The Short & Sweet Ideal for Roleplaying Games

These days -- given my lack of time, focus, and a regular gaming group -- I prefer short and sweet roleplaying games with basic, intuitive mechanics, an engaging setting, and low page count. In my earlier gaming days, during high school, college, and early in my professional life, I had plenty of time to digest the material in vast rulebooks and numerous setting supplements, pondering adventure possibilities and running games for friends. But I’ve been re-examining what I look for in roleplaying games as I wander through middle age and develop material for publication with such concerns in mind.

For the sake of discussion I’d define a short and sweet roleplaying game as a core rulebook under 32 pages (preferably 16) with intuitive mechanics and an engaging yet concise setting I can introduce to new players within 15 minutes (assuming we use pre-generated characters, which I often use at convention games as I’ve discussed before). Such material includes iconic graphics (artwork and maps) I’d expect in any professionally published game to provide a visual sense of the setting. I certainly own and have enjoyed a host of games with core rulebooks that don’t fit the short and sweet definition above; but lately I just don’t have the appetite or time to sit down with a hefty rulebook, leisurely digest its heady contents page-by-page, and allow the mechanics and setting to sink in to percolate ideas for adventures and campaigns for my non-existent band of regular gamers.

The classic Moldvay-edition of Basic Dungeons & Dragons through which many during the “Golden Age of Roleplaying” (the early 1980s) found their way into the roleplaying game hobby doesn’t fit this mold (it’s 64 pages long), especially when one considers it was boxed with a 32-page adventure module that, arguably, formed an integral part of the beginner game experience. I recall spending an entire weekend doing nothing but reading the materials in that boxed set, trying to wrap my head around the numerous complexities of a full roleplaying game. Granted, that wasn’t necessarily intended as a “kid friendly” game by today’s standards, though it served the role as “beginner friendly” in its own time.

I realize page count remains a poor standard by which to measure a game, given graphic design considerations. For instance, R.Talsorian’s excellent Castle Falkenstein had a hefty page count, but the layout, writing style, and abundance of incredible artwork helped make it easily digestible. Monte Cook’s phenomenally successful Kickstarter game Numenera also seems to buck this trend, promising within its tome of a rulebook to offer amazingly inspirational artwork for the setting (one billion years in the future) along with the usual multitude of gamemaster and player tips from the rock-star game designer.

I’m far from the model of a short and sweet game designer. While Creatures & Caverns 2nd Edition comes in short at 24 pages, it’s not really a deep roleplaying game (more of an introductory “proto” roleplaying game) and reflects more my earliest gaming experience more than anything else. I generally avoid creating game systems, preferring to play D6 System variants or trying other engines that fall within my ideal for short and sweet games; but I’m developing something now that, while it might fall into the category a concise core rulebook, has the potential to expand into something larger. As I move material for that game into the playtest stage and begin flowing text into a preliminary layout, I’m finding some encouragement in how few pages some of the core rules take. I’m still not sure my own efforts at designing a concise game will fall within my own narrow-minded expectations for a short and sweet roleplaying game, but I might come close.

So what do I expect in a short and sweet roleplaying game? I like original mechanics -- particularly with a clean core mechanic on which other rules build -- but nothing overly complicated. I expect quick but meaningful character generation: options, whether rolling/distributing attribute values, selecting spells and equipment, and determining special talents or feats, should all allow players to easily craft a character they’ll enjoy playing. Sometimes character archetypes (or templates, if you prefer) help achieve these character creation goals. I like to get a solid sense of how to do anything with the rules and a good feel for what’s possible within the setting; an introductory adventure usually helps demonstrate both, with a map of the setting with one-sentence descriptions for key locations to provide a rich sandbox environment. Some might find these like something on the level of “quick start” rules with a bit more meat on the bones.

