D&D 5E Testing the waters. How many of you would be interested in solo play?

[Zaran]

I like solo play. It's why I wish there was a video game where I can make true 5e characters to play with different character ideas without having to deal with the time constraints of a group game.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I recently made a topic about how much I enjoyed the D&D board games (Castle ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon etc ) and pitch out an idea of giving enemies a specific way to operate in battle, just for the benefit of new DM's or those who aren't sure how to actually play a certain monster/race/whatever. Someone mentioned it would be a cool DMGUILD product. I completely agree, but instead of that, how many people would be interested in a book (or whatever) to play real 5e solo? Clearly it would follow the boardgame style with random map generation, and some randomized lists of events that could happen. I know the DM's guide mentioned solo play at somepoint (don't remember what edition it was, maybe 4th?) It never really expanded upon the concept though. So I'm just seeing how many people might be interested in such a product.

I'm interested in solo play (and I do it a fair bit, at least when running practice combats and things). However, it's not too hard to generate your own solo play, so whether or not I were interested in a solo play product has mostly to do with the quality of the random tables in it--are they pure genius that I couldn't have generated on my own? I.e. are they as good, in their own way, as this stuff? http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.com/2015/10/on-doctors-craft.html

So, the potential is there for me to buy, but you'd have to beat out the alternatives.

 

[Dausuul]

Literally solo? Like, I sit down at the table by myself and play with no one else in the room?

I already have the product you're suggesting. It's called a "computer game." I have zero interest in a book that attempts to mimic computer RPGs; the machine does it better than any book could. The great strength of D&D is that the game world can respond coherently to whatever I, the player, take it into my head to do; I am not limited to events that were scripted for me in advance. But in order to achieve that, a human DM is required.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I like solo play. It's why I wish there was a video game where I can make true 5e characters to play with different character ideas without having to deal with the time constraints of a group game.

I'm working on it, Zaran! Made some good progress this weekend. I hope to have something playable and shareable in about three weeks.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

No real interest. If I'm going to do the board game combat thing, I'd rather just do the board game combat thing. One of the distasteful things about 4E was that it felt like rules for a board game (granted, they seemed like good rules for a board game).

Even for preludes, I'd rather use any of 1) Traveler randomized, 2) WoD narrative, or 3) FATE cooperative over a scripted combat.

On other hand, if I misunderstand and you're talking about narrative advice for fighting styles, tactics, morale, etc. then that's a different matter. I think that sort of thing would be great and really should have been part of the core Monster Manual text for most monsters.

I would totally buy a product that fleshed out MM monsters with ecology/organization/spoor/etc.

 

[Evenglare]

Huh doesn't seem to garner interest, eh. I know most people play computer RPGs if they are solo but there isn't really any different between playing a D&D game by yourself and playing one on the computer... other than the clearly obvious ease of gameplay letting the computer work the system. But playing something like this would be equivalent to game of solitaire with actual cards instead of on the computer. Also I didn't think I'd need to clarify but a lot of people seem to think that solo play would some how... take over their game night or something? I don't quite get that argument. As for the third argument of going to play other games that do it better... 2 thoughts on this.

One, implying that other games do X better when X(in my case the solo play book) doesn't exist is... it's a really crappy outlook on life, essentially when I hear that it translates to "It's hard so why even try if you are going to fail". You can't possibly know how something plays and the enjoyment factor if the product doesn't actually exist yet. You can certainly have preconceived notions of what it -might- look like, but at that point you have already biased yourself against the product. Point 2, is that people enjoy 5e, they like the system and sometimes you want more to do than wait for game night. In this case I don't want to play the pathfinder card game, I'd want to play 5e D&D. Those other games aren't 5e D&D, so if I wanted to play 5e why would I go and play other things if I have the right resources (in this case solo play) to get my 5e fix?

The reason I posted this topic is that I sometimes find myself not being able to play in a game for 2 maybe 3 months, and that itch occurs. I figured others might have had the same feelings. I'm not trying to defend it or anything. If people don't care about something then clearly I'm going to put creative priority in something else. Anyway, thanks for responding either way. Game on.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Nah, I'd rather just play an RPG video game. Half the fun of D&D for me is the social interaction.

This is my take as well. The real value of a TTRPG is hanging out with friends and making stuff up.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I like solo PbP play. I've done it in the past and enjoyed it. To see what others have done in this area by way of published adventures, check out Expeditious Retreat's products. They have a line of solid one-on-one products.

 

[akr71]

If I plainly feel the need to spend time with D&D in my alone time (and there is more than I'd like some days - my wife is a nurse --> night shifts), I will write rather than play a video game. Whether it is making notes/modifications on a store bought adventure or writing my own adventure for my group.

 

[Cristian Andreu]

While solo play is not my thing, I could see some people enjoying such a product. "Gnomes 100, Dragons 0" comes to mind as a very interesting solo adventure. After all, it's essentially a very sophisticated Choose Your Own Adventure.