Anyone who knows me will wonder why it took me so long to get round to what is probably my favorite game of all time. However, I'm sad to say that in this example I'm not going to talk about the numbers. First Edition 7th Sea had some rather basic rules problems (mainly the importance of traits). While Second Edition actually fixes many of those issues, that isn't as useful as you might think given it changed the entire system and brought some new issues into play.
So if I'm not here to talk about rules, what am I doing? In this case I'm talking about what has kept me playing 7th Sea in all its incarnations (and a few new ones of my own) - the setting - a vital part of any good game design.
What makes people fall in love with 7th Sea is the world it is set in. There are plenty of amazing settings out there, but few are as immersive and inspiring as 7th Sea where adventure lurks around every corner. You will probably have your own favorite setting, but it will probably be for the same reasons I have for loving 7th Sea. Its contagious too, as I've not known a group I've introduced to 7th Sea not fall in love with it. So what I want to take a look at here is what makes the setting of 7th Sea so good and how you can use that in your own designs.
Before we start I should have a minor rant related to the importance of setting. I really loathe the terms 'crunch' and 'fluff' to describe rules and setting. It implies more rules are something to get your teeth into and setting is just an extra candy layer you can do without. I cringe every time I hear the terms. I truly believe setting is key in any role playing game. A good system is a requirement, but without a good setting few people are going to come back to play the game. The only exception to this is FATE and possibly D&D although that's always the exception that proves the rule.
So, what makes 7th Sea so engaging and why does that work? I've boiled it down to a few simple points:
Stereotypes are easy to understand...
One of the best ways for players to get into a game is for them to love their characters, but to do that they have to understand them. If you know a setting well this isn't too much of a problem. But even then the complexities of a real person can make it hard to figure out a character you understand. In 7th Sea, one of the basic parts of your character is your nation. Each nation produces a very distinct type of person, giving you an instant cookie cutter for your character. Want a sneaky assassin? Vodacce. Want a witty Duelist? Montaigne. Want a pragmatic diplomat? Ussura. It is easy to pick a nation and have half your character done for you. Tell any 7th Sea fan what nationality your character is and they will instantly have a picture in their mind that won't be far from the truth. This means you have a hook on not only your character, but all the other player characters and most of the NPCs as well from the first session.
...but they only go so far.
While a stereotype is a good place to start, it isn't the place to end. So the other vital thing 7th Sea does is make sure there are plenty of different options for every type of character. You can even mix and match a little. While your nationality is a hook, it isn't a straightjacket that also limits your choices. So two Montaigne duelists might be very different characters, as will two duelists from different nations. It is up to players to develop their characters as they play and none of the variety of options are off the table due to your choice of nationality.
Sweat the Details
A great background is all very well, but it is vital to know how it affects the player characters. I'm reminded of the gorgeous 'Eoris' RPG where the background is full of grand plots - like the Goddess of the universe coming to Eoris so she can be killed and a great war happening between the people of Eoris to stop this. But there is nothing in the game for what this really means for the player characters, who seem happy to adventure around the place with all this going on. The reverse is true for Lord of the Rings, where in a setting full of ancient spirits, immortal elf lords and mighty wizards, it is the tale of two hobbits trying to get up a mountain.
In 7th Sea we know what people eat and drink, what the local pubs and like and where to find a 'Jenny' when you want one. There are plenty of important NPCs, but we know the details of the world, and what we don't know we can figure out pretty easily. It is the detail that make the setting really live because that is what makes it more real. Never ignore the mundane details your characters will encounter so you can work on a cool narrative they will only hear about in the pub.
Mystery and Agency
Finally, this is the big one for me, and something that few games get right, the balance between mystery and agency. In most games the setting offers two levels of play. Initially, when you are new to the game everything is a mystery. You don't know what you might meet and what you will find. Learning a new setting is to explore a new setting and in one as detailed as 7th Sea it's a fascinating experience, a mystery to uncover. However, when you don't know a setting, you don't have much agency. How can you right wrongs if you don't know what the laws are or who makes them? How can you fight for your nation if you don't know what its enemies are?
Unfortunately, when you learn how a setting works to the point where you can really start affecting it, the mystery is gone. You know what is around every corner and while they are new adventures to be had righting the wrongs, that initial leap into the unknown has lost its excitement.
7th Sea is the only game I know that has managed to offer both mystery and agency to player characters, and I think this is the secret of its appeal. Using stereotypes and broad strokes the places and details are easy to fathom, as are the villains and heroes. Player characters can dive right into the middle of the setting and start righting wrongs (or righting the wrong wrongs quite often) from the first adventure. However, the setting never loses its mystery, at least not for my group even after running games for over 20 years. 7th Sea is full of secrets, but they are all hidden under the surface. Mysterious societies stalk the corridors of power and while the player characters might topple kings, they will have to dig deep to find the real villains behind the curtain. there is always another layer of the onion to peel back and explore. Even when the player characters have figured things out, they won't know they have, maintaining the thrill of the unknown no matter how long the campaign has been going on.