I’m by no means a connoisseur of short games, but several stand out in my recent memory as providing a nice balance of quick reading/reference and considerate mechanics

Old School Hack (26 pages): Kirin Robinson’s Old School Hack approaches perfection in its balance between brevity and innovative rules. Enamored as I am of the old school renaissance movement in roleplaying games, far too many of them -- whether well-designed or hastily compiled -- ramble on with pages of tables, weapons, monsters, spells, and other old-school goodness, which appeals to gamers who enjoy immersing themselves in this degree of detail, but not necessarily to one who still cherishes his Moldvay-edition Basic/Expert Dungeons & Dragons rulebooks. Old School Hack offers some innovative mechanics for old-school-style dungeon-delving action with a clear, easy-to-reference layout which essentially devotes a single page to each core game topic. He manages to include character sheets, class summaries, and all the usual bits for retro-clone roleplaying games (combat, armor, healing, monsters, treasure, magic items, experience). Although the game offers no specific setting, it works perfectly in nearly any typical dungeon-delving medieval fantasy campaign.

Risus: The Anything RPG (6 pages): S. John Ross’ classic, long-lived game distills character elements to clichés and provides numerous examples and options for running with the basic yet intuitive rules engine. While it’s written with a wonderfully playful sense of humor -- and might seem best-suited for humorous games -- Risus works in nearly any genre. While the Risus“core rules” consist of six pages, they don’t contain a default setting, instead providing a game engine framework to use in nearly any milieu one might imagine. The game certainly blossoms with possibility when combined with Brent Wolke’s concise 10-page, graphically gorgeous setting packs designed specifically for Risus (accessible from the sidebar on his engine of thwaak blog); everything from fantasy dwarves and ancient Egypt to steampunk and American War of Independence. Risus also receives additional support from a host of fans (all referenced at the Risus website).

Mini Six (36 pages): While valiant efforts exist to carry on the rich heritage of D6 System gaming -- notably Wicked North Games’ sci-fi steampunk Westward -- AntiPaladin Games’ interpretation of the D6 System remains the most concise iteration of the game engine pioneered by West End Games’ Star Wars Roleplaying Game (and initially presented in the legendary Ghostbusters roleplaying game). In 36 pages Mini Six not only offers a summary of the system’s core rules but provides optional rules to plug in according to one’s taste in D6, plus a host of campaign setting outlines across the full range of genres. It offers a quick framework upon which I can easily hang any particular setting which catches my attention at the moment, whether original or media-inspired.

Teach Your Kids to Game Week Is Dec. 3-10

The DriveThruRPG website is once again promoting “Teach Your Kids to Game Week” December 3-10. While the promotion unfortunately does not have a catchy acronym like NaGa DeMon (TYKTGW looks pretty awkward and remains nigh-impossible to pronounce), it’s still a very timely celebration* encouraging people to engage their children in games of all kinds, though with a particular bent toward those offered at DriveThruRPG. The website offers several pages of kid-appropriate product in easy-to-download PDF form, much of which is extremely affordable and some of which is free, including my own Creatures & Caverns, 2nd Edition.

I’m only slightly familiar with some of the products listed, but most seem well-suited for parents seeking to introduce and explore gaming with their kids. Several recently received extremely positive online buzz (some of which are still on my own DriveThruRPG wish list), including Argyle & Crew - Adventure in the Land of Skcos by the delightfully zany Ben Gerber; Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple by independent gaming rock-star Daniel Solis;  Justin Halliday’s Hero Kids and its plethora of scenarios (and free coloring book!); Kirin Robinson’s innovative Old School Hack; Kickstarter-funded Mermaid Adventures RPG; and rpgKids (apparently suitable for kids aged 4+). Many, like Cartoon Action Hour, Fuzzy Heroes, and the Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game are time-tested classics that have been around for a bit.

Creating a game kids can comprehend and play completely on their own remains a “holy grail” of game design; but with the first generation of die-hard roleplaying gamers giving birth to what will hopefully become a second generation of gamers, children now have role-models in their own adventure gaming hobby parents.

