Author Topic: Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)  (Read 6826 times)

Tadanori Oyama

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Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)
« on: February 25, 2010, 05:23:26 PM »
This week's merit is Gamer Super-ego. Those familiar with mental models created by a certain individual obessed with penises will recognise the term.

Super-ego opposses the id, striving for socially acceptable behavior as opposed to attempted to satisfy base desires. This is a simplistic paraphrase of Freud's concepts but who really cares?

The long and short of it is that taking this merit gives a Gamer bonuses to resist the urges which can lead to disruptive behavior (in and out of game). Gamers with Super-ego are less disruptive, more attentive, and more involved in the GM's efforts to control the game.

Gamers without this merit may see those who possess it as too serious. Gamers with the Gamer Id Flaw see them an enemy or obstacle.


I, personally, sure as hell didn't take this merit. I play by the rules most of the time but I find myself sliding into self satisfaction more than once in the course of a game.

FuzzyDan

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Re: Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2010, 08:26:29 PM »
I was told that I am the Official Keeper of the Line.  Have we crossed the Line?  See if Dan has a dumbfounded/pained expression on his face, or if he just starts saying "No," or "NONONONO,"  etc.

So I guess I have some form of this merit.
- Dan, Adding one to his Darkspiral Aura.

IDaMan008

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Re: Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2010, 06:39:57 AM »
While I am known as a player who will take some sort of action to move the plot along, I can't say for sure that it's a helpful impulse to most GMs. I will occasionally do things that are completely bugfuck crazy or, at the very least, counterproductive if it goes along with my character's proclivities and inclinations, whatever they may be. For example, I once turned what should have been a simple scene in which the party was being transported to a prison cell under armed guard into a two-hour long gun battle through a vast underground complex because I figured my character would rather go down shooting than let himself be dragged off to Technocracy jail and reprogrammed. Luckily, the rest of the group was willing to go along with my insane escape attempt, and we somehow managed to wipe out a ton of crunchy guards without getting killed.

As a player, I tend to make things happen--sometimes good things, and sometimes rather unfortunate things--but if I see a GM struggling to get something across, I'll usually help him or her out with it. Still, I don't feel that necessarily means I've got the Gamer Superego merit because I've also been known to buck the story if it doesn't jibe with my character's motivations. I'm never a dick about it though; if my character has a problem with a particular storyline, I try to say yes in a way that shows I'd really prefer not to.

clockworkjoe

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Re: Gamer Merit: Gamer Super-ego (-10 Points)
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2010, 02:04:01 PM »
you can probably tell from the APs but when I play, I help out the GM as much as I can - suggesting rolls and always trying to move the plot ahead

I still like dicking around with NPCs though.