Welcome one and all! Thank you for being a part of this process. Yes! This is very formal and professional. Yes.
So about a month ago I found out about this game jam on Itch.io https://itch.io/jam/the-last-rpg-jam and if you aren’t familiar with game jams I’ll explain. A Jam is where a group of people get together and make something. The principle is that you start with as few prepared materials as possible but you prepare yourself to be able to do the thing as much as you can. So you can have a laptop, comfort space, but you can’t have code prepared (if you’re making a video game). I’ve done TOJam once before and had a lot of fun, but honestly; I’m not a video game developer and I lack the skills.
But this one caught my eye:
Game: Tabletop RPG (no video game submissions).
Content: Can be a role-playing system, dungeon, adventure, map, monster guide, etc.
Size: At least one page long.
Format: PDF
Theme Choices (Optional): End of Year, End of World, Start of Year, Start of World
Oho, a Tabletop RPG you say?
Yeah, I could have done a nihilist adventure with a countdown clock or a monster that dies and comes back with the same skill and aptitude you used to kill it….
Actually I’m going to put that one in the “Let’s come back to this at a later time!” pile.
You may want to get used to that pile. We’re gonna put a lot in there.
But there was something to designing a Tabletop RPG that appealed to me. This was an opportunity to create something with empowering gameplay during a time where people feel… well disempowered.
And, to see if I could realize and create what I’ve always talked about wanting to see in tabletop games. Less “Time to put my money where my mouth is.” And more, “Can I create that which I want to see?”
If I can’t, eh. I’ll have a greater appreciation for those who do. If I somehow succeed at this, this being a creative endeavour with no end goal or measurable statistic beyond my own arbitrary criteria, then who knows?
So I’ll be making a game, and I’m allowing you, the reader to be a part of this. You could be a D20 Live fan, an old 404s loyalist, or just someone who followed me up until now. This blog will record your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
So if we are going to start we need rules about how we are going to do this:
- Be cool. This isn’t a place to shit on the opinions of others.
- At this time I have no intention of selling this for profit. That being said, if I come back to this and revise and update it, I have the right to do so and use that for profit. Anyone whose suggestions I use will be credited.
- I have final say. This is still my project. If I don’t go with what you say, it doesn’t mean your idea was bad; it just didn’t work for me.
- I’ll be doing posts in the community option for the project while trying to structurally compile those ideas into a cohesive document. Typically anything posted here will end up in the document a few days later. Put your comments and thoughts here just to keep things simple and in one space.
- I’m not a tabletop dev. So be kind.
- I’m also kind of an idiot. So be even more kind.
- This game has to work in the era of Covid-19, meaning people shouldn’t have to be in the same space for it to function, in fact, not being able to see someone might enhance it.
- Our goal is elegance and ease of use. If we can limit down steps to make the process flow better, we do. This is to dispel the erroneous outlook between “crunch” and “light” rules.
Got it?
Let’s get started.
So, the end of the world! A thematically tragic narrative that brings to mind themes of disempowerment, (not a word, I know) sorrow, loss, and death.
While I am a person who enjoys stories about overcoming adversity, hope, comedy, and life.
So there’s two concepts that come to mind when I go over the prompts (End of Year, End of World, Start of Year, Start of World):
- Majora’s mask and repeating a cycle of time over and over again.
- Motherfucking Ragnarok.
Why yes I am a fan of Norse mythology, how did you know?
Now for the first concept: A cycle of repetition that ends with… the world ending, while memed to death, we can work with. The only reason I would justify that kind of a gameplay loop is one in which the player got to do better each time and improve each time. Therefore there’s no consequence to the world ending, you just start over a bit better until you break free.
Yes like Hades. Yes I have played that game a lot.
So, we take that concept and add the issue of social isolation to it. Perhaps make a game where someone creates tasks for a month (or the year, whatever) and if they don’t complete it, they just start over. These can be therapy goals, workout goals, and application goals. Etc.
Pros: Assist mental and physical health, can be played solo. Allow the player to accept failure in a controlled environment. Cons: How the fuck does completing those daily tasks create reward in a solo roleplay experience?
Second concept: Ragnarok. A oft overlooked feature of Ragnarok when it gets a modern interpretation is that, while the world does end, a new one springs up in its place and SOME (not) all of the old gods make it into the new world.
So how about this: it is the last year of the world. The apocalypse is coming. The gods have to decide WHAT from their world will go on to be part of the new world, but there’s a caveat to this. Secretly, by the whims of fate, one (or more) of them will survive to be the new god of the new world.
Pros: Nothing more empowering then being a god. We can make some fun as hell things to be god of, and get some nice diversity representation in there.
Cons: Cannot be a solo game. Will have to avoid features that turn this into a board game since we have a “win” condition that is potentially measurable.
Well, the choice is mine and honestly, however beneficial a therapy task RPG could be, the more enjoyable option is the Ragnarok one.
So let us begin with a name: Godsfell: At the end of the World. (Name motherfucking subject to change)
I’ll be in tomorrow with the rough concept! See ya then!
Motherfucker count: 2.