Voros
Doomed Investigator
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2017
- Messages
- 13,441
- Reaction score
- 27,231
I've got broad tastes in a lot of areas, films, books, music and games are no exception. So when I returned to rpgs after a long break due to school, work and life I was intrigued to find all these 'small,' experimental and often personal games that took a different approach to rpgs.
Many of them took a different approach to how the GM and the players interact, some shared the world-building responsibilty with the players than most rpgs did in the past, some shifted the role of the GM so that all the players took turns in the role of the GM. Often times called by the misnomer 'GMless' these games often actually rotate the GM role. Other still retain a GM to keep things on track.
To me, these five games are most clearly and correctly identified as Storygames and are a clear outgrowth of more traditional rpgs. They don't merely have a few narrative mechanics like FFG SW or AW but are genuinely different in approach from conventional rpgs in that they grant the players far more narrative control than usual.
Practically none of these games have any requirement that you follow a plot, or 'tell a story' in the conventional sense (1001 Nights is the exception but see below for why). The story, if there is one in the conventional sense, emerges from play. I understand that some don't like this kind of play, just as some don't enjoy the films of David Lynch or the sf novels of J.G. Ballard, but that isn't the point of this thread. I hope even those who dislike these games will come away with a better understanding of what some of these games are actually like.
So without descending into yet another pointless debate about whether these are rpgs or not, I'm fine calling these Storygames (although some of the designers still prefer to call them rpgs), here are my Top 5 picks of the best Storygames based on actual play experience, in no particular order. These are games I most enjoyed not neccessarily the most important or even influential.
Feel free to share yours. No need to go into the detail I plan on.
Follow by Ben Robbins
Robbins is best known for his excellent world-building game Microscope, which I think is terrific but I think I like Follow even more. I've joked elsewhere that this is the GURPS of Storygames but in some ways that is actually correct as this game is designed to fit any number of genres. The defaults are a sf colony, a fantasy quest, a heist or a political rebellion but there are also options to play in a western, political campaign, as Gods, superheros, military unit, etc.
To explain this fairly simple game in its entirety would require a dedicated post but essentially the players identify a challenge/goal (eg. defeat a dragon, rob a bank), create characters, identify difficulties they could encounter, etc. Then the players take turns narrating or role-playing together, drawing the difficulties and using a pool of coloured stone/tokens to deterimine success, failure, if one of your party is lost/killed or even if the one of the players betrays or is betrayed by the rest. You can fail entirely at the challenge/goal and Robbins includes options for long-term campaign play.
Like Microscope this game is very cleanly and well laid out, with diagrams and graphics to clarify play, clearly and simply explained. There is a huge list of playtesters listed and that has really benefited the game which plays very smoothly. I liked this game so much after I bought the pdf I ordered the hardcopy. Outside of the lovely cover there is no art all in the book besides the diagrams explaining play.
Next to Microscope itself this is probably my highest recommendation even for those who dislike Storygames if you're interested in game design as I think Robbins does such a good job there's lots here to think about just in terms of presentation. If you're not interested in design I'd probably recommend Microscope as its collaborative world-building is of use for almost any game.
The Skeletons by Jason Morningstar
Fiasco is Morningstar's most well known and probably the most successful Storygame today but I actually enjoy his narrower game The Skeletons a lot.
In this game you play a group of undead Skeletons who are left to guard a tomb that you get to design together. At first you can barely remember your former life, as the game progresses and you have to deal with invading treasure seekers, or a family seeking shelter, giant spiders, etc who wake you from your eternal sleep. There are solo and Facilitator led options as well.
This is a terrifically fun one-shot game where you get to add items and details to your skeleton character sheet to make them distinctive and your own as the game progresses. The passage of time is evoked by turning off the lights for a progressively longer and longer time as the years turn into centuries and you awake to the repeated phrase 'Arise and protect the tomb, skeletal warriors!' Ten Candles borrows this idea to even more evocative effect.
I've got to go get some work done but will return and finish the rest of my Top 5 today.
Many of them took a different approach to how the GM and the players interact, some shared the world-building responsibilty with the players than most rpgs did in the past, some shifted the role of the GM so that all the players took turns in the role of the GM. Often times called by the misnomer 'GMless' these games often actually rotate the GM role. Other still retain a GM to keep things on track.
To me, these five games are most clearly and correctly identified as Storygames and are a clear outgrowth of more traditional rpgs. They don't merely have a few narrative mechanics like FFG SW or AW but are genuinely different in approach from conventional rpgs in that they grant the players far more narrative control than usual.
Practically none of these games have any requirement that you follow a plot, or 'tell a story' in the conventional sense (1001 Nights is the exception but see below for why). The story, if there is one in the conventional sense, emerges from play. I understand that some don't like this kind of play, just as some don't enjoy the films of David Lynch or the sf novels of J.G. Ballard, but that isn't the point of this thread. I hope even those who dislike these games will come away with a better understanding of what some of these games are actually like.
So without descending into yet another pointless debate about whether these are rpgs or not, I'm fine calling these Storygames (although some of the designers still prefer to call them rpgs), here are my Top 5 picks of the best Storygames based on actual play experience, in no particular order. These are games I most enjoyed not neccessarily the most important or even influential.
Feel free to share yours. No need to go into the detail I plan on.
Follow by Ben Robbins
Robbins is best known for his excellent world-building game Microscope, which I think is terrific but I think I like Follow even more. I've joked elsewhere that this is the GURPS of Storygames but in some ways that is actually correct as this game is designed to fit any number of genres. The defaults are a sf colony, a fantasy quest, a heist or a political rebellion but there are also options to play in a western, political campaign, as Gods, superheros, military unit, etc.
To explain this fairly simple game in its entirety would require a dedicated post but essentially the players identify a challenge/goal (eg. defeat a dragon, rob a bank), create characters, identify difficulties they could encounter, etc. Then the players take turns narrating or role-playing together, drawing the difficulties and using a pool of coloured stone/tokens to deterimine success, failure, if one of your party is lost/killed or even if the one of the players betrays or is betrayed by the rest. You can fail entirely at the challenge/goal and Robbins includes options for long-term campaign play.
Like Microscope this game is very cleanly and well laid out, with diagrams and graphics to clarify play, clearly and simply explained. There is a huge list of playtesters listed and that has really benefited the game which plays very smoothly. I liked this game so much after I bought the pdf I ordered the hardcopy. Outside of the lovely cover there is no art all in the book besides the diagrams explaining play.
Next to Microscope itself this is probably my highest recommendation even for those who dislike Storygames if you're interested in game design as I think Robbins does such a good job there's lots here to think about just in terms of presentation. If you're not interested in design I'd probably recommend Microscope as its collaborative world-building is of use for almost any game.
The Skeletons by Jason Morningstar
Fiasco is Morningstar's most well known and probably the most successful Storygame today but I actually enjoy his narrower game The Skeletons a lot.
In this game you play a group of undead Skeletons who are left to guard a tomb that you get to design together. At first you can barely remember your former life, as the game progresses and you have to deal with invading treasure seekers, or a family seeking shelter, giant spiders, etc who wake you from your eternal sleep. There are solo and Facilitator led options as well.
This is a terrifically fun one-shot game where you get to add items and details to your skeleton character sheet to make them distinctive and your own as the game progresses. The passage of time is evoked by turning off the lights for a progressively longer and longer time as the years turn into centuries and you awake to the repeated phrase 'Arise and protect the tomb, skeletal warriors!' Ten Candles borrows this idea to even more evocative effect.
I've got to go get some work done but will return and finish the rest of my Top 5 today.
Last edited:
. But I don't.
!
!