How Serious Do You Like Your Gaming?

[Insert the usual caveats about opinions and preferences and respecting others' etc...]

As a general thing, how serious do you like your gaming? Is it action comedy all the way, or Shakespearean tragedy, or something in between? Does humor have to be "in character" or do Monty Python quotes and bad puns flow freely? Do you embrace catharsis and moments of real emotional power?

And while I expect a lot of "it depends" answers, I am asking about your best-case-scenario preference. That is, when starting a typical new campaign, how serious would you like it to be?

If it must "depend" -- then what does it depend on? What controls your preference for seriousness or a lack thereof?

I think the simplest, most generally applicable way I can describe it is: I prefer gaming where jokes undercutting the tension/emotion/drama of serious moments are infrequent.

There are places for wholeheartedly silly scenes, there are even serious moments where a joke is the perfect reaction, but nothing takes me out faster than a character/player undercutting what someone else at the table is going through.

We all have fun and a laugh but whether playing or DMing, I want a serious game. I see games going silly with the amateur dramatics and silly voices (Critical Roll, looking at you too) and I know I wouldn't enjoy a game like that.

Xamnam said:

I think the simplest, most generally applicable way I can describe it is: I prefer gaming where jokes undercutting the tension/emotion/drama of serious moments are infrequent.

There are places for wholeheartedly silly scenes, there are even serious moments where a joke is the perfect reaction, but nothing takes me out faster than a character/player undercutting what someone else at the table is going through.

Click to expand...

This seems right. Sometimes humor undercuts the drama, sometimes it throws the drama into relief, sometimes it's a change of pace. I think the ... point, or trick, or rule (as in "of thumb") is that the behavior around the table should match the intended mood of the scene. I've had a couple of good friends who were unwilling or unable to read the room/table/scene and adjust, which is at least part of why I ended up stopping TRPGing with them.

It doesn't depend. It's all comedy, all the time. Even when it's serious....it's not serious.

Puns and Monty Python quotes are overrated as effective humor. I tend to plan deadly serious games that turn somewhat tragicomic when they hit the players, because actively planning humor isn't usually that effective for me. Spontaneous humor is where it's at.

That's kind of like asking, "How serious do you like your movies?" or "How serious do you like your novels?"

I mean, I guess it depends on the adventure and the game system and the group of players.

If you take serious as the opposite of fun or as the opposite of funny, then probably not that serious. Very serious subjects can have moments of levity and indeed are arguably improved by such. But if you take serious as the opposite of silly, stupid, childish, and nonsensical then quite serious indeed. I hate things that make no sense and can't bear inspection or serious thought. I like things that hang together and encourage study and emersion.

I long to have shining moments of emotional awesome in my games. I don't know that I will ever achieve it but that's a big part of what I'm going for. Things that aren't just funny because you were there but are legitimately funny as stories. Events that are truly dramatic. Moments where the audience would become truly invested in the outcome and cheer for the character's success. Moments where the character exude charm, honor, or just cool. Moments of fear and anxiety. Dawning moments of horror where the players put together the puzzle. Moments where the villains are truly hateworthy, and the audience is cheering for them to get what they deserve and the players are invested in that outcome. That's what I want to achieve in my gaming. And well, that's pretty serious.

So ... I know you were expecting this, @Reynard ... but it depends.

Paranoia or a rules-lite game that I made like Disco Party Athletes? Funny.

D&D? Some drama, some levity.

Ten Candles? That was a very emotional game, and the participants felt it for a while after.

I don't have a particular preference for any style, and will change depending on the system, the group, and the subject matter. I do think that comedy is hard to do as a campaign.

My current table is pretty beer and pretzels though I wish I had a more serious group. There are just some games that I can’t or won’t run with this group because they won’t buy into a more serious premise.

Reynard said:

[Insert the usual caveats about opinions and preferences and respecting others' etc...]

As a general thing, how serious do you like your gaming? Is it action comedy all the way, or Shakespearean tragedy, or something in between? Does humor have to be "in character" or do Monty Python quotes and bad puns flow freely? Do you embrace catharsis and moments of real emotional power?

Click to expand...

as a general set of rules...
Humor level about on par with ST:TNG.
I generally prefer the humor to be out of character.
I love it when the game hits players in the gut or heart...

Generally, I don't mind MP or HHGTTG quotes... but, when running Pendragon, its -1000 Glory for Monty Python jokes. When running Star Wars or Star Trek, HHGTTG quotes are banned. In both cases, it's because they're too relevant and disrupt the tone for others.