What is Magical Tea Party?

Aglondir · July 11, 2013, 10:26:38 PM

I heard this term on the forum, but I have no idea what it means.

Doom · July 11, 2013, 10:29:55 PM

It comes from a troll forum, not this one, but basically means "to play without any actual rules".

It's a somewhat derogatory term, but, bottom line, there will be times in a RPG where there's nothing in the rulebook that tells the GM/players how to handle it. So, they MTP (Magical Tea Party) it, making it up as they go along.

Thing is if you're paying actual money for a game, and you're playing MTP more often than not, the question arises: why pay for the rules?

Sacrosanct · July 11, 2013, 11:41:54 PM

It's a term quite most often used by people whenever the GM needs to make a ruling for anything. Ever. These people feel like every possible scenario must be addressed in the rules, and the GM shouldn't be allowed to make a ruling at any time, or they aren't playing a "real" game, and are playing MTP instead. it is often paired with "mother-may-I".

It's really nothing more than a passive aggressive way to tell someone that they are having badwrong fun playing RPGs.

Gronan of Simmerya · July 12, 2013, 12:51:22 AM

Go ask Alice, I think she'll know.

Koltar · July 12, 2013, 01:06:33 AM

So....
Its not when the adventuring party suddenly decides to protest the King's heavy taxes with launched fireballs and 'magic missile'?

- Ed C.

James Gillen · July 12, 2013, 02:45:45 AM

I can see Greyhawk from here!

JG

Imperator · July 12, 2013, 02:53:58 AM

It is another way of saying "my gaming is better than yours" as many others you will find in this or other sites.

S'mon · July 12, 2013, 08:16:13 AM

Quote from: Sacrosanct;670164It's a term quite most often used by people whenever the GM needs to make a ruling for anything. Ever. These people feel like every possible scenario must be addressed in the rules, and the GM shouldn't be allowed to make a ruling at any time, or they aren't playing a "real" game, and are playing MTP instead. it is often paired with "mother-may-I".

So it's another derogatory term for Free Kriegspiel.

Bill · July 12, 2013, 09:19:13 AM

Quote from: Sacrosanct;670164It's a term quite most often used by people whenever the GM needs to make a ruling for anything. Ever. These people feel like every possible scenario must be addressed in the rules, and the GM shouldn't be allowed to make a ruling at any time, or they aren't playing a "real" game, and are playing MTP instead. it is often paired with "mother-may-I".

It's really nothing more than a passive aggressive way to tell someone that they are having badwrong fun playing RPGs.

I would say it is based on about certain personality types having control issues.

The "You are playing rpgs wrong" is just self justification after the fact.

And I apologize if this offends anyone; That is not my intent, just stating my opinion.

mcbobbo · July 12, 2013, 09:37:35 AM

See also the antonym - Player Entitlement

flyerfan1991 · July 12, 2013, 09:42:19 AM

Quote from: Imperator;670196It is another way of saying "my gaming is better than yours" as many others you will find in this or other sites.

Yep. People whipping out their e-peens as if people are impressed by that sort of thing.

Rincewind1 · July 12, 2013, 11:35:59 AM

Well, my game is better than yours, for the note.

That out of the way - it's an attack against a GM who dares to provide rulings rather than stick to the Holy Writ of a mechanic.

On the subject, my favourite criticism was "Making houserules is like chiselling in shit".

mcbobbo · July 12, 2013, 12:33:29 PM

To be fair, it is useful to have labels to use as shorthand for concepts.

I just wish they didn't all devolve into pejoratives.

Kaiu Keiichi · July 12, 2013, 04:07:56 PM

Quote from: Sacrosanct;670164It's a term quite most often used by people whenever the GM needs to make a ruling for anything. Ever. These people feel like every possible scenario must be addressed in the rules, and the GM shouldn't be allowed to make a ruling at any time, or they aren't playing a "real" game, and are playing MTP instead. it is often paired with "mother-may-I".

It's really nothing more than a passive aggressive way to tell someone that they are having badwrong fun playing RPGs.

No, they're right.

I've had far too many bullshitter faux-novellist GMs who want to railroad me into their red dragon inn made up BS. A good example was a friend of mine whose GM said she couldn't use sneak attack in 3.5, even though she fulfilled all the rules conditions to get a sneak attack, because he felt it was "too powerful and didn't feel right."

I'm down for GMs having their appropriate authority, but if I want free form gaming, I'll go to a Mind's Eye Theatre LARP or take an improv class.

Sacrosanct · July 12, 2013, 04:11:20 PM

Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;670422No, they're right.
.

This implies that you're disagreeing with me, but then you go on to say something that had nothing to do with what I actually said.