Hey there! I've been out of the gaming loop for around a decade due to kids and some health issues. My oldest has gotten to the age of interest in roleplaying now, and I decided to pick back up where I left off with my publishing.
After finishing one project and getting it out there I started noticing that gaming seems to have changed a bit. It looks like a lot of modern gamers aren't that into the traditional styles anymore and are looking for more games that put more control of the narrative into the hands of the players. That is an awesome thing, but now I feel the need to reconstruct some of my ideas to follow along. Or do i?
Should I worry about trying to keep up with the Jones' or just make the games I would enjoy playing? Or should I just go back to sleep?
What's the last RPG you played?
Always make the game you want to play. I picked up all sorts of games but the ones that matter are from people who are passionate about what they're doing. Ignore bullshit arguments about what type of game is right or wrong.
Just make what you enjoy playing, anything else is a mistake.
In any case, yes there are lots of new "styles" of RPG out there but the "oldies" are still very much alive and well. If you write something enticing and filled with passion and creativity, there will be an audience out there for it.
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072It looks like a lot of modern gamers aren't that into the traditional styles anymore and are looking for more games that put more control of the narrative into the hands of the players.
As with most topics, the loudest "modern gamers" aren't necessarily the best representatives of what people want!
Quote from: Ratman_tf;1117074What's the last RPG you played?
I picked up the core of D&D 5E because my boy wanted to play, and I wanted to check it out. We haven't used it a lot yet. Been using him and his buddies as guinnea pigs using my own stuff.
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072Should I worry about trying to keep up with the Jones' or just make the games I would enjoy playing? Or should I just go back to sleep?
I guess it depends on how big you want your audience to be. The biggest segment at the moment would be to focus on people playing 5e DnD.
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072Should I worry about trying to keep up with the Jones' or just make the games I would enjoy playing? Or should I just go back to sleep?
1) Make games you enjoy playing.
2) Play games you enjoy playing, whether new or old, popular or obscure.
3) Ignore all the online wankery about how you should play or what you should enjoy.
Quote from: Spinachcat;11171201) Make games you enjoy playing.
2) Play games you enjoy playing, whether new or old, popular or obscure.
3) Ignore all the online wankery about how you should play or what you should enjoy.
4) Ignore all the online wankery, period.
Go play. :)
Quote from: Jamfke;1117093I picked up the core of D&D 5E because my boy wanted to play, and I wanted to check it out. We haven't used it a lot yet. Been using him and his buddies as guinnea pigs using my own stuff.
Guinea pigging is great. If you're running something you love it'll make the game better for the players, too.
Quote from: RandyB;11171434) Ignore all the online wankery, period.
Go play. :)
Hell yeah!!!
Around a decade? So, since around 2009?
That was just past the end of D&D 3.5, and just after the launch of D&D 4th Edition. Pathfinder was launching its Playtest then, as well.
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072Hey there! I've been out of the gaming loop for around a decade due to kids and some health issues. My oldest has gotten to the age of interest in roleplaying now, and I decided to pick back up where I left off with my publishing.
After finishing one project and getting it out there I started noticing that gaming seems to have changed a bit. It looks like a lot of modern gamers aren't that into the traditional styles anymore and are looking for more games that put more control of the narrative into the hands of the players. That is an awesome thing, but now I feel the need to reconstruct some of my ideas to follow along. Or do i?
Should I worry about trying to keep up with the Jones' or just make the games I would enjoy playing? Or should I just go back to sleep?
You should check out the OSR.
Narrative control and story games are a very vocal minority. One of the leading companies in this movement, Evil Hat, couldn't sustain paying one of it's founders $400 a month. D&D 5 is a good game, IMO, but the OSR is pretty darn cool. OSR stuff is for earlier editions of D&D. Play what you want and don't worry about being hip.
There's a broad spectrum of players out there. Some of them want more narrative control of their games. Some of them want a return to old-school gaming, which is why the OSR (old school revival) is a thing. But I'll echo what others have said: Make the games you want to play.
You should gladly do your own thing, especially what is familiar. Reason why? Because when you are confident with your system you can begin to fade it into the background.
This helps you focus your impartial attention onto the players' PCs, and keeping up with improvisation of your fictive world. This helps sell your imagination, and help be responsive to your players' engagement!, with the least amount of noisy overhead processing. :)
Fuck keeping up with the Jones'! Put your best foot forward with what you remember easiest.
Quote from: Jamfke;1117093I picked up the core of D&D 5E because my boy wanted to play, and I wanted to check it out. We haven't used it a lot yet. Been using him and his buddies as guinnea pigs using my own stuff.
Fifth edition is rather surprising in that for as much as it diverges from TSR D&D it has a strong enough chassis to emulate that DIY Ethos. That helps making it re-tailored to fit your needs with less issue. With a little adjustment you can run most of your older adventure modules with not much lost in translation.
Have fun!
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072Should I worry about trying to keep up with the Jones' or just make the games I would enjoy playing?
My advice:
Make games you want to play.
Play games you enjoy.
Don't worry about what "the hobby" or "the market" is doing.
Quote from: Sunsword;1117757Narrative control and story games are a very vocal minority. One of the leading companies in this movement, Evil Hat, couldn't sustain paying one of it's founders $400 a month.
