A browse through the pages of this blog should give the reader a clear impression of the games I really enjoy running or playing. Certain themes and styles keep coming up. I do make an effort to try different games with different groups too to get exposure to different approaches, and also to get a feel for the different systems. You don't know till you try!
That being said, there are sometimes when I run a game or play in one where I'm just left feeling flat. I know there are various factors in every game....the setting, the system, the GM, the group composition and the location all contribute. In my case I can say that there are two aspects that leave me cold, even with a great GM and group.
The first is when the focus of the game is combat and there is a strong tactical emphasis. I've experienced this in Pathfinder, Shadowrun and Twilight 2000. The game sessions have been essentially one huge combat setpiece, with grids and miniatures laid out. Initiative, distance, position and range all matter. This just isn't for me and I'm aware that it's the major approach in most roleplaying groups. I often feel that I'm the only one at the table not having a great time in these cases, and that it's exactly what the other players were looking for. I guess I'm looking more for mystery, investigation and story....the undeniable influence of "Call of Cthulhu", where a long combat situation is a sign that something is wrong.
The second is a high level of "crunch". "Crunch", if you don't know the term, is the level of complexity in the game mechanics. High crunch games will feature a lot of rules to consider in resolving conflicts, numerous combinations of dice to roll, lookup charts etc. Some games put more of this in the character generation phase, some in the actual gameplay...some both. I don't mind it in character creation, but in gameplay it frustrates me. I do like the random component that rolling the dice introduces, and I do like some lookup tables here and there, but I don't like having to know a lot of rules just to be able to play my character.
Obviously these are purely personal preference and I'm certainly not in step with the majority of gamers out there on this. This is another good reason though to get exposure to a wide variety of games and groups, especially when you're a GM. It helps you to understand what different players are looking for in a game, and how important it is to have their expectations line up with your approach and what you plan to deliver.
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