Rules for RP

I've been thinking a lot about DMing (actually, gaming in general) recently. Not about the game I'm going to run, but about the actual act of DMing itself. This was spurred on by several things, including forum posts and an interesting e-mail from Casey (who is not only a fellow DM, but also a gentleman and a scholar).

When I first started officially running games (which I will say began in high school), I looked at running games almost as a job. I took it very seriously. I planned everything in advance. I took great care and consideration in everything I did. I was meticulous.

The first game I ran went well enough, as the players were new and easily manipulated. As time went on and they became more comfortable and began, well, role-playing. My carefully laid plans were destroyed. Plot archs were smashed like so much glass. NPCs were killed. Mapped out catacombs and dungeons were circumvented.

All this lead me to my first rule of gaming:

• Fuck the plan. Your players will just screw it up, anyway.

It's always good to have an outline, of course, and if they're going to be dungeon/tomb/castle-crawling then you should have some sort of basic map/floor plan, but outside of that you shouldn't waste too much time making sure everything's perfect. And above all, make sure you're prepared for your players to screw your ideas! I've watched whole campaigns come crashing down because a single player's hair-brained scheme ruins everything the DM had carefully prepared, only because the DM wasn't fluid enough to cope with the situation.

This ties in nicely with the second rule:

• The DM should be having fun, too.

This is a game we're playing, and if you're not having fun, then why are you playing? Granted, I believe that it's a DM's job to make the game as entertaining as possible, but it is likewise the players' responsibility to make sure that their DM is having fun as well. Some players forget this. Even keeping Rule 1 in mind, running a game is a lot of work. If a player is being a jack-ass (in or out of game), then he's violating this rule.

And while it's the DM's job to keep things entertaining, it's not solely his responsibility. Which leads to the next rule:

• Players should not arrive expecting a hand out.

If you're not willing to make an effort to contribute to the game, you shouldn't be there. It's that simple. It's a group effort, and if you're going to just sit there and/or disrupt everything, then I don't want you at my "table".

Assuming that everyone contributes (at least a little bit: I don't expect everyone to contribute equally; so long as they "pull their weight", I'm fine), then the DM has a responsibility:

• The DM should make sure that all characters have their time in the sun.

If a player does well and contributes, he/she/it should be rewarded, whether with individualized plot archs or with other means of letting him know that you appreciate and recognize his contributions. It's known as positive reinforcement among certain circles.

RPGs are a team effort, not a one-man show. People should keep that in mind.
Another rule:

• You may be the DM, but you're not always right.

This becomes a problem with especially power-hungry DMs. Their word is law, and nothing can sway them. This is especially bad when the DM in question isn't up to snuff on the rules and makes things up on the fly. Following a platform of "I'm right, suck it up" will anger and alienate your players which, as a wise man once said, "is all good for nobody". Basically, at least attempt to be reasonable. Be willing to listen to player arguments. I'm not telling you to cave in to player complaints, or that the player is always right (which is most certainly not true), but to be willing to admit that you are occasionally wrong.

All things said and done, the Golden Rule of all gaming (in my humble opinion) is this:

• Don't be a dick.

You'd think this would be self-evident, but I can assure you that it is not. People are people, no matter what it is they're doing, but if you're gaming with a group of friends then try and pull your head out of your arse. Show some consideration for your players, or for your DM. Be respectful of your host and his home. And for the love of god, please show up on time!

Just the ramblings of a man bored at work.

Peace!