Is DnD the 'Kleenex' of TRPGs? (a Socratic analogy)
Obviously there's a lot of differences between different kinds of high fantasy class/level/vancian Magic/Treasures/combat/zero-to-hero focused TRPGs. But I think I've gotta be the one to say the quiet part out loud: Is Dungeons and Dragons the "Kleenex" of RPGs?
After all, maybe D&D and OSR and Pathfinder and 13th age and Shadow of the Demon Lord and so on...maybe they're more alike than they are different...because, considering:
There's a whole boatload of Tabletop RPGs out there that *aren't* meant to blow noses, and instead do something else entirely. But what do you think? ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLaDWiJtQ-Q
"Consent in Gaming" is a minimal, free, derivative PDF from Monte Cook Games that puts forth a new 'safety tool' for RPGs. It makes no differentiation between Convention Games and Home games. It sends the reader off to other Safety tools rather than offer hard answers about what happens to the continuity of the story once someone objects. With that said, its heart is in the right place, however short its perspective may be on the world of tabletop RPGs. This is an extended critique of its problematic approach to the question of 'difficult topics' at the table. I recommend you read it before getting too excited or angry about it. It is available free here, https://www.montecookgames.com/consent-in-gaming/ and as it is free ($0) you can probably find a copy of it in a lot of places.
The Luxton Technique, my preffered approach to questions like this, because I feel that 'deleting' things from the narrative can be just as traumatic...or more so...than leaving them out in a 'see no evil' fashion, can be found here: http://briebeau.com/thoughty/2019/03/the-luxton-technique-by-p-h-lee/
Brie Sheldon's Script Change Toolbox, which I don't agree with in every respect, but which I think does a much better job of thinking through a safety tool, can be found here: https://briebeau.com/thoughty/script-change/
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j3erOA2fnE
Hey, you may be familiar with how people use Roll20.net for a classic "Maps and Minis" style experience, with lots of elements of the Tabletop "Virtualized." Well...Here's a slightly different approach that I use that is more in line with a hybrid Theater of the Mind (TOTM) approach.
Here are Some of My Token and Play Aid Albums:
https://imgur.com/a/uyShI Star Trek Adventures - Man to Man Combat Action Deck
https://imgur.com/a/0bQrx Star Trek Adventures - An earlier version of my Token Cards (without Transparency)
https://imgur.com/a/pfqDY Star Trek Adventures - Ship to Ship
https://imgur.com/a/CkSor Star Trek Adventures - Core Rulebook Talent Cards
https://imgur.com/a/OlNG0 Star Trek Adventures - Core Rulebook Ship Talents
https://imgur.com/a/Hl7Kj Star Trek Adventures - Command Division Talent Cards
https://imgur.com/a/UKRW1 Star Trek Adventures - TNG Era Character Tokens
https://imgur.com/a/ihFRr Star Trek Adventures - TOS Era Tokens
https://imgur.com/a/hSdNB Star Trek Adventures - Crew Role Cards (great for Session Zero)
https://imgur.com/a/ehfU8 Star Trek Adventures - Determination Spend Cards
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZuN_N0rbPI
THE OSR is starting to be pretty old! there are some fixed ideas about what an OSR TTRPG is. Does it have to be D&D based? Does it have to be minimalist? Does it have to be Fantasy?
These ideas have a starting point, which largely begins with the theorycraft that began with the Finch Primer. since 2009, many more folks have gotten rose-tinted vision looking at their RPG experiences of Old. What if the question "what is OSR?" had different answers?
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Jda_Jcm1g
#RPGaDAY Day 23: The WORST Luck!
In a stunning surge of quality, RPGaDAY calls the CGA out for another spin at the wheel! The first of two episodes featuring stunningly Higher production values AND a special guest!
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t2BHhbPRRc
What is going on here?
Links to relevant Rabble-Rousing: https://bleedingfool.com/games/dms-you-dont-need-player-consent-to-off-their-character/?fbclid=IwAR1JxxHQIHXeUR0QpHlFY-qPtNAZH5_mRBv4Hc7SyhxzeTn-TsogRA87eL8
Oh, and Pundit is doing videos about this too...as much as pundit is doing videos. You can find them for yourself.
Ash's OG Tweet: https://twitter.com/acegiak/status/1100174545405792257
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK5fifTdb3w
In a Pendragon campaign, you may have reason-over time- to create a great many characters. Today we will ask: how fast is basic chargen in Pendragon? How unique/homogenous are the characters?
Here's some videos from other RPG YouTubers doing Pendragon Stuff:
A flip-through of the first edition box set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KyoTrR2igE
Some 5.2 Character creation by a guy called d20 live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owjKequG3ro
ItMeJP's Actual play of Pendragon (probably 5.1 or 5.0) from a few years back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAslfknQLRc
Mildra the Gaming Monk Talks through Pendragon (a 'review' of sorts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edP_62h5TX8
D2
Music is all Fesaylian Studios
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKY4okteTSI