Read this article:
http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/ ... 7105#37105
It has interesting implications for role-players on RP games. What do you think?
What do you think of this article referring to "my guy"?
Concept is great. I can see some ways I personally fall into the syndrome described - there are definitely times I've looked at the where list and immediately dashed the idea of finding RP partners because "My character has no reason to go to that location." I'd rather be bored than push a character into a situation they wouldn't seek out on a normal day. And that's not good, is it? "My guy" syndrome for the lose. Oddly I don't think I'd have ever thought of it as a bad practice until now.
I think on TI there are some times when My Guy Syndrome is a good thing. "My character wouldn't go to Southside" is usually a good judgment, no matter how much RP you could stand to gain by going there. But for the most part... good advice, I think, to consider more than "would my character do this". Finding a reason to do what furthers RP is a way, way better option than automatically opting out.
I think on TI there are some times when My Guy Syndrome is a good thing. "My character wouldn't go to Southside" is usually a good judgment, no matter how much RP you could stand to gain by going there. But for the most part... good advice, I think, to consider more than "would my character do this". Finding a reason to do what furthers RP is a way, way better option than automatically opting out.
Hah, I've preached this before! I'm a firm believer in staying true to IC... -except- when doing so would create a situation that is, frankly, no fun to anyone. Small diversions from IC are always better than doggedly playing out a situation to the end that simply shuts down anything legitimately enjoyable.
One additional point, coming from your local psychologist... we often forget how much of human behavior is situational, not personality-based. And, moreover, we are very bad at predicting how our own behavior would be influenced by a situation. How much worse must we be when you add the filter of RP, a whole separate character, to the situation?
Obviously there are some definitive "My PC wouldn't do that" lines you can't cross. But what your PC would or wouldn't do, across a wide range of situations, is probably a lot more malleable than you think it is anyway. Why not challenge yourself by picking an action that creates better RP, and then discovering why it might just be IC for your character to do it after all? That's actually one great way to build character depth.
One example... I play a character with a very black and white worldview on situations. He is very easily angered with individuals, and quite capable of holding grudges. The first time someone pissed him off and then came to apologize, I thought, "But he sees everything in such a black and white way! There's no way he'd just accept a simple 'sorry' in this situation!" And then I thought, "But if he doesn't, he's going to avoid and snub this person, and a line of RP might be lost."
So I had him forgive them, and then thought about why he might. In time I came to realize that it was actually a much more interesting character development. Seeing things in black and white, yet being willing to accept apologies, allowed him to justify his grudges and black-and-white thinking against individuals who DIDN'T apologize. It also gave me a hint at a softer side that chafed against the necessity of not trusting individuals and of making these snap negative judgments, all of which became fodder for future RP.
TL;DR: if it's in the service of better RP, don't say "My PC wouldn't do that", say "My PC will... now why?"
One additional point, coming from your local psychologist... we often forget how much of human behavior is situational, not personality-based. And, moreover, we are very bad at predicting how our own behavior would be influenced by a situation. How much worse must we be when you add the filter of RP, a whole separate character, to the situation?
Obviously there are some definitive "My PC wouldn't do that" lines you can't cross. But what your PC would or wouldn't do, across a wide range of situations, is probably a lot more malleable than you think it is anyway. Why not challenge yourself by picking an action that creates better RP, and then discovering why it might just be IC for your character to do it after all? That's actually one great way to build character depth.
One example... I play a character with a very black and white worldview on situations. He is very easily angered with individuals, and quite capable of holding grudges. The first time someone pissed him off and then came to apologize, I thought, "But he sees everything in such a black and white way! There's no way he'd just accept a simple 'sorry' in this situation!" And then I thought, "But if he doesn't, he's going to avoid and snub this person, and a line of RP might be lost."
So I had him forgive them, and then thought about why he might. In time I came to realize that it was actually a much more interesting character development. Seeing things in black and white, yet being willing to accept apologies, allowed him to justify his grudges and black-and-white thinking against individuals who DIDN'T apologize. It also gave me a hint at a softer side that chafed against the necessity of not trusting individuals and of making these snap negative judgments, all of which became fodder for future RP.
TL;DR: if it's in the service of better RP, don't say "My PC wouldn't do that", say "My PC will... now why?"
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