RPG lessons learned, # 28

It's amazing what you can learn if you open yourself up for it.

KTDARPG was my first role-playing game & is still my favorite. Every now & then, when I stand back & just watch--the players, the characters, the action--well, you can learn if you let yourself.

Here's Lesson #28: "You can't see the forest for the trees."

Ok, that was vague. Here's what I mean.

You the player have a character you know EXACTLY what you want to do with. You've made your plans & you're determined to stick to them no matter what. You won't be distracted. You won't be moved. You're on a course to your Goal, and by hell you're gonna get there.

It's an easy trap to fall into. What it means, basically, is you're playing with yourself. You've shut yourself off to input from other characters, from the game setting, from all other actions happening around your character. Not a good place to be.

See that's the beauty of role-playing. Characters act & react to each other. Just like with real-world people, that's how characters grow & develop & get stronger.

But to do that, you have to stay open. Your character has to listen to what others say, be aware of what's happening all around you. Which also means it helps if you actually read posts that may have nothing directly to do with your character--because all the posts have to do with the game world itself. And the game world affects your character intimately.

So maybe a word to the wise rp'er: keep yourself open. Be aware of all the game around you--and then take advantage of it like crazy!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"