What Does the RPG Hobby Need Now?

[overgeeked]

This is a question I often ask myself, but now, with the release of the D&D 2024 books, I think it's a good time to ask it again:

What do we think the RPG hobby needs now? What's missing? What would make it easier for new players to get into the hobby? What makes it easier for existing players and game masters to engage in the hobby? What products do we think are missing or underserved?

And what can small publishers like myself do to help?

Wow. Great question. Huge and sweeping.

What's missing? Just about anything that's not directed at predominantly white, middle-class guys with lots of disposable income and heaps of free time.

Getting into the hobby? Cheaper books, less reliance on expensive on-ramping materials, lighter rules, less math, less homework, more pick-up-and-play, more solo RPGs, and a lot of other things along a similar vein.

Engage more? Mostly the same as above. Less expensive hobby overall with less math and homework, lighter rules, pick-up-and-play, solo play, etc.

Underserved? Anything that's not action-adventure power fantasy set in a fantasy world. Games exist that aren't those, but they're decidedly niche and practically invisible. The audiences that like those other kinds of games are therefore underserved. Sure there's a smattering of sci-fi horror mystery and the odd western, but compared to fantasy they're a tiny fraction of the hobby. To say nothing of every other genre. Romance, cozy, non-violence, community focused, community building, etc. Yes, I'm aware there's like two games that might handle one of those, but that more proves my point than disproves it.

 

[Umbran]

I don’t disagree.

So, that informs what the industry needs now.

Business incubators, where designers can go to get support in the areas they suck at in a way that reduces the financial risk.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think it is time to.finally kill prep. Games and adventures should be designed such that they can be used with little to no preparation. That can mean a lot of different things, but definitely includes embracing layout and art/cartography that informs. It means ending "paid by the word" style walls of prose. And it means tearing down the explicit divide between players and GMs.

So your suggestion is to actively remove an aspect of play you don't like?

 

[Micah Sweet]

We're right here.

I play sci-fi games regularly.

 

[MGibster]

That doesn't mean it is impossible. It isn't hard if you aren't trying to craft some story beforehand. You just need tools.

This is patently false. Players come to tables at cons all the time not knowing the rules and still have a good time.

Even the most basic dungeon crawl has some sort of narrative behind it. Thats going to require some preparation. I do not think most GMs are skilled enough to do a great job of running games without preparation.

As for your second point, I sometimes forget when replying online I have to qualify every single statement. Con games aren’t the norm, and I have different expectations for a con game. I admit I was thinking of home campaigns. Strictly speaking, you’re technically right, in some cases the players don’t need to know anything. From my personal experience, it’s kind of a pain when a player doesn’t bother to at least learn the basic rules. It’s okay in some situations, it’s not cool if it’s the third session and they still don’t know how to make a basic attack.

 

[sevenbastard]

Cheap pre painted minatures.

In 2003 Harbringer had 16 Minatures, a map, a book, stat cards, and dice for $20 MSRP. That's $34 in today money which will get you about 8 minatures no map, no stat card, no dice, or book.

I could find the MSRP of Dragoneye or other non starter sets without the map and rules, but they were a bargain back then especially at a discount from Amazon.

 

[dragoner]

Even the most basic dungeon crawl has some sort of narrative behind it. Thats going to require some preparation. I do not think most GMs are skilled enough to do a great job of running games without preparation.

As for your second point, I sometimes forget when replying online I have to qualify every single statement. Con games aren’t the norm, and I have different expectations for a con game. I admit I was thinking of home campaigns. Strictly speaking, you’re technically right, in some cases the players don’t need to know anything. From my personal experience, it’s kind of a pain when a player doesn’t bother to at least learn the basic rules. It’s okay in some situations, it’s not cool if it’s the third session and they still don’t know how to make a basic attack.

Nonetheless, GM's doing world building, creating a setting, adds value through authenticity.

 

[Reynard]

So your suggestion is to actively remove an aspect of play you don't like?

No. It's to make games without that specific barrier in order to get people into the hobby who.are otherwise intimidated by it. You can't throw a rock on r/rpg without hitting a post where someone wants to start a game but is stopped by prep.

 

[Reynard]

Even the most basic dungeon crawl has some sort of narrative behind it. Thats going to require some preparation. I do not think most GMs are skilled enough to do a great job of running games without preparation.

But that's my point. We can design adventures that do not require prep. We can design games that do not require adventures or prep. But the old way of doing things has such inertia folks can't even imagine a zero prep game.

As for your second point, I sometimes forget when replying online I have to qualify every single statement. Con games aren’t the norm, and I have different expectations for a con game. I admit I was thinking of home campaigns. Strictly speaking, you’re technically right, in some cases the players don’t need to know anything. From my personal experience, it’s kind of a pain when a player doesn’t bother to at least learn the basic rules. It’s okay in some situations, it’s not cool if it’s the third session and they still don’t know how to make a basic attack.

I agree that a regular player is being rude by refusing to learn how the basic rules around their character works.

 

[dragoner]

No. It's to make games without that specific barrier in order to get people into the hobby who.are otherwise intimidated by it. You can't throw a rock on r/rpg without hitting a post where someone wants to start a game but is stopped by prep.

R/rpg is also a black hole of info; things get posted and drowned out. I encourage people to contact me directly, just the other day I ran someone through chargen over the phone.