For those that play solo, do you get a feel of adventure, excitement, and story, or does it feel like you're just...
For those that play solo, do you get a feel of adventure, excitement, and story, or does it feel like you're just going through the motions.
I've used Mythic GM Emulator and at times (between the emulator and whatever system I'm using) it feels like I'm just being a bookkeeper. Writing down names and scenes. The actual fun can get lost.
Does Ironsworn handle this better?
I've used Mythic GM Emulator and at times (between the emulator and whatever system I'm using) it feels like I'm just being a bookkeeper. Writing down names and scenes. The actual fun can get lost.
Does Ironsworn handle this better?
This is the reason I prefer lighter systems, or even freestyle at times. Certainly mechanics can remove you from the immediacy and excitement that's easier to invoke in a group setting where someone at hand will have the mechanics down as rote.
ReplyDeleteBookkeeping is almost entirely on the GM, and it is always going to be a task, no matter what tools you use. Systems like Mythic or Ironsworn try to make this part simpler by giving you easy tools, but there's nothing you can do to eliminate it entirely (besides lean on another person - or some day an AI - who takes care of it themselves)
Nick Carter I'm looking forward to a robot GM.
ReplyDeleteI think that Ironsworn does an admirable job of making the bookkeeping an integral part of the game, making the management of tracks and progress into part of the enjoyment. In my opinion that's the thing that Ironsworn has done that most attempts at GM emulation haven't succeeded at.
ReplyDeleteThat said, when I play solo I'm generally not playing from my character's POV, but almost as a 3rd party audience member, only stepping into my character's shoes to make important decisions. That means that a sense of direct adventure is less important than the narrative thread that it spins.
Also if you haven't been invited, here is a link to the Ironsworn Discord. Its a great place to ask questions and talk with other players if you're looking for a more immediate source of communication: https://discord.gg/mzBEdHE
Justin Gordon thanks for the quick reply. Also, I just joined the discord group.
ReplyDeleteHey, C.M. Pendleton. I am obviously a bit biased, but I will say that some of the design intent behind Ironsworn was a reaction to my experiences with other solo systems. What I tried to do was create something with strong inertia, where the character's actions and story complications were constantly propelling you forward. This tends to get me engaged in the character and the story, instead of passively observing things.
ReplyDeleteThe bookkeeping (which is pretty light by default) is often focused on gamier aspects such as resource management, which is hopefully more engaging than creating lists. There are gamey decisions to be made, which may or may not appeal to you depending on your preferences.
I also think there's also an advantage in an all-in-one solution (engine, oracles, setting, etc.), since everything is intended to work cohesively -- you're not trying to mash the square peg of a GM emulator into the round hole of a separate RPG system.
Shawn Tomkin thanks for your response. This makes a lot of sense, especially the GM Emulator square peg vs the round hole of a separate system.
ReplyDelete100% agree with Shawn Tomkin's response. Mythic, I really never had it sing to me, it felt tacked-on (though Variations 2 feels MUCH better). Once I found there were many others like me who wanted to solo, I found simpler systems such as Miso and so1um which really felt like a breath of fresh air. I write almost in a stream-of-consciousness way, so high story/low mechanics types of games appeal greatly to me. Ironsworn has itched that scratch, but kept a bit of the "crunchiness" of a standard RPG.
ReplyDeleteWhen Shawn states multiple times in the rules things like "If it’s interesting, dramatic, and pushes the story forward, make it happen," then you get a clue that this is really a story-heavy system (role vs. roll), in the same vein as FATE and Apocalypse World. The dice are only there to guide you (sometimes it's a bit more heavy-handed, though). Use your imagination to its fullest, and the game will absolutely surprise you!