#RPGaDay2015 Days 21-25

Alright - lets go!

Day 21 - Favorite RPG Setting

When I think of an RPG setting, there's one that comes immediately to mind: the Forgotten Realms. My first experience with a setting was FR, and I remember looking through the boxed and being amazed at how much was there. Unfolding the maps, I would stare for hours at the vastness of the place, and plan where I would run my games. There was something magical about it, and to this day there still is.

The best thing were the large maps in all the supplements, that if you got multiple copies would line up perfectly. I always dreamed of getting them all and putting them together. Did anyone ever actually do this?

Day 22 - Perfect Gaming Environment

Some place quiet where you can add the atmosphere you desire. This can be a basement, a kitchen, or a desk for an online game. Quite honestly though, it can be anywhere - as long as you have good friends or those happy to be gaming.

Day 23 - Perfect Game for You

My ultimate game would be a Call of Cthulhu game, in a cabin deep in the woods, with the only light from a dying fireplace.

Day 24 - Favorite House Rule

I can't honestly think of any real house rule I use, except an overall one: don't let the rules get in the way of the story. When I run a game, if the story is going well and everyone is enjoying it, I would rather make an on-the-fly decision that is outside of the rules than stop the game, look up a rule, and break the tension/excitement/fun.

To me, RPGs are about the story. The rules just help streamline that and at times are optional.

Day 25 - Perfect Revolutionary Game Mechanic

I can think of two, which when they came out may not have been revolutionary, but were to me when I first encountered them.

The first is Sanity in Call of Cthulhu. In all previous RPGs I had played, I had only dealt with hit points as a measure of your character's vitality. When I first played CoC, the sanity mechanic blew my mind. It was so simple and obvious, yet so powerful. Since I started playing Call of Cthulhu I've seen sanity duplicated in multiple other games, but none ever have quite the impact as Sanity does.

The second are style points from Hollow Earth Expedition. These are points that are given to players for doing good things in a game, and can be returned for benefits such as rerolling a die or a temporary boost. Yes, I'm sure this has been done in other games, but HEX was the first time I encountered it. When I first saw it, I thought it was just a gimmick and something that would never really work. Then I used it, and saw others use it, and realized how powerful it could be. Their use becomes viral in games too; once one players throws in a style chip, more are soon to follow from the other players as they see their power.