When JS told us that we would be in charge of choosing our own game for this week, I knew exactly what I wanted to play. I consider myself something of a connoisseur of role-playing games, and my favorites are the ones that are simple to pick up and play – one-page RPGs being the pinnacle of this concept. Lasers and Feelings, by John Harper, is my go-to for groups of RPG veterans and newbies alike. The mechanics are simple; each character has a single number that they want to roll either over or under depending on the action. They can use their character’s narrative abilities to add dice and increase their chances of success. I also just love emotional space westerns, sue me.
The four players I had for this session were absolutely delightful. Their creativity and trust was unmatched, and I honestly wish I could have been a better GM for them. Coming up with situations, characters, and challenges on the fly is something that I sometimes struggle with (though I am loath to admit it). Even still, my players were patient and understanding, and overall I think we had an amazing time together.
Even though I took it upon myself to “lead” this session, it was nice to just sit back and have some fun with it rather than try to learn a specific lesson about leadership. If I was going to take anything from this, it would be that it’s okay to let others help you even if you are nominally in charge of a situation. Delegating responsibilities when things get to be too much for you isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. Not only is it good for your mental health, it can lead to the finished product being better that it would have been otherwise.