Who shot Bambi?

I was browsing the wondrous geek-net and came across a roleplay post about different types of game run by differently motivated GMs which struck something of a chord. Then, being the type that I am, I started thinking about it the other way around i.e. different types of playing groups and how they interact with the game the GM is looking to run........hmmmmm ;)

Taking JP's post as a starting point, WE the Dark Heresy group as well as our wider Roleplay group are not particualry keen on "Bambi" level, we're simply too long in the tooth for that.

It does seem an obvious point that as player experience, rather than XP, increases so does the need for a greater challenge along with the need for that all important illusion of choice. It's something with discussed with Mr C, if we feck up and put ourselves in line for a kicking we'd rather it came rather than an obvious fudge. It's cheating the result that we'd far rather earn, that to us is cheating the whole point of why we're all playing the game in the first place.

I suppose in the same way that a Bambi playing group is much easier to GM for being far happier to follow the trail of crumbs provided and not looking to deviate from the given plot. Once again this seems to be a lot about the relative experience of the GM and the group in their respective roles.

At the other end I sort of expect a hardcore group to one going out of its way to kill the adventure, deviating and disrupting wherever and whenever possible. As a hardcore GM might look to expose any weaknesses in the playing group a hardcore group will look to do the same to the adventure?

Thinking about how any group might take on a hardcore GM then maybe not as I suppose any such group would have to be a model of cooperation between themselves? Surely trying to break the adventure itself just doesn't work, literally?

I reckon that it all comes down to the game contract struck. I like this idea and feels like one I've been meandering towards for a while. First off does everybody involved know the terms or even that it exists?

I've gone on about our Dark Heresy issues at some length and all of the above seems highly relevant. We're honestly not trying to break the game or the adventures themselves. We cooperate and plan, have our set moves. I think a lot of it is that we'd like to feel like we're getting back as much as we're putting in. Sure it's the same for Mr C!

So all about balance then, wax on, wax off :)