We don’t have much time on this blue planet. We just don’t. If we can do anything we put our minds to, and I really believe we can, then we need to get focused and not waste our precious time. We don’t have time to be boring.
I don’t want anyone, ever again, to have a boring rpg session. I declare it, henceforth, to be “verboten”. Great, now that we’re all on the same page, let’s break it down.
What Makes a Session Boring?
Low Buy In.
If you’re not invested in your game, then you’re going to have less fun. Some easy ways to get more involved include hamming it up, putting on those accents and, I can’t believe I need to say it, but roleplaying. I’m surprised at how many people (myself included), don’t roleplay.
Confusion
If you’re confused about the rules or the situation your character is in then you’ll have less fun. This is largely a GMing issue, but as a player you need to make an effort to call out your confusion and work out a solution with your GM.
Low Risk
The more your character has riding on the dice, the more fun it’s going to be. I know plenty of cautious players, and I don’t think caution is bad, but I do think it’s worth remembering that our characters are heroes, and they’re expendable. Put them on the line and enjoy the wild ride that follows.
What else can cause a boring session? I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment and I promise to get back to you.
This might be kind of a modern one, but keep your phones away. Sure, there might be some good reasons to have tech out. Maybe a phone or tablet serves as your characters sheet or a reference book. That can be okay. But if you are are splitting your attention between the game, facebook, twitter, etc. chances are you are killing the energy at the table.
Good point. That’s also why I don’t like GMing with a laptop in front of me… worst GM screen ever.