I don’t have much experience teaching kids to game. My toddler isn’t quite ready to start gaming anything in which I’m interested (though he knows what dice are and has some inclination toward age-appropriate games). Frequent readers know I’m a huge advocate of teaching newcomers -- especially children -- new games across the spectrum of board, war, and roleplaying games; I’ve certainly run enough kid-friendly convention games, though that audience is often highly receptive to such activities considering they’re attending a gaming con.

So my tips remain limited to my narrow experience and skewed philosophies:

Key Off Kids’ Interests: Try games that work with themes kids already like -- such as dinosaurs, trains, giant monsters, space fantasy, heroic tales -- or incorporate these elements in roleplaying games. Run something based loosely on their favorite television shows and films, or use similar heroes, plots, villains, encounters, and themes. Look at what kinds of “let’s pretend” behavior kids enjoy and use it to interest them in a more structured game experience.

Use Toys: This isn’t a problem for board games and wargames, since these already use elements like boards and pieces that seem like toys. When trying roleplaying games, however, offer enough hand-outs, figures, and dungeon dioramas that seem like toys or further equate roleplaying games with the more familiar form of board games. If you’re a gamer who indulges in painted miniatures or even basic paper stand-ups, let kids play with them for an added lesson in respecting someone else’s toys.

Short Attention Span: Make plans with kids’ short attention spans in mind. Keep things short and sweet yet evocative of the play style for the particular game. Try a board game or simplified wargame with a quick set-up, easy rules, and short-turn gameplay that lasts no more than 45 minutes. Running a fantasy roleplaying game? Stick to one core combat encounter ending with some mysterious clues, then see if the kids want to continue and move forward from there.

Know When to Stop: Parents know their kids…watch for signs their attention’s waning and artfully wrap up games if they’re bored, disinterested, or just plain unwilling to go any further. Gaming should create a positive, enjoyable impression parental pressure might ruin. Remember, we’re trying to engage kids and offer them a fulfilling gaming experience, not satisfy our own complex gaming needs.

If kids are only slightly interested in games and more taken by traditional children’s activities, print out a copy of the free Hero Kids coloring book and get both marginally interested and too-young kids coloring some fantasy-themed goodness to post on the refrigerator.

In the past I’ve examined several issues relating to running roleplaying games for kids that might offer more insight and ideas for gamer parents: Roleplaying Games for Kids and Crafting A Roleplaying Experience for Kids.

* Last year I discussed why the holidays seem well-suited for fantasy and gaming.

Crafting A Roleplaying Experience for Kids

Many gamers who entered the hobby during the “Dawn of Roleplaying” (otherwise known as “The Early Eighties”) who start families seek to expand their gaming opportunities to include their children, sometimes as an offshoot of existing gaming activities and other times to rekindle a hobby set aside in the course of handling a deluge of adult responsibilities. While various companies have published many “introductory” roleplaying games over the years, most focused on luring fans of game worlds (including kids) into the companies’ mainstream game lines. These don’t always work right out of the box -- usually having a roleplaying savvy gamer among the players helps -- and the rules and/or the setting aren’t always ideal for introducing children to roleplaying games, especially particular groups of kids exploring roleplaying games with a parent-gamemaster.

The introductory roleplaying games explored in the last Hobby Games Recce dispatch remain admirable efforts; but ultimately kids need an experienced parent-gamemaster to craft their first roleplaying game experience best suited to their particular interest in an engaging genre and their ability to understand and play within the rules mechanics. This essentially boils down to the parent-gamemaster adapting a familiar roleplaying game rules set to a younger audience and their setting interests.

Generic game systems best lend themselves to this process, though gamemasters with time and a keen analytical mind can distill the mechanics out of any setting-specific game and port them to other genres. Some very good child-oriented roleplaying games exist, though these, too, benefit most from an involved parent-gamemaster.

