Types of Role-Play TTRPGs

[@johnschwartz1641]

When DMing I mostly stick to narrating, when playing I speak in character more. It's really just a matter of skill level and comfort - I can speak for one PC, but when I'm running the game I have a tough time switching gears between the administrative work and acting the NPCs out. It's a lot easier just to stick to third person descriptions.

[@NegativeHeadspace]

Same. Rping my character's voice comes so naturally. But when I dm on the other hand... I might voices one or two important npcs. Everyone else is narrated.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@SimonAshworthWood]

When I use my evil goblin voice as my DM narration voice, players become more nervous and look around everywhere, search for traps obsessively and so on. 😈

[@Aaron-mj9ie]

It's similar for me. I run games in a very "Book keepy" way. I don't really do character voices or even flavor their dialogue in a way that lends to their character. I just tell my players what they said matter-of-factly.

[@BanditsKeep]

@@Aaron-mj9ie Cool

[@Khaldryn]

You're videos have really taught me how to run D&D how I've always wanted. Every video is full of easily digestible tidbits of information that is invaluable if one is looking to run an OSR game or just get better and the game. You sir, deserve a much bigger following. As always, thank for another great video.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thank you for the kind words 😊

[@rosascreativeworks5403]

Nice channel! Yeah, I struggle with RP, being the introverted type, but have gotten better with practice.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool, thanks!

[@bodywhey8]

Yes please do more videos of this nature. This is a really cool look into how to run NPCs. Really liked this vid. The length wasn’t bad either 👍🏻👍🏻

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@christopherdecator9742]

Thats good advice. I think different DMs have different styles, and different tables have their own cultures, which sets up expectations. For instance, I have a fairly bombastic style from the "show don't tell" school, so a lot of minor characters at least get a performative cameo. A player started running his own games and was having trouble. I told him to run it the way he felt comfortable doing it. Just narrate the mundane stuff... or all of it. Players are more forgiving than you think. We're all just friends here.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure!

[@SimonAshworthWood]

Whether or not something is important is subjective. I prefer to play realistically (objectively, just giving the facts) and let the players choose what is important to them.

[@BanditsKeep]

Sure - but how do they know what in the world reflects those goals? Since the players aren’t really in the world, they only see you hear and know what you tell them as a DM based on what you want to and what they ask you.

[@SexyPapaG]

Very helpful video, thank you. Please talk about role-playing and campaigns vs one shots! I feel this are under-covered topics, and definitely would love to give my players more character engagement.

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks!

[@michaelmorrissey5631]

I’m definitely into doing the voices. I keep it fluid though, and I tend to do as you describe for less consequential characters. Here and there I forget to do a particular voice or accent but we’re laid back about that. And thoughtful narration CAN be dramatic as well as practical I find. Good video as usual, thanks.🙏🏻 Love the shirt too😉

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure, thanks!

[@paavohirn3728]

Good advice! Switching between those modes comes quite naturally. I haven't thought about it so systematically so it'll be interesting to pay more attention. I'm not huge on making voices but that also often comes kind of naturally. Sometimes the NPC speaks but with my regular voice. As a player i don't change my voice dramatically but i do enjoy speaking in character while interacting with NPC's, sometimes in other situations as well.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@danielrowan4716]

Daniel, I agree with you most of the way on this one. In character delivery is a highly effective shorthand to indicate to the PCs that the info being delivered is key. Hopefully they're experienced or intelligent enough to catch on. That said, I do have true NPCs with some flavor in my settings to help add depth to game play and a sense of "realness" so that the general populace isn't just wallpaper. Some of the most memorable game play our group has had is with run of the mill NPCs - including an old tavern hound that, with the timely application of a Speak with Animals spell, wound up providing a clue that helped the party solve a mystery in a bustling city. Great play can come from some very unexpected places.

[@BanditsKeep]

So the hound was important then, no?

[@mitchellslate1249]

Yeah, that is why I think it should be Roleplay all the way. Also, I really do not believe we should be trying to indicate the "importance" like that. Players should just figure that out like any puzzle in a Dungeon. It is way too Meta trying to figure out important NPCs and moving "plot" forward. I see players screw themselves up reading too much in different Characters that way...Including the flavor ones mentioned in dialogue that the important NPCs are trying to even then steer the players away from focusing on! Actually, the DM did a good job simply staying in character and not doing anything to persuade the party one wway or another. That is what I believe in. Stick to the Characters, the Story World, and its own Laws and Nature in what is supposed to happen, as the players do the same with their Characters. That is the different Roles part of Roleplaying and cooperative Storytelling as a game, and finding and fulfilling Vision for what your Role in the Story World realistically, according to its own Laws, supposed to be, as Good, Artful, and Enjoyable Story on its own.

