To be honest, Kenny, I think that your approach is wrong. You seem to forget that RPG is a GAME, and you are trying to move our hobby towards writing a book with all the preparation you use. When I start playing new campaign, I want to do it with as little preparation as possible. I want to take my dice, rules, oracles and randomizers, decide if I will play a bard in fantasy world or Syth Lord in SW universe and start rolling. My imagination take from that point on, into whatever direction dice point.
And if I'm not satisfied with the result, I just start new GAME from beginning :)
Of course, it is a question of players choice - and what do you expect from the session. But I would rather if we keep our feet on the ground and take our sessions our what they are - a fun games for us, not a stories other people (or at least people outside the hobby) would like to read.
I am just afraid that you will scare the hell out of newcomers with all that preparation. If I would do things you suggest, I would never had a game in my life.
Please don't take this personally, these are just my thoughts and it is obviously that we have rudimentary different approaches.
Personally, I would definitely like to see from you more after session reports instead of all this theory...
Aleksandar Battreps when you wrote: I want to take my dice, rules, oracles and randomizers, decide if I will play a bard in fantasy world or Syth Lord in SW universe and start rolling. My imagination take from that point on, into whatever direction dice point.
You've taken the E. P. and C. steps from E.P.I.C.. :D
If you have some idea, or understanding, of a conflict or story that you want in your game before you start then you've taken the I. step too...
I do agree that maybe it could be a bit off putting to some new solo roleplayers but others feel lost and don't know where to start. Those who feel pressured by all the prep I do are more likely just to jump in and try it for themselves.
I hope that by giving those who do feel lost these tools they'll be able to take some steps that'll give them a good understanding in what came naturally, or via trial and error, to some people.
As a course I took said: 80% of the results from this course will come from 20% of the material. I don't know what 20% people will find most useful so I put out 100% of the material and let people find their own 20%.
And don't worry I've had enough theory too (for now :) ). This week I'm working on a game that'll put all the theory into action.
I'm also going to be starting reviews on solo engines and highlight different type of journalling methods.
Thanks for you thoughts, Aleksandar Battreps , I enjoy reading, taking on board, and debating.
It's only when a multitude of people voice their thoughts and questions that we can come to a better understanding of solo roleplaying. This discussion, and academic argumentation, makes our solo hobby a more varied and enjoyable one.
I tend to think that solo roleplaying is a cousin of creative writing, just like GM prep is. Thus, the idea of pushing or embracing that aspect of solo gaming doesn't bother me much anymore. I've actually come to embrace that aspect.
Still, I don't quite see how Kenny's E.P.I.C is doing that. I'm not saying it's not pushing solo gaming towards writing, but if it is, I'm not sure how encouraging more effort on preparation does that any more than answering the 9Q's or writing Seeds ahead of time in Perilous Intersections-- both awesome tools. :)
To me, it actually looks like a sandbox approach, except you'll be running it for yourself. :) Front loading that much information does kill some of the element of surprise, but the trade off is that you'll have many elements you can use right away.
To be honest, Kenny, I think that your approach is wrong.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to forget that RPG is a GAME, and you are trying to move our hobby towards writing a book with all the preparation you use.
When I start playing new campaign, I want to do it with as little preparation as possible. I want to take my dice, rules, oracles and randomizers, decide if I will play a bard in fantasy world or Syth Lord in SW universe and start rolling. My imagination take from that point on, into whatever direction dice point.
And if I'm not satisfied with the result, I just start new GAME from beginning :)
Of course, it is a question of players choice - and what do you expect from the session.
But I would rather if we keep our feet on the ground and take our sessions our what they are - a fun games for us, not a stories other people (or at least people outside the hobby) would like to read.
I am just afraid that you will scare the hell out of newcomers with all that preparation. If I would do things you suggest, I would never had a game in my life.
Please don't take this personally, these are just my thoughts and it is obviously that we have rudimentary different approaches.
Personally, I would definitely like to see from you more after session reports instead of all this theory...
Aleksandar Battreps when you wrote: I want to take my dice, rules, oracles and randomizers, decide if I will play a bard in fantasy world or Syth Lord in SW universe and start rolling. My imagination take from that point on, into whatever direction dice point.
ReplyDeleteYou've taken the E. P. and C. steps from E.P.I.C.. :D
If you have some idea, or understanding, of a conflict or story that you want in your game before you start then you've taken the I. step too...
I do agree that maybe it could be a bit off putting to some new solo roleplayers but others feel lost and don't know where to start. Those who feel pressured by all the prep I do are more likely just to jump in and try it for themselves.
I hope that by giving those who do feel lost these tools they'll be able to take some steps that'll give them a good understanding in what came naturally, or via trial and error, to some people.
As a course I took said: 80% of the results from this course will come from 20% of the material. I don't know what 20% people will find most useful so I put out 100% of the material and let people find their own 20%.
And don't worry I've had enough theory too (for now :) ). This week I'm working on a game that'll put all the theory into action.
I'm also going to be starting reviews on solo engines and highlight different type of journalling methods.
Thanks for you thoughts, Aleksandar Battreps , I enjoy reading, taking on board, and debating.
It's only when a multitude of people voice their thoughts and questions that we can come to a better understanding of solo roleplaying. This discussion, and academic argumentation, makes our solo hobby a more varied and enjoyable one.
I tend to think that solo roleplaying is a cousin of creative writing, just like GM prep is. Thus, the idea of pushing or embracing that aspect of solo gaming doesn't bother me much anymore. I've actually come to embrace that aspect.
ReplyDeleteStill, I don't quite see how Kenny's E.P.I.C is doing that. I'm not saying it's not pushing solo gaming towards writing, but if it is, I'm not sure how encouraging more effort on preparation does that any more than answering the 9Q's or writing Seeds ahead of time in Perilous Intersections-- both awesome tools. :)
To me, it actually looks like a sandbox approach, except you'll be running it for yourself. :) Front loading that much information does kill some of the element of surprise, but the trade off is that you'll have many elements you can use right away.