So what's the deal with solo gaming?

[BenjaminPey]

I mean, all solo RPGing is "low on roleplay" isn't it?

I would not say that, no.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't know how you play RPGs and only answered your question as to how can you be surprised. If you don't like surprises to begin with, well... why did you ask that?

I do like surprises. I just don't like narrative-based mechanics. Random, curated tables are more my speed.

 

[Reynard]

I would not say that, no.

Explain how. I see roleplaying as a response to input. Solo RPGs don't generally provide that.

 

[BenjaminPey]

I do like surprises. I just don't like narrative-based mechanics. Random, curated tables are more my speed.

Who talked about narrative-based mechanics? Playing to find out is a state of mind, a low-or-no prep, open-minded way to approach the game. There's no mechanics involved.

 

[BenjaminPey]

Explain how. I see roleplaying as a response to input. Solo RPGs don't generally provide that.

By... roleplaying? Being in the head of the characters, making them act as in their shoes, feeling what they feel and playing this all out (albeit or an audience of one?) There's the same kind of inputs as always: in the fiction, or in the mechanics.
Let me ask you this: do you think there's no roleplay involved in play-by-post?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Who talked about narrative-based mechanics? Playing to find out is a state of mind, a low-or-no prep, open-minded way to approach the game. There's no mechanics involved.

Not a fan of no prep either, but that term has been used to describe a variety of games that strongly feature narrativist mechanics.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Explain how. I see roleplaying as a response to input. Solo RPGs don't generally provide that.

Have you read my playthroughs? I include what the prompts are and how I respond to them.

 

[Reynard]

Let me ask you this: do you think there's no roleplay involved in play-by-post?

You still have other people to whom you are responding.

Anyway, i do not intend to disparage. I get how folks call this roleplaying. My brother roleplays in Skyrim all the time (by, like you say, making decisions his character would make). My knee jerk is to tie roleplaying strongly to response, which I guess is just a weird bias of mine. Because otherwise I am "roleplaying" when I write fiction, which doesn't seem right.

 

[BenjaminPey]

My knee jerk is to tie roleplaying strongly to response, which I guess is just a weird bias of mine. Because otherwise I am "roleplaying" when I write fiction, which doesn't seem right.

Well, add an element of play in you being in this role and, well... wouldn't you be roleplaying?

 

[Reynard]

Well, add an element of play in you being in this role and, well... wouldn't you be roleplaying?

I don't think so. Inhabiting a character to write them or play them on stage is not the same thing as roleplaying.

I think.