[@danielrowan4716]

The hound was originally just an interesting bit of the scenery, as it were. That’s the ironic part. The gnome Rogue / Mage thought to talk to the pooch. The role play bloomed from there. I had not really provided any notes on the animal, it took on a life of its own.

[@BanditsKeep]

@@danielrowan4716 Right, you made it important because the PCs were interested - and gave it information. This is great!

[@BanditsKeep]

@@mitchellslate1249 That all sounds good in theory and if your players just want to play pretend - and a really great way to play open ended campaigns IMO. That being said, when table time is limited and the players sign up for an adventure to kill werewolves, they typically want to get to that. Another way to handle this of course is to set up "scenes" but that is not my preferred way. In the end, there is no right or wrong way and we often mix styles depending on the goals of the group and session. One of my favorite aspects of this hobby is how diverse the playing can be.

[@Grimlore82]

I run a very immersive game. My players enjoy speaking in character, and I try to give most of the NPCs they interact with their own personalities. I make it obvious who is "important". But, if the party asks a peasant a question they will likely get an in character reply.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@mitchellslate1249]

Ah, yes, I am there with you. Immersion is priority. Importance sounds meta. Players decide what they want to be important regardless...Like that snow angel that came to life over there...Started playing a golden harp made of pure light, and then the party couldn't let it go. Just make sure it melts later on without a spell to preserve the Immersive Realism of the Story World...

[@ForeverYoungKickboxer]

Same here. Chris

[@SentientSoup]

Excellent! I would love to see a vid of 1 shot vs campaign. I used to do many voices but playing on line has for reasons I am still searching for, I do them less now. With guys I grew up playing with! I enjoy the voices but I feel my style is changing. This is life, right? Maybe I will return to the voices. Please pardon my tangent. 🤘🏻😁 I like that shirt, btw. What is the full saying? Thanks again, Daniel!

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool! The shirt says “ anger, racism, death, fear, hate - shall have no place here.

[@mitchellslate1249]

I wonder if that is the use of maps more and the computer's interface making things more technical...Do you use video? Some say that changes things compared to voice. I used to only text roleplay, lol. The things we typed so quickly with each other back then.

[@andrewhaldenby4949]

Very helpful ty - it improves the game if the players understand what / who matters and what doesn’t. Same for room descriptions

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

I only speak in character when a verbal exchange is important. I really only do personalities, not even voices. Just the words and the mood. I’m not good at that part, but I work what I can

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@derekburge5294]

I think it's also important to note that 'doing a voice' doesn't have to be limited to accents. You can also just shift your tone lower, or speak more rapidly, or with excitement, or (my favorite) just kinda have the NPC trail off every so often. Just add some sort of quirk or something to make them memorable.

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure!

[@Astartes36]

Very interesting. I think I never really considered that having NPCs speak in voice made them seem more important to the PCs? I just typically take on voices for the characters they encounter, but I also mix in a fair amount of narration. I also very much encourage my players to speak as their characters. This doesn’t mean they need to make up a voice, but I do like it when they interact with the world as their characters. In the end I don’t think there is a right or wrong, just preference. Thanks for the great video!

[@BanditsKeep]

For sure

[@mitchellslate1249]

Oh my gosh...I still remember first time D&D, 5e...Kenku Necromancer who cannot use anything but mimicry. Do you now hard it was to both communicate and stay in character!? I kept coming up with a few sound bytes to mimic to the party that were general repeat phrases, like Danger, Danger, Danger, in a rugged adventurers or guard's voice.

[@danielrowan4716]

Wholeheartedly agree, Grendel. As DM I will use voices and some affect to do NPCs, but the PCs (and I’ve been gaming with them for 30yrs or more) generally don’t but do really put in the effort to be “in character”. I put a premium on roleplay and realistic interaction. Great play tends to emerge from being able to immerse oneself into the character and setting.

[@BanditsKeep]

@@mitchellslate1249 nice!

