Mass Appeal in 2011

Tavis Allison over on The Mule Abides has written a post that sends sparks flying through my brain. I'm incredibly excited to see if this question could be answered, or at least if attempts at answering it would create a new avenue for the hobby.

Thanks to Google+, we no longer have to worry about not having a game to play in. Twitter has also been explored as a home for RPGs, with apparent success. I believe these two examples go further to answer Tavis' challenge than the most well planned induction game of D&D could.

In the comments of Tavis' post, zhai2nan2 points out that the world of the 1970s was ready for D&D. A bunch of teenagers or adults could gather together without the distractions of smartphones, internet, a console in every home and practically any form of media on-demand. There's an argument for the worlds of elves and dragons having more appeal back then, too, but I think this is a secondary concern. The larger issue is how we socialise with our friends in 2011.

When I look at how I socialise with my non-gamer friends I see that social networks and technology are inescapable. If we're gathering to watch a film I'll get the invite through a message on my phone or Facebook. After a social event the photos are uploaded for all to comment and reminisce. When I want to play a new console game with friends there's as much chance we'll do it online as in the same room. I could go on, but you all know the end result. Socialising through technology has firmly rooted itself into the masses.

Can understanding how the people of 2011 socialise make RPGs appealing to our non-gamer friends?

I think so.

Over the next week or so I hope to hammer out a plan we can all put into action. A way we can use the social technology of 2011 to drag RPGs kicking and screaming from the 70s. Do I want to lay waste to all the traditions of our hobby that so many of us hold dear? Absolutely not. I want to play RPGs with people, not some chimera of collaborative fiction and Farmville. I want an experience comparable to what I think of as a traditional RPG. We already have play by post, by irc, by voice and even by video chat, but, as much as I love these forms, they exist as a round-the-table game lifted onto another social platform. If we're making this move to playing our RPGs online we should have a game that reflects this and understands the link between our online and offline socialising. That link is there, let's use it.

A point I can't stress enough is that I don't want to replace the traditional RPG. I want you to be able to "play D&D" with whatever comes out of this project. I want you to be able to do that with some work colleagues, old friends or even your family that never showed more than a passing interest before. As heretical as my idea might sound to traditionalists I want you to be able to run the Tomb of Horrors with this thing. The method may vary but I want that RPG feeling to remain.

I'll leave you hanging with lists of what I want from the end result of this project.

Primary Goals

1. To be able to launch a group of my non-gamer friends into an RPG without them having to read a single rulebook or gather in the same room.
2. To have the game feel like a traditional RPG without the biggest obstacles to entry that non-gamers face. It's not a computer game, it's not a forum game, it's not a boardgame, it's an RPG that understands its roots but is thoroughly modern.
3. To extend the "play time" of the RPG beyond the traditional all-nighter session around a table without removing that experience. I socialise with my friends 24/7 and the game should take advantage of that.
4. Break down the separation between our online and offline gaming.

Secondary Goals

1. To make a first-time gamer want to, and be able to, run their own game after one session as a player.
2. To understand the traditional fantasy and scifi origins of RPGs while exploring the possibilities that are likely to hold more appeal in 2011. This does not necessitate moving away from fantasy and scifi, but will look at what those words mean today.

The Grey One's View of the Elements

It was there, but also not there. Sumaj had never seen an Origin in the flesh before, and he could not be sure he was seeing one right now. The smoke around its loosely humanoid form shifted and lightened. As it spoke, Sumaj knew it was addressing him.

"The Elements are all. All comes from these four. The night sky and the endless ocean are from the same seed as the tiger and the man. It is how these intertwine that we have created infinite variety."

The smoky form started to twist and tighten in a funnel before seeming to exhale, somehow still having the hint of a human form.

"That which is only Earth is the stone. It exists in the physical, it is absolute and easily understood, but forms the basis for the greatest mountains and finest wonders of architecture."

"That which is only Earth and Water is the tree. It leans to the sun, draws upon water and blossoms every spring, but will never strive for more."

