So, the 31st August… the last day of our month long fun and thoughts with the annual #RPGaDAY. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed answers for our daily column and I hope you all enjoyed reading the thoughts of our staff and guests as well as contributing your own answers and ideas both in our comments sections and across social media and your own blogs. Looking forward to doing it all again in eleven months time! Until then... here’s Day 31 of #RPGaDAY 2017!
#RPGaDAY Question 31: What do you anticipate most for gaming in 2018?
Darryl Mott: 2017 seems to be the Year of the Space Opera with all the new games coming out in the genre. I'm curious to see what the trend of 2018 will be. Also looking forward to where all the new technologies coming out will take us. Every year, we get amazing new tools for connecting with other gamers. Publishers can produce content more efficiently and get it in the hands of gamers faster than ever before. There are so many new ways for fans and aspiring creators to share their ideas and creations with the world. Hell, with all the live streaming, tabletop roleplaying is almost becoming a spectator sport as well. I don't know where the future is going to take us, but I'm sure curious to find out.
Christopher Helton: I think that 2018 is when we're going to see an industry-wide consolidated effort for inclusion in communities, and better representation in art. This will also spread to a push for better representation in the GMs running demos and organized play, as well.
Michael J Tresca: I really hope we get a 5E D&D version for modern games but failing that Mearls has been hinting at Gamma World for D&D, and if it comes out in 2018 I'd be thrilled!
Angus Abranson: The continued growth of gaming on media platforms such as Twitch resulting in a new generation of first timer gamers and designers getting more involved in the hobby and the industry as a whole. We’re seeing more new companies start up than ever before due to the ease of entry through digital sites (DTRPG) and crowdfunding platforms (Kickstarter, Indiegogo) and many of these are creating fantastic, high quality, games. We’ll see more non-English games translated over alongside new games jointly developed in English and the designers native language, like we saw with Tales From The Loop (as one example) in the last year.
WotC will announce a classic setting for 5E which will please a load of fans, with others bemoaning it’s not the setting *they* want to see resurrected (of course) and also strong hints that we may finally see a Magic: The Gathering setting of some description coming out for 5E in fully supported retail release. More classic games will be updated and brought into print… both in brand new editions like the forthcoming Dark Conspiracy from Clockwork Publishing as well as ‘classic anniversary reprints’ such as FFG’s Star Wars D6 30th Anniversary slipcase set. Someone will announce a new James Bond and/or Harry Potter RPG. Netflix or Amazon will announce a TV pilot based on a RPG property with a decent budget and rave ratings. Check back at the end of next year and see how much I go wrong ;p
Michael E. Webb (Alliance Game Distributors, Game Trade Magazine): I really hope to see some more exploration of smaller group storytelling. I *love* Cthulhu Confidential and pretty much the general concept of Gumshoe one-2-one. Single player role playing can be a fantastic experience - and it can easily accommodate NPC-turned-guest-PC roleplaying with a wider group.
Seeing more deliberate playing around with the rules and settings to maximize one to one play for enjoyment of both the GM and player... That is what I most want to see in 2018.
Richard August (Conan, Codex Infernus): The new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is high on the list. As is the Judge Dredd RPG. The new edition of CthulhuTech. Cthulhu Dark. The list is endless!
Kevin Watson (Dark Naga Adventures): I think the upcoming big titles will cause an expansion of existing and new indie publishers. Top Secret New World Order released their writer guidelines before the Kickstarter was over. With Starfinder, Paizo looks poised to stoke their 3pp market considerably. Those are only two examples.
T.R. Knight (Freelance Editor): Now that my twin daughters are heading to college in the Fall of 2017 and we become partially empty nesters, I see MUCH more gaming in my future. I am eagerly anticipating having a weekly gaming group again and really being able to delve into a campaign I am going to run.
Garry Harper (Modiphius Entertainment; The Role Play Haven): More support for new writers to help publish their projects and more distribution companies to help spread these amazing games around the world.
Marc Langworthy (Modiphius; Red Scar): I’m looking forward to seeing the WOIN Judge Dredd RPG!
Stephanie McAlea (Stygian Fox Publishing, The Things We Leave Behind): Getting more of my own products out there and also new games supporting the release of Blade Runner 2049.
Dave Chapman (Doctor Who RPG; Conspiracy X 2.0): I just hope I can finally get WILD finished...
