Wading Through the Insistence of Others

I'm a live and let live sort of guy. I'm not one to insist that people have to play my game system or even use the same methods or tools. I use a laptop and software to run my games but fully recognize that this method isn't for everyone. Yet one of the interesting dichotomies in our society is the instance of others that we do things their way, that their way or their tools are somehow better or faster than the tried and true ways you've already been using--even on the job. It's strange to live in a society that places such a high value on freedom and individuality, then tries to stomp them out in the same breath.

I don't mind listening to what other people are doing or heeding friendly advice--note the world friendly--as long as they aren't insistent that my way is somehow stupid or flawed. That's when my ears shut, the bus stops and I step off. That's generally why a lot of forums and the young punks thereon keep me pretty much silent and in a non-contributive mood. Yet I do like to share my experiences. Thus, the blog. But there are still times when blogging doesn't scratch the itch to share.

Wading through the sometimes rabid insistence of others even applies to play methods, especially in the arena of online games where its generally viewed by the anonymous masses that there is one way to play a particular game successfully. If you're not doing it this way then you suck or you're a noob or whatever. (I like to play Starcraft II but I'm honestly not very good at it.) Fortunately, this attitude doesn't apply to roleplaying games which offer more choices and more freedoms over essentially linear or tree branching games. I love that there really isn't a wrong way or right way to play and the even the rules are somewhat open to interpretation. You don't have to take feat X, Y and Z or your character build just sucks. Yes, you can build a character badly but what person in real life has a endlessly perfect set of skills anyway.

There's not just your way and my way either, but a whole host of ways. Perhaps by collaborating or sharing information about our methods, tools and even styles of play we can all become more successful at roleplay; that's far better than being essentially bitched at in forums and online games, which are also notably more than a little anonymous. We can also be successful by staying on our little islands and ignoring entirely what others think, do or say. I'm somewhere in the middle. Anyhow you're not a captive audience with roleplaying games, except in a good way of course. This a big part of what keeps me engaged--it certainly isn't that I enjoy reading rulebooks and supplements. The play is the thing.