How much Jack could a Jack Chick Chick if a Jack Chick could Chick Jack? (Help!)

[Paragon Kobold]

After reading this thread I now want a pamphlet in which
lingerie models explain how to play with Rocket Propelled Grenades.

 

[diaglo]

i'm waiting for the Complete Idiot's Guide to d02 Roleplaying being released in April 05. by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker

or D&D for Dummies ... or whatever they are calling it.

 

[Dr Awkward]

I prefer to explain RPGs to people by asking what their favorite game is. Then ask them how much fun it would be if they played the game as someone other than themselves. And then imagine you aren't actually playing against the other players, but rather you are all playing as a team in support of one another.

That is a fantastic way to put it. I'm doing it that way from now on, and with your permission (and credit), I'd like to borrow that idea for The Escapist.

 

[Dr Awkward]

For a while now, I've been kicking around the idea of making one-page (double-sided) RPGs that a person could give away to anyone who is curious about the hobby - or leave in a conspicuous place for someone to come along and pick up. Sort of like the idea behind Bookcrossing. Something short & simple, with a few simple characters, a short scenario, and a ruleset that uses one or two six siders. I was thinking it'd be cool to have a sci-fi sheet, a fantasy sheet, an spy/espionage sheet... that sort-a-thing. PDF it all up, and post it to my site for people to print out and go mad.

The thing is, it's real tough to explain the RPG concept AND include an actual RPG AND characters AND scenario on one sheet of paper. I'm still working on it. If anyone out there is willing to help out, I'm open to suggestions. Drop me a note at waltonwj-at-aol-dot-com.

Likewise, I'd be happy to link to any sort of "What is RPG?" pamphlet that will be (or has been) cooked up, or even stick it on my site for distribution, just to help spread the word. If you know of any, or are working on one, or would like my assistance with one, let me know.

 

[Chaldfont]

I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but what actually drew me into playing D&D in the early 80s was a short pamphlet that explained what D&D and roleplaying were and then had a short transcript of play (sort of like what you find in the AD&D DMG). IIRC, the characters had to traverse an open pit and fight an owlbear. I think I was about 10 years old at the time and the concept blew my mind.

I found the pamphlet in a D&D display at the local drug store of all places! It was a folded two-pager, I think, filled front and back.

 

[Henry]

After reading this thread I now want a pamphlet in which
lingerie models explain how to play with Rocket Propelled Grenades.

Put a dollar value on that, and you've got a best-seller!

Seriously, It would be interesting to see what some of the extremely creative people who have contributed to this thread come up with, if they get the time to work on it a bit. I know Claudio's and Berandor's abilities (one's my third-favorite artist, and the other's my fourth-favorite writer of fiction!) as well as some of the others here.

 

[Quasqueton]

That is a fantastic way to put it. I'm doing it that way from now on, and with your permission (and credit), I'd like to borrow that idea for The Escapist.

Go for it.

Quasqueton

 

[Ferret]

I say it's like reading a book but we tell the story rather then write it. That always works. Maybe it's just that the people who ask are younger (15yrs old)?

 

[RFisher]

For a while now, I've been kicking around the idea of making one-page (double-sided) RPGs that a person could give away to anyone who is curious about the hobby - or leave in a conspicuous place for someone to come along and pick up.

I used to do that with GURPS Lite.

The thing is, it's real tough to explain the RPG concept AND include an actual RPG AND characters AND scenario on one sheet of paper.

Nigh impossible. You could certainly do it in less pages than GURPS lite, but one sheet of A4/letter paper with legible text won't cut it.

There are lots of things out there to use as inspiration for such a project: GURPS Lite, Fudge in a Nutshell, the old AD&D fast play pamphlets, &c. I'm not sure any of them have everything you listed, but between them they do.

 

[Dr Awkward]

Nigh impossible. You could certainly do it in less pages than GURPS lite, but one sheet of A4/letter paper with legible text won't cut it.

Hmm. Instead, the idea might be to describe the RPG concept on the page, then provide URLs to PDFs with the quickstart RPGs on them. A different URL (and PDF) for each genre, to allow them to choose - one for scifi, one for fantasy, one for cyberpunk, etc. That way, those who get interested enough to try it out will know right where to go to get started.

Thanks for the brainstorm!

- DocAwk