Day three of #RPGaDAY2018 asks "What gives a game 'staying power'?"
In this world of commercially driven games, it used to be that a game would "die" if it didn't have a regular stream of supplements being produced for it. I guess that started way back with the old D&D and Traveller, with their constant adventures and modules coming out, keeping you playing for months and months. That was cool, and even through to when I used to play Vampire: The Masquerade, there was a host of splatbooks and supplements that kept your game growing and evolving.
I don't think that's really the case any more. Games will keep going as long as you want to keep playing them. When it comes to games I love and want to play again, they are long, long gone... which is a shame. I'd love go back to the old WitchCraft game we used to play, or James Bond. And, going back to yesterday's post, the game I'd aspire to write had very few supplements (Nobilis).
I suppose, with me and our group, the games that we want to return to, and keep playing, are ones we've had the coolest experiences with. Probably Mage/Kult/WitchCraft which was one continuing campaign across multiple game engines, and Star Wars (which we're planning on returning to with new characters after a particularly epic two year campaign ended last year).
Now that we're not driven by the excitement of constant commercial releases for our games, if the game is cool and appeals to us, we'll keep playing it as long as we fancy. Of course if something new and fancy does come out for it, we're still excited by it. I just wish I could afford such things!!
Not really a very good answer there, sorry...
Hopefully tomorrow's will be better.
Until then, stay multi-classy!!
2 comments:
I think your comment “ones we've had the coolest experiences with” is a great answer. As for your answer regarding the business perspective, I think your answer is great; I’ve met lots of players who don’t care about release schedules, and are selective about their purchases. One of the ways I interpreted this question is from the perspective of the strange relationship between player and business. Since role-playing is such an open thing, we have never needed much to play but thankfully enough people bought lots of things to help grow the industry; wonderfully these days were are spoiled for choice.
So many innovations have happened, however, I think even if something incredible was released it is likely that the majority of the community would not buy it, or even look at it, never mind implement it. Plus for games that are designed to be tightly focused somebody will hack it, borrow from it and implement elsewhere.
From a player perspective I think this is all positive. Maybe not from an industry point of view, over many years most business fail is a sad reality and RPG is no exception. Fortunately I think enough people buy things to help keep the business side of the hobby growing, so things are overwhelming positive IMHO :-)
I see that once again we are in complete agreement about WitchCraft.
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2018/08/rpgaday2018-day-3-what-gives-game.html
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