akasha's guide to happy gaming

I use the terms Storyteller and other White Wolf related gaming pieces. This is not because I am stating White Wolf is the best, but it is what I have played most and is the system with which I am most familiar.

• Making the storyteller happy gets you the best shit.
  Sex is generally highest on the list of ways to keep the storyteller happy. However, I do not recommend that route (been there, done that and if they gave out t-shirts we would all be in trouble). More often than not, gaming groups end because of proble ms between the players. Keeping the storyteller well fed with his/her favorite foods is a good alternative. *grin*

• Find the type of gaming you enjoy and play with others of your type
  I think I have found there are several types of gamers. There are those who enjoy getting into a character and roleplaying that character (no matter what the consequences are to the game as a whole). I am this type personally. There are power gamers an d twinks who try to do the right things to win, no matter what (including doing things that a character wouldn't including using OOC knowledge or building a character who is so focused so they can kick ass). The other type I have found are quest driven p layers. They need a mission or an enemy. They get a bit lost without a goal (tends to happen to long time D&D players). If you find people who do the same type of roleplay, things will run more smoothly.

• Don't argue rules
  This gets very lame, very quickly. I have caught myself doing it now and again, but I find that most of the time it is counterproductive. Or perhaps I have been fortunate to have very good storytellers who do not try to screw over the players, unless it furthers the plot of course. *grin*

• Rules are made to be broken or reworked or throw out
  I think anyone who plays White Wolf games should realize is that the rules are a guideline and a highly flawed one at that. My first storyteller would create things that weren't possible under the WW rules. But you know, we didn't care as it furthered t he plot and kept things interesting (and hell, he had worked on the damn books so how could you argue him on it *grin*). I have had storytellers change clan disciplines or tweaked the rules to make things work better.

• Don't have players rolling to go to the bathroom
  Dice rolling is annoying and interrupts the flow of the game. If there is a picture in the player's head and then the storyteller says roll your perception plus alertness, it can break that. It is sometimes useful if the storyteller has the stats and ro lls such things him/herself. It also keeps you from knowing if you botched such rolls. I also admit, I suck at rolling dice so I always want that kept to a minimum. *grin*

• A clearly defined world is a good thing
  The world you are in is important. Is it exactly like this one or is it somehow altered? Does it overflowing with creatures of the night or are we dealing only with the world as it exists now? Does the storyteller want there to be a town square where p eople all hang out that doesn't actually exist in the location you are playing? Anything goes so long as the players know. But only if a world is fleshed out can the people be happy within it.

• Have fun
  If I need to explain that one, then you may need a clue.

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Comments, criticisms and whatever else can be mailed to - akasha@runbox.com.