I'm designing a web app to make RPGs easier and more accessible.  I've been introducing a lot of people to Whitewolf (fairly simple system), but even so people are intimidated by the time it takes to create a character and the books full of rules.  

Any suggestions for things that could be made easier?  The basic concept so far is:

*An online character sheet that comes with a built in wizard/tutorial (like starting a video game), and where you can click on stats for the appropriate rolls (so you don't have to memorize them).

*A story app for designing and saving story assets (characters, locations, maps, pictures, etc).  Eventually, I'd also like to set up a resource-sharing site where GMs can give, trade, or sell story assets they've developed.

*A game session, which loads the characters and the story, allows for private messages, GM requested rolls, automated combat (and other) rolls, and applying effects (bonuses, penalties, etc).

The idea is that, unlike Virtual Tabletops, you wouldn't need to memorize books because in-context helps built into the character sheet or story assets would contain all the info you need for game mechanics.  These apps could be used to play games over the internet, or just as an aid to reduce set-up and chart-examining in live games.

Any RPG pet-peeves or rough spots I should address in the app?

(If you like the idea, vote for it here, and I can win $5,000 to develop the app!)

I think the biggest hurdle you face is the volume of systems out there and getting them into the app. Also different publishers react differently to these sorts of things. Some see it as free publicity, others see it as using their IP.

Were you hoping to have several game systemson the app, or were you ging to focus on a single system.

Anything that walks new players through the steps of character creation and gives them a workable character record sheet is going to be useful. It is a great way to introduce folks to a system.

As a gm, i need stuff to chart npc and organization relationships, location info pages (everything from inns to kingdoms), npc records, timelines, overland travel, etc. If you can give me something that replaces my need for a three ring binder, you have a solid app (i have tried many andhavent found one that gives be the right amount of ease and control).

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;581581As a gm, i need stuff to chart npc and organization relationships, location info pages (everything from inns to kingdoms), npc records, timelines, overland travel, etc. If you can give me something that replaces my need for a three ring binder, you have a solid app (i have tried many andhavent found one that gives be the right amount of ease and control).

And of course, these things are not system specific too.

Alas poor Yorick...

I would suggest talking to an IP copyright friendly company. I am thinking PostHuman Studios, ala Eclipse Phase because they had the balls to put out a free PDF of their main book.

I would also talk to Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books...whose reputation is the opposite of the IP friendly, but Kevin of 2002 isn't Kevin of 2012 and you may actually find him interested.

White Wolf might be worth contacting too, but you may encounter a bureaucratic wall. However, they have been losing market share badly so perhaps you could offer them something exciting.

Whatever you do, I would talk to potential partners as soon as you have wireframes and before you do any programming.

Best of luck!!!

I'd be interested for sure.

For internet games this could be great. Not so much for live games. The last thing a live game needs is distractions from a half dozen electronic gizmos at the table.

If your FTF game is too complex to to handle with pen, paper, and dice then get a simpler, better system.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;581682For internet games this could be great. Not so much for live games. The last thing a live game needs is distractions from a half dozen electronic gizmos at the table.

If your FTF game is too complex to to handle with pen, paper, and dice then get a simpler, better system.

Off-line creation tools like chargen, world-building, vehicle creation, and the like would be far easier in electronic form, and would not be used at the table.

Record keeping could be done after play from notes made during play.

Maps made and stored digitally can be printed out for use during play.

Why do you think any of this calls for needing five or six electronic gizmos at the table?

Personally, I like using pdfs on my iPad at the table instead of a gaming book, and it can also be used for apps, as well as displaying pictures and video. I would also not find each player using iPads or other tablets in play disturbing at all, so long as it's part of the game. Tablets are much smaller than game books, and far more versatile!

-clash

Publishers really need to bring app developers in-house. Chucking out the book at the table and relying more on a modular, chunky interface for rule sets via iPad or tablet would create a slimmer, meaner and "prettier" version of a role-playing game.

