Play Is Paramount: Discuss

[aramis erak]

That's not what people are saying. People are saying the RPG books are indexed to (designed to be used in) play. How individuals decide to enjoy their hobby engagement is up to them. I have lots of RPG books I've read and enjoyed and have no intention of ever playing, but that doesn't change the fact that those game books were written to enhance or otherwise facilitate play at the table. No one is trying to yuck your yum, I promise.

There are a handful that are not intended for play, but can be played anyway. Apparently HōL was not intended for play — it's barely legible, and only marginally playable — it's intent was parody first, playability second, or so I've read. And trying to read it, my impression was play was secondary.

They're vastly in the minority.

Some licensed games seem more an excuse to do an episode synopsis and sourcebook than to be played - this was a charge originally leveled at WEG Star Wars, due to the concurrent release of the core and the Sourcebook... but in truth, the combination was a way to get the RPG into the hands of non-gamers by having the game stats in the sourcebook... I've seen attestations by a dozen WEG fans of them coming to RPGing via buying the Sourcebook, then the RPG core, then more supplements and (often) into other licensed games, and/or D&D.

Other games with similar episode summaries include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Red Dwarf.
Some, like Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Heroic RP, Vorkosigan Saga.... they don't have synopses, but do have a lot of general setting information that's synthesized from the series. (Note: Vorkosigan Saga has almost nothing textual that's not in Jody Lynn Nye's Vorkosigan Companion, aside from the game stats. The art's new...) Come to think of it, Vorkosigan Saga borders on aiming at non-gamers...

Some licensed games try to be able to stand alone... The Proxima Campaign and the prior Terran Trade Authority RPG try to include playable detail in quantity enough to not need to have read the TTA series' constituent books. In some ways, TTARPG felt more like an introduction to the TTA setting than an RPG.

 

[Fenris-77]

There are a handful that are not intended for play, but can be played anyway. Apparently HōL was not intended for play — it's barely legible, and only marginally playable — it's intent was parody first, playability second, or so I've read. And trying to read it, my impression was play was secondary.

They're vastly in the minority.

Some licensed games seem more an excuse to do an episode synopsis and sourcebook than to be played - this was a charge originally leveled at WEG Star Wars, due to the concurrent release of the core and the Sourcebook... but in truth, the combination was a way to get the RPG into the hands of non-gamers by having the game stats in the sourcebook... I've seen attestations by a dozen WEG fans of them coming to RPGing via buying the Sourcebook, then the RPG core, then more supplements and (often) into other licensed games, and/or D&D.

Other games with similar episode summaries include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Red Dwarf.
Some, like Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Heroic RP, Vorkosigan Saga.... they don't have synopses, but do have a lot of general setting information that's synthesized from the series. (Note: Vorkosigan Saga has almost nothing textual that's not in Jody Lynn Nye's Vorkosigan Companion, aside from the game stats. The art's new...) Come to think of it, Vorkosigan Saga borders on aiming at non-gamers...

Some licensed games try to be able to stand alone... The Proxima Campaign and the prior Terran Trade Authority RPG try to include playable detail in quantity enough to not need to have read the TTA series' constituent books. In some ways, TTARPG felt more like an introduction to the TTA setting than an RPG.

HoL is surprisingly playable, although I won't argue about the overall design telos there.

 

[soviet]

HoL is surprisingly playable, although I won't argue about the overall design telos there.

I've played it! I was the Rorschach type guy. I saved the Silver Surfer guy from being crushed by a falling spaceship by (checks notes) shooting him in the chest with my grappling hook gun and dragging him out of range.

 

[Fenris-77]

I've played it! I was the Rorschach type guy. I saved the Silver Surfer guy from being crushed by a falling spaceship by (checks notes) shooting him in the chest with my grappling hook gun and dragging him out of range.

The base mechanics are actually pretty slick, especially for the period and project.

 

[soviet]

The base mechanics are actually pretty slick, especially for the period and project.

I honestly remember nothing about the mechanics, it was a one-off. I would love to get hold of the book and supplement though.

 

[Fenris-77]

I honestly remember nothing about the mechanics, it was a one-off. I would love to get hold of the book and supplement though.

It's a pretty basic 2d6 plus mods system. Think Traveller on bath salts.

 

[Thomas Shey]

This was my last straw with Pathfinder and the D&D 3.X system, too... and is one of the things that led to me trying to find games where this kind of thing would be less likely.

Unfortunately, I tend to find low-prep games generally unsatisfying in other ways too, so the lesson I took from the two I mentioned was "Make sure you have solid buy-in before you start doing the heavy lifting." Which from the sound of it wouldn't have prevented the situation you found yourself in from happening.

(I've occasionally had the equivelent of your situation come up with me too, but fortunately its just been in games where most prep wasn't front loaded, unlike the two cases I referenced).

 

[hawkeyefan]

Unfortunately, I tend to find low-prep games generally unsatisfying in other ways too, so the lesson I took from the two I mentioned was "Make sure you have solid buy-in before you start doing the heavy lifting." Which from the sound of it wouldn't have prevented the situation you found yourself in from happening.

(I've occasionally had the equivelent of your situation come up with me too, but fortunately its just been in games where most prep wasn't front loaded, unlike the two cases I referenced).

Yeah, I get that. I did some prep before full buy-in, but the bulk was after the players all confirmed they were down. Because it’s a friend group, we try not to exclude anyone.

Another lesson… sometimes, it’s okay to just accept a specific game or campaign may not fit a certain player, and they should sit out rather than compromise the game.

 

[Micah Sweet]

There are a handful that are not intended for play, but can be played anyway. Apparently HōL was not intended for play — it's barely legible, and only marginally playable — it's intent was parody first, playability second, or so I've read. And trying to read it, my impression was play was secondary.

They're vastly in the minority.

Some licensed games seem more an excuse to do an episode synopsis and sourcebook than to be played - this was a charge originally leveled at WEG Star Wars, due to the concurrent release of the core and the Sourcebook... but in truth, the combination was a way to get the RPG into the hands of non-gamers by having the game stats in the sourcebook... I've seen attestations by a dozen WEG fans of them coming to RPGing via buying the Sourcebook, then the RPG core, then more supplements and (often) into other licensed games, and/or D&D.

Other games with similar episode summaries include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Red Dwarf.
Some, like Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Heroic RP, Vorkosigan Saga.... they don't have synopses, but do have a lot of general setting information that's synthesized from the series. (Note: Vorkosigan Saga has almost nothing textual that's not in Jody Lynn Nye's Vorkosigan Companion, aside from the game stats. The art's new...) Come to think of it, Vorkosigan Saga borders on aiming at non-gamers...

Some licensed games try to be able to stand alone... The Proxima Campaign and the prior Terran Trade Authority RPG try to include playable detail in quantity enough to not need to have read the TTA series' constituent books. In some ways, TTARPG felt more like an introduction to the TTA setting than an RPG.

Those are literally my favorite kinds of RPG books.