Formula

Whether using a game system specifically designed as “kid friendly” or adapting an existing system meant more for “adult” players, parent-gamemasters might keep this “formula” in mind:

Cool Setting + Easy Rules = Fun for Kids

Note the setting comes first; that’s the teaser for kids. Few children want to play games with complex mechanics without the promise that the adventure setting offers some fulfilling rewards. The setting may be original or based on a popular media property that captures children’s imagination and attention. Most parent-gamemasters who entered the hobby through some iteration of D&D channel their enthusiasm for the dungeon-delving, hack-and-slash genre to their kids. Some children like medieval fantasy dungeon adventures with elves, dwarves, goblins, and treasure. Others might prefer typical science fiction adventures. Many prefer to explore specific settings based on well-established and appealing licenses that captivate kids’ attention; they want to play in the world they read about in books, see in films, and watch on television, visiting the same locations, fighting the same foes, and engaging in the same kinds of misadventures.

The rules should be familiar to parent-gamemasters to the point they can easily distill core elements -- character generation, combat/skill tests, adventure elements -- into a meaningful game experience appropriate for the age of children joining the game. Parent-gamemasters might follow a philosophy of emphasizing action, character, and setting, with the rules as a secondary storytelling aid. Taking the part of gamemaster requires serving as both game moderator and rules encyclopedia so players don’t have to worry about knowing all the rules. In his recent reflections on the Tom Moldvay edited Basic Dungeons & Dragons, Al at the Beyond the Black Gate blog noted that “Having fun = Not worrying about the Rules,” at least from the players’ perspective. That premise should serve as the foundation as a parent-gamemaster crafts a roleplaying game experience for a younger audience, whether distilling existing game systems to their level or explaining rules during play.

As children grow into the system and understand its nuances one can always increase the complexity of the game system by slowly adding optional rules left out from initial play, as agreed upon by everyone involved. Remain open to the philosophy the recently released Lego board games always include, an interesting concept regarding modification of existing rules engines: “The secret to changing a game is to change only one thing at a time. That way, you can see if the change makes the game more fun. If it does, keep it and then try another. Changing a game is always more fun when done together. That way everyone knows the rules and knows what is being changed.”

Easy Rules to Customize

Several game systems stand out as ones ideal for customizing to a children’s introductory roleplaying game experience. Some include iconic game elements from our own youth -- like polyhedral dice, classic terminology, hack-and-slash dungeon crawls -- while others continue pushing the boundaries of innovative game design in concise formats ideal for busy parents with little free time on their hands. All these recommendations assume an adult with experience running roleplaying games shepherds kids through the game processes, from creating characters (or pregenerating them) to teaching rules and leading them through some basic adventures. Some are genre-specific, others are generic and require more work to customize the systems to a setting that engages children’s interest and imaginations.

Any Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Why re-invent the wheel? Start with a streamlined version of any D&D starter set (and I’ll include the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box here, too). Longtime gamers might still have some version of an original Basic Dungeons & Dragons rulebook gathering dust on their shelves, and the current D&D starter sets have the benefit of a low price point compared to other professionally published games. One might also try one of the numerous D&D retro-clone like Swords & Wizardry, Warrior Rogue Mage, or Labyrinth Lord (though I don’t consider Old School Hack in this category, as it’s more a hybrid of retro-clone merged with some innovative new gaming concepts; see below). While the rules for D&D-style games might seem complex for kids, a good parent-gamemaster can distill the essentials into a playable format while retaining some of the iconic concepts and terminology like hit points and armor class.

Old School Hack: Those seeking a D&D-style play experience with some innovative rules and presentation might check out Kirin Robinson’s Ennie Award-winning Old School Hack (available in free PDF format online). While it simulates “old-school” gaming, the game actually incorporates some intuitive, innovative rules. The graphically appealing and well-organized layout makes each page feel like a quick-reference handout, from the actual character sheets and class descriptions to sections explaining combat rules, monsters, and treasure. The visual representation of each character’s actions in the combat round by either cards or the hex arrangement can help younger players understand the tactical advantages of taking certain actions before others and the importance of resolving challenges through a set sequence. (I’ve gushed about Old School Hack in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….)

