Generic RPG Group Questionairre

This is a questionnaire for new players joining my group. It is intended to get an idea of what they're looking for from the group, and also to introduce them to the social contract. Feel free to use my idea or borrow from it as you see fit.

Name:

Contact information:

Availability:

1. What is your favorite RPG? (Video games and CYOAs are valid answers)

2. How long have you played tabletop RPGs? (Its ok to be new)

3. Are you willing to DM? If so, what game systems can you run?

4. Of the following 3 options, circle 1 or 2 that you feel describe what you want in a game.

• Simulationism. The game is an imaginary alternate reality for us to get lost in or escape to. It should work like a real-ish world and be internally consistent, with believable causality between action and consequence- even if the results aren't always fun, or are anticlimactic. Fun comes from the emergent experience. It doesn't need to be realistic like our reality, it can be realistic within its own terms as long as it actually follows its own rules. I like magic systems that can be explained and controlled in a consistent way. I dream of the game being made into a simulated VR world that I could visit. Combat happens because people are in conflict.

• Narrativism. The game is a process that allows us to express ourselves. We are here to create a story together, and the purpose is to make that story something worth telling. Fun comes from an interesting narrative, even if our heroes die on the way, and the rules should bend to that narrative. I like magic systems that achieve story-relevant consequences, even if the how and why of it doesn't make sense, or isn't explained at all. I dream of a transcript of our adventures being turned into a famous novel or movie series. Combat happens to carry a meaning or to achieve a narrative goal.

• Gamism. It's a game. There are clear lose conditions, and the rewards of survival are the terms of victory. We're here to win, (or at least to have fun on the way to losing). The game doesn't need to be realistic or tell a special story, that stuff is just window dressing to give a reason for the game's rules to work the way they do. We should follow the rules because that's how the game works. I like magic systems which can be used in a clear way to achieve specific in-game mechanical effects that advance our goals. I dream of playing in a huge public event or tournament and maybe gaining recognition for good play. Combat is a type of puzzle to be solved.

5. Of the following 4 options, circle 1 or 2 that you feel describes you best.

• ◇ Achiever. You want to earn points, gain levels, obtain completion percentages, get achievements, and amass treasure. You want to succeed and you want to measure that success with concrete rewards and trophies.

• ♤ Explorer. You search for hidden areas, secret lore, glitches/exploits, and optional adventures. You want to seek out and investigate everything, rummaging through the game for anything of interest.

• ♡ Socializer. You are in it for the experience with other people, you want to connect with and express yourself to others. Any game that lets you have fun with people is a good game in your books.

• ♧ Killer. You thrive on competition. Even if a game is "not competitive", all of life is a race- and you plan to come in first! You want to either defeat everyone who isn't on your team, or be the best on your team, or both if possible. Achieving a higher rank in a leaderboard is your favorite reward, even if all you get for it is a new rank.

6. Circle up to 2 of your favorite fantasy character archetypes.

• Fighter
• Wizard
• Rogue
• Cleric

7. You are playing an MMO or MOBA. Your favorite party role is...

• Tank
• DPS
• Healer
• Support

8. You would rather...

• Fight/kill an alien
• Track/study an alien
• Kiss/befriend an alien
• Run/hide from an alien
• Eat/own an alien
• Be an alien

9. From the following, check your top 3 favorite scenarios. X out any that you truly hate.

□ Combat
□ War
□ Exploration
□ Heroism
□ Anti-heroism
□ Politics & intrigue
□ Law, crime & punishment
□ Romance & drama
□ Travel
□ Survival
□ Urban adventures
□ Investigations & mysteries
□ Puzzles & riddles
□ Horror
□ Lore/storytelling
□ Building/crafting stuff
□ Leading & managing people/animals
□ Comedy
□ Mazes & traps

10. List the 3 best fantasy or sci-fi stories (any medium) of all time. Prepare to debate.

• I)
• II)
• III)

11. If the game was a movie or videogame, what rating are you willing to tolerate?

• G / E
• PG / T
• R / AO
• X+

12. Of the following topics, X off any that you are not willing to tolerate in your game. (This includes even indirect references or implications, regardless of game rating)

□ Rape
□ Torture
□ Drugs
□ Drug abuse
□ Addiction / alcoholism
□ Child abuse
□ Animal abuse
□ Spousal abuse
□ Racism
□ Genocide
□ Sexuality
□ Sex
□ Sexism
□ Pedophilia
□ Religious or anti-religious themes
□ Gore
□ Dismemberment
□ Death
□ Sacrifice
□ Scat
□ Slavery
□ Social class / caste systems
□ Political corruption
□ Cannibalism
□ Cursing
□ Necrophilia
□ Poverty
□ Suicide
□ Mental illness
□ Disability
□ Pregnancy & childbirth
□ Gender identity

