Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
My game group is much like Wulf's. We gather 'round the table because we're friends, and we like spending time with each other. D&D is no more or less than the preferred platform for spending that time. Some guys get together for poker, some for watching The Big Game. We? We get together for D&D.
As others have said, Story is a happenstance. It's a nice side-benefit. But really, we remember Events. Like when Lohi the Dragon Shaman held on when everyone else was dropped and used his healing aura to prevent a TPK. Or whatever. Point is, it's these individual signposts that stand. The larger story only provides a way to lead from one signpost to the next. And even then, the point is that it's us guys hanging around the table, throwing dice and having fun.
So: rather than waste time with a genre title switcheroo, RPG game makers should spend time figuring out how to make the "hanging around, throwing dice, having fun" more accessible. Make D&D less cumbersome. Don't require all players to read a tome that looks suspiciously like a school textbook. Make the initial time and effort investment really low, and you'll expand the hobby.
-z
One simple, easy example of this notion in action? Cut the spells from the Player's Handbook. Only playes of magic-using classes need that info. To the player of the Fighter, all those spells add zero value to an already intimidating block of dense rules.
As others have said, Story is a happenstance. It's a nice side-benefit. But really, we remember Events. Like when Lohi the Dragon Shaman held on when everyone else was dropped and used his healing aura to prevent a TPK. Or whatever. Point is, it's these individual signposts that stand. The larger story only provides a way to lead from one signpost to the next. And even then, the point is that it's us guys hanging around the table, throwing dice and having fun.
So: rather than waste time with a genre title switcheroo, RPG game makers should spend time figuring out how to make the "hanging around, throwing dice, having fun" more accessible. Make D&D less cumbersome. Don't require all players to read a tome that looks suspiciously like a school textbook. Make the initial time and effort investment really low, and you'll expand the hobby.
-z
One simple, easy example of this notion in action? Cut the spells from the Player's Handbook. Only playes of magic-using classes need that info. To the player of the Fighter, all those spells add zero value to an already intimidating block of dense rules.
