Where to start?
I've been very interested in trying my hand at solo roleplaying for a while now, and made a couple of quickly aborted attempts using some popular online oracle sites. I find myself a bit overwhelmed with possibilities and so I'm looking for advice on where/how to begin as a first time solo roleplayer.
I'm not expecting a "one size fits all" answer, but as someone who has played (mostly crunchy) group RPGs on and off for about 3 decades now, I'm looking for the group (ironically) consensus on where I should put my initial effort? Learn and use one of the simpler systems that's available, use a "crunchy" system I'm familiar with along with a simple oracle system/mechanic, or go full in with a more robust full solo system like Mythic (which I have and admire academically, but haven't actually played.
I know it's a very personal thing, obviously, but maybe if there's someone out there that is in the same gaming zone I am - I tend to want a kind of balanced middle ground between rules-heavy tactical focus (like Pathfinder, for example) and narrative driven play (like Fate or similar). I'm starting a game with my group using Open Legend RPG that I think may just hit that sweet spot for me. Has anyone tried that system in a solo game/campaign?
Sorry to ramble, just looking for any thoughts on what someone like me might do (or has done) to run a solo game they feel like sticking with. Thanks for any advice you might have.
Tunnels and Trolls is a good system and has lots of published solitaire adventures out for it. Eventually you could use the system as your game engine and try different solo systems like Mythic, 9 Questions, etc.
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ReplyDeletePick a ruleset your comfortable with. Add a yes/no oracle. Add a random prompt generator (verbs & nouns or symbols).
ReplyDeleteYou could add in an solo engine like Mythic/GRGE, etc. but the above tools mentioned above is the bare minimum you actually need.
I personally think it's easier to stick with the sandbox style of play to begin with; so basically no pre-written modules until you are more comfortable handling the lack of surprise associated with such products.
I backed Open Legend during it's Kickstarter because it seems like it has a lot of promise and might hit that sweet spot for me in terms of generic systems (places where systems like Savage Worlds fell short for me).
What I would do is go for super simple first. Take an oracle/ solo engine (such as CRGE, shameless plug) and DO NOT attach it to another RPG. Sophia Brandt has an amazing list of solo engines to try: dieheart.net - Solo role-playing resources
ReplyDeleteI would create a scenario out of a few words... such as Frodo goes to buy honeycakes, Princess Mononoke hunts iron town miners, or a vampire's view of Mardi Gras... set a start point, and then use multiple solo engines to see where each takes you from the same start point.
Find one that fits you, and figure out how your style of Solo RP is. Are you hand wavy? Details oriented? Goes for the big story movements? Likes to see intricate connections? That small sampling of questions is the reason there is no group consensus. I would say Solo RP has to be one of the most toolkit approaches because each one of us has our own style.
Once you've found your fit, then apply it to your favorite RPG!
I always vote for a system you already know. No matter how crunchy a system, one I know is always faster/lighter than any other system, no matter how "lite" that system is.
ReplyDeleteFocus on the character and their goals. Use the Oracle sparingly--it's easy to go full bore and ask TOO many questions and get lost in contradictions. Ask, come up with a cool answer, and move forward.
NOTE: if you want to try a new system, solo play is great for testing it out. Also, if you're unhappy with your current games, then trying a solo system that might better fit your needs is great.
Personally, I default to Storyteller, which I find is my sweet spot between crunch and narrative, but seriously, go with what you like.
I'm new to solo RPGs as well and very much in the same mental space that you are. I've spent the last 15 or so years primarily as a GM. My long-time game group really likes crunchy games and tends to scoff at storytelling style games because they find them arbitrary. I'm interested in storytelling games, but prefer some with a bit of crunch left in. I started solo RPing to try to get into more of the storytelling side of things.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the biggest issue I had getting started in solo RPGs (still struggling, in fact) is learning to let go of control and be surprised. As a long-time GM, I'm very used to juggling plot arcs and secrets for the players, and I've found a have a deeply ingrained fear of contradicting myself. For this reason, when starting a solo RPG I often find myself doing more planning than actual playing. "How can I start the game," I ask myself, "if I don't even know the real reason for the undead plague. What if it comes up?"
