Returning to the table.
Over the past few years, I’ve put more time into my roleplaying game hobby. I’d allowed my involvement in gaming to slacken somewhat, preferring to do other things with my time, mainly because I didn’t have a friend group interested in such things. But as circumstances changed, I have adjusted, and I find myself doing more with my roleplaying collection these days than I have in a long time.
In college, I ran a Shadowrun game for a dozen people, a feat I still don’t understand how I managed. I prefer more compact groups of three to four dedicated players. I can give them individualized attention, prep more complex situations, and strengthen the game. And because I know the people playing, I understand their preferences, strengths, and weaknesses and can adjust to them.
It may seem like a lot of work to play a game, and it is. At the same time, a successful roleplaying game is satisfying in a way picking up a controller is not. You’re creating something collectively that has never existed before that moment, nor ever will again. Even if you’re running a scenario someone else prepped, the exact interpretation is specific to that group in that session. It’s almost like what happens when a troupe puts on a play.
Last time, I encouraged you to try the hobby for yourself, and I’ll do so again. If you don’t know someone who’ll run, try StartPlaying. It’s worth the investment.