Real Religion in Adventure Design

[TheSword]

These are important, and good notes.

But when you get to the public sphere, realize that you are making assumptions about your audience, and who they are. Check those assumptions for validity if you can.

Sure market research is a damn good idea if you are planning on writing something to publish. Particularly if something is niche.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I've always wanted to do a Transylvannia-Wallachia setting adventure with the characters hunting down Dracula/Vlad with the religions of Islam, Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Judaism and Paganism in the background with a mechanic for miracles/rituals for priests/clerics and mostly martial-styled characters (fighter, rogue, ranger) and perhaps an alchemist as your stand-in Mage but I have never gotten around to it sadly.

 

[Umbran]

Sure market research is a damn good idea if you are planning on writing something to publish. Particularly if something is niche.

Not just market research. You should be able to go a long way with a bit of serious thought.

This is especially relevant on the topic of religion - your choices about audience here can be liberating (in that they may free you to write things), but also limiting (making it so your creation is unattractive, and paints you in ways you don't like). Make sure they are the ones you want to make.

 

[MGibster]

Sure market research is a damn good idea if you are planning on writing something to publish. Particularly if something is niche.

It's been made abundantly clear that RPGs are not the most profitable of business ventures nor do most publishers have deep pockets. Other than some of the big boys, which RPG companies have the resources to conduct this kind of market research?

So many RPGs already engage with real-world religion in one way or another I don't really see the argument for avoidance.

When I saw the thread I immediately thought of Vampire the Masquerade which incorporated the Old Testament story of Cain and Abel into vampire mythology. And throughout the years, various World of Darkness books incorporated religious ideology. And th game is much better because of that.

 

[Fenris-77]

"So many people light their own houses on fire, I don't really see the argument for not doing it..."

<snip>

Who, I wonder, puts forth that chestnut? Surely, it could not be people who have some sort of interest in being able to deflect responsibility for their words!

I don't get the need for that last bit. It seems needlessly personally considering that I'm not talking about my words. If you don't like the way a game engages with religion, then don't buy it, or don't play it, but you (or I) have no business telling other people what to write about, which seems to be where you're headed here.

 

[Umbran]

I don't get the need for that last bit. It seems needlessly personally considering that I'm not talking about my words.

Oh, this isn't about you, personally. It is about the position. You are relying on a chestnut, a piece of supposed "common wisdom" as support.

You don't see a need to examine where that supposed wisdom comes from when you are using it for support?

 

[Fenris-77]

You are relying on a chestnut, a piece of supposed "common wisdom" as support.

You don't see a need to examine where that supposed wisdom comes from when you are using it for support?

The argument stands up just fine without it. Focusing on this is some pretty bad faith engagement with my overall point too, IMO. Please don't cherry pick my posts. If you want to engage, great, but I don't have a lot of use for your casual dismissal and wacky reframing.

 

[TheSword]

It's been made abundantly clear that RPGs are not the most profitable of business ventures nor do most publishers have deep pockets. Other than some of the big boys, which RPG companies have the resources to conduct this kind of market research?

I’m not really talking about hiring big marketing firms to poll huge samples. I’m talking about having a clear vision of a product and therefore who your audience is. Rather than just winging it as you go along. Measuring your product against metrics is a sensible one.

Market research can be as simple as looking what is out there in the industry at the moment and who is buying that kind of product. If your product is unique (unlikely) you can canvass forums, FLGS, and Facebook for feedback on ideas. This very thread is a form of market research. With Kickstarter info, and sales info on Amazon and DM’s guild we’ve never had so much info about what sells. Read reviews, for detailed feedback on specific issues. Look at star rating etc etc.

In this abundant RPG market it’s never been more important to have a clear vision of your work. I genuinely think for an independent publisher to try and please everyone they’ll end up pleasing nobody.

 

[MGibster]

’m not really talking about hiring big marketing firms to poll huge samples. I’m talking about having a clear vision of a product and therefore who your audience is. Rather than just winging it as you go along. Measuring your product against metrics is a sensible one.

I don't think of having a clear vision as market research. I think of it in the same way that a research paper might have a strong thesis or the author of a work of fiction has found their voice.

In this abundant RPG market it’s never been more important to have a clear vision of your work. I genuinely think for an independent publisher to try and please everyone they’ll end up pleasing nobody.

I'm certainly in agreement on this.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I tend to share @Fenris-77 ' concerns here but I also think this illustrates why forums aren't a good medium for this kind of nuanced discussion. I can't speak for @Fenris-77. My sense is he is simply saying there is a danger in catering to a desire to protect religious sensibilities where you start to impose religious taboos on artists, writers and designers and restricting how they can express themselves. I don't think he is weighing in on how he personally feels they ought to express themselves. His point is we are free to engage what we want, and to an extent our reactions are also a matter of our own choice. So this is very much a two way street. Again, beyond that, I am increasingly of the mindset that these topics don't benefit from this kind of medium (Forums) because there is a tendency to misunderstand, reframe or distort (often without realizing it) what a person is actually trying to say.