So maybe some good advice for you (and myself as well) would be to practice letting the oracle and solo framework take control. As others have suggested, maybe start with a simple story-only game or a rules lite storytelling system like FU or So1um (which is currently being designed on this message group). I personally started with World vs Hero, an almost pure storytelling system. But even then, I found myself planning out my scenes rather than letting myself be fully surprised.
In terms of concrete recommendations, I might suggest a few quick practice sessions with So1um and The 9Qs. That would be the easiest way to get started in my opinion. Once you become more comfortable letting the oracle take control, you can move to any crunchy system you want. For the oracle and framework, I've had a lot of success with Mythic plus the MCSV mods (which make is simpler, yet somehow more engaging).
For any of the above, a quick google search should turn up the relevant source material. If not, I'll be happy to help you track them down.
Good advice so far. I would add to that (by the way, welcome to our convoluted little niche of the hobby!).
ReplyDeleteI would suggest using a system with which you're familiar to handle your mechanics, and using some sort of oracle/GM emulator to handle the "backend" of your game. Particularly, I would suggest using the Mythic GM Emulator by Tana Pigeon. My reasoning being:
1) It is one of the most thorough products out there as far as great advice from almost every angle about how to play without a GM with tons of examples. It's extremely well-written.
2) Mythic is one of the first of such products; as such, it provides not only a good intro to the evolution of solo rpg gaming, but many oracles that follow it are usually more "minimal" in expository and explanation and almost assume familiarity with Mythic to best understand their precepts.
3) Provides a really good procedural for running games solo.
I'm not saying Mythic will be the best for you, or that you'll be certain to run successful games, but you could do a lot worse as far as introduction to solo gaming. Great advice in there and numerous examples.
When I first started with Mythic, I got caught in the moment and ended up using mostly just the binary yes/no oracle, and then I let it rip. I ended up not using a base RPG system to go along with it, but it was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteDon't be afraid of failure, or get into a state of paralysis of analysis. My own process has been one of tinkering and trying stuff over time trying to find that sweet spot. Nowadays I'm pretty close, but it's been a journey!
If I were you, I'd start simple (as the other shave said) either with a stripped down mythic or something like this: http://tinysolitarysoldiers.blogspot.com/2012/04/solo-rpg.html. Play maybe one scene, with no base RPG, and see how you like it. Then for the next things, re-jigger things by adding or subtracting some aspect of the oracle. Try adding a light RPG, and then in each subsequent session ratchet the crunchiness up or down depending on how you enjoyed the previous session.
Always be willing to tinker with things. In a way, taking responsibility of our own enjoyment is a requirement.
One thing that comes to mind is that just because you like crunchy systems in group play does not mean you'll necessarily enjoy them solo-- especially if you have not been in the GM seat often (speaking from experience here, only). The vice-versa could be true too (a light RPG may end up feeling like there's "not enough there" for a game).
Your mileage may vary in this journey. :)
tinysolitarysoldiers.blogspot.com - Solo RPG?!
I guess that if there is a system you know well and you love, you can easily use it. The FU dice (YES/NO modified by AND/OR, as also described in tinysolitarysoldiers linked by Alex Yari) are a resource of immense value. I am still undecided about the idea generator that works best for me. I am currently using the Game Master Apprentice Cards (the reduced set in the PWYW Alone) but something more visual has its advantages.
ReplyDeletedrivethrucards.com - ALONe: A Solo Game Engine BETA
Also, an RPG sand-box typically comes with a set of random tables (encounters/locations) which could be enough when combined with FU dice.
I have no system of choice, and I currently improvise with whatever catches my interest. I would say that FU dice, pen, paper and some kind of setting are all I need to play.
PS: lino pang's BIVIUS is a nice synthesis of how all you really need is a binary oracle.
ReplyDeletelostpangolin.wordpress.com - downloads
As you said it is really a personal decision as to what tools and games work for you when it come to solo play. I found that I struggled with toolsets as they were too wide open for me. Instead, I have found that I, at least for now, need games that provide a strong framework for solo play. In the last year I picked up 4 Against Darkness, Scarlet Heroes, Avalon solo Pathfinder games modules, and several titles from Two Hour Wargames. This has worked great for me and figure from there I can later add tools like Mythic, GM Apprentice, and other systems.
ReplyDeleteOf course, this link should be thrown out every now and then...
ReplyDeletedieheart.net - Solo role-playing resources
It is certainly a personal decision, but getting there is a process. There are lots of tools available, and eventually you'll find the ones that work for you.
