the Jester
Legend
My rpgs are just fine, thank you.
Why RPGs are Failing
Doc_Klueless
Doors and Corners
Awesome idea... YOINK!!Telperion said:
Wombat
First Post
I think it is easy enough to state that rpgs are having a tough time at the moment. The number of shops carrying rpgs (of any manufacturer) in the Bay Area of California has been dropping for several years; my local FLGS is likely to drop them next year due to declining sales.
We, in the middle of good, healthy games see the hobby doing quite well, thankyouverymuch, but I'm not sure sales in general would bear this trend out. Video/ computer games are the big winners at the moment, beating out movies.
Now why this is happening is a different matter. I do not believe this is a roll- vs. role-playing matter, but a short attention span, hooked to special effects matter. RPGs require that you sit (comparatively) still, enter into a shared worlds, know the rules (to a greater or lesser extent), and have times when the action slows down. RPGs are not constantly shiny, moving on hyperspeed, with amazing graphics, 5.1 surround sound, and the like.
These are personal opinions only, of course, but I think they would be born out with a study.
We, in the middle of good, healthy games see the hobby doing quite well, thankyouverymuch, but I'm not sure sales in general would bear this trend out. Video/ computer games are the big winners at the moment, beating out movies.
Now why this is happening is a different matter. I do not believe this is a roll- vs. role-playing matter, but a short attention span, hooked to special effects matter. RPGs require that you sit (comparatively) still, enter into a shared worlds, know the rules (to a greater or lesser extent), and have times when the action slows down. RPGs are not constantly shiny, moving on hyperspeed, with amazing graphics, 5.1 surround sound, and the like.
These are personal opinions only, of course, but I think they would be born out with a study.
Davelozzi
Explorer
I don't agree with your points. Sure, the rules are more structured now than in previous editions. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on your preferences. At any rate, in twenty years of playing RPGs, I've never seen a combat system that was truly realistic (and certainly not a fun one), nor one that didn't require players to take turns.
dreaded_beast
First Post
ConcreteBuddha said:
I wish I had your problem...
Wait, I DO have 3 games, heh. But it is amongst people I know or had to convince to start playing again. I got my girlfriend to start playing a solo-campaign with me (but that's in hiatus right now due to me being "lazy"). I also got a friend of mine to pick up the books again and start playing. The last time he played was roughly 15 years ago.
However, I still think that RPGs are not as prevalent a hobby as some other hobbies out there. Especially when you have such a small "RPG player base" to work from. I assume finding a game in the "big city" is no problem, but living in Hawaii is another story.
In my experience here there are mainly 2 groups of RPG players. People that come down from the military, but are only staying for a limited time, resulting in either an unstable gaming group or a "short" campaign. The "locals" who live here, but since this is a very small island, the selection of people to play with is very limited. You may end up always gaming with the same people even if you do not get along with them or are trying to find a new group.
In my own experience, I have met many "old" players, but I have yet to meet many "new" players. However, I am hopeful because in my group I have 1 relatively newbie, whose experience comes from playing the DND video games, 1 player who began playing a few years ago with her dad, and another who began playing a few years ago with her husband.
I think RPGs will always be around in some form or other, but will not be as prevalant as other hobbies unless more "new" players are brought into the fold.
Raduin711
Hero
-Why Rpg's are Failing:
Honestly, I don't think that is the case. Perhaps "evolving" or "changing" would be better, but I don't see D&D or any other RPG coming to an end any time soon.
-Stopped being an RPG, started being a "Game"
Semantics aside, Sometimes I can see where you're coming from. But honestly, games are as rigid or as loose as you make them... some systems are looser because there are fewer "rules" to be rigid about. The rules of 3.5 are simple to start, but when it comes to character abilities, modifiers, and other "add-ons" the game reaches higher complexity and more rules to adhere to, and therefore, more rigid.
If at some point, a character "cannot" do something because it is not supported by the rules, its time to take a step back and breathe. The rules are a means to a simulation, not the end-all-be-all. some things that players do or try to do aren't in the rules, and when they come up, It's the DM's perogative to adjudicate the situation. This sounds like a cop-out, but this is really how its supposed to work ;] Even if it comes down to "If i roll even, you win, I roll odd, I win".
Honestly, I don't think that is the case. Perhaps "evolving" or "changing" would be better, but I don't see D&D or any other RPG coming to an end any time soon.
-Stopped being an RPG, started being a "Game"
Semantics aside, Sometimes I can see where you're coming from. But honestly, games are as rigid or as loose as you make them... some systems are looser because there are fewer "rules" to be rigid about. The rules of 3.5 are simple to start, but when it comes to character abilities, modifiers, and other "add-ons" the game reaches higher complexity and more rules to adhere to, and therefore, more rigid.
If at some point, a character "cannot" do something because it is not supported by the rules, its time to take a step back and breathe. The rules are a means to a simulation, not the end-all-be-all. some things that players do or try to do aren't in the rules, and when they come up, It's the DM's perogative to adjudicate the situation. This sounds like a cop-out, but this is really how its supposed to work ;] Even if it comes down to "If i roll even, you win, I roll odd, I win".
