Newbie here. Old hand GM since 1977, owner of Mythic for years, but new to solo.
Here's my question: how do you decide where to start?
I don't mean "how do I start playing Mythic" or "how do I choose a game". I mean, "how do I decide, from the myriad of possibilities, where to start solo roleplaying?"
I have two ideas in my head: a fantasy character searching in a deadly dark ancient world; and, a desire to send a character searching the stars. But those seem vague and unformed. If that makes sense.
Advice welcome.
Hi Peter. You could start with either of those and then just ask questions with the dice to get more details about the world or the campaign (e.g., see the ALLADIN method in the resources links at the top of this community).
ReplyDeleteI'd start small. Don't go for a campaign or even an "adventure". Go for a vignette. How do you view your character searching for those things? Pick the strongest feeling and make that a scene. Then start trying things out. Make sure to end the scene in some fashion once something has been resolved. Then perhaps make a new scene some steps ahead.
ReplyDeleteShameless plug, but CRGE has a framework for a three scene "adventure". It's free on DTRPG.
Anyway, these are all from personal experience, and YMMV. However, I've found the grander I've started out things the more likely it would fall flat. If I went simple and honest, I would usually end up with a very rich experience.
welcome Peter!
ReplyDeletebaby steps : short simple adventure to begin your solo experience, then go further.
if you need a plot try this:
http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/plotgens.htm
if you need more fuel for your imagination try this:
http://donjon.bin.sh/
well, sounds like you have interesting premises. you know how players sometimes may write some stuff about their PC's background? Why not do that, but go the extra mile by spending some time fleshing out the world from your PC's perspective, and in that way create the necessary context to get you going into an adventure.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the community!
ReplyDeleteMy experience: there is one challenge. Solo Roleplaying lives from having context. If your GM Emulator/randomizer (i.e. Mythic GME) gives you answers, it's easier to interpret the result if you know your setting, your character etc. If you start from a blank slate, there can be some "hiccups" when you get strange results and don't know what to do with them.
However, extensive world-building can feel like a chore and can easily lead to solo burn-out. It probably depends on what you like in your games. I don't like world-building because I want to play (now, now, now!).
I tend to do some minimal world-building and I'm taking a page out of "Unframed" (a book from Engine Publishing which I don't find that useful except for some nuggets): I define how the world is, how things work and how people are (article is by Vincent D. Baker). Give everything a but.
For example: The civilization is ancient BUT all artifacts are shiny and as good as new. That immediately gives me some follow-up mysteries/questions: why is that? Either I leave that open or I make something up or I use a tool to come up with an idea (i.e. the Mythic GME).
This gives me a barebones structure I can work from.
As the others said: Don't think in terms of campaigns, start small, build the world downside-up (is that a word in English? What I mean is that you start with the village and not the whole realm).
lol no one likes my suggestion, my bad :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone! Some great comments!
ReplyDeletePlan is to start playing RQ6 with Mythic GME. Other tools mentioned above have all been grabbed and I'm reading, but I need to start somewhere. Fantasy seems simpler and, following advice, I'll start small.
The technique mentioned by Dennis Nolasco actually is called "Aladdin". I confirm it is simple and very cool :) https://plus.google.com/113913096608545423730/posts/2VCXxWkmVHQ
ReplyDelete