The ideal Tabletop-Gamer

This one's really opinionated. It represents my views as of now, and is not an absolute truth. It's just what I think is best at the moment.

We game for escapism. Everyone does. It's why we watch TV, play video games, and go to art galleries. Escapism isn't necessarily pretending you're an elf in space, but just NOT being who you are every day of the week.

Mark Hermanson is a good guy to be, but sometimes I want to be someone else. Watch the movie "Darkon," they've got some good quotes on this one.

So, my first suggestion for an ideal player is someone who wants to escape from real life for a little bit. Look for the quiet ones who wear dark colors. Someone who doesn't fit in, and really doesn't want to. The outcasts, loners, and social pariahs that our world creates have some of the most amazing things in their heads.

Gaming is storytelling. The best players (doubly so, the best GMs) are the ones who want to make a convincing narrative that everyone can enjoy. The game is secondary, but still a very strong factor. For this reason, people with Roleplaying experience (and not just from team-building exercises at work) are some of the best gamers.

Similarly, players with experience in creative writing, movie and literary appreciation, or even a thoughtful video gamer are also good candidates. Someone who can understand story, and have an awareness of the devices surrounding them, will mesh incredibly smoothly with a good group. Problem-solvers usually aren't good, because Gaming isn't about finishing the game- it's about playing it.

The journey is more important than the destination... but the destination is still pretty awesome.

Creative, enthusiastic minds are the best for creative characters. Even if the character is really boring, the player should be able to make them into a compelling piece of the narrative. This one I'd put as less important, because compelling stories still happen around otherwise bland characters, especially if the players catch on.

These are some loose thoughts, accumulated over the last couple of weeks. I was considering putting this in Bite-sized thoughts 2, but it's a little big for that.

Recap:

• A desire to escape reality for a few hours
•  Previous experience as a role-player
• A basic understanding of narrative mechanics and storytelling
• Patience to be in the game, and enjoy the experience, rather than trying to finish it
• Creativity to lend vibrancy and compelling personalities to characters

These are just my thoughts on the matter, and are not absolute in any way. Think of them as "positive traits." They help, but are not necessary to have an enjoyable experience.

And, in the end, that's really all that matters: having a positive experience.