Better roleplaying through writing? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Better roleplaying through writing? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
VampyrKnight
07-07-03, 05:30 PM Recently, I was talking with someone who's going to be GMing an adventure for our group and we came upon the subject of the storytelling part of roleplaying games. As a writer, I'm biased, so there's no objectivity to this.

Most writers who don't roleplay might have a different view if ever they are given that opportunity. Those that do and do gamemaster their own adventures have one of two views. One, they look at the opportunity to see what they wouldn't ever think of a character doing. Two, they tend to run very strict games, where the players have more or less a script they run.

What I'm interested in is finding out how others look at it. Personally, as first a writer who later got into roleplaying, I like to let the players do what their characters would, without constraints due to a linear story. It's interesting, and in many cases, the characters I've written since starting have become more more evolved, more real.
H. Goodfellow
07-07-03, 07:01 PM Better roleplaying through writing?

In my case, it's better writing through roleplaying! Luckily for me, in the group I game with there are no scripts. In fact, more often than not the roleplaying factor with the group always upsets the best laid plans of the DM, anyway.

It makes character development within the game more entertaining and because of the high quality of roleplaying in my group, I've found the exercise of writing scripts for characters outside the game, a hell of alot easier compared to when I didn't play.

This may be slightly off the thread. Sorry if it's been no real help.
ShadeGirl
07-08-03, 08:25 AM Personally, as first a writer who later got into roleplaying, I like to let the players do what their characters would, without constraints due to a linear story. It's interesting, and in many cases, the characters I've written since starting have become more more evolved, more real.

Exactly! I've found that this is my experience also.
zioth
07-08-03, 10:17 AM I actually use D&D as an excuse to write more. It's hard for me to build up the willpower to write a real story, but I post to my PBeM almost every day, and then rewrite sections of it in prose form. I admit it's very tempting at times to use a scripted story, or create events that make sense in the context of the game world but create insoluable predicaments for the characters, but I'm getting out of the habit and putting the game more in the players' control.

Interestingly enough, I think my writing's improved through D&D, so I guess that makes this better writing through roleplaying. :)

And to insert a random plug -- the address of my prose-form game is in my sig.
Crust
07-08-03, 01:08 PM I have my masters in English, and it's certainly made me a better DM and a better player.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
VampyrKnight 07-07-03, 05:30 PM	Recently, I was talking with someone who's going to be GMing an adventure for our group and we came upon the subject of the storytelling part of roleplaying games. As a writer, I'm biased, so there's no objectivity to this. Most writers who don't roleplay might have a different view if ever they are given that opportunity. Those that do and do gamemaster their own adventures have one of two views. One, they look at the opportunity to see what they wouldn't ever think of a character doing. Two, they tend to run very strict games, where the players have more or less a script they run. What I'm interested in is finding out how others look at it. Personally, as first a writer who later got into roleplaying, I like to let the players do what their characters would, without constraints due to a linear story. It's interesting, and in many cases, the characters I've written since starting have become more more evolved, more real.
H. Goodfellow 07-07-03, 07:01 PM	Better roleplaying through writing? In my case, it's better writing through roleplaying! Luckily for me, in the group I game with there are no scripts. In fact, more often than not the roleplaying factor with the group always upsets the best laid plans of the DM, anyway. It makes character development within the game more entertaining and because of the high quality of roleplaying in my group, I've found the exercise of writing scripts for characters outside the game, a hell of alot easier compared to when I didn't play. This may be slightly off the thread. Sorry if it's been no real help.
ShadeGirl 07-08-03, 08:25 AM	Personally, as first a writer who later got into roleplaying, I like to let the players do what their characters would, without constraints due to a linear story. It's interesting, and in many cases, the characters I've written since starting have become more more evolved, more real. Exactly! I've found that this is my experience also.
zioth 07-08-03, 10:17 AM	I actually use D&D as an excuse to write more. It's hard for me to build up the willpower to write a real story, but I post to my PBeM almost every day, and then rewrite sections of it in prose form. I admit it's very tempting at times to use a scripted story, or create events that make sense in the context of the game world but create insoluable predicaments for the characters, but I'm getting out of the habit and putting the game more in the players' control. Interestingly enough, I think my writing's improved through D&D, so I guess that makes this better writing through roleplaying. :) And to insert a random plug -- the address of my prose-form game is in my sig.
Crust 07-08-03, 01:08 PM	I have my masters in English, and it's certainly made me a better DM and a better player.