What is THE NEXT BIG THING?

[DragonLancer]

With respect to him, I actually found Mr Dancey's thoughts to be a little bit of doom-mongering. The next big thing won't be a major change but more likely to just be 4th edition D&D. So long as its more of a 3.X upgrade sort of design then the game will move forward. I think that any major changes again (say 2nd ed into 3rd ed) might be the big downfall.

Instead of a new big thing, what the hobby industry needs to do is find a means of brining RPG's into the mainstream a lot more. In the US (and to a lesser extend here in the UK) its still seen as a geeky interest. That needs to change. A big push to make it more mainstream and draw in more and much needed new blood is the way forward now.

Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[howandwhy99]

I think it will be cross-platform DM-run gaming.

To really attack the MMORPGs and show their weaknesses, an RPG company out there is going to shift to the computer like no other has before. Video/audio voip interface with the ability to custom design games like Neverwinter Nights is doing, but without all the heavy rules no one who plays NN wants to memorize. Instead rulesets will be hidden and be upgradeable just like software is now. A successful game adaptation will work across internet lines and with Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, PCs, and any other platform that will draw a profit.

Tabletop will not be dead however. A good game will be able to shift from the video platform to the tabletop video display just like those who already hold LAN parties. DM prep will change considerably. Much of it will be written on computer and drag and drop methods of adding rules. Published locales both professional and fan-based will be the new wave. Software that helps the GM, basically big ticket items, will be one of several potential new sale areas.

Having no GM or customization for games hurts MMORPGs. Sure they have huge online communities, but I think traditional tabletop online will take a good portion of their business if they allow users to create their own content and run worlds for their own personal friends. Putting that creativity into players hands is an awesome draw no matter how big the community online may be. Anyways, I would bet DM-run software could just as easily port into national services akin to traditional online gaming.

But what happens if you don't want to play with electronic gizmos and machines that give you images instead of using your imagination? Pen and paper could still be played. Any good system would include an easy printout of character stats. DM notes and materials would alread be organized online for printout, if desired. I think the failure of E-Tools and the still poor utilization of computers in tabletop RPGs have really hidden a golden opportunity. Character builds are just the beginning. Peanuts really. Think about how much has shifted to computers over 30 years of gaming. Now think of how we use a logic system with over a 1000 pages of rules, one that's not automated on a computer for ease of use. That's just crazy.

Maybe White Wolf will have this capacity now? I don't know. Maybe it will be one of the massive computer game companies? In any case, I can't see tabletop RPGs NOT moving closer to computer aids.

 

[Psion]

Heh...like no one ever said that before.

Indeed. I said something similar regarding the change that stopped me from moving on to a new Traveller edition way back when. And move on, I did not.

Removing the creative outlet of D&D would probably remove it from the realm of games that have any appeal to me.

 

[Galethorn]

The next big thing in 4th edition...

ME!

It's me.

I'm the next big thing.

No, I'm Sparticus!

 

[cthulhu_duck]

Two 'next biggest things' I could imagine:

* A massively multiplayer online system with a modicum of weak ai agents that caters to those who want to create as well as level up, something like a hybrid WoW/Second Life. If you want to play a game, you can. If you want to create, you can. If you want to get together with your friends online, you can...

* A massively popular mass market game that while being an RPG under some of the more lenient definitions, isn't recieved well by the 'This is my tight definition of what an RPG is, and anything that doesn't have these elements isn't an RPG' crowd. However, it achieves its purpose of growing the hobby, so other similar games like it appear coming from other RPG companies.

 

[Alzrius]

What IS the "Next Big Thing" in our hobby?

Oh for the love of...the next big thing will be when everyone in our hobby stops waiting for the sky to fall.

 

[JVisgaitis]

About a year ago I saw a prototype of a collectible card game that mixed elements of RPG/Dungeoncrawl. It was definitely innovative. In fact, I thought it had enough of the innovative spark that I picked up a "test" copy of it from the designers.

Care to share the name of the game or a link to a website?

I have no idea what the next big thing will be, but I certainly hope to see RPGs catch up with technology. Don't get me wrong, playing face to face will always be the best, but I know I would game a lot more if there was a really good vehicle to play games over the internet. I know there are a lot of people that play over the net now, but for it to have far reaching appeal, you would need a great communtiy of gamers to back it up and the entry would have to be very simple and not be daunting to new players.

I would want the software to have a slick interface like something Apple would design, VOIP, the capability to play music and sound effects, and a battlemat type interface. It won't need great graphics or anything like that, its still a game of the imagination, but it needs to be super easy to use. Couple that with a huge network of players, pay to play with professional DMs, and online tournaments and you could have some very appealing that draws in all of the old school gamers that can't always get together on Friday nights around a table.

 

[jaerdaph]

Dungeons & Dragons: The Musical!

 

[Shadeydm]

The next big things in order will 4E, 4.25E, 4.50E, 4.75E

Just think they can sell us all 12 core rule books and spend little or no time play testing because we will do it all for them and pay them for the privledge.

 

[scourger]

Think about how much has shifted to computers over 30 years of gaming. Now think of how we use a logic system with over a 1000 pages of rules, one that's not automated on a computer for ease of use. That's just crazy.

Exactly. The game is way too complicated now. It's got to be much simpler to have a broader appeal. So, I think the next big thing will actually be many small, simpler things. I am interested to see how the miniatures and new Star Wars games affect future development.