 In our first guide, BGtTG : Environment, we explained how the physical environment could influence the role playing atmosphere. Today we will explain the player's role in making a fun environment for a role playing adventure. Thus without further ado here is: Clipsco's Player Handbook
As a player in a RP adventure you’re going to be dealing with multiple (split) personality types (that’s another article) and a potentially benevolent/sadistic Game Master (ditto last comment). Editor's Note: I'm his GM and I fit the sadistic description. See the Krinos Campaign and "The Violation of Agenor" in the forums. With the GM you have no control over his or her actions. You are just a passenger on the DM's vessel. For a novice gamer I would advise a more benevolent GM in order to hone your RP craft without getting excessively punished for not playing in character. Role playing is a skill few GMs and fewer players get correct on their first go round (unless they suffer from some form of neurosis). My first rule during your role playing escapades is, "Play your character, not the game". Your character may not have your knowledge or intelligence (in some cases this can be a blessing). You are an actor playing a role and if you play it with the gusto of a bad B-rated movie script you'll have more fun. Hence my second rule, "Do not use out of character knowledge to influence your decisions". Metagaming, or how I learned to give up and accept my fate, is a serious violation during most gaming sessions. Metagaming occurs with even the most experienced of gamers, and due to its insidious nature it’s often overlooked. To put this into context, imagine your B-rated actor again, as a horror movie aficionado you know when someone states, "I'll be right back", that means the axe-wielding acidic protoplasmic monster from outer space is going to eat them next; however, the actor, ignorant of his impending demise, blindly marches out into the darkness (and certain doom). Meta-knowledge would not allow this scenario to come to its gruesome, yet hilarious, end. (With such meta-knowledge, one has to wonder why anyone keeps going to Crystal Lake... - Ed.) My third rule deals with party intra-personal communications - the motto: "Strength in Unity" applies. Every player character in a RP setting has goals, objectives and a purpose for playing. While it would be nice to chop the GM in multiple parts in order to allow an autonomous campaign the fact remains there will be other people involved and chopping up a GM is a felony in the United States. Parties are formed to accomplish goals that a single person could not complete on their own. Remember the GM is working for the opposition, every time a Player Character goes off alone and ignores the party, that mythical axe-wielding protoplasmic monster from outer space gets to flex its claws. Be wary of intra-party conflicts, if it doesn't come from character philosophical differences (e.g. "Hey you’re a Paladin of Tyr, huh? Guess I shouldn't have assassinated that defenseless civilian."), then you are setting up your campaign and your personal enjoyment for failure. As a player you will grow attached to your character, if someone in your group intentionally damages your character for non-RP reasons the line between gaming and real life will get blurred, feelings will get hurt and finally a RP group will lose members or implode entirely. Remember you are in this game to work with real people, if you want to be a secretive, backstabbing, rogue then do it to the NPC's. Evil overlords have loyal henchmen and associates, as a player your traveling comrades should be the ones you lean on and TRUST. If you wish to backstab, setup, or otherwise hurt your group mates then then this quote will apply: "If you poison us, do we not die (well you might make the save for half)? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" Players have as much responsibility to ensure a successful and enjoyable campaign as the GM. You are the actors in an epic saga, and hence you make the world go round. If your RPG group works together for a common cause then your tales will the stuff of inside jokes, sly chortles, and maybe even the blog site postings of a beer addled author.
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