Risus: The Anything RPG: S. John Ross’ key contribution to the collective roleplaying game evolution stands as a basic game framework one can easily customize. (It's also availible online for free.) Players define characters with clichés to which they assign dice, which they roll to succeed against challenges and lose as “hit points” of a sort. The concise, intuitive rules take very little time to read, comprehend, and customize to nearly any setting. Parent-gamemasters can help kids understand the concept of clichés, but once they do, and can use them to craft a character, they can learn how to justify using them for various tasks, especially those not usually associated with a  given cliché…which is part of the fun behind Risus. Subtle nuances in optional rules allow for more storytelling and character depth using “hooks” and “tales,” and greater game power by “pumping” die rolls or using “funky” dice. Those using Risus have a wealth of resources available from the game’s active online fan community, which releases material ranging from the generic to the setting-specific. (I’ve talked about Risus in the context of short and sweet roleplaying games in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….)

D6 System: In any of its incarnations -- from the classic D6 Star Wars Roleplaying Game to more contemporary iterations like Cinema6 and Mini Six -- the D6 System remains an intuitive, easy-to-learn roleplaying game one can quickly customize for younger players. Mini Six in particular lends itself to customization across genres in its overall presentation and approach, and encourages parent-gamemasters to pick and choose which rules options they prefer for various mechanics. (As a fan of the D6 System and its various incarnations, I’ve briefly discussed Mini Six in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….) Since the D6 System remains available through an Open Gaming License arrangement, one can find many materials, from rules sets to entire settings, free online.

New Developments Every Day

Introducing children to roleplaying games has swiftly become a trend in the adventure gaming community, as demonstrated by a surge in online discussions, game materials, blogs, and free or for-pay products. DriveThruRPG and its affiliates recently highlighted the host of games it offers geared toward children, and a site search for “kids” reveals a host of possibly appropriate games ranging from those tailored specifically to young kids’ interests and abilities and those with child-like settings they might find engaging. A general internet search for “kids D&D” or “roleplaying with kids” returns a flood of results -- more than most humans can meaningfully comprehend -- demonstrating my firm belief that the internet has caused such an exponential explosion in the sharing of ideas that it threatens to overwhelm humanity’s collective sense of reality.

Most of the recently released games cater to parent-gamemasters seeking to introduce their kids to roleplaying games the way they first began…with old-school renaissance retro-clone-style hack-and-slash, dungeon crawl action. Some, like the Warriors Adventure Game mentioned previously at Hobby Games Recce, tie the game to a particular setting, and others, like Argyle & Crew, use original premises that relate directly to the rules. These more recent entries require more exploration on my part (and thus more time than I have at the moment) before I can knowledgeably discuss them; but they’re worth investigating yourself and watching for future developments:

rpgKids: With claims kids as young as four years old can play it, rpgKids seems ideal for introducing young children to a very basic roleplaying game experience. Creator Enrique Bertran packed the rules, introductory scenario, character cards, and hero/monster tokens into a 24-page PDF rulebook; and one can purchase the rules bundled with the Adventure Pack (four scenarios plus related maps and tokens). Wired’s GeekDad column offered some first-hand insights on the game in a recent feature. Definitely on my list of things to explore as time allows.

Argyle & Crew - Soppet Adventures: Another game claiming kids as young as four years old can play it, Ben Gerber’s Argyle & Crew links gameplay to physical sock puppets (the eponymous “soppets”), whose physical properties, as created by children, serve as the character sheet. The soppets help break down barriers of play acting and encourage imaginative play. Wired’s GeekDad column offered some first-hand insights on the game in a recent feature.

DungeonTeller: A basic roleplaying game experience geared toward kids, Dungeon Teller is available free through author-illustrator Doug Anderson’s Blue Boxer Rebellion blog (which also explores elements of early D&D in the context of both the old school renaissance and games for kids). The early version rules set includes iconic character classes for kids to play, with lots of special abilities, an innovative luck/hit point system, and the chance to roll handfuls of dice. Anderson posts updates and expansions for the system on his blog, along with artwork he’s rendering for a new version and entertaining insights on D&D. Definitely a work-in-progress worth following.

