During a Ken & Robin talk about stuff podcast, Robin D. Laws brought up an interesting notion about how RPG core books fail in communicating how a game is played. Though, it should be noted, his point was more about the graphic design of a core game book. However, whilst thinking on the idea how design can affect the flow of the book, the whole notion got me thinking on how RPG books communicate. I asked myself the question: How does one goes about playing a RPG, if they have never played one?
The most typical answer is that one is taught by a friend that knows how to play RPGs. That point makes the whole hobby of RPGs rather un-accessible; which is a perfect example to why computer RPGs are more popular than table top RPGs. Though depressing, I can understand why.
Lets examine the typical core RPG book. A typical core book is comprised of fiction, world building, and technical game mechanicals. Book usually average from 200 - 400+ pages, and average character creation, for brand new or new to the game players, can take 45+ minuets. Hardly allowing a group of individuals to buy and play in a short amount of time. Meanwhile, I can buy a computer RPG and be adventuring in a mere 15 minuets. No wonder folk are not breaking down doors to buy table top RPGs, the barrier to entry, for those who have never played these games, is extremely high.
Despite my doom and gloom, the excessive time it takes to learn them, the aggravation of terrible indexes, I love RPGs. I run games for my kids and take them to game conventions. I asked my oldest daughter, who is 8, why she likes playing RPGs. She said: "I like the adventure and to tell stories that I get to interact in." That is why no computer RPG could ever simulate and why table top RPGs are important to the human condition. A world without table top RPGs, is sad world indeed.
My next few articles will be thoughts around how this barrier of entry for RPGs can be busted down like a barbarian about to destroy some Orcs and take their stuff.