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Author Topic: Pure role-playing vs team work  (Read 2992 times)

Varaj

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« on: March 06, 2006, 11:54:09 AM »
There is time pure role-playing can really get in the way of team work for a group.  Do you think the GM should disallow character concepts that would create such a conflict, or should they be allowed to work out via player conflict if necessary or should role playing suffer?

Along the same vein it creates a problem at times with introducing a new character.  Often trust and full shares, etc. would be hard to justify to a new party member.
  1. A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
   2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
   3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Vermicious Knid

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2006, 12:15:23 PM »
I prefer role-playing conflicts that can take place within the team dynamic without derailing things. Two characters that snipe at eqach other constantly? All good. Two characters that compete? Usually fine. A character that refuses to cooperate with the team or help out in fights due to "role-playing"? Asshat.
 

Limper

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2006, 12:18:42 PM »
I allow for internal conflict. It seems more real when yopu have it.
 

Nicephorus

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2006, 12:58:29 PM »
Minor disagreements and rivalries are fine but I don't care for character concepts that are complete loners who want to stay that way, are secretly trying to kill everyone else in the party, things like that.  

If a character is too extreme, I let the player know that I'm not going to force the other players to metagame and accept the character.  They are free to vote him out, kill him, or whatever.

Knightcrawler

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2006, 01:19:14 PM »
Yeah if the roleplaying breaks the team dynamic so bad that it interfers with he game as a whole then its bad.  Some drama is okay, but if your playing your character to the complete detriment of the party bad things are going to happen to you.
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Enkhidu

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2006, 01:28:03 PM »
I think its best to address this question at character creation. Have the players over for a pre-game session that's only for PC creation. Talk about concepts, let the DM give his/her view of the game, ask questions, etc. The result of all the jabber should be a group made with at least a nod toward consistency and cohesiveness (maybe everyone is kin, or all the same race/clan, or old friends).

After that, though, I think its best to let organic character growth happen, regardless of whether or not IPC happens.
 

Mcrow

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2006, 01:32:07 PM »
Well, sometimes teamwork can get in the way of roleplaying as well. Example:

In our group (playing D&D 3.5 @ the moment) I play a Half-Orc Barbarian and there is another player with a Warmage.

The Warmage player is always thinking in team tactics, but I roleplay my Barbarian as being uncomfortable around magic. So we are being charged by band of Orcs and The Warmage shouts to My barbarian " stop, i'm going to cast buring hands!". My barbarian first off doesn't like magic, second he sees a lowly orc or two and hes gonna charge. I just don't see my barbarian being to worried about what the girly mage wants to cast.  So I charge into the Orcs and now the player who is playing the Warmage gets a little irritated with me. I dunno, i'm more worried about playing out what my character would do than what the best tactics for our group are. My barbarian is not going to stop and say " yes Warmage  go ahead and cast your burning hands", nope he will charge an engage enemies if they get to close.

But yes sometimes too much roleplaying can be detrimental to the party.

Zalmoxis

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2006, 01:33:20 PM »
I'll echo the comments that it's best to have some conflict, but not enough to derail the group ethic. The goal is for everyone to have a good time.

Varaj

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2006, 01:34:58 PM »
Along the vein Mcrow I have to catch myself from talking ooc too much in combat.  I don't really want to have organization for the characters that wouldn't truly be possible in combat.  Some is fine because in theory our characters have fought along side each other many many times, but too much and it is like we are wired into a high tech combat net.
  1. A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
   2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
   3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

BillyBeanbag

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2006, 02:06:21 PM »
I think it's fine, but there comes a point at which I think a good player will sublimate their IC responses in favor of a fun gaming experience.  If your character and Bob's character don't get along, seizing every opportunity to thumb your nose at each other takes away from the goal of the game, which is having fun.  Not to say that you can't still find your moments to get your digs in, but it doesn't have to wrest the attention of gameplay onto your character's personality conflict in order to preserve the feel of your character.

As to the new player question, it's artificial, but most GMs I know aren't willing to let a newbie be lower experience level, let alone slighted on the division of booty.  Again, here I sublimate what would be my characters actual response for what makes the game fun for everyone.
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Enkhidu

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2006, 02:22:51 PM »
Quote from: Varaj
Along the vein Mcrow I have to catch myself from talking ooc too much in combat.  I don't really want to have organization for the characters that wouldn't truly be possible in combat.  Some is fine because in theory our characters have fought along side each other many many times, but too much and it is like we are wired into a high tech combat net.


Funny you should say that - in one of our D&D games my PC has levels in a homebrew PrC called the "Commander." We often use that to reflect a greater level of meta-gamey cooperation whenever he's on the field.
 

Mcrow

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2006, 02:56:27 PM »
Quote from: Enkhidu
Funny you should say that - in one of our D&D games my PC has levels in a homebrew PrC called the "Commander." We often use that to reflect a greater level of meta-gamey cooperation whenever he's on the field.


yes, if the Warmage had a commander type presitge class or had the barbarian known him long enough to become comfortable with his magic he may take tactics into account. He is young , not well traveled , and not very smart so he acts on instincts.

Name Lips

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2006, 03:47:21 PM »
I played a character who was a coward. The first fight they ran into, he didn't jump in. He climbed a tree first and then started sniping from the tree.

It was the first time our group had seen a character that didn't just position himself on the grid, move, attack, etc during melee. They were shocked. The cleric of Heironeous actually punched him in the nose.
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways, it's still rock and roll to me.

You can talk all you want about theory, craft, or whatever. But in the end, it's still just new ways of looking at people playing make-believe and having a good time with their friends. Intellectualize or analyze all you want, but we've been playing the same game since we were 2 years old. We just have shinier books, spend more money, and use bigger words now.

Aelfinn

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2006, 03:51:33 PM »
I enjoy a middle ground here. Some intra-party conflict can make the game a bit more interesting, but as a DM i'm not interested in providing a forum for people to constantly attempt to kill eachother in.

remember, Roleplaying is about making sure that everyone at the table is having fun - including the game master. Characters who deliberatly go out of their way to be disruptive are, as far as i'm concerned, good Rat Bastard DM Death (tm) targets.
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Xavier Lang

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Pure role-playing vs team work
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2006, 04:00:44 PM »
Team first.  Its really annoying when you can't think of a single reason the party actually hangs out together.  A PC party doesn't have to be life long friends or best buds, but they should be willing to work together across multiple plots and situations unless your running a specific one shot.  If someone makes a character that doesn't work and they want to role play it, give that character, not necessarily the player, the door leading out and have them make a new character.  

Maybe I'm just bitter but I'm really tired of trying to figure out why certain characters aren't just pushed out the air lock or having the 3 session discussion about actually putting them out the airlock.  I've helped lead a party through a bloody internal conflict on too many occasions.  Its not fun.  If you are a loner and or don't like anyone in the party, go away.  Show up at the next session with a new character that is more likely to get along.  If you think my character is that guy and I am not aware, tell me, I'll make a new character.