Where can I get feedback for my RPG?

[tunglashr]

First of all, is this post appropriate for this forum? If it needs to be somewhere else, please let me know and I will relocate it.

I have been working on an RPG for a few years, and it is in a place where it needs feedback. I have so far used reddit and rpg.net to get feedback, but it is sparse. I need...more.

Some background about my game. First of all, the market is flooded with rules-lite; my game goes in another direction. It isn't clunky and over-complicated, but it does have a learning curve and the action cards can be daunting if you just look at all the info. They are simple and fast to use once learned.

The setting is "old west X-Files", hence the name: The West That Wasn't.

What I need feedback on are mechanics and explanations. The formatting is not good yet, but that is because no effort has been put there. Eventually I will find a pro to help with that. The rulebook is 175 pages or so, meaning it does take a chunk of time to read.

Is there a good place to find this, outside of the two spots I mentioned? If it is appropriate here, can I post a dropbox link to the file?

 

[tommybahama]

The Angry GM wrote an article on how to playtest your game. You can probably start there. The TLDR is, "if you’re serious about designing a game, playtesting isn’t something you do at the end. It’s something you do at the beginning. And then you keep doing it. Over and over."

I like the title and concept of your game so good luck to you!

 

[Morrus]

Getting other people to playtest your game is one of the hardest challenges for a new game designer. Hell, it's hard for an established game designer. And it's incredibly important.

It sounds like you're at an earlier stage than that? Just initial hot takes on the manuscript?

Dropping a 200 page file probably won't get many takers. Is there any way you can post key segments instead? Things that people can read quickly?

Just don't forget that a hot take on a mansuscript is not the same thing as a playtest.

 

[tunglashr]

The Angry GM wrote an article on how to playtest your game. You can probably start there. The TLDR is, "if you’re serious about designing a game, playtesting isn’t something you do at the end. It’s something you do at the beginning. And then you keep doing it. Over and over."

I like the title and concept of your game so good luck to you!

The engine of my game has been extensively playtested, but with only 2 GMs. I dont claim its done there, but what I am after now is not that, but just people to read it over and offer any thoughts they have. Once the craziness subsides I plan on resuming playtesting.

 

[LordEntrails]

Run the game, as it is, for people. Right now that probably means you can't take it to your FLGS, but you can go online.

A lot of virtual cons let you run games for any system. Of course you are going to figure out how you are going to do it online, but imo any game developed now a days should be able to be run digitally anyways. (Not from a 'fun' perspective, but from a 'business' one). Are you going to play it via a VTT or voice and video (Discord etc)?

 

[tunglashr]

Getting other people to playtest your game is one of the hardest challenges for a new game designer. Hell, it's hard for an established game designer. And it's incredibly important.

It sounds like you're at an earlier stage than that? Just initial hot takes on the manuscript?

Dropping a 200 page file probably won't get many takers. Is there any way you can post key segments instead? Things that people can read quickly?

Just don't forget that a hot take on a mansuscript is not the same thing as a playtest.

I am always interested in playtesting. My game has bee pretty well tested, so I know the mechanics work, and I know the cards can be easily taught and learned. If I hadnt already done a lot of playtesting, I might have given up after posting it to reddit. Their "hot takes" (love that you chose that term) were almost exclusively "this sucks, its too complex, nobody will learn it". Luckily I had taught 10+ players of all skill levels how to use the cards in 15 minutes or less, so I knew the problem was not that the cards were impossible to learn, but that my explanation just needed work.

Yeah, I figured I would not get a lot of people to read and critique a 200 page file, but I had hoped I could post it and people could read a section that interested them and comment on it. You are reinforcing things I already knew, but didnt want to know. I need to ask for something specific.

My biggest questions right now are: Can a new player pick up the rulebook and easily learn to use the cards? Does the social combat system make sense and sound interesting? What do people think of the fear mechanics?

 

[tunglashr]

Run the game, as it is, for people. Right now that probably means you can't take it to your FLGS, but you can go online.

A lot of virtual cons let you run games for any system. Of course you are going to figure out how you are going to do it online, but imo any game developed now a days should be able to be run digitally anyways. (Not from a 'fun' perspective, but from a 'business' one). Are you going to play it via a VTT or voice and video (Discord etc)?

My problem with running it online is I am a terrible online GM. Even for players I know, in games I have imprinted on my psyche, I just dont do it well.

This is a great idea, and in a lot of ways great for my game. Its made to be played on a tactical map, so using a virtual tabletop makes a lot of sense. The issue is me. I am afraid that if I try it online I will get a skewed perspective because of my lack of this particular skill.

 

[LordEntrails]

My problem with running it online is I am a terrible online GM. Even for players I know, in games I have imprinted on my psyche, I just dont do it well.

This is a great idea, and in a lot of ways great for my game. Its made to be played on a tactical map, so using a virtual tabletop makes a lot of sense. The issue is me. I am afraid that if I try it online I will get a skewed perspective because of my lack of this particular skill.

This is where you need to realize something... And you can see it echo'd in a few other current discussions on the site here;

If you are going to go into business as a solo-business, then you have to be competent at everything your business needs. If you are not (and most people are not), then you need to build a team or become part of a company that already has a team. Or, you need to put in the time to learn the skills that you need.

I'm sure there are other ways to learn how to be a good online DM, but I can tell you that www.fantasygroundscollege.net has free classes that teach you how to be a good online GM. But of course, that means you need to invest in FG since you will need that tool to use much of what they teach you.

 

[tunglashr]

This is where you need to realize something... And you can see it echo'd in a few other current discussions on the site here;

If you are going to go into business as a solo-business, then you have to be competent at everything your business needs. If you are not (and most people are not), then you need to build a team or become part of a company that already has a team. Or, you need to put in the time to learn the skills that you need.

I'm sure there are other ways to learn how to be a good online DM, but I can tell you that www.fantasygroundscollege.net has free classes that teach you how to be a good online GM. But of course, that means you need to invest in FG since you will need that tool to use much of what they teach you.

I agree with the message of your post, but I am not certain that being a good online GM is a skill I must have. In the short term, sure, I could get a little extra playtesting in. But is that necessary to the success of the game? I wont rush to production without more testing, so whether it happens online or at the table, it will happen eventually.

My issue is this. Right now, I am at a spot where the writing is pretty close to being ready. The rules are in a good spot. Critique and playtesting are what is needed. With those, I can then rewrite/improve on spots that are learned in game.

I want to continue making progress, but the spot where I am is a place that needs feedback.

That being said, I am going to look at the site you recommend and see if I can improve myself. Even if I dont need it, maybe I can have it anyway. I definitely appreciate your points.

 

[HoratioAtTheBridge]

It sounds like you might be looking for an editor. A professional copy editor can be found here: https://www.sfep.org.uk/about/faqs/what-is-copy-editing/

You might be able to search "copy editor" and find some other resources.

If you can't pay someone for editing services, then you'll need to find someone who's invested enough to do it for free, like a co-creator. I feel your pain in that regards. I'm also trying to put together a new RPG, and while I've gotten great feedback in my playtest games, I haven't been able to get anyone to invest more time than just playing the game. Which, hey, is fair. It's not their project.

Are you open to selling your game to a publisher? They've usually got resources like editors and artists who can give your game the proper polish you need to finish it up.