godsend and I have found it difficult to predict
who among my pals would make good players. I think that players who stick with you for three years or so become as important to the campaign as the DM.
3: Rulebooks can be so inspirational, for me the 3 AD&D core books, but I will pay more attention to what interests my players than the books.
1) Overall fun/hanging out with friends.
2) Food. We eat like kings when we play, thanks to my wife.
3) Setting/resultant story. The world/sandbox we kick around in.
4) System. We usually end up streamlining/tweaking/gutting most of what it is, anyhow.
System does matter to us. It just doesn't matter nearly as much as other things.
I thought a bit more about this as I read the new responses.
I still think people is #1. Playing with people whose company you enjoy is paramount. I'm not averse to playing with strangers; I am averse to inviting strangers into my home, though. But on "neutral ground" (a game store or a mutual friend's home) I'll gladly sit down and play with new people.
I'm not so sure snacks is #2, though. If I had to choose between playing a bland D&D 4e module with a slab of foie gras and a nice Brunello Di Montalcino on the table, or B/X D&D with a rockin' setting like Aos' Metal Earth or misterguignol's World Between, but only Cheetos and Coke, I'd be really divided, but I suppose I'd end up going for the second option.
Setting and scenario (both at design and GM performance levels) definitely trump system... most of the time. If the system is a real pain in the ass, it can get very annoying, but it's unlikely to wreck a session by itself. But people trump all of this. And if we manage to get some good eating and drinking done too, all the better.
For me these days, it's:
1. Setting/Scenario
2. People of like mind
3. Rules
I mainly GM. The setting/scenario has got to interest me. The group is important, but only in that I don't need asshats, racists, or misogynists of any stripe (seriously, my current group has me (African-American) and two women, in addition to the three other guys, so...that shit won't fly). And then, my eternal bane, the rule system. Recently I like them crunchy (or rather, I always have, until read the Big Purple, then I think I like lighter games, then inevitably veer back towards my true crunchy love).
I DID take you all's advice, by the way, and largely avoid rpg sites for a good while. Got back recently but am toning down my reading to a tiny trickle compared to how much I used to read. Starting a GURPS game now, for example...
A group of people I like hanging out with, GM that is at least decent and a system I do not despise. Everything else is a bonus but that much is enough for some fun times.
So, the group is most important it turns out.
Quote from: vytzka;588579So, the group is most important it turns out.
Yeah, same here. It would be a bonus to have a game that I love playing but if the group are filled with my friends or other people I get along with then I am happy.
People. Snacks. Setting. System.
In that order. ;)
Emulation and Immersion.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;589079Emulation and Immersion.
RPGPundit
What does running old video games on new hardware and the method of believers Baptism have to do with RPGs?
Quote from: Peregrin;587755The group. One player can bring a whole game down, so it's important to make sure everyone is chill.
The inspiration. Ideally everyone should be excited to play in this game because it pushes all of the right buttons. If the group loves the premise and the fictional trappings, they're more likely to buy into the game and really get into the role-playing aspect.
The rules. Because once you get past people and creative goals, your tools are super-important.
Atmosphere. It can help reinforce inspiration and create a mood that's conducive to good RP/creative play.
Ditto, +1, Like, or whatever kids are saying these days.
The group and then, maybe as a corollary, a system that invites the whole group. Systems that want me to round-robin paired narratives drive me nuts. The game must invite the whole group to participate.
In exactly this order...
1. Immersion
2. Friends
3. Genre Emulation/Setting
4. Rolling funky dice
5. Playtesting for homebrews
6. Snacks
Good gamers to play it with.
A good setting.
A good system.
A good environment. (I.E. a decent room without a lot of noise or snoopy people.)
The most important would be setting and system. Our group has been the same for about 20 years (otherwise it would've been the group first), so what counts with us (or, to be specific, me, since everybody else is too lazy to GM, and they seem to be happy to play whatever happens to suit my fancy at any given moment) is the rules, and how well they support the flavour of the setting. It also greatly affects my inspiration.
IMO roleplaying is first and foremost a social experience so group would rank first (if I'm playing with one or more douchebags, even if they give good roleplay, the rest doesn't really matter anymore and the gamesession will suck: I just wonna have some fun!). Next are GM, scenario, setting and system (in that order).
Oh, and some soda and snacks of course and I'm ready to go!
Like others have said, the group comes first. With all of us grown ups with our own families, our once a month gaming session is usually the only time we actually see each other face to face, so we spend a lot of time just catching up as well as gaming.
Then comes the setting and system. Does it allow me to play the type of character I want to play? Does it get my interest?