Pulsars and Privateers was played using the PTA game, which was quite a new experience for me in terms of roleplaying. By its very nature it places you as the player at a remove from the character and you act more as a narrator than a player. You can also directly input into other people's scenes and affect the flow of the plot and conflicts beyond your own immediate character. A lot of emphasis is placed on players authoring own scenes and it also minimises (but not removes) the role of the GM.
Initially I thought the game was going to be challenging, especially to 'perform' when it was my turn to construct the scene. However, from the initial starting point, the other players felt free to chip in their ideas and make the scene really work. Each scene generally works towards a conflict [highlighted in bold in the actual play] which was resolved using a card mechanic. It is the collaborative nature of the group that is important, especially for determining the conflict and the collective enterprise of creating a story that makes PTA work. It took me out of my roleplaying 'comfort zone' but very much in a good way.
Would this be my definitive game of choice (if I actually have one)? No. Why? The third person element was very interesting (the remove from my character) and I enjoyed this element, but if this was to be every week it seems too much like authoring a book than being the character in the book. So more sessions of PTA hosted Pulsars and Privateers, yes please, but interspersed with other games!
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