Tips for playing solo/experiences with playing solo
I often begin a solo session but mostly lose interest halfway. My only "successful" solo sessions where with using the 9Qs using rules-lite systems.
I think my problem is that I have difficulty with the Oracle. Using Story Cubes often gets me stumped because the results are so random. Trying to "control" the story line is unsatisfying because it doesn't feel like I have a GM who acts as input for me. The Mythic GME feels like a rigid restriction and too much bookkeeping.
How can I make it feel more like roleplaying instead of story-writing?
Which rpg systems do work for you (more simulation-oriented like DnD or more abstract-oriented systems like Fate)?
Which oracle systems/solo engines work best for you (Mythic GME/Story Cubes etc.)?
Which kind of method for logging (online, on paper...)?
How do you stay motivated?
How can I make it feel more like roleplaying instead of story-writing?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like your question is really, how do i make solo gaming feel like social gaming. My answer? It won't; it's a different animal.
I think part of what gets you out of story-writing is the random results provided by the oracle and the game system involved. It's that putting the control in the hands of a system that isn't you.
As for the roleplaying part, I think roleplaying is simply making decisions as the character based on the in game information at hand. If you're doing that, then you are roleplaying.
Which rpg systems do work for you?
I like old school D&D and retroclones. They are rules light and don't get bogged down in minutiae. More recent systems are things like USR and Risus.
Which oracle systems/solo engines work best for you?
I like all of them depending on my mood. Sometimes Mythic GME is all i need, other times Storycubes, still other times it's just random tables of all kinds.
Which kind of method for logging (online, on paper...)?
I open up Google Drive and create a document. Maps (for dungeon crawls or hex crawls) use dead-tree paper with appropriate grid, character sheets are on paper as well.
How do you stay motivated?
I read other people's session summaries, i read fiction and non fiction, lot's of game related stuff. My recent return to my solo dungeon campaign was precipitated in part because I am running two social games, and wanted a chance to do some things as a character. I had a TPK first session back, and I'm really excited to switch to a different rule system with the new characters.
Echoing what a lot have said already, and what Alex Yari starts in his other post here, for me, it is very much story-telling (writing)...but I still feel it is more roleplaying than story-writing, in that there are mechanics with which to engage and randomness that takes some control away from me in a way that's thrilling.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that is most important to me when using any sort of GM emulation system, is that the big thing that will keep it from being too random is context. I like Rory's Story Cubes, and interpreting them within a given context (as in, what has happened thus far in the story) is fun, and keeps things from running too far afield. Definitely the non-themed story dice are the best for keeping things as abstract as possible; meaning, I can always plug them into my context because a clock face can mean dozens of things.
For systems, light ones keep a forward flow more than crunchy ones. Getting caught up in the system is fun, but I don't find that the slowing story flow is fun or inspires me to continue.
For oracle systems, I have a bunch, but usually like ones that are low in bookkeeping, as you said. My simplified Mythic is fine, I like just tossing story cubes, or 9Q's.
For logging, I have a bit of a funny system. I use TrunkNotes on my iPad or iPhone (which syncs to a dropbox folder) for the actual game log. Sometimes I will use the voice recognition stuff to dictate (but I don't really find that to be much faster than typing, and it's HORRIBLE for fantasy-flavored names). I keep actual character sheets on Inkflow, into which I can import an image of the character sheet, and write/erase all over it.
Motivation is hard. I stop far more projects than I start. That's okay. Not every idea will be a winner...if it doesn't hold your interest, don't feel bad about abandoning it. Save your notes, though! You may find that reviewing them later will get the juices going again. Breaks are good. Don't beat yourself up for taking them. Coming back to old things is sometimes easier than starting new games...and you might find an old idea you discarded to be more appealing later. Also, keep reading others' actual posts to get inspired. Having a community like this is great (thanks, Alex! Glad to see more posts all of sudden around here).
Sophia Brandt what do you want out of roleplaying?
ReplyDeleteFor me I want it to be more like fiction / story writing. This is important to me. Take a read of my Your Guide for Playing Alone (there is a link below) and see if that can help you uncover why you want to roleplay.
I use solo engines (Mythic GME or my Fate Solo) and other resources (UNE for example) to guide what happens within the game.
As for rulesets my next few games will be using Fate (I really need to playtest Fate Solo). I feel that as long as the ruleset fits right with you then it'll work well. Personally I think games that require a group will not work as well as games in which you do not.
Logging: I write it down as if I'm a novelist. (I also make notes for all the dice rolls I use. You don't have to do this but I do for my play reports on my website.) At the end of a session I then write down some thoughts and feelings (again for my play reports).
Motivation I think comes from thinking: wow. That's cool. I really enjoy this, I want to come back. Also for me thinking of my readers on my blog. Finally motivation comes from enjoying it. You should look forward to your roleplaying sessions as something fun not as 'oh, God, here we go again.' I mean, it's a hobby right?