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Indie Games Are Not More Focused. They Are Differently Focused.
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<blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 8312947" data-attributes="member: 6785785"><p>I think part of the problem is that "D&D" is kind of a nebulous thing, at least in this context. It's a game, not a setting. But it has Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk and Dragonlance and Dark Sun and Ravenloft and Planescape.....and dozens of other settings, either "official" or by third party. Most settings allow for some variation on the general fantasy category that D&D assumes by default. Some may lean a bit more sword and sorcery, while others may lean more high fantasy or heroic fantasy, or gothic horror fantasy, and so on. </p><p></p><p>I think that lends the impression of flexibility on the part of the system because "hey look, all these games are different, but they're all still D&D". </p><p></p><p>Yet take a system like Powered by the Apocalypse, and while you have an incredibly flexible core system, when people take that core system and craft another setting for it, very often the result is a PbtA game that we wouldn't label "Apocalypse World". There is a distinction between Apocalypse World and Powered by the Apocalypse that there isn't for D&D and games using the 5E system. </p><p></p><p>Yet if you look at all the games that are designed for PbtA and then all the games designed for 5E, I think that the variety of PbtA seems to be greater. I don't think we can say for certain, but really, most 5E based games are some variation on fantasy. There are some exceptions for sure, and if we start to pull in things like Stars Without Number or other OSR type games, then that starts to open up more.....but that's not really 5E so much as earlier editions of D&D. </p><p></p><p>Like, the 5E based games and settings that I can list off the top of my head are primarily fantasy with a specific flavor or theme. Theros is Greek inspired and Primeval Thule is sword and sorcery and Adventures in Middle Earth is....well that one's obvious. There are some examples that are sci-fi or urban fantasy or cosmic horror.....but they're pretty few and far between, and none that I think are as regarded as some of the PbtA games.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I think this is where folks leap to the idea that these games are niche. That they have a narrow focus. Because it's one system, and it's taken and tweaked in order to deliver a specific genre or theme. But this overlooks the fact that these games are all built on the same core system precisely because it is so flexible. And when compared to D&D, it seems that the same view that a given game or setting is niche is not applied. </p><p></p><p>Like, how is Monsterhearts more niche than Ravenloft? They're both games aiming to deliver a genre.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hawkeyefan, post: 8312947, member: 6785785"] I think part of the problem is that "D&D" is kind of a nebulous thing, at least in this context. It's a game, not a setting. But it has Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk and Dragonlance and Dark Sun and Ravenloft and Planescape.....and dozens of other settings, either "official" or by third party. Most settings allow for some variation on the general fantasy category that D&D assumes by default. Some may lean a bit more sword and sorcery, while others may lean more high fantasy or heroic fantasy, or gothic horror fantasy, and so on. I think that lends the impression of flexibility on the part of the system because "hey look, all these games are different, but they're all still D&D". Yet take a system like Powered by the Apocalypse, and while you have an incredibly flexible core system, when people take that core system and craft another setting for it, very often the result is a PbtA game that we wouldn't label "Apocalypse World". There is a distinction between Apocalypse World and Powered by the Apocalypse that there isn't for D&D and games using the 5E system. Yet if you look at all the games that are designed for PbtA and then all the games designed for 5E, I think that the variety of PbtA seems to be greater. I don't think we can say for certain, but really, most 5E based games are some variation on fantasy. There are some exceptions for sure, and if we start to pull in things like Stars Without Number or other OSR type games, then that starts to open up more.....but that's not really 5E so much as earlier editions of D&D. Like, the 5E based games and settings that I can list off the top of my head are primarily fantasy with a specific flavor or theme. Theros is Greek inspired and Primeval Thule is sword and sorcery and Adventures in Middle Earth is....well that one's obvious. There are some examples that are sci-fi or urban fantasy or cosmic horror.....but they're pretty few and far between, and none that I think are as regarded as some of the PbtA games. I think this is where folks leap to the idea that these games are niche. That they have a narrow focus. Because it's one system, and it's taken and tweaked in order to deliver a specific genre or theme. But this overlooks the fact that these games are all built on the same core system precisely because it is so flexible. And when compared to D&D, it seems that the same view that a given game or setting is niche is not applied. Like, how is Monsterhearts more niche than Ravenloft? They're both games aiming to deliver a genre. [/QUOTE]
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