13. Where do you fall on the following spectrum?

• Cerebro-social. Full theater of the mind, all things described verbally with no player handouts, maps, figures, etc.
• Some player handouts or general maps are nice as decorations.
• Tactical combat with figures and grid maps. Props and handouts are frequent game centerpieces.
• Tactical play with figures and grids even for exploration; or lots and lots of handouts, props, and counters with fancy character sheets and stuff.
• Parlour roleplay with costumes and props which abstractly represent items and scenes. Players describe physical activities but play out social activities.
• Kineto-tactile. LARP and ARG. Costumes and stage sets. Actors for NPCs.

14. For the following play style elements, cross out any you do not want in your game. Circle any you really desire in your game.

• Player secrets. (The players may hold some character secrets from each other, but the DM must know these secrets)

• War room. (The players as a group may pause the game to discuss tactics away from the DM, and do not need to tell the DM what was discussed.)

• Bluebooking. (The players may keep character journals to write backstory and record downtime roleplay when away from the table. Other players and the DM can then read and contribute to these journals.)

• PvP. (The CHARACTERS may enter conflict with each other, use social skills and rolls against each other, steal from each other, lie to each other, join opposing factions or hold opposing goals, and even engage in potentially lethal combat with each other.)

• Metagaming. (The players may have their characters act on knowledge that is realistically only available to the player, not the character. Players may design their characters based on system understanding rather than narrative or roleplay purpose.)

• Avatarism. (Players may build characters to literally represent themselves in the game. Players may roleplay themselves. Players may create a recurring character that they adapt to every game they play.)

• Standing orders. (The players may declare a recurring activity or behavior under a condition and the DM will assume the character continues that activity or behavior without requiring the player to constantly restate it. Always checking dungeon doors for traps before opening them is an example. Think of it as being able to toggle continuous activities on or off.)

• MacGuyverism (The players may intuitively or improvisationally interact with the imagined environment to create or do things that are not predefined by the rules or core books. Making a spear by lashing a dagger to a staff, for example.)

• DMPC. (The DM can control their own character and participate with the group as if they were also a normal player.)

15. From the following list of themes, rate each one between 0 (hate it) and 5 (can't live without it).

□ Contemporary/Modern
□ High Fantasy (An alternate supernatural universe)
□ Low Fantasy (earth with supernatural subject matter)
□ Historical fiction (medievalism, for example)
□ Science fiction (star trek, 1984)
□ Science fantasy (star wars, John Carter)
□ Superhero (Spiderman, Batman)
□ Postapocalyptic (Fallout)
□ Steam punk
□ Fairy tale & folklore
□ Military
□ Anime (Themes and tropes from manga culture)
□ Mythology

16. Name your favorite soda and your favorite pizza topping!

17. Regarding roleplay method, you prefer...

• Everyone to speak and describe things in the first person as much as possible, with little to no out-of-character talk if possible.
• People to stay in-character, even if they only roleplay from a third person perspective.
• People to at least stay on topic as much as possible, even if they have out-of-character discussions about the game at hand.
• To be able to go off on the occasional tangential conversation.
• For the game to take a back seat to spending time with the group as real people.

18. The game rules should be...

• Inviolable. Followed to the letter as written by the developers, even the DM must follow the books, even if the developers say the DM can change or ignore the rules.
• Followed to the letter, but the DM can alter those rules before play begins.
• Followed to the letter, but the DM can alter the rules at any time.
• Followed generally except where the DM decides to deviate for any reason.
• Ignored if the group is unhappy with the results.
• Taken as a general suggestion, and fully open to interpretation and negotiation.

19. Can your character die?

• No player character should ever die unless the entire group agrees.
• I should be able to decide if and when my character can die.
• I would like some sort of safety net to exchange deaths for a resource or for permanent injuries.
• Characters should only die if they deserve it through consequences for their actions or inactions.
• Yes. S*** happens.
• Yes, and that player must then be kicked from the group until a new campaign begins.

20. I hereby agree to fully and equally abide by the following social contract within our gaming group, and to hold the other participants to its standards:

1. I shall do unto others as I wish for them to do unto me.
2. I shall not do unto others what I do not wish for myself.
3. I shall treat others as they wish to be treated.
4. I shall not violate any one of these rules in preference for any other.

Violation of any of these rules will result in public warnings. Continued refusal to cooperate will result in immediate removal from the venue and revocation of your invitation to participate in the future.

• Agree. I will join you.
• Disagree. I will not be joining you.