I always want to like AW games but I very often end up with "This sounds annoying/uninteresting" when I read about them... :/ like "Just do what the character would do!"... that's to easy to use to justify "Well, my character would be a dick and ruin everyone else's fun.".... but that's me.
And besides, gamers are accustomed to a particular style, and pbta games give us something so very different!
If you've read and grooked, say, a player's headbook or pathfinder book, then understanding how a pbta game will play from reading it is effectively impossible. I can almost do it now, after years of play pbta games, reading them, and even writing a couple!
I always want to like AW games but I very often end up with "This sounds annoying/uninteresting" when I read about them... :/ like "Just do what the character would do!"... that's to easy to use to justify "Well, my character would be a dick and ruin everyone else's fun.".... but that's me.
ReplyDeleteMatt Johnson Do you live in the DC area? if so, we should get together for some newbie friendly pbta fun.
ReplyDeleteIf not, well ... then cons!
I do not, PGH area. And yeah, eventually I'm going to get into a game to see how they are run...
ReplyDeleteOh, and in case it comes off that way, i'm not trying to knock PbtA games, it's something I haven't yet grokked despite my desire to.
I lived in PGB for two years, and never found a pbta community. Of course, that was eight years ago and I didn't know about pbta games. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I suspect PGH is old enough for there to be a pbta community. And odd enough. And delightful enough.
Maybe try meetup or craigslist or something? Those've always been good for me!
And its cool, I didn't read you as dismissing pbta. Not getting something isn't at all the same thing as not liking a thing!
And besides, gamers are accustomed to a particular style, and pbta games give us something so very different!
ReplyDeleteIf you've read and grooked, say, a player's headbook or pathfinder book, then understanding how a pbta game will play from reading it is effectively impossible. I can almost do it now, after years of play pbta games, reading them, and even writing a couple!
All of which is to say: Play!
There is always the hangout game as well
ReplyDeleteYeah. I'm unconvinced that hangout games get "it", whatever "it" is, across to new players.
ReplyDelete