So MoonSylver mentioned in his latest post the idea that as solo players we tend to be dreamers. I definitely feel like this is the case with me. My issue is often that i can dream up an idea in broad strokes but that i seem to lack the discipline required to "GM," it for myself. I don't know if I'm really creative enough for this hobby.
That being said, I wonder if a solution is minimal prep. I'm curious, what solo genres can you run with minimal worldbuilding? I'm trying to find a place where a character or a concept just clicks for me. I have lots of big ideas but actually executing them is strangely difficult.
Any thoughts appreciated :)
Saturday, September 19, 2015
So MoonSylver mentioned in his latest post the idea that as solo players we tend to be dreamers. I definitely feel like this is the case with me. My issue is often that i can dream up an idea in broad strokes but that i seem to lack the discipline required to "GM," it for myself. I don't know if I'm really creative enough for this hobby.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I actually think that taking the time to prep, or at least taking a prepared setting, goes a long way to helping come up with details during a game. I think that roryb bracebuckle and Zach Best might have some useful input here for you about using prepared settings. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I've found that solo gaming in a setting far, far outweighs generic or world-creating solo gaming, for my playstyle. In one recent Vampire the Requiem 2e game, I played using the Triangle domain in the back of the book which detailed 5 major NPC's, key locations, and what is going on. I did a bit of prep work by creating three "PC's" intertwining them with the NPC's and then picking my favorite PC to run with. Was a great experience, and by the time I began I had created so many dominoes ready to fall.
ReplyDeleteAnother one on my queue is The One Ring RPG set in a setting I adore, and the sourcebooks are jam packed with setting flavor. I love Atomic Robo RPG and it's setting, and I've used that comic based RPG for great solo RPG one shots. My tabletop gaming group just started another comic book RPG setting called The Sixth Gun.
So you can see I play real world horror, fantasy, western, and crazy science. I would not shy away from playing in a world where media already exists. Having that starting context to begin exploring on your own I find is incredibly helpful in focusing my solo roleplaying.
Perhaps one problem is that when it comes to the detailed level of actual play it can feel a bit like you are talking to yourself and suddenly all these ideas of it being a bit unnecessary/redundant can spring to mind and make it feel awkward. Its as if we really need some sort of audience or 'other' to make it feel complete and legitimate.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were small kids we did it all the time though. My nephew was on the (toy) phone to his cousin yesterday - essentially he was an imaginary conversation between himself and his cousin, playing at being on the phone. I doubt it even entered his head that it mattered that nobody else was actually there on the other end of the phone.
We often loose that as we get older - we become more self conscious and that restricts our ability to play imaginatively - and so what would be play when we were little becomes speculation and dreaming as we get older - we begin to think through at a more abstract level rather than performing/practising things.
Getting back into that child like approach to it all, especially the sort of play you see from a child on their own, can be difficult.