Mike Lafferty (BAMF Podcast; Fainting Goat Games): I hope to get my hands on the Starter Kit for Sentinel Comics RPG in late 2017 and spend a lot of time playing that in 2018
Andrew Peregrine (Doctor Who, Victoriana, Cabal): What I’m looking forward to is another year of gaming. I’ve got so much I want to run and play and there is a whole hoard of new stuff on the way (Invisible Sun, I’m looking at you!). To steal a music quote, every year is the best year in gaming, because we have everything that has come before and all the new stuff on the way.
Martin Greening (Azure Keep, Ruma: Dawn of Empire): I think we’ll see more new editions of games, some classic, and some more recent, as well as attempts for more integration with handheld devices. Players and GMs have long asked and hoped for digital apps that help keep track of things during games, and we’ve had a spotty track-record with such tools. Sites like roll20.net and dndbeyond.com are just the start I think.
Darren Pearce (EN Publishing; Savage Mojo): My most anticipated gaming for 2018 RPG wise? Well, that’s got to be the Witcher RPG if it rears its head — that’s the one I’m most waiting for.
Ken Spencer (Rocket Age; Why Not Games): 2018 will bring a reason to roll out the Great Cthulhu mini (Krystal claims it can't be called a mini if it weighs more than the cat) in a game.
Simon Brake (Stygian Fox): More RPGs that incorporate elements from board games and card games, and vice versa. Ways to streamline the gaming experience rather than complicate them, with any luck. Cards seem to have become more popular in RPGs but I find them a little bit clunky myself, for anything other than an alternative to dice.
Federico Sohns (Nibiru RPG): The launch and reception of Nibiru, of course!
Simon Burley (Golden Heroes, The Super Hack): As I don't buy other games, I'm not looking for any new publications. I don't know what new games I'm likely to be writing myself but want to get my own multi-genre rules finished and published. I want to keep attending games conventions and, hopefully, more non-gaming Geek conventions to introduce more people to The Hobby. I particularly want to crack ComicCons in the UK. I would quite like my "Choose Your Adventure" set up to become so popular that I need to take on another Referee or have people take the idea to conventions I can't get to. I also need to take the time to get to know people better outside of and beyond the games we play.
****
Originally created by Dave Chapman (Doctor Who: Adventures in Time & Space; Conspiracy X) #RPGaDAY is now being caretakered by the crew over at RPGBrigade. We hope you’ll join in, in the comments section, and share your thoughts with us too!
#RPGaDAY Question 31: What do you anticipate most for gaming in 2018?
Darryl Mott: 2017 seems to be the Year of the Space Opera with all the new games coming out in the genre. I'm curious to see what the trend of 2018 will be. Also looking forward to where all the new technologies coming out will take us. Every year, we get amazing new tools for connecting with other gamers. Publishers can produce content more efficiently and get it in the hands of gamers faster than ever before. There are so many new ways for fans and aspiring creators to share their ideas and creations with the world. Hell, with all the live streaming, tabletop roleplaying is almost becoming a spectator sport as well. I don't know where the future is going to take us, but I'm sure curious to find out.
Christopher Helton: I think that 2018 is when we're going to see an industry-wide consolidated effort for inclusion in communities, and better representation in art. This will also spread to a push for better representation in the GMs running demos and organized play, as well.
Michael J Tresca: I really hope we get a 5E D&D version for modern games but failing that Mearls has been hinting at Gamma World for D&D, and if it comes out in 2018 I'd be thrilled!
Angus Abranson: The continued growth of gaming on media platforms such as Twitch resulting in a new generation of first timer gamers and designers getting more involved in the hobby and the industry as a whole. We’re seeing more new companies start up than ever before due to the ease of entry through digital sites (DTRPG) and crowdfunding platforms (Kickstarter, Indiegogo) and many of these are creating fantastic, high quality, games. We’ll see more non-English games translated over alongside new games jointly developed in English and the designers native language, like we saw with Tales From The Loop (as one example) in the last year.