As always, I realize I’m overlooking some very worthy entries in the recent spate of introductory roleplaying game resources for children. This missive isn’t meant to be a comprehensive survey or encyclopedia of such games, only a brief overview and cursory exploration. I’m always interested in hearing about new developments in all aspects of the adventure gaming  hobby, so please don’t be shy about dropping me a line with suggestions.

Old School Hack Actual-Play Report

Among the roleplaying game sessions I ran at a recent convention was a scenario introducing my Infinite Cathedral medieval fantasy setting currently under development. While I like the D6 System as my default game engine, I wanted to try Kirin Robinson’s Old School Hack. It recently won an ENnie Award for best free product and caught my interest with its innovative game mechanics that, while drawing on nostalgia for old-school Dungeons & Dragons dungeon-crawling, employs several innovative mechanics. I’ve featured Old School Hack before at Hobby Games Recce, but this convention game provided my first chance to play it.

Five players joined me at the table and we walked through character creation using materials from the rulebook I’d printed. Everyone had a character and class sheet, plus a set of cards outlining combat actions and handy stand-up tent card with awesome point notes on the inside; in hindsight I should have printed up a few weapons and combat pages for player reference. After spending some time creating and introducing characters, we dove into the scenario, which I kept shorter than usual to allow for character creation with some meaningful game time. I won’t harp on the short adventure other than to say it included two combat scenes, one against a goblin bandit party and another against goblins with support from two hammer trolls, with some roleplaying scenes sandwiched between the skirmishes. During actual play several issues arose, most emerging from everyone’s general unfamiliarity with the rules:

Bonuses Everywhere: Old School Hack has a number of rules for advantages to keep track of, especially for players and a gamemaster trying to absorb a new rule set. They’re on the character sheet as talents, plus those offered in the inherent section of each class, then those from weapons used in favored arenas (and I might be forgetting others). At times we had trouble finding and remembering all the applicable bonuses to combat rolls, armor class, and damage. An issue like this resolves itself over time as everyone becomes more familiar with both the rules and their characters.

Combat Action Resolution: Players loved the card mechanic to show what everyone was doing in combat and in what order to resolve it (though as gamemaster I fumbled a bit adjudicating counter-attacking from defending heroes). Some players found inspiration in the cards and instead of simply attacking found interesting ways to use the “impede” and “push or throw” tactics.

Reward and Spend Awesome Points: The players took a while to remember to use the awesome point mechanics, both in awarding them and spending them (and remembering to mark off their expenditure as experience on their character sheets). Similarly, I as gamemaster didn’t put many points from my “Stack” into the player’s awesome point “Bowl” to boost their adversaries’ performance. Most bonuses from spending awesome points made sense, but paying three points to use another class talent raised some questions; we weren’t sure how this related to constant talents, and in the heat of the game I allowed using it to engage constant talents for the duration of the adventure, but probably should have only allowed its use for a specific task or a short scene.

Note that these issues aren’t flaws in the game as presented, but mostly the results of in-game unfamiliarity with the rules by both the players and gamemaster. Most questions that arose during actual play I looked up later and clarified for future reference. Running a campaign would certainly increase everyone’s fluency in the game’s nuances. Using the system for a convention one-shot might move along better with a gamemaster more experience with the rules and perhaps a different set of players.

The players displayed great enthusiasm for the game as they learned the practicalities of the rules and found how they encouraged heroic-style play; their enthusiasm was tempered only by a few slow portions when I had to look up and clarify how several mechanics worked. Both players and a few interested onlookers expressed amazement that these innovative, original rules were available free online.

Overall I liked Old School Hack for emulating classic D&D action. I’d use it again in a home or convention game now that I’m a bit more familiar with how particular rules work in play. We found the game fostered a fun sense of camaraderie, not simply from trying out the rules together, but primarily from the thoughtful tactics the combat actions encouraged and the rewarding awesome point mechanic.
   
Already someone has taken the Old School Hack approach to another genre, this one for a Fallout-inspired game called Retrocalypse (though it could work for any post-apocalyptic setting). Now if only someone would adapt Old School Hack to the pulp genre….