When RPGs Meet SMGs, Part Two

I've been thinking a bit about The Core Mechanic's ruminations on the topic of how, and what, Role-Playing Games can borrow from Social Media Games to endear themselves to future generations. The more I think about it, the more I think that, while there may be some base concepts which are adaptable, there simply isn't enough compatibility for one to pull from the other without becoming something else entirely. (This is not a bad thing, but I'm going to take the viewpoint that what we're looking for is still an RPG).

In my view, RPGs require an imaginative flexibility which simply can not be adequately modeled with current technology. Even if, as Mad Brew Labs proposes, we throw in mini-games between session's, without a human's intervention (or at least close observation), they become the same old monotonous tasks that litter games such as Farmville. At best, such a game would allow a game master to set up parameters and goals, allow the characters to run through it once using the rules of the system they are playing, and report the results back to the game master. Other then being possibly more aesthetically pleasing, this option does not offer anything that can't be done better with something like e-mail or Google Wave.

However, I found Malcolm Sheppard's Mob United article on Next Gen RPG's to be almost exactly what I have been thinking about for a while now. Instead of forcing the traditional table-top paradigm of books, dice, and loose papers into digital analogs of the same (creating near abominations like DDI), perhaps we should build new RPG systems from the ground up with current technology in mind. Build the game not as a set of books, but as a set of integrated digital tools which serve to speed the more crunchy parts of the game so gamers can focus on the story at hand. This is an area I'd very much like to be working in, especially with the potential of products like the iPad.

Which leads me to my last point in today's article. Oddyssey of the blog How to Start a Revolution in 21 Days or Less gives us an informative article from the perspective of the "whippersnapper" we're trying to capture with all of this discussion. This article provides an insight into what the young gamers of today are looking for in the table-top games of tomorrow. Turns out they pretty much want the same thing we did when we first started: a solid set of rules that allow us to sit around with a bunch of friends, roll some dice, and tell some stories. It is the creative, as well as the hands-on aspect, which seems to be far more interesting then mini-games filling in for a skill challenge. I think if we're going to digitize the delivery mechanism for the RPGs of tomorrow, then we have to do so in a way that enables rather then distracts. It's been said that great software makes the gadget disappear, and that is the goal I have for developing software in this space. I want a player using one of my programs to be no more distracted by it then the pen and paper character sheet they use now.

When RPGs Meet SMGs, Part One

The other day I got into a Twitter discussion with the cool Jonathan Jacobs of The Core Mechanic (a discussion which includes the also cool MadBrew of Mad Brew Labs). He invited me to take a look at a few articles he'd written regarding the future of RPG's, Social Media, and how the new Apple iPad may fit in. I decided 140 characters was not enough to comment on this, so here we are. I'm still digesting all the articles, comments, and further articles they link to, so this will probably be the first in a series of responses. Here are links to some of the articles in question:

• Role Playing Games, Social Media Games, and the Shared Fence - Core Mechanic


• Social Media Role Playing Minigames - Core Mechainc


• The Apple iPad: It will change how we play - Core Mechanic


• Bridging the Gap: RPGs and Social Media - Mad Brew Labs

In the first article, Jonathan (if I may be so bold as to use a first name), reflects on what exactly is the future of the role-playing game. There's a feeling that the traditional RPG market is shrinking, while a new class of Social Media Games (or SMG's, think Farmville and Mofia Wars) is exploding. He ponders if, and what, RPG's can learn from SMG's.

When using the term "Role-Playing Game" to define a type/style of game, I prefer to keep the definition focused. A RPG should involve humans taking on imaginary roles and interacting with humans (who are also taking on imaginary roles), following a set of rules which allow the humans to create a story dynamically. The group could have a leader (i.e., Game Master), or not. It could be face-to-face, or not. It could be real-time, or not. I feel if one eliminates one these basics, then one is talking about a different type of game. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I'm just saying it is no longer what I would call an RPG.

Social Media Games, at least the few that I am familiar with, are quite different. They are really more of a single person completing simple puzzles or repetitive tasks on their own. The "social" aspect comes into play primarily through comparing results, or 'helping' someone else. When I watch people play Farmville, I really get the sense it is a solo activity. Sure, they'll water someone else's farm, but that other person will likely never notice. They send 'gifts' at random, and receives them, but this is really to gain some in-game advantage. The most social aspect seems to be the competition with other players. The definition of these types of games seems to be a solo gamer, a simple set of tasks, an ability to compare/share/help others, and a repetitive (or even non-existent) story. SMGs to me are a completely different type of game then RPGs, and not very compatible.

This is not to say that RPGs cannot learn from SMGs, but I do think if one brings too much SMG into the RPG, it becomes a new class of game. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Looking over the ideas The Core Mechanic and Mad Brew Labs present on the intersection of the two, I see possibilities. Traditional table-top role-playing games seem to be still struggling to find ways to officially adopt technology as a part of the game. SMGs may provide some clues, in addition to showing ways to grow the user base. However, I'm going to need to ponder this some more, so please do check back in a few days or so and see what I've come up with.