Last time I mentioned that Rob Lang was running a series of articles with suggestions (let's call them Rules, because it's easier to argue about rules than it is suggestions) for writing your own RPG. Very worthwhile articles they are.
I thought it would be fun to compare the development of my own Age of Heroes game with what's there. It will go a long ways to explaining why I expect to sell a dozen copies and those who follow Rob's Rules will sell... well more. Rob is free to comment on whatever I say here...
His first article was a Prologue defining his intent, Not many rules here, in fact only one. If you've played an RPG you're ready to design one. I'm hitting 100% so far, Age of Heroes was started after a number of years of gaming.
Chapter 1: Inspiration
Age of Heroes is doing well through this chapter. It was a design intended to more faithfully recreate various source fantasy works (all listed in its appendices) more faithfully than any of RPG published back then while providing niche protection, combat style balance, generational campaigns while providing highly tactical play along the way...
Oh wait. That isn't true. That's what it ended up being.
The truth is that it was basically a house rule replacement combat system, followed by a house rule replacement magic system, followed by a house rule character generation system, followed by...
In short it grew on its own and suddenly (one remembered day) became a its own game (IT LIVES!). There was no planing for the game as *whole* until perhaps a decade later.
However each individual section did in fact follow much of what's in the Chapter 1 article, but with a very narrow focus. It has however never been pitched, and I don't think it's possible to describe it in five words.
Result: Age of Heroes mix success
Chapter2: Research is better.
A huge amount of research was done with respect to the original source materials. And I was very familiar with basically *all* the games of the era for the simple reason that there wasn't that many. Some sections of the rules were based upon the real world, and that required its own research.
However at the time research was much harder, some things assumed weren't really true. Thus the game includes armor types that are more 'what's expected in an RPG' than 'Real'. But I'm giving that a pass since it's a fantasy game created in a era of more difficult research restraints
Result: Age of Heroes flawless victory
Chapter 3: Writing and Style
Now we're completely off the rails. In part because I'm a terrible writer, and in part because it was a the piecemeal design I spoke about above.
I almost did none of this 'right'. I have extensive Design Notes in the appendix. My pose sucks.The thing is a freaking textbook (if only a 262 page textbook). Optional Rules are just presented, it's explained why you'd want to use them (and why you wouldn't). I've lost track of the number of Rob's Rules I've broken here.
I did keep copies of basically everything written, there are examples- but not enough.
Most people who see it scream, drop the book and flee rapidly.
But my groups and I still love it. So goal achieved. Everyone else can just jump off some bridge somewhere.
Result: Age of Heroes utter failure
Chapter 4: Setting
Did this completely wrong too. The game doesn't include any setting. The bestiary is a good place for hints as to what it's aimed at (as are the Designer Notes), but the system is made to be a generic fantasy RPG, and intended to be paired with a campaign supplement.
Basically the same approach as GURPS and HERO. The problem here is that such an approach doesn't work now days. People don't want generic rules, they can't deal with them. They want setting first.
Result: Age of Heroes utter failure
So that means that of the 4 chapters I'm batting 50% + 100% + 0% + 0% or a total of 37.5%
Not bad for baseball, rather rotten here I think.
Rob of course is still writing the series, and I'll keep pace to find out my final score.
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2 comments:
I think this is a wonderful, if slightly disturbing idea. I had not considered retrospectively assessing existing games using the guide post hoc. The aim was always to help those who didn't know where to start! I am glad you did, though because it's got me thinking about the different projects I've done. Therefore, having a completed game immediately scores you 50% in writing and style. I think it should be higher because you're writing for an audience that is well known to you and will appreciate the tone and no-nonsense style.
I think you're being a little harsh on yourself (being a long term reader I do appreciate you're affording yourself the same grace as everyone else). Having a complete game means that you have succeeded as the one thing that kills RPGs is not being finished. Not being finished is a plague and by having a completed project - warts and all - means that you have done what many did not.
I think your game does have a setting but it is implicit. It's fine to have an implicit setting if you are not presenting anything out of the ordinary (in fantasy RPG terms). I'd score you a little higher than 0!
I'll be very interested in what you have to say about tomorrow's post because it's on System - which you should score very highly indeed.
Will you be making any updates to your game now you've seen the guide or has it confirmed that you've created what you wanted in the first place?
Rob Lang: That's me, nothing if not at least slightly disturbing :)
You're like right, being done at all is worth something because that's almost an impossible task itself- at least it was for me.
Part of it was motivation, I had everything I need to run my games even if it was in pieces. What was there to gain from all the extra work?
Truth to tell, a lot. There's a sense of pride and completion. Even better, writing it down forces you to clean things up, replace things that work, but work poorly with more effective things.
I'd recommend that anyone running home grown rules (or even extensive modification of existing ones) to actually make it a finished work.
As for making updates now, I actually rather happy with with I got. The target wasn't the general market, but rather my own gaming groups. And there it suits rather well.
Their are two massive walls in the way of making it suitable for a wider group- the lack of a setting (I use Middle Earth and similar backgrounds that I don't have a license for), and the fact that it's a 80s style RPG (something that's very much out of favor online- and that's the only market I can reach).
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