-downtime periods that are GM led, so it isnt like a verbal menu-screen
-ample narration in short bursts, not in a dump
-descriptions that only contain one adjective
also this and this
Good background music, low stress scenarios. Characters are charming, friendly, and if they are antagonistic are either bumbling and humorous or black-hearted and overdramatic. Nothing maudlin, nothing gritty. Take a moment to actually describe a cool summer morning with bright flowers waving in the breeze, or a warm fireplace during the winter and roast meat smells. It's setting the mood.
It’s the dead of winter, the air is so cold it bites at any exposed skin, the snow is deep, the PCs approach the lit tavern and before they can even knock the door swings open and they are practically dragged into the building by grasping hands. There’s a blur of motion. When the PCs regain their thoughts they are at a table near a roaring fire with a plate piled high with various heavy food and sweet pastries, a cup of spiced wine in their hands, no idea where it came from but apparently when asked about price all they get is a resounding “don’t worry about it”. The air thick with the smells of home cooking and the sounds of numerous patrons singing, joking, telling fond stories of the past year and of the family that awaits them at the end of their journey.
Thought it might be fun to not just give the players a comfy scene, but completely sideswipe them with it, see how they handle “I don’t know what’s going on but I’m not complaining”
Everyone present gets along and wants something similar from the game.
Half of /tg/ is too abrasive and contrary for this to be possible unless they are playing solo. The other half are even worse and can't even manage that. Anyone else is a rounding error.
Sure it is. LoTRis a little bleak and often wistful when things are nice but the Hobbit's a bedtime story.
Cooking. Home-cooked meals are peak comfy.
Good gameplay too potentially. I always give extra recovery points if players can worldbuild about the local environment via what's on offer or their past through recipes.
Everyone present gets along and wants something similar from the game.
Half of /tg/ is too abrasive and contrary for this to be possible unless they are playing solo. The other half are even worse and can't even manage that. Anyone else is a rounding error.
Sort of. Sometimes what people want from the game is a conspiracy thriller or something where refuges are only there to contrast the generally stressful state of everything else. What I mean is meta level comfy of playing with friends doesn't equate to comfy in setting.
Try playing Beyond the Wall; it's a pretty comfy game. Village adventures in a cogenerated environment.
Otherwise, I think what others have spoken of: try to create a game where your antagonists are not murderous or outright evil: moreso comically evil. I've found some OSR games are curiously good for this but every game that has mechanics that allow for combat not to end in death are fine. The game I'm playing does this by having Morale mechanics.
Additionally, I'm using this Reaction Table; took it from a blog, although I do not remember whom.
Right - This person is;
1 - An environmental change.
2-3 - Social or cultural change.
4-5 - Altered close relationship.
6-8 - Another agent or group.
9-10 - An object, Treasure or resource they have or want.
11 - A magical effect.
12+ - The PCs.
Lastly, a blog called Against the Wicked City has a good blogpost on this going something along the lines of Romantic DnD?
, icecrawler threads and arguably night shift come to mind immediately. I don't read as much fantasy as I used to but Piranesi has a decent "gothic yet charming" setting, the Graveyard Book was a great read too.
Comfy is an elusive property dependent on the type of media it's produced in.
Those exist in all media though, it's more a matter of emphasis.
I wonder how comfy this setup would be:
It’s the dead of winter, the air is so cold it bites at any exposed skin, the snow is deep, the PCs approach the lit tavern and before they can even knock the door swings open and they are practically dragged into the building by grasping hands. There’s a blur of motion. When the PCs regain their thoughts they are at a table near a roaring fire with a plate piled high with various heavy food and sweet pastries, a cup of spiced wine in their hands, no idea where it came from but apparently when asked about price all they get is a resounding “don’t worry about it”. The air thick with the smells of home cooking and the sounds of numerous patrons singing, joking, telling fond stories of the past year and of the family that awaits them at the end of their journey.
Thought it might be fun to not just give the players a comfy scene, but completely sideswipe them with it, see how they handle “I don’t know what’s going on but I’m not complaining”
Described in a vacuum I'd say the meta at the table is what would determine it. A GM who prefers horror would have his players reflexively on edge. Reminds me of that eternal tavern in Sandman though and that was a hell of an arc.
> A GM who prefers horror would have his players reflexively on edge.
While I do like my occasional horror plot, I also like to add a lot of atmosphere, so typically places where I’m going to hit the players with horror is gonna have more red flags than a Chinese communist party parade. Because I like seeing them proclaim how much they hate the place/situation before having to go forward because they know it’s the only way to either advance the plot or be visited by the “loot fairy” not a literal loot fairy, but I know what I’m like as a GM,
Sure it is. LoTRis a little bleak and often wistful when things are nice but the Hobbit's a bedtime story.
[...]
Good gameplay too potentially. I always give extra recovery points if players can worldbuild about the local environment via what's on offer or their past through recipes.
[...]
Sort of. Sometimes what people want from the game is a conspiracy thriller or something where refuges are only there to contrast the generally stressful state of everything else. What I mean is meta level comfy of playing with friends doesn't equate to comfy in setting.
Give short but descriptive descriptions. Also focus on positive feelings. For example if the setting is a cold snowy land describe how they find a warm inn with a warm fireplace where they serve delicious roasted meats and other necessary things they were deprived of.
Try playing Beyond the Wall; it's a pretty comfy game. Village adventures in a cogenerated environment.
Otherwise, I think what others have spoken of: try to create a game where your antagonists are not murderous or outright evil: moreso comically evil. I've found some OSR games are curiously good for this but every game that has mechanics that allow for combat not to end in death are fine. The game I'm playing does this by having Morale mechanics.