"That which is only Earth, Water and Fire is the beast. It cries out in anger and whimpers in pain. It beats down its rivals and surveys its territory with pride."

"That which is Earth, Water, Fire and Air is now above the stone, the tree and the beast. When all four near a balance we have Man, and it is to each of the Elements that you owe a part of yourselves."

A Wanderer's Romance is available for free on RPGNow with Stargazer Games.

A Wanderer's Romance now on RPGNow

With help from Mike at Stargazer Games I've finally managed to get a pdf of A Wanderer's Romance onto rpgnow.

I'm really happy with how the pdf looks, and I'd like to credit Pavel Elagin for his beautiful artwork.

Best of all it's still free! Go and grab your copy now. If you're still not sold here's the freshly written blurb.

A Wanderer's Romance

A Wanderer's Romance is a game of martial art duels and tea-making contests set in a world of unnatural islands on an endless sea. It draws on its Wuxia influences but focuses on a character driven game with scope for incredible environments and a true sense of exploration.

Features of the game include:

• A fast, simple and easy to learn system for task resolution that spreads consistently across duels, contests, activities and group tests.
• Dozens of combat styles for characters to learn as well as countless other types of contest they can specialise in.
• A setting outline designed for maximum creative freedom. Every group's world will be different but will share in similar themes.
• Multiple ways to support your allies from teaching them lessons in defeat and envigorating them through activities to training them in combat styles and preparing tea and food that will balance their elemental forces.

The Big Bug Hunt

The Big Bug Hunt
A Big Action Heroes Scenario

Want to try out Big Action Heroes but running low on planning time? Just show up to the table with this and let random tables plan out a bug hunt for your space-victims!

The Group may be hardened marines, tough survivors or greedy mercenaries, but either way they're on an alien-infested ship and have an objective to fulfil. What objective you say? Roll.

Objective
1: Find and kill the Queen. She will be in the [3d6]th room the group enters and has the stats of a Hulk, but her Scream is upgraded to a 1d6+1 attack and she will be protected by 4 Clawbugs. When this is done return to your point of entry without getting killed.
2: Incinerate the Nest. The first batch of Alien Eggs you find will in fact be a huge nest. One of the players gets a Flamethrower for free (see the gear index) and must use it to torch the eggs. When this has happened return to the point of entry without dying, but any groups of aliens you meet on the way will have an extra 1d6 Clawbugs.
3: Survive. If the group can survive encounters with 2d6 groups of aliens help will arrive to rescue them.
4: Escape. Get to the exit. This will be in the [3d6]th room the group enter.
5: Clean Out. When the group has killed 6d6 Aliens the ship infestation has been cleared.
6: Self Destruct. When the group finds a Control Room they may trigger the ship's self-destruct sequence. As long as they can get back to their point of entry in time they will escape the ship, leaving the aliens to a fiery death.

Want to give the group a better chance? Give them some Mechanised Armour (see Gear Index) for an added level of power. To compensate for this have every alien encounter contain an extra 1d6 Clawbugs.

Every time the group passes through a door roll to see what the room is, its description and how many exits it has. When entering a room roll 1d6. If this is a 1 roll up a bug encounter, if it is a 6 roll up a non-hostile encounter.

Aliens are sneaky and won't be just waiting around for the group to find them. Roll a die occasionally when the group are exploring. On a 1 roll up a Bug encounter immediately to pounce upon them.

Room
1: Junction.
2: Vehicle Bay.
3: Lab.
4: Living Quarters.
5: Control Room.
6: Corridor.

Description
1: Pitch Black
2: Slimed
3: Functional
4: Ravaged
5: Smoking
6: Untouched

Exits
1: Dead End.
2: 1 Blocked.
3: 1 Free.
4: 1 Free, 1 Blocked.
5: 2 Free.
6: 2 Free, 1 Blocked.