So if I'm not here to talk about rules, what am I doing? In this case I'm talking about what has kept me playing 7th Sea in all its incarnations (and a few new ones of my own) - the setting - a vital part of any good game design.
What makes people fall in love with 7th Sea is the world it is set in. There are plenty of amazing settings out there, but few are as immersive and inspiring as 7th Sea where adventure lurks around every corner. You will probably have your own favorite setting, but it will probably be for the same reasons I have for loving 7th Sea. Its contagious too, as I've not known a group I've introduced to 7th Sea not fall in love with it. So what I want to take a look at here is what makes the setting of 7th Sea so good and how you can use that in your own designs.
Before we start I should have a minor rant related to the importance of setting. I really loathe the terms 'crunch' and 'fluff' to describe rules and setting. It implies more rules are something to get your teeth into and setting is just an extra candy layer you can do without. I cringe every time I hear the terms. I truly believe setting is key in any role playing game. A good system is a requirement, but without a good setting few people are going to come back to play the game. The only exception to this is FATE and possibly D&D although that's always the exception that proves the rule.
So, what makes 7th Sea so engaging and why does that work? I've boiled it down to a few simple points:
Stereotypes are easy to understand...
One of the best ways for players to get into a game is for them to love their characters, but to do that they have to understand them. If you know a setting well this isn't too much of a problem. But even then the complexities of a real person can make it hard to figure out a character you understand. In 7th Sea, one of the basic parts of your character is your nation. Each nation produces a very distinct type of person, giving you an instant cookie cutter for your character. Want a sneaky assassin? Vodacce. Want a witty Duelist? Montaigne. Want a pragmatic diplomat? Ussura. It is easy to pick a nation and have half your character done for you. Tell any 7th Sea fan what nationality your character is and they will instantly have a picture in their mind that won't be far from the truth. This means you have a hook on not only your character, but all the other player characters and most of the NPCs as well from the first session.
...but they only go so far.
While a stereotype is a good place to start, it isn't the place to end. So the other vital thing 7th Sea does is make sure there are plenty of different options for every type of character. You can even mix and match a little. While your nationality is a hook, it isn't a straightjacket that also limits your choices. So two Montaigne duelists might be very different characters, as will two duelists from different nations. It is up to players to develop their characters as they play and none of the variety of options are off the table due to your choice of nationality.
Sweat the Details
A great background is all very well, but it is vital to know how it affects the player characters. I'm reminded of the gorgeous 'Eoris' RPG where the background is full of grand plots - like the Goddess of the universe coming to Eoris so she can be killed and a great war happening between the people of Eoris to stop this. But there is nothing in the game for what this really means for the player characters, who seem happy to adventure around the place with all this going on. The reverse is true for Lord of the Rings, where in a setting full of ancient spirits, immortal elf lords and mighty wizards, it is the tale of two hobbits trying to get up a mountain.
In 7th Sea we know what people eat and drink, what the local pubs and like and where to find a 'Jenny' when you want one. There are plenty of important NPCs, but we know the details of the world, and what we don't know we can figure out pretty easily. It is the detail that make the setting really live because that is what makes it more real. Never ignore the mundane details your characters will encounter so you can work on a cool narrative they will only hear about in the pub.
Mystery and Agency
Finally, this is the big one for me, and something that few games get right, the balance between mystery and agency. In most games the setting offers two levels of play. Initially, when you are new to the game everything is a mystery. You don't know what you might meet and what you will find. Learning a new setting is to explore a new setting and in one as detailed as 7th Sea it's a fascinating experience, a mystery to uncover. However, when you don't know a setting, you don't have much agency. How can you right wrongs if you don't know what the laws are or who makes them? How can you fight for your nation if you don't know what its enemies are?
Unfortunately, when you learn how a setting works to the point where you can really start affecting it, the mystery is gone. You know what is around every corner and while they are new adventures to be had righting the wrongs, that initial leap into the unknown has lost its excitement.
7th Sea is the only game I know that has managed to offer both mystery and agency to player characters, and I think this is the secret of its appeal. Using stereotypes and broad strokes the places and details are easy to fathom, as are the villains and heroes. Player characters can dive right into the middle of the setting and start righting wrongs (or righting the wrong wrongs quite often) from the first adventure. However, the setting never loses its mystery, at least not for my group even after running games for over 20 years. 7th Sea is full of secrets, but they are all hidden under the surface. Mysterious societies stalk the corridors of power and while the player characters might topple kings, they will have to dig deep to find the real villains behind the curtain. there is always another layer of the onion to peel back and explore. Even when the player characters have figured things out, they won't know they have, maintaining the thrill of the unknown no matter how long the campaign has been going on.