Additionally, I'm using this Reaction Table; took it from a blog, although I do not remember whom.
Right - This person is;
1 - An environmental change.
2-3 - Social or cultural change.
4-5 - Altered close relationship.
6-8 - Another agent or group.
9-10 - An object, Treasure or resource they have or want.
11 - A magical effect.
12+ - The PCs.
Lastly, a blog called Against the Wicked City has a good blogpost on this going something along the lines of Romantic DnD?
This. Too many games want you to zip around the world. Comfy is built around connection and caring, and that takes time and reinforcement, of being exposed to things you actually like and wanting to return to them.
Alt right sensibilities
Good DJing
-downtime periods that are GM led, so it isnt like a verbal menu-screen
-ample narration in short bursts, not in a dump
-descriptions that only contain one adjective
also this and this
Good background music, low stress scenarios. Characters are charming, friendly, and if they are antagonistic are either bumbling and humorous or black-hearted and overdramatic. Nothing maudlin, nothing gritty. Take a moment to actually describe a cool summer morning with bright flowers waving in the breeze, or a warm fireplace during the winter and roast meat smells. It's setting the mood.
I wonder how comfy this setup would be:
It’s the dead of winter, the air is so cold it bites at any exposed skin, the snow is deep, the PCs approach the lit tavern and before they can even knock the door swings open and they are practically dragged into the building by grasping hands. There’s a blur of motion. When the PCs regain their thoughts they are at a table near a roaring fire with a plate piled high with various heavy food and sweet pastries, a cup of spiced wine in their hands, no idea where it came from but apparently when asked about price all they get is a resounding “don’t worry about it”. The air thick with the smells of home cooking and the sounds of numerous patrons singing, joking, telling fond stories of the past year and of the family that awaits them at the end of their journey.
Thought it might be fun to not just give the players a comfy scene, but completely sideswipe them with it, see how they handle “I don’t know what’s going on but I’m not complaining”
Cooking. Home-cooked meals are peak comfy.
Everyone present gets along and wants something similar from the game.
Half of /tg/ is too abrasive and contrary for this to be possible unless they are playing solo. The other half are even worse and can't even manage that. Anyone else is a rounding error.
Is the west even able to properly convey the feeling of comfy?
Sure it is. LoTRis a little bleak and often wistful when things are nice but the Hobbit's a bedtime story.
Good gameplay too potentially. I always give extra recovery points if players can worldbuild about the local environment via what's on offer or their past through recipes.
Sort of. Sometimes what people want from the game is a conspiracy thriller or something where refuges are only there to contrast the generally stressful state of everything else. What I mean is meta level comfy of playing with friends doesn't equate to comfy in setting.
A comfy table is necessary but not sufficient for playing in a comfy world.
That makes sense.
You should've but you'd still be wrong.
, icecrawler threads and arguably night shift come to mind immediately. I don't read as much fantasy as I used to but Piranesi has a decent "gothic yet charming" setting, the Graveyard Book was a great read too.
Those exist in all media though, it's more a matter of emphasis.
Described in a vacuum I'd say the meta at the table is what would determine it. A GM who prefers horror would have his players reflexively on edge. Reminds me of that eternal tavern in Sandman though and that was a hell of an arc.
> A GM who prefers horror would have his players reflexively on edge.
While I do like my occasional horror plot, I also like to add a lot of atmosphere, so typically places where I’m going to hit the players with horror is gonna have more red flags than a Chinese communist party parade. Because I like seeing them proclaim how much they hate the place/situation before having to go forward because they know it’s the only way to either advance the plot or be visited by the “loot fairy” not a literal loot fairy, but I know what I’m like as a GM,
Bruh, the Shire is literal peak comfy
Should have added an "anymore" to the post.
Give short but descriptive descriptions. Also focus on positive feelings. For example if the setting is a cold snowy land describe how they find a warm inn with a warm fireplace where they serve delicious roasted meats and other necessary things they were deprived of.
give players a base and they will make it comfy
Comfy is an elusive property dependent on the type of media it's produced in.
>vidya
Atmosphere
>TV
setting
>movie
plot
>tabletop
pacing
That "comfy" what?
Try playing Beyond the Wall; it's a pretty comfy game. Village adventures in a cogenerated environment.
Otherwise, I think what others have spoken of: try to create a game where your antagonists are not murderous or outright evil: moreso comically evil. I've found some OSR games are curiously good for this but every game that has mechanics that allow for combat not to end in death are fine. The game I'm playing does this by having Morale mechanics.
Additionally, I'm using this Reaction Table; took it from a blog, although I do not remember whom.
Right - This person is;
1 - Angry!
2-3 - Deceptive/Manipulative.
4-5 - Upset/Sad.
6-8 - Busy/Working.
9-10 - Seeking social contact.
11 - Impressed.
12+ - Joyous!
Left - Because of..
1 - An environmental change.
2-3 - Social or cultural change.
4-5 - Altered close relationship.
6-8 - Another agent or group.
9-10 - An object, Treasure or resource they have or want.
11 - A magical effect.
12+ - The PCs.
Lastly, a blog called Against the Wicked City has a good blogpost on this going something along the lines of Romantic DnD?
the right ambient music.
Give them a farmstead to manage
Have them see the fame faces everyday and get to know them.
This. Too many games want you to zip around the world. Comfy is built around connection and caring, and that takes time and reinforcement, of being exposed to things you actually like and wanting to return to them.