The Importance of Community in Roleplaying
At its very heart, roleplaying is a social activity. We put it on our calendars and set aside our free time for the enjoyment of the stories we craft together with our fellow players and our Game Master, suspending our sense of disbelief and entering a world entirely our own. The essence of roleplaying is community-building, as the players and Game Master together build a world from nothing. To me, to witness such an act is to witness perhaps our world’s magic in its truest and most pure form, the art of creation. And for a brief moment, the world rolls back, heroes are born, and stories are told. In this moment, the players and Game Master are sharing in an experience that no one else will be able to share in. A bond has been struck and a community formed. A fellowship perhaps?
Many communities are formed around a location, an idea, or a shared interest and so forming a community when we roleplay makes sense. I don’t really think that we set out to form a community with intent; I think it just naturally happens. Group chats form, inside jokes take hold, moments are shared, stories are told, friendships are formed, and more. This is the magic of roleplaying: spontaneous community-building. The glue that holds the community together is the shared experience that the players take part in.
But how strong can a campaign consisting of strangers really be? Well, I have seen communities like this last for quite a while. Some friends of mine had a campaign with consistent characters that lasted for several years. A co-worker of mine has had the same consistent campaign for fifteen years! When I worked at the Malted Meeple, some of our regular guests who met at D&D ended up tying the knot a few short years later. At the tables I ran, a group of guests who started playing together became fast friends in just a few short sessions. Many of them still play together online or in person. These individuals had never met before D&D and suddenly they were joking and telling stories as if they had known each other for years! This is the power of community. And of roleplaying.
The shared experience of the players is unique to their group even if they are playing in a pre-written module. The battles they fought and the characters they lost along the way are written into the fabric of the community they have built. Much like players themselves, each character’s backstory will be as varied as their motivations and playstyles. So what is it about roleplaying that brings people together and forms such a strong bond? I would argue again that it is the shared experience. I have friends who still tell stories from my campaign, about their favorite moments, their favorite characters, and the twists and turns we took along the way.
So why am I writing this? Because I believe that community Is at the heart of any roleplaying group and without that sense of community, it all falls apart. Players’ priorities change, they lose interest, and possibly worst of all they begin to see game night as an obligation. Now, before I proceed further, it is important to note that some groups just aren’t meant to be and that is okay. Despite your best efforts as a Game Master, the group may splinter and it is not your fault. I have had groups fall apart despite my best efforts to keep them together. 2020 taught me that much. People move away, people fail to get along, people’s schedules and interests change.
Now with that said, are there ways that you can help strengthen your roleplaying community? My first suggestion is to be inclusive and to listen to the feedback offered by your players. Own when you as the Game Master make mistakes. Talk to them about things that are happening in their life outside of the game. I always start my game by asking how everyone’s weekend was and I tell them what I was up to over my weekend. This is one way that I invite my players to share in my experience. I also always end my sessions by thanking the players for joining and letting them know that I had a great time too. I ask them to submit any feedback that they may have and I remind them that I take feedback seriously as it helps me on my journey to become a better Game Master. We also have a private chat for each of my groups, including a dedicated meme thread for funny jokes. This way we can communicate and send funny things back and forth and continue to share in the experience even outside of game night and despite being in several different time zones.
When interacting with your players I encourage you to be honest, fair, and kind in each interaction. As my father used to say, you never know what happened five minutes before a person interacted with you. Be there for them when you can and talk with them about their character, their arc, and their ideas. Mostly, just share in the adventure. You’ll be amazed at how naturally a community will form and the ways in which it can truly change your life.
If you would like to join the Open Heart Games Community, please follow this and request to join the Friends of Open Heart Games Facebook page!
Until next time,
Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
