I've been reading a lot of quick starts for games recently. These are the short 30-page-ish versions of games that are designed to entice you to buy a full-priced product. I generally find these lacking in one way or another, which can keep me from buying the game altogether.
The Gamemaster (GM) section of a book is really important to me. There are many games where I skip it altogether, but in others I really enjoy the rules. Some of my favorite books for GM sections are the Cypher System Rulebook by Monte Cook Games, Blades in the Dark by One-Seven Design and Fate Core from Evil Hat Productions. They all have good examples and advice for Gamemasters to prepare their games. I've found that there are a few things that are really important to me to understand a game.
1. A well-explained task resolution system. I feel like most games need a single primary mechanic, which needs to be well-explained with examples and commentary. Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars series does this well (in the GM section), which is important because their mechanic is so unique. The explanations of the task resolution system would ideally include both sample tasks and alternatives to the chosen method of resolution: i.e., a sample task to climb a fence showing the basic, best-case and worst-case exanples, then an alternative example showing how to make a hole in the fence with a different task.
2. An example of play. A walkthrough that shows how the rules are used, what the players have the option to do and how the GM can work with the players' choices. I really enjoy the play examples in John Harper's Blades in the Dark, which include sample tasks and question why/how they might be handled differently.
3. An example character sheet. There have been a few games I've seen recently where I wasn't certain where to record character information. I need that. I also am not fond of character sheets that don't have enough space to record expected information. An example sheet helps with that.
4. A 'How to run this game' section that explains the game. What I'd really like to see in this category is more information on how to use the system, use the rules and create long-form games. I always like when adventures or modules include an idea of how to make them a part of a longer campaign. I also like games that talk about the tone, the theme and the concepts that make the game come alive.
5. An idea of how to hack the game. It doesn't have to mean that I can overhaul the system, although I enjoy that, but there should be an idea of how to make a monster, a spell, whatever else is important in the game.
Things I would love to see more of when making game instructions:
1. Comics or fiction that tie the rules into an interesting scenario. I love real-play examples that show off the system but this additional step is something great. I remember this from Werewolf: the Apocalypse from White Wolf and it really stood out. I'd love to see more of this in GM sections of books. 4 panels of art on one page, a discussion of how that task is resolved on the next page.
2. Questions. My favorite part of Blades in the Dark as a book is where it asks you why a task is set at a particular difficulty and what might affect it. This is something you have to see in the book to appreciate, but a synopsis would be:
You attempt to sneak past the guard. Your Position is Risky and your Effect is Standard. Followed by examples of failure, normal success, great success.
Follow-up is: As the GM, what factors might have made this easier? What kinds of assistance are appropriate from the other players?
It's a common idea in textbooks but not something I've seen applied to RPGs before. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places but I loved the Blades in the Dark examples.
3. Quick build instructions that show how to use the creation systems in the game. For example, when you discuss a monster and its level of difficulty, talking about why certain things are the way they are. A 'How to build a goblin' followed by a 'How to build a dragon' would be amazing. I'd love to see more insight into the process. The few times I've seen this in a game, it's in a later add-on book. Fate Core is great at giving clear instructions of how to make things in the game, especially with the implicit instruction that anything can be treated like a character and given Aspects.
When I have ideas about how to write game books, a lot of time I think about how to explain the game to other people. A lot of my present games are with new gamers, people who are not stereotypical in their game interests. With that, I spend a lot of time 'selling' players on a game concept and getting them to understand how to play. The Monte Cook Games Cypher System line (Numenera, The Strange, Predation, Gods of the Fall, Cypher System generic) has been great for me and clear to my players. Blue Rose (Age version) has similarly been really well-received. By contrast, a lot of my quick-start games haven't gone farther because these new players couldn't understand the system or the quick-start didn't make it clear enough for the play experience to be fun. I want to play, run and share more games, which means I want to get better game instructions so that people will pick up and enjoy play!
The Gamemaster (GM) section of a book is really important to me. There are many games where I skip it altogether, but in others I really enjoy the rules. Some of my favorite books for GM sections are the Cypher System Rulebook by Monte Cook Games, Blades in the Dark by One-Seven Design and Fate Core from Evil Hat Productions. They all have good examples and advice for Gamemasters to prepare their games. I've found that there are a few things that are really important to me to understand a game.
1. A well-explained task resolution system. I feel like most games need a single primary mechanic, which needs to be well-explained with examples and commentary. Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars series does this well (in the GM section), which is important because their mechanic is so unique. The explanations of the task resolution system would ideally include both sample tasks and alternatives to the chosen method of resolution: i.e., a sample task to climb a fence showing the basic, best-case and worst-case exanples, then an alternative example showing how to make a hole in the fence with a different task.
2. An example of play. A walkthrough that shows how the rules are used, what the players have the option to do and how the GM can work with the players' choices. I really enjoy the play examples in John Harper's Blades in the Dark, which include sample tasks and question why/how they might be handled differently.
3. An example character sheet. There have been a few games I've seen recently where I wasn't certain where to record character information. I need that. I also am not fond of character sheets that don't have enough space to record expected information. An example sheet helps with that.
4. A 'How to run this game' section that explains the game. What I'd really like to see in this category is more information on how to use the system, use the rules and create long-form games. I always like when adventures or modules include an idea of how to make them a part of a longer campaign. I also like games that talk about the tone, the theme and the concepts that make the game come alive.
5. An idea of how to hack the game. It doesn't have to mean that I can overhaul the system, although I enjoy that, but there should be an idea of how to make a monster, a spell, whatever else is important in the game.
Things I would love to see more of when making game instructions:
1. Comics or fiction that tie the rules into an interesting scenario. I love real-play examples that show off the system but this additional step is something great. I remember this from Werewolf: the Apocalypse from White Wolf and it really stood out. I'd love to see more of this in GM sections of books. 4 panels of art on one page, a discussion of how that task is resolved on the next page.
2. Questions. My favorite part of Blades in the Dark as a book is where it asks you why a task is set at a particular difficulty and what might affect it. This is something you have to see in the book to appreciate, but a synopsis would be:
You attempt to sneak past the guard. Your Position is Risky and your Effect is Standard. Followed by examples of failure, normal success, great success.
Follow-up is: As the GM, what factors might have made this easier? What kinds of assistance are appropriate from the other players?
It's a common idea in textbooks but not something I've seen applied to RPGs before. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places but I loved the Blades in the Dark examples.
3. Quick build instructions that show how to use the creation systems in the game. For example, when you discuss a monster and its level of difficulty, talking about why certain things are the way they are. A 'How to build a goblin' followed by a 'How to build a dragon' would be amazing. I'd love to see more insight into the process. The few times I've seen this in a game, it's in a later add-on book. Fate Core is great at giving clear instructions of how to make things in the game, especially with the implicit instruction that anything can be treated like a character and given Aspects.
When I have ideas about how to write game books, a lot of time I think about how to explain the game to other people. A lot of my present games are with new gamers, people who are not stereotypical in their game interests. With that, I spend a lot of time 'selling' players on a game concept and getting them to understand how to play. The Monte Cook Games Cypher System line (Numenera, The Strange, Predation, Gods of the Fall, Cypher System generic) has been great for me and clear to my players. Blue Rose (Age version) has similarly been really well-received. By contrast, a lot of my quick-start games haven't gone farther because these new players couldn't understand the system or the quick-start didn't make it clear enough for the play experience to be fun. I want to play, run and share more games, which means I want to get better game instructions so that people will pick up and enjoy play!
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