Strain
Now this is an interesting topic for discussion.Overall, I never want to cause any kind of strain on my players. Real life is a thing, and I understand and respect the limitations it places on others. As for any game that I GM, player characters are definitely up for the various tests I put them through. I mean, what’s the point if you don’t test the limits of a fictional character? Obviously there are limits, but I’m not a GM who is out to TPK or punish my players.
As for my own TTRPG, strain is kind of implied since it is partially a survival horror. My playtesters understand that and are honestly itching to test the limitations of the world I’m building. Since the game is designed in a way that resembles an extraction shooter, for lack of a better term, if a player’s character dies they can just reroll and join the next expedition.
Obviously I don’t want characters dying to anything and everything, but I do need players to strain their characters at times. Given that this game is still very fresh in development, I ask my players to test things, ensure that actions work, methods flow, and that gameplay is seamless. At least as much as possible within my abilities. After each session, I ask for suggestions, and we often discuss the best options to try during the next playtest.
I think the next set of expeditions they venture out on will be a good example of strain. That's where the abilities will come into play. Sadly, I had to postpone my playtest sessions for this entire month because of some real-life events (good ones!) that ended up consuming several weekends. Like, I had to completely redo my monthly events over in my Discord. Also, middle and end of August tends to get hectic for some people due to classes starting up and having to adjust to new schedules.
I guess balancing the time needed for TTRPG sessions with everything else life throws at us is the real strain. It’s worth it, though.Links: