In the first part of this series, I described to the best of my ability what roleplaying is, specifically in the context of game-mastered roleplaying games, by describing what people tend to do during a game. Now I want to explore why we do it—what is it about roleplaying games that keeps enthusiasts coming back for more?
A Brief Note on RPG Theory (I’m Not Doing it)
Before diving in, I want to clarify that I won’t be delving into complex roleplaying game theory, as some others have done. Some people have developed elaborate models and theories about player preferences, compatibility between different play styles, and so on. I’m not convinced this theoretical approach makes much practical difference for most players or designers. The academic terminology often becomes ambiguous or exclusionary—take the term “narrativism,” which is an ambiguous term. You can have a narrative about anything. This term can be interpreted in numerous ways, and has created its own circle of theorists who deride those who use it improperly, and claim superior understanding and requisite status for themselves.
Whether RPG theory has any validity is something I’ll leave for others to judge, but I think it’s simply fact that it rarely impacts or influences those who play or design games, with very few exceptions.
What People Actually Enjoy About Roleplaying Games
Instead, I want to discuss the general elements that people find appealing about roleplaying games. Understanding what you enjoy can help game masters prepare better sessions, or assist designers in creating more enjoyable experiences for themselves and their target audience.
Character Focus
To start, I’ll begin with what I just mentioned, what some might call “narrativism”. I don’t care what other people might mean by it in other contexts, but what I mean by it here is simply focus on the character, who they are and how they change. One thing many players enjoy is focusing on a character: their motivations, goals, moral center, and how these aspects evolve or change when the character faces difficult or extreme situations. Some players are essentially playing to discover who their character truly is and how (and if) they change through various challenges.
This is just one element that some players enjoy—it’s no better or worse than any other preference, and all such preferences are legitimate.
The Game Element: Winning and Losing
At a fundamental level, many people enjoy roleplaying games because they are games with uncertain outcomes. There’s excitement in caring about your character, playing them striving toward their goals, and seeing whether or not they succeed. This uncertainty is what makes roleplaying games actual games—your character might not get what they want, creating a sense of stakes and potential loss.
Problem-Solving
Some players particularly enjoy creative or technical problem-solving. You see this in certain fiction, especially science fiction stories that emphasize clever technical solutions over character development. In roleplaying games, this might involve using magic in unexpected ways to escape a trap, spying on enemies through ingenious means, or combining tactics to defeat opponents. Rather than inventing some pretentious, ambiguous term for this preference, I’ll simply call it problem-solving.
Combat Focus
Related to but distinct from problem-solving is the focus on combat. Some players greatly enjoy games with significant combat elements, similar to why people enjoy wargames. In fact, a common origin story for roleplaying games traces them to wargamers who wanted more detail about individual characters in their battles. Some players appreciate the technical specifications, tactics, and strategy involved in confronting enemies in a shared imaginary world.
Setting Immersion
Another appeal is setting immersion. Players enjoy embodying characters because the setting itself is compelling—many science fiction fans have dreamed of serving as an officer on a Federation starship, or fighting orcs in Middle-Earth. The opportunity to experience a beloved fictional setting firsthand is a powerful draw.
Character Immersion
Whether you consider this separate from “character focus” or not, some players specifically enjoy the experience of embodying someone who isn’t themselves—stepping into another perspective and doing things they wouldn’t or couldn’t do in the real world.
Emotional and Atmospheric Experiences
Some players seek specific atmospheres or emotional content in their games. Horror roleplaying games create fear, while games like Ten Candles generate feelings of sorrow and nostalgia. These emotional experiences can be valuable and enjoyable in the right context.
Social and Political Intrigue
Though less common, some players prefer games focused on political maneuvering and social dynamics, such as Vampire: The Masquerade. The enjoyment comes from navigating complex social situations, increasing your character’s status, and outmaneuvering rivals.
Conclusion
These are the primary elements that I believe people enjoy about roleplaying games. There’s nothing particularly profound about this analysis, and I’m not interested in theorizing why people like these aspects—I’m only concerned with identifying what they actually enjoy. I also see no reason to think that these aspects are incompatible with each other, or that a game cannot or should not do more than one of them – such pronouncements are way too theoretical. The only way to test whether or not a game does more than one of these well is to have many people try it and see.
But that’s neither here nor there. In my next blog post, I’ll discuss some best practices for basic roleplaying based on what we’ve covered so far.
Until then, your thoughts and comments on this post are very much welcomed. Did I leave anything out? What is it you enjoy about tabletop roleplaying games?
Footnote: For those who want to know what I mean about the kind of RPG theory I was alluding to earlier (and the big mess it can be), here is an example: https://www.arkenstonepublishing.net/isabout/2020/05/14/observations-on-gns-simulationism/
Note that I mean no disrespect to the author, who does a great job with the various concepts he mentions. I’m just not sure any of it is worth spending any time on.
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