I don't mean a playable gaming tabletop (although that would be pretty slick), but having rules available at the press of a button and broadly interactive elements would turn the idea of the standard RPG faire on its ear.

Don't get me wrong - I like PDFs. But no one is doing them right. Rather, they're not taking advantage of the full capabilities of tablets.

I know, I know - some people are luddites. Some people don't want laptops at their table (which I kind of agree with). But tablets used strictly for note-taking, reference guidelines for rules and character sheets would streamline the multitude of notes, stack of books, slurry of notes stuffed sideways in folders and "fix" the slowdown period involved with looking up specific rules around the gaming table. Plus, having rulebooks available as interactive apps would draw in new fans - which this hobby desperately needs.

Quote from: ZWEIHÄNDER;581691I know, I know - some people are luddites. Some people don't want laptops at their table (which I kind of agree with). But tablets used strictly for note-taking, reference guidelines for rules and character sheets would streamline the multitude of notes, stack of books, slurry of notes stuffed sideways in folders and "fix" the slowdown period involved with looking up specific rules around the gaming table. Plus, having rulebooks available as interactive apps would draw in new fans - which this hobby desperately needs.

So long as these devices do not have an active internet connection they might be ok at the table.

Rules should be no more than one page.

Character sheet is no more than one side of an index card.

When I ran Amber at GenCon I included all the rules for each power, and skill (i added a skill system) on the character sheets.

Because I run my games differently to others and because I also ran with players who had never played before and had no idea of the rules this was really useful.

So if your character builder also explained how the rules round each bit worked so you ended up with say a 2 side character sheet that also incorporated all the rules about how the skills and powers interacted with the world that would be useful.

A couple of comments

Bookmarked Digest sized rulebook work really nicely. I was impressed by how well my Majestic Wilderlands works on my iPad. But I was really impressed at how well the Classic Traveller Books worked out.

What I really want right now out of a Tablet RPG Manual is a very simple concept. I ought be able to tap any table or Rule Mechanic and be able to roll and show me the result. Much like the DCC RPG Table App I got through the Kickstarter but integrated with the Rulebook. Some of this may require a wizard or setup dialog before the result can be shown.

And don't put it in one spot, any time there is a reference make it a touch away.

I really really wish that NBos's Inspiration Pad Pro was on the iPad.

In fact I greatly recommend NBos's The Keep. It is a great app for organizing campaign material. It is kinda of simple in concept but in practice it works way better. Like VTTs are really just Whiteboard displaying images but add just enough bells and whistles you can replicate the Tabletop experience on the internet.

Quote from: 1989;581694Rules should be no more than one page.

Character sheet is no more than one side of an index card.

But what about for those of us who aren't LARPing?

My objection to the use of a smartphone/tablet application is quite simple: if you go to the trouble of digitizing the database of rules and effects, you are already most of the way towards making a proper videogame out of a TRPG so you might as well finish the job and turn your TRPG into a persistent online RPG (more Neverwinter Nights than World of Warcraft).  A TRPG should strive to not need any electronics at all, especially for new players, to use and master.

Quote from: flyingmice;581687Off-line creation tools like chargen, world-building, vehicle creation, and the like would be far easier in electronic form, and would not be used at the table.

DungeonDelver piqued my interest in 're-creating' the old DOS DM Assistant program.  All those things are almost perfectly suited for databases (pretty much everything a GM does, actually), it's just a matter of getting a good interface and making it customizable.  But if Yorick can't get around to it, I might just get a hold of you when I have some of that mythical 'free time' all the kids are talking about these days.  

QuotePersonally, I like using pdfs on my iPad at the table instead of a gaming book, and it can also be used for apps, as well as displaying pictures and video. I would also not find each player using iPads or other tablets in play disturbing at all, so long as it's part of the game. Tablets are much smaller than game books, and far more versatile!

-clash

Laptops also allow for passing 'notes' to individual players with a modicum of secrecy via IM.  And I have always been interested in gaming books that are landscape formatted for use on laptops, but formatting them for an iPad might be tricky.  With the growing use of e-book devices, I think the effort would be worth it.