I have a new project at Octagon Games, a roleplaying game (RPG) system conceived as a “Roleplaying Simulation Game” to integrate all of the influence of RPGs in a single ruleset, so that everyone’s interests are represented and the game system engages everyone.
The name of the new system is Chromatic, in reference to the color-coded system under which all game mechanics are organized. Take a read!
When you’re a creative type, you usually find yourself with far more ideas than you have the time or resources to develop. This blog is filled with stuff like that, not only elevator pitches for films and television shows, but also: a more expansive National Zoo; an archaism park for Renaissance Faire enthusiasts, steampunkers, and historical reenactors; a Jazz Age-themed site; an improved DC Metro system; and an improved nationwide rail system. Not currently having the means to accomplish these dreams doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream! It keeps the neurons in good health.
So, when I recently had an intriguing idea for a video game, I decided to flesh it out a bit für Scheiße und Kichern. And, I hope the folks who own the images I use understand I’m just proposing something that could make them lots and lots of moolah. Forgive me. And, if you’re reading this, considering those images ads and go buy some classic music. Continue reading
Novels, films, and stage plays are not the only story-telling media where narrative and drama are essential. Role-playing games—which were originally and ideally conceived as an open-ended alternative to win-or-lose games—work best as a sort of quasi-improvisational group theater using objective tools (dice and paper, or computer code) to maintain the integrity of the setting.
RPGs were corrupted almost immediately, however, by the same sorts of extrinsic motivations that corrupt our real lives, like wealth and power. In fact, many games we call “role-playing games” are really thinly veiled win-or-lose games, no less driven by the collection of points than a football game.
I don’t use the word “corrupted” to imply that there’s anything wrong with this sort of power-up adventure gaming. I compared it to football and I’m a football fan. Scoring points and defeating foes can be quite fun.
But, if “role-playing game” is to have any meaning, games that deserve that moniker need to be driven by playing roles, not scoring points. And playing roles has more in common with acting and writing than with sports. This is why anyone trying to run a game that is truly engaging and truly an RPG can learn a lot from the narrative and drama of novels, plays, and film.
We’re getting ready to get the computing smack-down laid on our gamer brains by a new generation of consoles, including the Wii U, the Playstation 4, and the Xbox One.
I know each of these platforms already has a boatload of games in the works, but nevertheless I’d like to offer my two cents to 8th Generation game designers, specifically on how to make better open-world games.
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