Philosophy of the game

I wanted to say a couple things before the game starts up again, and I decided to place it here, so that the rest of you can add thoughts or dispute what is being said. Although I am the ST and administrator of the site, and this will often be referred to as "my game" or "Andrew's game", the fact of the matter is that it is "our" game. In my opinion, there is a contract understood between the ST and the player, a contract to create a fun, interesting game, enjoyable to both parties. Both ST and players have duties to fulfil within stated boundaries. Now, obviously, the boundaries here are loose, but still ...

Why am I saying this?

Well, I have played in enough games on-line and at the table where the ST considers himself God and will brook no other opinions than his own (as if he is doing you a favour by even letting you play in his game); where the ST cites book and page when it suits him to do so, but refuses to allow the player that same privilege. I have played in the games where the ST cannot accept any other interpretation of the so called "rules" - no matter how reasonable or logical; where the ST types in upper case letters that IT IS MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY if you dare respond to a PM with anything but "yes sir, three bags full sir". I have played in the games where, if you dare disagree with the ST, it is interpreted as poor gaming, poor form, cheating or some kind of attempt to take over the game or where, if a disagreement comes up, your only option is to quit, with the ST accepting no responsibility or culpability for "your own decision". Invariably, in games where the ST cannot admit even the possibility that he might be wrong, the players get bored, the game drags on, and players will not try to do anything innovative or half-way interesting because they have already tried and run up against the ST's inflated ego, accusations and paranoia. I am sure all of you recognize such an ST from your own gaming experiences. On the other side of the coin, we all know STs who are too nice or too flaky to actually make a controversial decision.

In my opinion, and some of you will recognize the soapbox (I have stood on it before), a game like this must have two things to work - logic and consistency. A game, like a good work of science fiction, must be internally logical and consistent within the rules of its own established universe. So, within the generally accepted rules of the game (with home brewed rules plainly stated) vampires are created in a particular way. You may find that some NPCs are powerful, some less so, but I promise you that none of them have been created in a haphazard manner and none of them will suddenly have powers that only appear to make your life difficult. They all have strengths and weaknesses; none of them are gods. They, like the PCs, have contacts, allies, retainers, and they, like the PCs, have been crafted based on the same creation process, in some cases using maturation points. I guarentee that not one of them has 5 dots in everything although, like the PCs, they may have 5 (or more) dots in something. The NPCs have lives of their own too, but actions taken in the game will always be the result of PC actions, because it is on the PCs where the game must focus. The NPCs will be in the background as much or as little as the PCs dictate they should be. If you give me something to run with, I will run with it. You set the pace ... mostly.

Having said that, I also want this game to be a relaxing haven from those other types of games. Come here as little or as often as you wish, but you must post something within the game's two-week night period in order to get xp. I am not bothered if all you want to do is study in your haven for the night - for some of your characters that is a reasonable thing to do. Some of you will be more active than others - that is also fine and not unexpected. The more you put into the game, the more there is a chance of bonus xp. You must also grant me the same privileges, however. I will not be here 24/7. If you are expecting me to be here at all hours of day and night you will be sorely disappointed. I will be here everyday and, if I am going to be away for any large chuck of time, I will leave a post in the announcements to that effect.

A couple last things. The issue of time is a tricky one. Here we have players from locations up to 10 hours apart. That means that it is conceivable that a simple conversation might take a couple days to complete. The assumption will be that the conversation took the time reasonable for a conversation. On the second friday, I would like everyone to detail in a PM what their PCs did in the rest of the time. So, if Jim is talking to Jane (in a conversation which would have reasonably taken an hour) and it lasted three (RL) days, when the end of the game day comes along, I would like to know if there was anything else that Jim or Jane were hoping to do that day (apart from the conversation). That way, no one is penalized by RL situations they cannot control. I am sooooo tired of being told that it is the nature of these games that RL time drags on, oh well, too bad. Obviously that is true, but let's here take it into account and not have anyone lose out because of someone else's RL issues. A brief note in your personal forums of plans for the night might not, therefore, go amiss.

There is one area where I must insist on being in-charge, however.

If a situation arises during gamplay when you think a roll of the dice is in order, I want you to wait for me before you roll the dice - you may think you do, but you will not necessarily know what I might want, or the conditions I may set, or the difficulties, or the bonuses or demerits I am giving you, or the numbers of successes required. All kinds of assumptions can be made, and I am happy for you to make assumptions if you like, but do not act upon those assumptions. Unsolicited dice rolls will be summarily ignored and the consequences of that may be bad for your character. Remind me in a spoiler if you have merits/flaws which apply because I may forget. If I notice over time that you are not playing a flaw (or merit), it will be taken away and your fbs will be adjusted accordingly.

Okay, I've said a few things here, I've rambled a bit, I hope you all understand.

Thanks for clarifications! Even if I may have known some or a lot of them, it's neat to have your ST actually point them out for you even before the campaign. It makes it both easier to either adjust what you want to play, how you want to play it and why you want to play it

I may be a little shorter with my silly little introduction thread than you have been, but I too feel like some things are going to have to be a little clarified at least. I personally know that at times, my character will be angry with other characters and I want you all to know that it's not because I am angry with you or anything, all though. I am most likely going to send you a PM about clarification again, because I want us all to be friends when we play with each other even if our characters might clash at times (I'm even pretty sure, considering that Anarchs/Sabbats/Camarilla/Independants are all allowed)!

With that said, I hope we all will be able to enjoy the game and I must admit to looking forward to the new start of it all with the new setting. I can pretty much tell that most of you are going to be able to guess what I am playing, but anyways. I'm going to stalk you from the shadows! *Makes spooky sounds* Or not, whichever is funnier.. We'll see what happens anyways with some new faces and some old around!

Thanks Andrew for laying it out and pointing out the few things regarding rolls and things, as well as letting us know you are open to a PM that says "Wtf?? ahhhhhhhh whaaaa?" and you wont lose it

On the playing side and things like that, as I always say, this is World of Darkness, I know I am cute and cuddly or something like that in real life, but my characters aren't so don't take offence if I try to kill, maim, brutalize, ignore or otherwise your character, it isn't personal, but I play true to my characters and heck, vampires aren't nice people

I would like to say Andrew... awesome on the 'what would you have done the rest of the night bit' I think that is a weakness when a convo takes two weeks, and I love how you have adjusted that

anyways, cheers and see you guys IC some point, if you dare.

Bravo.