What Do You Think Of As "Modern TTRPG Mechanics"?

[pemerton]

I still stand by the opinion the original Greyhawk paladin was extremely heavily modelled on one particular character from one specific book

Sure. But it's not as if that book was produced ex nihilo, in a cultural and historical vacuum.

 

[Micah Sweet]

But of course I am talking about in the context of people publishing RPG products. You may not think that's a factor they should be paying attention to, but it is absolutely one they do pay attention to.

What people? What publishers are we discussing?

 

[mamba]

But of course I am talking about in the context of people publishing RPG products. You may not think that's a factor they should be paying attention to, but it is absolutely one they do pay attention to.

Professionals obviously should take this into account. Someone publishing something on DTRPG as a hobby can possibly afford to ignore it, as long as tney do not care about sales and would have written the same thing even if no one read it

 

[Micah Sweet]

So I publish RPG material, and frankly I can't imagine doing so without taking this into account. How popular, for which we might read common, a particular play style is, or a set of expectations is, pretty obviously needs to be accounted for by anyone publishing any kind of material for RPGs.

Ok, but focus too much on what the most people will pay you for and you get WotC, so I'm strongly inclined to lean more on the side of bespoke subsystems and more niche interests. I honestly think you get better games that way, and better games should be a priority IMO over more profit once you hit the place that covers your financial needs for the project in question. If money was the most important thing it's likely you would be in some other industry (again, unless you're a high-up in WotC).

 

[Micah Sweet]

Professionals obviously should take this into account. Someone publishing something on DTRPG as a hobby can possibly afford to ignore it, as long as tney do not care about sales and would have written the same thing even if no one read it

I generally give my money to small companies and independent creators, because they're more likely to prioritize the product over the profit, and I believe that leads to better material.

 

[soviet]

So I publish RPG material, and frankly I can't imagine doing so without taking this into account. How popular, for which we might read common, a particular play style is, or a set of expectations is, pretty obviously needs to be accounted for by anyone publishing any kind of material for RPGs.

I published an RPG and a supplement and took no account of this whatsoever. I just published the game I wanted to make.

They're respectively a gold and silver bestseller on DTRPG. Not saying that's a lot, and my game doesn't get mentioned much these days, but it was enough to make a small profit.

 

[soviet]

I generally give my money to small companies and independent creators, because they're more likely to prioritize the product over the profit, and I believe that leads to better material.

You're very much like Ron Edwards and the forge hipsters in this regard

 

[SableWyvern]

Everyone is, of course, entitled to do whatever they wish, but my general feeling is:

If your aim is to make great games, make the games you're passionate about and believe in, not the games you think the market wants.

If your aim is to make a meaningful amount of money, you assess the RPG market and then go back to your real job.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You're very much like Ron Edwards and the forge hipsters in this regard

In that regard, yes.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Today, I find the area where complexity has surpassed the point of usefulness, at least in D&D, is character generation.

This is more about D&D being behind the times than a modern game and 5e is the easiest D&D edition to make a character for. (Having recently tried I'd argue that 5e is probably easier than 2e as well). But one of the things I wanted to do when I wrote my 4e retroclone was make character creation easy and fast rather than a chore while keeping significant variety.