[@robmatheny2412]

yes more rp videos from a dm perspective would be awesome

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@ForeverYoungKickboxer]

Good stuff, Daniel. Naturally flow between both without thinking. Will maybe now will pay more attention and spend less mental energy voicing npcs unless they are important to advance a storyline or relay info

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks 😊

[@robmatheny2412]

daniel your channel is awesome that is all have a nice day

[@BanditsKeep]

Thanks 🙏🏻 I appreciate the kind words

[@28mmRPG]

As a DM/GM, I use a lot of voice, but yes, avoid voicing all NPC's, only the important ones including Hireling/Henchmen. As far as the Player end, we use the IC/OOC, but we are going to try the method where ALL interaction as players is IC. So like in a movie, the actors never talk to the "narrator" but ask questions in the method of their character actions. A lot of gameplay I see on YT is way too much Q&A "mother may I?" We try to avoid that as much as possible.

[@BanditsKeep]

If that’s what you like - not sure how you can get around asking questions out of character about the world though

[@NegativeHeadspace]

Can't do it all. Especially when accent comes into play for npcs. When I dm, one, maybe two of the most important npcs gets voiced. Everyone else is narrated.

[@BanditsKeep]

Cool

[@asacarmichael9724]

I find that the more npcs I give actual voices, the more same-y they become.

[@BanditsKeep]

Interesting

[@danielrowan4716]

It’s super easy to fatigue with NPC personality development. I will have notes on the major NPCs of course but will also do a bit on the 2nd and 3rd tier ones too. Jot down a line or two when you get some inspiration and the. Drop that NPC in for added flavor when the situation suits. I save the voices and affects mostly for the important NPCs though.

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Post. Nice.

[@Lowe505]

i do both

[@BanditsKeep]

Me too 😊

[@rodrigos5722]

Great vid and nice racism t-shirt!

[@BanditsKeep]

Anti-racism- I’m sure you meant that, but I would hate to have the comments misread. Thanks!

[@Frederic_S]

I speak in voice too often. I will try to cut it down if the npc is unimportant and the flow of the game needs a forward movement and see how we like it. Thank you :)

[@BanditsKeep]

I’d be curious how it works for you. Keep me updated

[@mitchellslate1249]

I am trying to make a more Immersive game design, so things like the Old-School use of maps is something inspiring to us for that reason. The idea of not using voices we just see as a lazy condensation of discussing things in character all the time, when it is simply thrown out as unimportant. I don't think that anything really should be condensed in terms of the Immersion and possibilities of what can happen. Now you are talking Game aspect...Then yeah, game aspect things become set in how effort is put into them depending on their importance within the Game...Or within the Story. But from the perspective of being Immersed within the Story World and letting anything happen...There is too much that can change, and too much Emergent Story and Roleplay and Gameplay that comes from greater Realism, which means sticking in character. I know Critical Role has a bad rep and all or a somewhat good one but often looked at sideways regardless...I personally hate them for politics and morality, but hate the idea of the "Matt Mercer Effect" and DMs and players thinking they are not good enough to match "Hollywood standards" of acting and roleplay and enjoyment and Good Story and gaming. But one thing I do like with what they did...Always, always made purchases in Character. This is only derided as for the show, but is one of the reasons I always looked and believed rather if you challenge yourself to treat it like a show for an audience, it is not that you fake it, you just Roleplay harder and enjoy it better. That level of Immersion by staying in character is how a simple shop purchase becomes the amazing fun of two guards getting knocked out and dropped in the shop, and they have to try and fake the whole ruse of what really happened with glorious dice rolls, wit, and random humor as players just enjoying Roleplay and the Storytelling that emerges and they create in the Living World Naturally... PS But I will still say, I still debate about Info Condensation, such as relaying known facts between players between characters and so forth. I don't look at it as a Game from Game Theory and Design perspective...I look at it as a Story World and the conveyance we use to enter and experience it. That is why I approach it from more Roleplay better no matter what. But yeah, let me give you the full backstory now...Then again by Roleplaying, you get 2 Seconds to say what is going on, and the missing details without Metagaming means one player or another doesn't know fully what is going on and roleplays that missing detail in unique ways that makes the game and Story very varied, strange, and interesting and enjoyable as it goes on.

[@BanditsKeep]

I’m not convinced true immersion is desirable, but if that’s your goal, go for it. Many ways to enjoy this hobby for sure