Comments on: Editorial: Intriguing Mystery

By: Andrew 'Mel' Melcon

Andrew 'Mel' Melcon — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 12:58:37 +0000

I’ve played some pen and paper stuff, but only some. And it’s very fun having the game (i.e. the DM/GM) react to your party’s actions to keep things interesting.

As for story and gameplay, I find that I can put myself in a mode where I’m willing to ignore a game’s story and focus on the gameplay. Though all my fondest memories do come from games that had both a great story and gameplay. That said, while I can play through a game that I feel has a BAD story I cannot (nor do I think many others could) play a game I feel has BAD gameplay.

By: Ethan 'Ethos' Pipher

Ethan 'Ethos' Pipher — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 06:15:00 +0000

Very insightful, DiceAdmiral. And gameplay and story are most compelling when they constantly inform each other, I find.

By: DiceAdmiral

DiceAdmiral — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 02:09:19 +0000

I think it might be worth some time to look back into the pen and paper origins of RPGs. The best D&D hooks are mysteries, hidden plots and unknown dungeons. Even battles are that way. After the players know (or think they know) what the enemies and environment are capable of the entire thing becomes just a bunch of rolls to get to the end. One of the reasons that I often find PnP RPGs more compelling for exactly that reason. The GM can react dynamically to the players’ input and change things so that even when something becomes known, they can still be surprised. I’ve done exactly that several times in campaigns. It just makes things more fun.

Compelling gameplay is the only acceptable substitute for a poor story, and the former is drastically helped by even minute refinements in the later.