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Podcast #204: RPG Starter Sets
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<blockquote data-quote="Abstruse" data-source="post: 8662509" data-attributes="member: 6669048"><p>I think part of the problem is we don't have standardized terminology. So we end up with four major categories of products all serving different goals using the same or similar names. So I'm going to create terminology to define them that nobody else will use and will just work to further confuse everyone.</p><p></p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Quickstart</strong>: A quick demo of the game. This is meant to give you just enough of the game to get an idea of what the rules and setting are and how it all works in play. Meant for a single session or a short session that only lasts 1-2 hours with the included rules focused on presenting just enough of the rules to cover the included adventure. The target audience is someone experienced with RPGs but wants to test drive a new setting/system/edition. Example: Hundreds of Quickstart PDFs on DriveThruRPG, the D&D 4e "Red Box" set.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Beginner Box</strong>: An introductory mini-campaign. This is meant to provide a play experience that is streamlined and easy to learn closer to the experience of playing a board game than a traditional RPG. The goal is to introduce new players to the setting, systems, and mechanics and teach them the basic concepts to play the game with everything needed included in the box. The target audience is brand new players who are curious about this specific RPG or just RPGs in general and doesn't want to commit to the full core rules yet. Example: D&D 5e Starter Sets, Pathfinder Beginner Box.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Starter Set</strong>: A package deal to purchase all materials needed to play the full core version of a game including all required accessories. This is meant for people who know they want to play the full version of the game and want to get everything to play in one single box. The target audience is players who know they want to play this game but don't want to sort through guides or buy lists to figure out what they need to play the game. Examples: D&D 5e Gift Set, Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures Borg Cube set.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Upgrade Kits</strong>: Accessory packs that contain things needed to play the game <em>except </em>for the rules. These are packages that offer accessories like dice, cards, tokens, maps, etc. that are needed to play the game but do not include any rules or adventures. The target audience is players who already have the core rules and want a single product that will get them all the little bits and bobs that are needed for a fuller game experience. Example: Pathfinder Bestiary Box, the expanded accessory kits with the D&D adventures.</li> </ol><p></p><p>I think the reason we have these discussions is a lot of starter sets/beginner boxes fall somewhere between these categories or try to do more than one at a time, which means failing at one or both of the goals. Modiphius's newest boxed sets like the Star Trek Adventures Tricorder Set or the Agents of Dune set fall somewhere between Category 3 and Category 4. They're basically accessory packs for the game so you don't have to go buy individual dice packs or card decks, but they also include a code for a digital download of the core rulebook. The Shadowrun Sixth World starter set is somewhere between Category 1 and Category 2 because it only has one adventure that's only a session's worth of play, but the rules aren't focused on the adventure and there are links to get free or very cheap Shadowrun Missions organized play adventures.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Abstruse, post: 8662509, member: 6669048"] I think part of the problem is we don't have standardized terminology. So we end up with four major categories of products all serving different goals using the same or similar names. So I'm going to create terminology to define them that nobody else will use and will just work to further confuse everyone. [LIST=1] [*][B]Quickstart[/B]: A quick demo of the game. This is meant to give you just enough of the game to get an idea of what the rules and setting are and how it all works in play. Meant for a single session or a short session that only lasts 1-2 hours with the included rules focused on presenting just enough of the rules to cover the included adventure. The target audience is someone experienced with RPGs but wants to test drive a new setting/system/edition. Example: Hundreds of Quickstart PDFs on DriveThruRPG, the D&D 4e "Red Box" set. [*][B]Beginner Box[/B]: An introductory mini-campaign. This is meant to provide a play experience that is streamlined and easy to learn closer to the experience of playing a board game than a traditional RPG. The goal is to introduce new players to the setting, systems, and mechanics and teach them the basic concepts to play the game with everything needed included in the box. The target audience is brand new players who are curious about this specific RPG or just RPGs in general and doesn't want to commit to the full core rules yet. Example: D&D 5e Starter Sets, Pathfinder Beginner Box. [*][B]Starter Set[/B]: A package deal to purchase all materials needed to play the full core version of a game including all required accessories. This is meant for people who know they want to play the full version of the game and want to get everything to play in one single box. The target audience is players who know they want to play this game but don't want to sort through guides or buy lists to figure out what they need to play the game. Examples: D&D 5e Gift Set, Modiphius's Star Trek Adventures Borg Cube set. [*][B]Upgrade Kits[/B]: Accessory packs that contain things needed to play the game [I]except [/I]for the rules. These are packages that offer accessories like dice, cards, tokens, maps, etc. that are needed to play the game but do not include any rules or adventures. The target audience is players who already have the core rules and want a single product that will get them all the little bits and bobs that are needed for a fuller game experience. Example: Pathfinder Bestiary Box, the expanded accessory kits with the D&D adventures. [/LIST] I think the reason we have these discussions is a lot of starter sets/beginner boxes fall somewhere between these categories or try to do more than one at a time, which means failing at one or both of the goals. Modiphius's newest boxed sets like the Star Trek Adventures Tricorder Set or the Agents of Dune set fall somewhere between Category 3 and Category 4. They're basically accessory packs for the game so you don't have to go buy individual dice packs or card decks, but they also include a code for a digital download of the core rulebook. The Shadowrun Sixth World starter set is somewhere between Category 1 and Category 2 because it only has one adventure that's only a session's worth of play, but the rules aren't focused on the adventure and there are links to get free or very cheap Shadowrun Missions organized play adventures. [/QUOTE]
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