Sickly sweet role-playing games?

Piestrio · April 26, 2013, 11:40:28 PM

Just curious, anyone know of games without any sort of violence inherent in the premise?

Like games about helping people and giving out hugs and crap?

Dave · April 26, 2013, 11:46:25 PM

The only one I've read was Clash's Tools of Ignorance - a baseball RPG. I'm sure there's a million storygames without violence, but that's the only traditional non-violent RPG I can think of.

Benoist · April 26, 2013, 11:48:41 PM

My Little Pony?

flyingmice · April 27, 2013, 01:05:53 AM

Quote from: Dave;649701The only one I've read was Clash's Tools of Ignorance - a baseball RPG. I'm sure there's a million storygames without violence, but that's the only traditional non-violent RPG I can think of.

Baseball players sometimes give Bro-hugs...

I don't know if high fives count...

-clash

LibraryLass · April 27, 2013, 01:52:43 AM

Blue Rose could probably be run that way, though it has a little more implied conflict.

Monsterhearts is an AW variant and this runs a little toward the storygame side of things but it's supernatural romance.

Rincewind1 · April 27, 2013, 07:49:43 AM

Quote from: Dave;649701The only one I've read was Clash's Tools of Ignorance - a baseball RPG. I'm sure there's a million storygames without violence, but that's the only traditional non-violent RPG I can think of.

Hrn that does remind me...

Anyway - well, it is a good topic, because I believe that combat mechanics are somewhat integral to RPGs, whether for good or worse. It is very interesting, because a similar phenomena is in video games, but in a different way - often games that'd be perfect without combat, or with just a little of it, feature "obligatory combat sequences", just to ensure that violent itch is satisfied. There is just something about us that wants an option for violence to be on the table, I suppose.

The Yann Waters · April 27, 2013, 09:36:12 AM

Well, I've mentioned the Japanese Yuuyake Koyake before, especially since the English translation is currently up on Kickstarter under the title Golden Sky Stories. It's about magical shapeshifting animals who help the ordinary people of a small countryside town with their everyday problems, and violence is no solution. For example, the demo here revolves around recovering a local boy's confiscated football from a vacationing big city cop who needs to learn to relax sometimes.

Piestrio · April 27, 2013, 09:45:53 AM

Quote from: The Yann Waters;649768Well, I've mentioned the Japanese Yuuyake Koyake before, especially since the English translation is currently up on Kickstarter under the title Golden Sky Stories. It's about magical shapeshifting animals who help the ordinary people of a small countryside town with their everyday problems, and violence is no solution. For example, the demo here revolves around recovering a local boy's confiscated football from a vacationing big city cop who needs to learn to relax sometimes.

I'm pretty violently and completely irrationally allergic to weeaboo.

But that might be up my all.....

Quoteby Ryo Kamiya, the creator of Maid: The Role-Playing Game.

...

QuoteWe already have some experience publishing a Japanese tabletop RPG by way of Maid RPG

*_-

QuoteThis book is for making stories

...

QuoteIt's a non-violent story game

*sigh*

The Ent · April 27, 2013, 09:51:22 AM

Quote from: Piestrio;649772*_-

Also, seems like ordering it you can get Maid cheaper/free as a bonus...

Wich kinda changed my views on the game, to put it extremely mildly...

Or, to put my reaction in a way roughly analogous to yours:

o_O

silva · April 27, 2013, 10:10:41 AM

Quote from: Rincewind1;649748Hrn that does remind me...

Anyway - well, it is a good topic, because I believe that combat mechanics are somewhat integral to RPGs, whether for good or worse. It is very interesting, because a similar phenomena is in video games, but in a different way - often games that'd be perfect without combat, or with just a little of it, feature "obligatory combat sequences", just to ensure that violent itch is satisfied. There is just something about us that wants an option for violence to be on the table, I suppose.

Yup. Planescape Torment is a great example. The combat portions on that game would be easily purged with no damage to the experience.

Though I dont think whole combat sub-systems are mandatory to rpgs. In fact, I think some of them would be better without it.

The Yann Waters · April 27, 2013, 10:21:03 AM

GSS mostly seems to be about "telling stories" in much the same sense as (for instance) WoD is. Its task resolution system in the full version runs on diceless resource management, with players spending points from Feelings (gained from the relationships that other people have to the character) to augment the four attributes when necessary and points from Wonder (gained from the relationships that the character has to other people) to fuel the mystical abilities of their animal type.

It's been cropping up in discussions about non-violent RPGs for years now.

Piestrio · April 27, 2013, 10:25:42 AM

Quote from: The Yann Waters;649784GSS mostly seems to be about "telling stories" in much the same sense as (for instance) WoD is. Its task resolution system in the full version runs on diceless resource management, with players spending points from Feelings (gained from the relationships that other people have to the character) to augment the four attributes when necessary and points from Wonder (gained from the relationships that the character has to other people) to fuel the mystical abilities of their animal type.

It's been cropping up in discussions about non-violent RPGs for years now.

The Maid connection does it for me I'm afraid.

I can't express how absolutely disgusted and horrified I am by the game the apologetics that go on around it.

And I mean that with absolutely no internet hyperbole whatsoever.

It quite literally* makes me sick to my stomach.

*literally literally, not "figuratively literately"

silva · April 27, 2013, 12:12:23 PM

Quote from: The Yann Waters;649784GSS mostly seems to be about "telling stories" in much the same sense as (for instance) WoD is. Its task resolution system in the full version runs on diceless resource management, with players spending points from Feelings (gained from the relationships that other people have to the character) to augment the four attributes when necessary and points from Wonder (gained from the relationships that the character has to other people) to fuel the mystical abilities of their animal type.

It's been cropping up in discussions about non-violent RPGs for years now.

Interesting, it looks similar to the Persona 3 game I played recently, where your personas (think mystical alter-egos that manifest in a astral-like world ) get stronger the more you relate yurself with friends. Its a nice mechanic that helps develop and deepen the npcs while giving you a concrete reward for that.

I wonder how it would work on a tabletop rpg.

Silverlion · April 27, 2013, 05:42:11 PM

How is it games without combat are "sickly?" Hell, I can run superhero games where combat rarely occurs--focusing on rescues/investigations, and it still be action oriented and not sickly at all.

Piestrio · April 27, 2013, 05:54:28 PM

Quote from: Silverlion;649871How is it games without combat are "sickly?" Hell, I can run superhero games where combat rarely occurs--focusing on rescues/investigations, and it still be action oriented and not sickly at all.

You accidentally a word.