Let's Talk About "Intended Playstyle"

[Smackpixi]

Generally, I think this is more a player approach situation. There’s a large contingent of TTRPG tables that think of every game as rules optional. Whether the game says, “these are the rules, period” or “these are the rules, but…” they aren’t hearing either and absent of a square board with round pieces in front of them, everything is on the table.

From a designer standpoint, if you want to make a medieval magic fantasy game, you have to go intended playstyle these days to distinguish your game from all those that have come before. What does your game bring? It’s gonna have to bring a new way to do it, or why would anyone get it? Even if you’re trying to make the most customizable hackable system ever, you need a new intended base to hang everything on.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Generally, I think this is more a player approach situation. There’s a large contingent of TTRPG tables that think of every game as rules optional. Whether the game says, “these are the rules, period” or “these are the rules, but…” they aren’t hearing either and absent of a square board with round pieces in front of them, everything is on the table.

From a designer standpoint, if you want to make a medieval magic fantasy game, you have to go intended playstyle these days to distinguish your game from all those that have come before. What does your game bring? It’s gonna have to bring a new way to do it, or why would anyone get it? Even if you’re trying to make the most customizable hackable system ever, you need a new intended base to hang everything on.

That's a good observation. There are so many RPGs out there now, that if you are not just checking an item on your bucket list but actually want people to play your game, you really need to explain why it has to exist. And I think, "It's sort of like a bunch of other ones, but it combines all my favorite rules and innovations" is a really hard way to make it stand out, because not very many people are going to share your exact preferences.

But if you can explain it not just with rules you like, but with a coherent "feel" that is unlike anything else out there...that makes sense to me. For example, what is appealing to me about Nimble is the "tactical, but fast" thing.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That's a good observation. There are so many RPGs out there now, that if you are not just checking an item on your bucket list but actually want people to play your game, you really need to explain why it has to exist. And I think, "It's sort of like a bunch of other ones, but it combines all my favorite rules and innovations" is a really hard way to make it stand out, because not very many people are going to share your exact preferences.

But if you can explain it not just with rules you like, but with a coherent "feel" that is unlike anything else out there...that makes sense to me. For example, what is appealing to me about Nimble is the "tactical, but fast" thing.

If you want people to buy your game, I agree with you. If you just want people to play it, then it's a matter of finding folks willing to try out your bundle of house rules. That's what I do.