The game, as it has often been played since the beginning of my interest in the hobby, is about the players, their characters and the actions that those characters take (or don't take much to evil's delight!), all done in a setting consisting of a particular fictional world, which over the course of many sessions, may see several characters that come and occasionally go. The world, or setting as it is often called, is the place where all the action in the game happens. Usually it is created by the referee or taken from a published author as the case may be when the setting is purchased for use "as is". It is always a fictional place (even when based on a "real world" location and time) where challenges await our players as they confront mysteries and the many dangers encountered by their characters. The excitement of playing the game most generally comes from interacting with this setting, the fictional world as it is, through characters that may take on a favored role through several sessions of play.
The game world can be based upon our own world's history or perhaps can be set in the modern day, using various real world locations, institutions, and even headlines taken from news stories, all as inspiration. Together this is the backdrop for the many actions our characters will take - both heroic and mundane. Because the characters are fictional, and therefore their actions are make-believe, the game is ultimately just that, an exercise in playing make-believe. It is a fiction, or entertainment for its own sake, and yet so much more for those of us who love the game.
Regardless of the character sheet, each player's abilities - and their game-craft (i.e. player skill at role-playing) is ultimately all that is pitted against the fictional challenges posed by the referee and the setting.
This is the basis of the game. It is the job of the referee, or game master as the role is often titled, to set the stage for all the unfolding action by preparing a fictional world (ripe with intrigue!) in which the game will ultimately take place. Once the players are assembled, the referee describes the situation for them using the point of view of each of their game characters. The players say what they would like each character to do. The referee then judges the outcome of all actions taken by the characters by applying the rules as they are written and also by making any rulings necessary to cover the in-play events which are outside the scope of said written rules.
The challenge for all is to play the game well and to have fun. This is true for every participant, including the referee. The referee, it should not be forgotten, is also a player and as such, is just as invested in the game being fun for all as anyone else is. The role-playing game differs from many other types of game in that it is cooperative in nature - not competitive in the traditional sense of winners and losers. The adversary is the evil characters and monsters played by the referee - not the referee. The game is about the characters AND the world which is bigger than any character or group of characters and may provide the backdrop for many scenarios involving any number of characters.
The character may stand out as being memorable through the merit of exceptional deeds performed during play. It is our impact on the world that leaves an impression! Clever play, humor and heroic action makes for a remarkable character career. An eye-catching costume, superhuman game stats, and a unique background may assist the player in gaining a "feel" for role-playing the character, but such detail will rarely contribute much to a remarkable career. In the game as in real life, it s what we accomplish that ultimately determines our legacy.
Does our new character sheet become a character we will remember and talk about for years to come, or are they just another future tombstone marking a brief and non-illustrious make-believe, pen and paper life?
Play and find out!
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