Non-Hostiles
1: Crippled Survivor.
2: Sane and Armed Survivor.
3: Alien Eggs.
4: Corpse Pile.
5: Mad Survivor.
6: Dead Spitter.

Hostile
1: 6 Clawbugs
2: 1 Stalker
3: 3 Clawbugs, 1 Spitter
4: 3 Spitters
5: 1 Wounded Clawbug
6: 1 Hulk

Alien Clawbug
Stress Limit: 2
Feat Dice: Athletics 4, Other 2
Class Actions
Scurry: Move a short distance. You have 1 defence.
Pounce: Move a short distance and make a 1d6 melee attack.
Shred: Make three 1d6 melee attacks.
Bonus Powers
Death Splat: If you are killed in melee your killer takes 1 Stress.

Alien Spitter
Stress Limit: 5
Feat Dice: Athletics 3, Bulk 3, Other 1
Class Actions
Scurry: Move a short distance. You have 1 defence.
Spit: Make two 1d6 short ranged attacks against a single target. Alternatively, one of these attacks can be used to dissolve a piece of cover.
Spray: Make three 1d6 ranged attacks at one target within close range. Alternatively, one of these attacks can be used to dissolve a piece of cover.
Bonus Powers
Death Splat: If you are killed in melee your killer takes 2 Stress.

Alien Stalker
Stress Limit: 10
Feat Dice: Stealth 8, Athletics 6, Other 1
Class Actions
Stalk: Move a short distance. You have 3 defence.
Hunt: Move a short distance and make a 2d6 melee attack. Make this a 3d6 melee attack if you Stalked on your last round.
Bonus Powers
Death Splat: If you are killed in melee your killer takes 1 Stress.

Alien Hulk
Stress Limit: 20
Gear: Armour Plating
Feat Dice: Brawn 8, Athletics 4, Other 1
Class Actions
Slam: Move a short distance and make a 2d6 melee attack.
Scythe: Make three 2d6 melee attacks.
Scream: Make 1d6-1 Ranged attacks against all enemies in Short Range, ignoring Defence.
Bonus Powers
Death Splat: If you are killed in melee your killer takes 1d6 Stress.

Armour Plating (Armour)Add a bonus of 2 to your defence against all attacks and ignore any attacks that would cause less than 2 Stress.

Hexmapping...

...feels good.

Click for big.

Playing Outside the Rules

The following is an excerpt from the GM's section of my work in progress, big-scale, spear-em-up RPG, Thousand Spears. Although it's part of this game I can see it applying to most systems.

Playing Outside the Rules

The most important thing to remember about Thousand Spears is that it is an RPG and not a wargame. You could play it as a wargame, but if you do you’ll be missing out on what makes RPGs so special. In an RPG the GM and players are able to step out of the rules of the game to do, quite literally, anything.

As the GM it's up to you to maintain a balance of playing within the rules and playing outside the rules. This doesn't mean breaking the rules, but is everything the players do that isn't directly linked to a rule. For example, using an individual's Ability to raise some attack dice is playing firmly within the rules, but describing how the archers are pouring arrows onto the enemy is playing outside the rules.

In the majority of games more time will be spent outside the rules than inside them. There are no rules for your Inheritor giving a rousing speech to his men, deciding how to persuade the dock-master to loan him a ship or deciding whether the mysterious Ysorn can be trusted to keep a promise. The temptation may be to play out these situations as Trials or Challenges, but it's important to remember you're not bound to using a rule for everything.

The rules are there for a reason, and there is great fun to be had using them to act out huge battles, dramatic one-on-one duels and life or death journeys across hostile landscapes. Just stop each time you're about to step back into the rules to consider whether you really need to.

Quick Update

Two more games have been added to my Games list.

Big Action Heroes is a class-based modern action game where archetypal heroes blow up their enemies in light tactical combat.

Thousand Spears is a scaled-up RPG that follows classical heroes around an original setting leaving a trail of dead followers in their wake.

Both are currently in massive need of playtesting, but take a look all the same.

Enjoy!