The Golden Rules

Consent

Consent is a core principle of Meat Space. Every participant should feel welcome at the table, comfortable with the themes being explored and empowered to enjoy themselves with friends. Consent means choosing to participate, respecting the boundaries of others and openly communicating your own. Consent can be withdrawn at any time and, should that happen, the game should pause and a conversation should be had as soon as possible.

The GM Is A Player Too

Everyone playing Meat Space is a [Player]. The [Game Master], commonly referred to as the [GM], and the [Cast Members], commonly referred to as [CMs], may have different roles, but there is no difference in expectation. Everyone at the table deserves to be heard, respected and given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Most importantly, everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy themselves.

A [GM] is not expected to memorise every rule, provide every miniature, host every session or solve every problem. Like everyone else at the table, they are there to have fun and tell a story with their friends. Remember, Meat Space is a collaborative game and everyone shares responsibility for creating a great experience.

Your Character, Your Choice

The rules of Meat Space are intentionally kept as detached from physical appearance as possible. [Players] should feel empowered to create and represent their [Characters] however they wish. What your [Character] wears, looks like, carries or how they present themselves is ultimately a matter of personal taste, and your aesthetic preferences should take priority.

This extends to gender expression and identity. While some [Races] may exhibit sexual dimorphism, it is up to each [Player] to decide how their [Character] looks, presents themselves and expresses who they are. These choices belong to the [Player] and should not be dictated by others at the table. The 'sapes of the Federation don't give a fuck, so neither should you.

Absolute Cinema

When playing Meat Space, the goal should be to tell a memorable and cinematic story together. The rules of the game often encourage [Players] to build [Characters] who specialise in different skills and roles. While some [Characters] may be capable generalists, most spacer crews are made up of individuals who excel in different areas, each with opportunities to shine where nobody else can.

Meat Space is designed to create memorable moments and celebrate the strengths of individual [Characters]. When your moment arrives, embrace it and enjoy the spotlight. When it is someone else's turn to shine, sit back and enjoy the show. It is perfectly normal for a pair of combat specialists to dominate a firefight, a pilot and mechanic to save the ship, or a suit and legal wizard to talk their way out of a tricky situation. Great stories are built from great scenes, and every [Character] deserves their moment, but not every [Character] has to contribute equally to every moment.

Mechanics are Fun

Meat Space is a mechanically rich TTRPG and is so for a reason. [Players] should relish whenever they get to use a cool [Ability] unique to their [Character], overcome a menacing challenge that their [Character] is built for or even using an [Item] they've had in reserve for just the right time. Be loud and proud with your numbers and [Abilities], the game part of a TTRPG is there to be fun and be shared with each other, there are even many [Abilities] that allow a [Character] to help you out in the moment, so try and play in a way that invites others into your [Turns].