WotC will announce a classic setting for 5E which will please a load of fans, with others bemoaning it’s not the setting *they* want to see resurrected (of course) and also strong hints that we may finally see a Magic: The Gathering setting of some description coming out for 5E in fully supported retail release. More classic games will be updated and brought into print… both in brand new editions like the forthcoming Dark Conspiracy from Clockwork Publishing as well as ‘classic anniversary reprints’ such as FFG’s Star Wars D6 30th Anniversary slipcase set. Someone will announce a new James Bond and/or Harry Potter RPG. Netflix or Amazon will announce a TV pilot based on a RPG property with a decent budget and rave ratings. Check back at the end of next year and see how much I go wrong ;p
Michael E. Webb (Alliance Game Distributors, Game Trade Magazine): I really hope to see some more exploration of smaller group storytelling. I *love* Cthulhu Confidential and pretty much the general concept of Gumshoe one-2-one. Single player role playing can be a fantastic experience - and it can easily accommodate NPC-turned-guest-PC roleplaying with a wider group.
Seeing more deliberate playing around with the rules and settings to maximize one to one play for enjoyment of both the GM and player... That is what I most want to see in 2018.
Richard August (Conan, Codex Infernus): The new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is high on the list. As is the Judge Dredd RPG. The new edition of CthulhuTech. Cthulhu Dark. The list is endless!
Kevin Watson (Dark Naga Adventures): I think the upcoming big titles will cause an expansion of existing and new indie publishers. Top Secret New World Order released their writer guidelines before the Kickstarter was over. With Starfinder, Paizo looks poised to stoke their 3pp market considerably. Those are only two examples.
T.R. Knight (Freelance Editor): Now that my twin daughters are heading to college in the Fall of 2017 and we become partially empty nesters, I see MUCH more gaming in my future. I am eagerly anticipating having a weekly gaming group again and really being able to delve into a campaign I am going to run.
Garry Harper (Modiphius Entertainment; The Role Play Haven): More support for new writers to help publish their projects and more distribution companies to help spread these amazing games around the world.
Marc Langworthy (Modiphius; Red Scar): I’m looking forward to seeing the WOIN Judge Dredd RPG!
Stephanie McAlea (Stygian Fox Publishing, The Things We Leave Behind): Getting more of my own products out there and also new games supporting the release of Blade Runner 2049.
Dave Chapman (Doctor Who RPG; Conspiracy X 2.0): I just hope I can finally get WILD finished...
Mike Lafferty (BAMF Podcast; Fainting Goat Games): I hope to get my hands on the Starter Kit for Sentinel Comics RPG in late 2017 and spend a lot of time playing that in 2018
Andrew Peregrine (Doctor Who, Victoriana, Cabal): What I’m looking forward to is another year of gaming. I’ve got so much I want to run and play and there is a whole hoard of new stuff on the way (Invisible Sun, I’m looking at you!). To steal a music quote, every year is the best year in gaming, because we have everything that has come before and all the new stuff on the way.
Martin Greening (Azure Keep, Ruma: Dawn of Empire): I think we’ll see more new editions of games, some classic, and some more recent, as well as attempts for more integration with handheld devices. Players and GMs have long asked and hoped for digital apps that help keep track of things during games, and we’ve had a spotty track-record with such tools. Sites like roll20.net and dndbeyond.com are just the start I think.
Darren Pearce (EN Publishing; Savage Mojo): My most anticipated gaming for 2018 RPG wise? Well, that’s got to be the Witcher RPG if it rears its head — that’s the one I’m most waiting for.
Ken Spencer (Rocket Age; Why Not Games): 2018 will bring a reason to roll out the Great Cthulhu mini (Krystal claims it can't be called a mini if it weighs more than the cat) in a game.
Simon Brake (Stygian Fox): More RPGs that incorporate elements from board games and card games, and vice versa. Ways to streamline the gaming experience rather than complicate them, with any luck. Cards seem to have become more popular in RPGs but I find them a little bit clunky myself, for anything other than an alternative to dice.
Federico Sohns (Nibiru RPG): The launch and reception of Nibiru, of course!
Simon Burley (Golden Heroes, The Super Hack): As I don't buy other games, I'm not looking for any new publications. I don't know what new games I'm likely to be writing myself but want to get my own multi-genre rules finished and published. I want to keep attending games conventions and, hopefully, more non-gaming Geek conventions to introduce more people to The Hobby. I particularly want to crack ComicCons in the UK. I would quite like my "Choose Your Adventure" set up to become so popular that I need to take on another Referee or have people take the idea to conventions I can't get to. I also need to take the time to get to know people better outside of and beyond the games we play.
****
Originally created by Dave Chapman (Doctor Who: Adventures in Time & Space; Conspiracy X) #RPGaDAY is now being caretakered by the crew over at RPGBrigade. We hope you’ll join in, in the comments section, and share your thoughts with us too!
