Failure as a Player

One thing I'd hoped to accomplish in 2007 was to function better as a player in roleplaying games. I hate to admit it, but I haven't done very well in that respect.

Pacing is problematic in many roleplaying sessions, and like many players, I get restless when nothing's happening, or things are happening too slowly. One of my main missions as a GM is to keep the events in a game moving at a pace that's enjoyable for the players. I'd like to think it's a job I do better than many GMs. Unfortunately, that means that I'm all the more frustrated when I feel it's not being done well when I'm a player.

I've seen players in some of my sessions doing a wonderful job of dealing with the situation when the pace is too slow for them. In fact, it's one of the signs I look for in the players to let me know that I (as GM) need to pick up the pace. A destructively bored player begins to do things that distract others from the game. A constructive bored player makes things happen that add to the game. For example, the player might initiate a conversation with a NPC or explore the setting while waiting for something more interesting to develop in the main plot. The point is that a good player can add to the overall enjoyability of the game even when he can't advance the overall plot. I know this, and yet I've been having trouble doing it. I'll have to try to do better this upcoming year.