ReplyDeleteThe first oracle I ever used was the FU / Tiny Solitary Soldiers one. After I got used to using an oracle (an important first step in itself), I decided I needed something a little more complicated, so switched to Mythic. I had a go at CRGE and the 9Qs, but they didn't fit my play style so went back to Mythic, and eventually wrote my Mythic house rules (MCSV) to address the issues I was having with Mythic. Along the way I've tried a lot of other things, and I now mix-and-match furiously. Mythic is still at the core though.
Someone once commented that my 'toolkit' for a new adventure was rather large. When I looked at the list I had written, I saw their point; picking it all up as a starting point would be a hopelessly complicated task. The list really represented 3+ years of playing with different tools, and finding that some became the thing I would always immediately turn to in such-and-such a situation.
My point is, you should start small and work upwards from there, experimenting with whatever looks fun or useful along the way. Pick an oracle and a game, figure out a very basic structure (sandbox, dungeon, random plot from a generator, etc.) and just start playing. Once you have a feel for how it works at that level, you can try a differnt oracle, or add something like UNE or BOLD into the mix, or add in some collections of random tables (d30 Sandbox companion, Tables for Fables, donjon.bin.sh). Keep what works, discard what doesn't, and don't add so many new things at once that you get rules paralysis.
The difficult thing for me is after one year playing and writing is to always be mindful of the balance of how much to actually depend upon the system and random charts. Too much and my game stories seem to become sluggish.
ReplyDeleteKen Wickham Out of curiosity, do you have some sort of way to tell when you're getting close to that "too much" line? Is there a consistent line? Is there an opposite boundary for "too little" in your tastes?
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the advice and feedback. I think I've finally realized after reading through all this and really thinking about it that what's holding me back is the problem of too much choice. Without going into all the psychology of it, it's pretty common for humans given more than 3 (or even 2) choices, we often choose "none of the above" out of not wanting to make the wrong choice. What that boils down to for me in a solo RPG is the fact that I have a lot of possible stories in my head I want to tell (yes, I do a lot of GMing with my group) and fear of picking the "wrong" one, as ridiculous as that actually is, hinders my ability to start and the finish a full adventure - or maybe even a session. So, for me the place to start is with an adventure that has been set up by someone else, to reduce the number of decisions I'm making at first. As I get more comfortable, I think I'll be able to work up to the point where I'm doing more generating/creating/interpreting of the main plot points to get the stories out that are in my head. Thanks everyone who's replied. You've all helped me sort this out.
ReplyDeleteRussell Tripp Thank you for starting this interesting conversation! Are you thinking of using a SOLO pre-made adventure, or playing solo a generic module written for a group of players?
ReplyDeleteI have never tried any of the two approaches, but I hope to soon try solo a "traditional" adventure written for a GM and a party (Blackmarsh). I hope you will keep us updated with your thoughts and experiments!
Alex Yari For me the line is different at the beginning, during, and towards the end. At the beginning, I can use more story clues.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what consistent count might be. However, in the middle of the story, I try to go with 1 to 3 system clues per scene cycle of attempt, result, reaction cycle - preferably only one.
Too little and my story doesn't move. Too much and I can't remember everything and maintain creativity flow.
Do you have any boundary?
evandro novel I was recently gifted an old AD&D (2nd edition) module by a friend. It's actually written for a single player (+GM) which is pretty rare for that edition. That's from the days when they were still recommending 8-10 (!!!) players plus a GM. Anyway, I've glanced through it and doesn't seem to be too hard to adapt to solo play with a simpler ruleset (no THAC0, thanks) and I'm not too worried about having too much information. I've gotten good at not metagaming and separating player knowledge from character knowledge. Hopefully I'll have time to give it a shot in the next few days. When I do, I'll be sure to post a session report here.
ReplyDeleteKen Wickham I feek like i have one, but I don't always knowthe boundary until I've gone past it-- and then it's too late, because it means Im not having fun. I generally tend to hit that boundary when I go on too ling without touching a system of some sort. I need to have something to push against.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, Ive come to nnot enjoying rolling a lot unless it's for interactions with the RPG system. Though I do like the combination of keyword generation and oracles, because the combination generates more surprises for me.
Russell Tripp Great, this sounds like the perfect solution! Looking forward to see how it goes for you!
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