A discussion of RPGs.
From a livejournal post about the future of roleplaying games, I find this quote from Ryan Dancey that illustrates a problem with TCGs as well:
The War On Terror has sucked several hundred thousand people in our core demographic out of the country, and put another several hundred thousand people also in our core demographic in the affected families into financially challenging circumstances.
He also mentions poker and MMORPGs as "external problems" for RPGs, and these are problems for TCGs as well, of course. I hadn't before thought of the correlation between the armed forces demographics and hobby gamers.
The general gist of this thread (and I admit I'm no expert on the recent state of RPGs) is that the whole d20 experiment is rapidly imploding. Even though it allowed many new designers to gain experience, in the long run it has stifled creativity. The last time I roleplayed there were wonderful, creative, innovative games like Lost Souls, Whispering Vault, and Amber being made. Games with new concepts, themes, and game mechanics. The d20 rampage seemed to push games like this off to the side. Maybe after a harsh shakeout, the RPG industry can get back to producing new game systems that will attract new players and designers.
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games
5 comments:
Worth the read for this comment from Dancey when describing the troubles facing RPG's:
"RPGs in their current format are still '20 minutes of fun packed into 4 hours'."
Yeah, that's a good one. I think he said he got that from his wife, watching his RPG sessions.
That I'd believe. Husbands always steal their spouse's best lines.
Cheddar's not nearly as funny as you all think he is. :)
I got nothin'.
There is opportunity for the gaming industry to supply games to the relatively captive audience of the armed forces. Last year, I sent a crapload of stuff to a charity that was collecting such materials for overseas shipment. The thought, is that WHEN these guys get home, they continue the hobby.
Always marketing...
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