Comments on: Dundracon 34 Wrapup – Two Very Different Games http://aterribleidea.com/2010/02/16/dundracon-34-wrapup-two-very-different-games/ This Site Is A Terrible Idea Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:11:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: A Terrible Idea » What makes a gaming session “good” ? http://aterribleidea.com/2010/02/16/dundracon-34-wrapup-two-very-different-games/comment-page-1/#comment-179 A Terrible Idea » What makes a gaming session “good” ? Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:05:17 +0000 http://aterribleidea.com/?p=445#comment-179 [...] experiences at Dundracon this past weekend have left me a little more introspective than normal. Which is saying a lot, considering I spend a [...] [...] experiences at Dundracon this past weekend have left me a little more introspective than normal. Which is saying a lot, considering I spend a [...]

]]> By: Rob Ritchie http://aterribleidea.com/2010/02/16/dundracon-34-wrapup-two-very-different-games/comment-page-1/#comment-178 Rob Ritchie Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:03:23 +0000 http://aterribleidea.com/?p=445#comment-178 I've had similar experiences where games I put a lot (and I mean a LOT) of preparation into, even when the went well, still felt unsatisfying. I think it's because we invest so much of our attention and hopes into making everything...just....PERFECT that when our players don't spontaneously burst into flames of joy and ecstasy at the very sight of our custom-painted miniature whatevers, then it just doesn't live up to what we wanted to happen. Especially when, and this happens much more often than I would like, I also run happy tables of gamers sitting down to my paper-napkin games and nobody seems to know the difference or care. In many ways, this is a disincentive to put too much effort into the game. But we do like our perfect set-pieces, don't we? I’ve had similar experiences where games I put a lot (and I mean a LOT) of preparation into, even when the went well, still felt unsatisfying. I think it’s because we invest so much of our attention and hopes into making everything…just….PERFECT that when our players don’t spontaneously burst into flames of joy and ecstasy at the very sight of our custom-painted miniature whatevers, then it just doesn’t live up to what we wanted to happen.

Especially when, and this happens much more often than I would like, I also run happy tables of gamers sitting down to my paper-napkin games and nobody seems to know the difference or care.

In many ways, this is a disincentive to put too much effort into the game. But we do like our perfect set-pieces, don’t we?

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