Pretend
The essence of role-playing games is a grown up version of “let's pretend”.
It can be quite child like, and I don't mean that in a bad way.
In the middle of the game when you are playing a little hobbit, or halfling or whatever you want to call him and it is the middle of the night in the woods and some game monster is threatening, it increases the enjoyment enormously to be able to visualise the situation in your head and let yourself be scared by it.
Fantasy role-playing games, mostly based on the Middle Earth setting of J.R.R. Tolkien in one way or another are the market leaders but I prefer games with a science fiction background setting. Games like Traveller, Space Master and even my own Tarazet.
To get the most from creating and playing these games it really helps to be able to pretend. If you can pretend to be a space pirate hyperspacing through the galaxies of the game universe it helps you to design a pirate spaceship.
When I am designing spaceships for my role-playing game needs, spaceships like these, they are always based on being seen in my imagination through the eyes of some game character. This leads to some interesting and unusual designs.
When I am designing robots for my role-playing games, I often pretend to be the robot in my imagination and try to see what it sees and experience its game world from its point of view.
Vehicles are a great example of how the ability of being able to pretend really helps. When you have designed a game character the very next thing you need in a science fiction role-playing game is a vehicle. Something that expresses your character,in the game as in real life it's not just a way to get from A to B, the choice of a rocket sled, anti-gravity carpet or good old fashioned gravcar says a lot about the character.
So, if you haven't already, go out and get a sci-fi role-playing game (I recommend Star Frontiers, it a free web rerelease of a popular out of print game) and start playing pretend.