Well, that's a shame! So apparently I'm making considerably more money from RPGs than people who work for Evil Hat...
I remember Evil Hat fondly...
They took my love of Dresden Files and murdered it on the altar of Fate.
Okay, perhaps not so fondly.
Quote from: HappyDaze;1117991I remember Evil Hat fondly...
They took my love of Dresden Files and murdered it on the altar of Fate.
Okay, perhaps not so fondly.
FATE is not necessarily a horrible system; but it depends a lot on the particular version made. Somehow Evil Hat seemed to always make the worst versions of FATE games.
Quote from: HappyDaze;1117991I remember Evil Hat fondly...
They took my love of Dresden Files and murdered it on the altar of Fate.
Okay, perhaps not so fondly.
They took my love of FUDGE and murdered it on the altar of FUDGE and then chipped the name FUDGE off of the altar and then wrote "Fate" in rainbow-colored chalk. Also Fred Hicks is kind of a dickhead, and not in a fun way like Pundit is.
Quote from: RPGPundit;1118211FATE is not necessarily a horrible system; but it depends a lot on the particular version made. Somehow Evil Hat seemed to always make the worst versions of FATE games.
No. It's "Fate," not "FATE," get it right dammit! Fucking loser! You're just a liar trying to worm your way into the 'real' Fate community and dissolve it and ruin the game for all of us! Anyone who spells it "FATE" is fucking trolling! Shut the hell up!
... see my above point... :o
I believe "FATE" is an acronym, but I'll be damned if I remember what it is.
Quote from: RPGPundit;1118571I believe "FATE" is an acronym, but I'll be damned if I remember what it is.
AFAIK it used to be, then at some point they decided it wasn't.
Quote from: Antiquation!;1118588AFAIK it used to be, then at some point they decided it wasn't.
Fred's Accelerated Take on Everything? …
no wait, it was...
Fudge, Aspects, Traits, Extras... no...no... that's not it... it was...
Fudge Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment.
I ran my first Victorian Steampunk Game in 2001 using a set of Fudge rules,
Terra Incognita. Before that, there was only GDW's
Space:1889 published in 1988. FATE came later.
Mindjammer is Great, some of the best far-future Sci-Fi I have seen!
I always straigh up thought fate was bollocks but i guess people like it, your milleage may vary and all that.
Getting back to the original topic, you will find rpgs are so niche as they always were so u can ignore the no-fun police and play it as u want. In my time of making friends and aquintaces interested in them i have noticed they are really not popular(ofc it may also be i suck at selling them properly).
Quote from: RPGPundit;1118571I believe "FATE" is an acronym, but I'll be damned if I remember what it is.
Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment
(I think)
Quote from: GameDaddy;1118839Fred's Accelerated Take on Everything? …
no wait, it was...
Fudge, Aspects, Traits, Extras... no...no... that's not it... it was...
Fudge Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment.
I ran my first Victorian Steampunk Game in 2001 using a set of Fudge rules, Terra Incognita. Before that, there was only GDW's Space:1889 published in 1988. FATE came later. Mindjammer is Great, some of the best far-future Sci-Fi I have seen!
LOL. Very nice! I've had some very good times with FUDGE. Mindjammer is quite a good setting; I think I remember reading from one of the authors that they are developing their own system for the upcoming edition. The rules themselves I was pretty lukewarm on but I think it's probably one of the better Fate variants I've played (though in general I'm not a fan of Fate...).
Quote from: Jamfke;1117072After finishing one project and getting it out there I started noticing that gaming seems to have changed a bit. It looks like a lot of modern gamers aren't that into the traditional styles anymore and are looking for more games that put more control of the narrative into the hands of the players. That is an awesome thing, but now I feel the need to reconstruct some of my ideas to follow along. Or do i?
I guess what it depends on what you mean by "traditional" style. 5e has certainly pushed the market towards simpler rulesets and platforms like Twitch and Youtube have also changed many peoples expectations how a RPG should play. Even in the video game market a lot of people are going to view your game via a "Let's Play" Twitch session. So if your game doesn't watch well by passive viewers then it may not market well.
If you sleep for another 10 years, when you wake up in 2030 the hobby will likely have shifted yet again. VR/AR and print being obliterated by tablets will probably change things down the road.
Quote from: Spinachcat;11171201) Make games you enjoy playing.
2) Play games you enjoy playing, whether new or old, popular or obscure.
3) Ignore all the online wankery about how you should play or what you should enjoy.
You have won the Interwebs wisdom award!
I played 1E AD&D for fifteen years but haven't played any tabletop games since the first Lord of the Rings movie came out...twenty years.
Quote from: RPGPundit;1117980Well, that's a shame! So apparently I'm making considerably more money from RPGs than people who work for Evil Hat...
As you should. Your Old School Companion is wonderful. The most fun I've had reading anything gaming related in years. I'll be putting parts of it to use soon.
Sorry for thread capping.
Quote from: Jason Coplen;1122893As you should. Your Old School Companion is wonderful. The most fun I've had reading anything gaming related in years. I'll be putting parts of it to use soon.
Sorry for thread capping.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Check out the newer games and compare them to what you like --- then decide.
Simple.