My RPG Experience

When I first started roleplaying at age eleven, Dungeons and Dragons was the only RPG in town. By then it had only been around for a couple years, but its popularity was about to skyrocket. My friends, nephews, and I bought all their latest publications. We made a habit of staying up late nights to play, a habit that brought mixed reactions from the adults on hand.

            The history of the game and its rise has been much studied as an unprecedented modern phenomenon. The growing popularity of D&D turned thousands of players into hundreds of thousands, and then into millions. Gary Gygax and company, or TSR, had a job on their hands to stay ahead of us. We were always hungry for more adventure. Advanced D&D spread like a wave across the world.

            Spawning a flourishing industry, TSR and others began to churn out such an array of books and accessories that no one could keep up. Thus began the age of nerds, with ever larger game conventions, growing sections in bookstores, and a monthly magazine called the Dragon, all in a far-gone time before cellphones and the internet.

            Inevitably TSR caught the notice of groups of over-concerned parents and churches. These misguided but well-intentioned individuals railed against this competition in the battle for their children’s hearts and minds. But many, if not all the concerns about the game’s harmful nature were proven unfounded as its merits showed through. The benefits of group participation, social interaction, playing with numbers, reading, and just learning to save money to buy more dice, all did as much for a generation of misfit kids as any youth group ever could. Even the fantasy aspect had the unimagined effect of helping young folks deal with the real world.

            Today’s successful business leaders and famous figures who grew up on D&D disprove the baseless claims of yesteryear. RPGs did not lead to shiftlessness, antisocial behavior, crime, or devil worship. And, through its many trials, both in business and in public perception, the original stands strong.

            Other RPGs have made their mark, though most of them have an even narrower scope than D&D, and all have their own systems of play. Some are quite good too. Some of the better spin-offs have had their share of success. The future of RPGs still looks brighter than its past. With that all said, as I ready Mythmaker for release I keep in mind the numerous failed attempts by other companies to remake the original.

Many are the creators with broken hearts over their failures, me included. Mythmaker is not my first or even second attempt to break out of the D&D mold. Two previous systems lacked the depth and direction to merit publication. I just wanted a more intuitive system, with unobtrusive mechanics. I wanted to offer players an easier path to that feeling of immersion. But neither game went beyond the stage of playtesting. And even before that, I found myself trying other games, or bending the rules to make D&D onto what I wanted.

            I quit playing tabletop RPGs half a lifetime ago, though I continued to play computer versions. The AD&D 3.5 edition rulebooks were just coming out as I was leaving the game. I’ve long since sold most of my old memorabilia. I did keep a few figurines and my first set of dice. I still have the original Keep on the Borderlands.

            I also kept memories of the camaraderie of playing with a group of friends. I missed the creative satisfaction of building a fantasy world, the thrill of adventuring the halls of doom, and the glory of saving the kingdom from evil. So, when a friend asked if I would dust off my +1 DM’s cap, and once again delve the deeps, I thought, “well maybe.”

            I thought about investing in all the latest books and accessories, relearning the game, and resurrecting the old group. This would not have been cheap or easy. Nor was there any reason to think it would be satisfying since the same thought persisted that I wanted something different. I wanted to feature the rich history of our Earth and its many legendary tales.

“Maybe it could work,” I thought. Even if only at my own table. I’m a writer . . . a businessman . . . a game master. As I began yet again to build a new RPG, I was glad for the time I had spent away from the original. The life experiences and the talents I had gained gave me confidence to go up against my own doubts and flaws. Now it’s ready for initial release.

            And so, with all due respect to my predecessors, I hope to offer an improvement on existing RPGs. There would be no reason to create yet another system, just to do the same thing the same way.  The scope of play encompasses several related genres from Medieval fantasy to folklore. The idea of exploring the history and mythologies of Earth offers huge possibilities. Our first few adventures attest to that.

            One of the biggest goals was a sensible combat system that is also exciting. There must be a short but clear connection between a character’s stats, their skills, and their combat scores. There has to be a certain pacing, and it’s got to be easy to learn and to remember. Because for all the other reasons we roleplay, perhaps the greatest is the thrill of facing danger, even if only imagined.

The power of immersion is the real magic. ‘Theater of the mind’ creates a story in and around you. The more you take your part in the story, becoming invested in the outcome, the more you feel at one with your character. When you are at the heart of it the simplest mystery can become the greatest adventure. The thrill that comes from exploring treasure-laden caverns, battling fierce beasts, and rescuing fair maidens keeps players coming back. How else can you get that kind of experience? Not from TV!

I started the Mass-Adventure Game Engine in 2020 as a sole proprietorship to produce Mythmaker. Which is not to say I do everything myself. I am an indie game creator, but. I also contract work from several other people. My wife is a huge help. A group of dedicated friends come over for game nights. And I’m working on an affiliation with the company Mythmakers LLC.

As for the game, it’s roleplaying in the classic sense, with tossing dice, solving mysteries, braggadocio, and the occasional shenanigan. It’s also very Earth-based with occasional forays into other worldly realms. It’s made for taking myths and legends and casting them in a new light.

The Adventurer Manual contains the rules and how to make a character. The GM Primer gives advice on building campaigns and running a good game. The Book of Legends includes hundreds of entries including enchanted items, traps, puzzles, and a giant Bestiary.

My editor over the last two years has been Leslie ‘XPLovecat’ Horn. She’s just finished going over the whole thing one last time. Now it is time to wheel it out to the playtesters at large. Next is hiring for art and layout. So far it has been all investment, no income. It’s still in the creation stage. Only time will tell if it’s a success. Hopefully the gaming community thinks its epic!