The Complete Series
Day 9: What is a good RPG to play for about 10 sessions?
I’m none too familiar with campaign play (I’ve only played campaigns in D&D 3.5e, 5e, and Savage Worlds) and all of them work well for 10+ sessions. To me, the replay value of a system involves a little bit of potential for system mastery (it’s fun to discover new things as you go) and a lot of potential for stringing sessions/story beats together. Pretty much everything else is optional.
Day 10: Where do you go for RPG reviews?
I listen to a lot of podcasts these days. I’m working through backlogs with a lot of them, so they’re a good way to find out about games that are already published. For new games, I’ve started backing quite a few Kickstarters recently. I’m not so much looking for “reviews” of those new game though, because I use KS mostly as a way to support other game creators. Only rarely do I actually back a game I think I’ll actually play.
Occasionally, I notice a blog post on G+ reviewing a game. Jared Rascher’s Games and Geekdom is a blog I’ve discovered recently, and Robert James’ blog Hours Without Sleep always has intelligent thoughts on games.
Day 11: Which “dead game” would you like to see reborn?
Five years ago I would have given you a different answer, but today I’m pretty comfortable with the notion of dead games. First, there are so many new games out there that I don’t ever lack for options. Second, I think there are some very good reasons why the design choices of yesteryear are no longer around today. We game better than we used to (which is not a jab at the OSR). Third… can a game really die? Whether it’s an old original copy or a retroclone, I think just about every game that’s worth its salt is available in some format today.
Day 12: Which RPG has the most inspiring interior art?
I’m going with a nostalgia pick for this one. My RPG life began with MERP, but the first RPG book I owned was D&D 3.5e. From the “racial lineup” images to the chapter headers, this book set my imagination on fire with roleplay ideas. I loved its presentation as a scientific work within the world: cataloging races, classes, gear, etc. as if they were something the writer went out to observe. The text doesn’t capture this in the same way as Volo’s Guide or something, but you can see the seed planted for that “found” book style in the 3.5e books. To this day, it’s the style I prefer for an RPG.
Day 13: Describe a game experience that changed how you play.
It’s hard to pin down a single experience. PbP taught me how to take narrative control of my character. Microscope made me realize the coolness inherent in collaborative worldbuilding. The Quiet Year taught me how different RPGs can be. There have been a lot small changes in course over the years, but I’m not sure there have been any major shifts.