Here's some real conversation for your ass
Roles
What is a role in regards to role playing games? What roles do you play? Which roles transcend your character and your group?
Be aware of the roles in your group.
Well, a role describes the type of actions that a character would take in regards to other people in the party. But, it also describes the type of actions that a person takes in regards to a gaming group. Roles divide up the tasks that need to be completed for success. I think roles are something that you should be aware of, but you don't necessarily need to assign. I do think that if you see that someone is always the group organizer or leader, for instance, you should ask them whether or not they enjoy that post and if they would like to try something else. Its natural to lean towards one role to play in character because its a role you normally take outside of the game.
What role do you tend to play?
Besides game roles, there are other ways to help your group that I'll touch on briefly. For instance, ask yourself this: Who normally calls the group to get everyone together? Who normally gets food that everyone likes? Who normally takes notes for the game session or is the map maker? Who normally makes the witty comments? (In my group its everyone...) Who normally gets things back on track to the game?
From Benne and Sheats [1]research, several roles which relate to the completion of the group's task:
Initiator-contributor: Generates new ideas.
Information-seeker: Asks for information about the task.
Opinion-seeker: Asks for the input from the group about its values.
Information-giver: Offers facts or generalization to the group.
Opinion-giver: States his or her beliefs about a group issue.
Elaborator: Explains ideas within the group, offers examples to clarify ideas.
Coordinator: Shows the relationships between ideas.
Orienter: Shifts the direction of the group's discussion.
Evaluator-critic: Measures group's actions against some objective standard.
Energizer: Stimulates the group to a higher level of activity.
Procedural-technician: Performs logistical functions for the group.
Recorder: Keeps a record of group actions.
As you can see these can all easily relate to role playing. Of course you can have one person be in more than one role at at time as well.
That's all for this post. Part three coming up (sorry part two was late, all two of you that read this)
[1]Benne, Kenneth, & Sheats, Paul. (1948). Functional roles of group members. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 41-49
Roles
What is a role in regards to role playing games? What roles do you play? Which roles transcend your character and your group?
Be aware of the roles in your group.
Well, a role describes the type of actions that a character would take in regards to other people in the party. But, it also describes the type of actions that a person takes in regards to a gaming group. Roles divide up the tasks that need to be completed for success. I think roles are something that you should be aware of, but you don't necessarily need to assign. I do think that if you see that someone is always the group organizer or leader, for instance, you should ask them whether or not they enjoy that post and if they would like to try something else. Its natural to lean towards one role to play in character because its a role you normally take outside of the game.
What role do you tend to play?
Besides game roles, there are other ways to help your group that I'll touch on briefly. For instance, ask yourself this: Who normally calls the group to get everyone together? Who normally gets food that everyone likes? Who normally takes notes for the game session or is the map maker? Who normally makes the witty comments? (In my group its everyone...) Who normally gets things back on track to the game?
From Benne and Sheats [1]research, several roles which relate to the completion of the group's task:
Initiator-contributor: Generates new ideas.
Information-seeker: Asks for information about the task.
Opinion-seeker: Asks for the input from the group about its values.
Information-giver: Offers facts or generalization to the group.
Opinion-giver: States his or her beliefs about a group issue.
Elaborator: Explains ideas within the group, offers examples to clarify ideas.
Coordinator: Shows the relationships between ideas.
Orienter: Shifts the direction of the group's discussion.
Evaluator-critic: Measures group's actions against some objective standard.
Energizer: Stimulates the group to a higher level of activity.
Procedural-technician: Performs logistical functions for the group.
Recorder: Keeps a record of group actions.
As you can see these can all easily relate to role playing. Of course you can have one person be in more than one role at at time as well.
That's all for this post. Part three coming up (sorry part two was late, all two of you that read this)
[1]Benne, Kenneth, & Sheats, Paul. (1948). Functional roles of group members. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 41-49
Comments
I find that I almost always wind up the Leader in most role-playing groups. Probably because I talk the loudest. Also, I know what I want done, and work to achieve my goals. Most of the people in our group just kind of "go with the flow", so to speak, and so any player with some sense of direction is gradually accepted as the leader.
I agree that you could have expounded a bit more on the different roles within your standard role-playing groups.
And PS> yeah I was impressed with your referencing to traditional comm. group theory material! I may have to plagiarize this blog in an upcoming research paper. Thanks in advance :)
sosee24, let me know if you want to do a LL exercise with me some time. It’s fun, and useful!