Review Time: A look at the Ryuutama tabletop RPG.

Greetings!

Today I wanted to share with you my first impressions of having played the english translation of an originally japanese tabletop RPG called Ryuutama. It was translated into English in 2014 by Kotodama Heavy Industries.

So, what IS Ryuutama anyway?

First, I think we will start with a short description of the game itself. It describes itself as a 'natural fantasy' RPG, and I find that to be a very good description. It feels very natural when you play it, and also because it seems to focus itself more on the pastoral aspects of what is, essentially, a standard Japanese fantasy world.

As a player, you play as an ordinary, mundane inhabitant of the world, and you get to give a lot of input into building the world as well. This can be done before you start playing, or during play itself. It is a kind of shared story-telling, which I quite like, but which I know is not for everyone. It works very well in Ryuutama though, so I would recommend people to try it out. The system itself is also fairly easy to learn and very 'user-friendly'.

The players play the role of 'Travellers', traveling the world of Ryuutama on long journeys, and their adventures in turn feed the dragons of the world. Yes, there are dragons, and they feed on stories. In short, there were the four dragons of the seasons - Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. They created the seven dragons of weather, which in their turn created the 13 dragons of earth. These dragons are responsible for everything that exists in the world. In the game, if you are a magic-user, you will learn magic pertaining to one of the Seasons, as well as Incantation spells. Though the spells tend to focus more on helping your character and his friends overcome obstacles, and be more 'out-of-combat' spells, there are healing and combat-oriented spells in there as well. There isn't much combat focus in the game however, unless you absolutely want there to be of course. Instead the game focuses more on travelling and exploration. It even makes the players manage their resources as they travel, or they could get into trouble quickly.

The mechanics of the game really seem to fit well with the world, which is nice. One mechanic that I like is the "Fumble Point" rule. Whenever a character in the group throws a fumble on his or her dice, everyone in the group gets what is called a "Fumble Point", which they can then use later to enhance another roll, thus increasing their chance of success on that particular roll. It works on the principle that because a member of the traveling group screwed up badly, that character and their friends will now have a chance later on to succeed on another roll where they might otherwise not have succeeded.

There aren't classes such as "warrior", "wizard" or "rogue" in Ryuutama. Instead you can play as a: minstrel, merchant, hunter, healer, farmer, artisan or noble. In short, you are playing as ordinary citizens of the world who come together to travel, driven by an intense wanderlust.

One other thing I feel like I should mention is the art. It is plentiful in the book. It is bright and cheery, and really well-made.

First impressions

My first impressions of playing Ryuutama is that it is a very user-friendly system - easy to learn and to use. It strikes me as a game that could work well as an introductory system to first-time players. The game focuses on story-telling so you will have ample opportunity to tell your character's story in the game. If you enjoy telling stories, if you enjoy taking an active part in building the world that your character is in, and if you don't mind a game where combat isn't necessarily an every-session thing, then you will probably like Ryuutama. It is easy to learn, and easy to play.

In my experience it is fun to play, and many laughs have been had in my group so far. 

I would definitely recommed it. :)

So, where can I find it?

That's easy! :) You can find it at kotohi.com, or over at drivethrurpg.com.

A world-building project

Greetings!

For a while now I have been working on building a fantasy world. It is not something I am making for a specifit tabletop roleplaying campaign, or anything like that. Instead, it is something I am doing because I love doing it. Because I wanted to see what I could make if I gave myself complete creative freedom and didn't tie myself down by time-limits or to a specific adventure. I love building worlds, and the creative process that goes into it. Making all the pieces fit together, and making it both wonderous as well as making it make sense in some way. I find it all to be a very interesting intellectual challenge. :)

A friend of mine, who is also someone I have played tabletop roleplaying games with on occasion, has however convinced me to run a campaign in this world at some point. It will happen, but I will let the world take shape first and have the campaign be inspired by the world rather than the other way around.

The same friend has also convinced me to work on a game system for this campaign, rather than just using something that is already availiable. I was very hesitant at first, as I have never done anything like that before, but now I have found that I quite enjoy it and that I really find it an interesting intellectual challenge as well. Granted, it most likely won't ever be anything that I will make any money off of, but rather it will with 99% certainty only be a system that I use when playing in this particular fantasy world with my friends. That spare 1% is missing because life has taught me that you can never be 100% sure. Still, even though I am not planning on making an actual tabletop RPG out of it and selling it, I still find the creative process to be so much fun that I actually am putting a lot more effort into it than I originally thought I would.

So far the world-building has been going well, for the most part at least. I have material for about four different continents at the moment, but I need to put everything together. There are so many ideas in my head that I want to somehow incorporate into this world, but I know I can't use them all. So some might be saved for a later project or campaign. That being said, I already have ideas for probably two or three other worlds as well, so the left-over materials will definitelly get used.

Until next time!

Fantasy Flight Games confirm loss of Games Workshop licence.

Greetings!

Fantasy Flight Games made an official announcement yesterday confirming that they no longer hold a Games Workshop licence, and will discontinue all their work on products tying in with Games Workshop licensed material, and that:

"All Games Workshop-licensed product lines will leave the Fantasy Flight Games catalog on February 28th, 2017."

 So I guess if you want to get something from them you had better do it before then.

It will also be very interesting to see what happens with the Games Workshop licence(s) next. Where will they go in the future? Your guess is as good as mine, but it will definitelly be interesting to see!

I was never a big wargamer myself, or at least I didn't grow up with it as a lot of others have. I still know some wargaming-enthusiasts though, and I can definitelly see its appeal having talked to them about it. Also, I really love the lore in a lot of the wargaming universes. They often have a very rich and interesting set of lore, especially games that have been going for a while, such as Warhammer and Warmachine. I can definitelly see myself picking up the hobby at some point, but that will have to wait until I have more money as it can be a bit expensive according to my friends.

Anyway, I will leave you with a link to the article on Fantasy Flight Games website here so you can read for yourselves as well.

Until next time!

Great news for Tolkien lovers!

Greetings!

For all you Tolkien lovers out there, who also happen to enjoy a bit of D&D, Cubicle 7 have released the Players Handbook for their new game Adventures in Middle Earth, a game whose setting is based in the world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring. It contains setting-specific rules and guidelines for creating your characters, and adventuring in the setting, and is based on the OGL for D&D 5th edition.

A link to the Players Handbook on DriveThruRPG can be found here, or if you click on the "Players Handbook" link in the paragraph above.

According to the website they also have a Loremaster's Guide in the works, as well as adventures. Though we will have to wait a bit longer for that to come out.

I know one or two people who are HUGE Tolkien fans, and I know they will be VERY pleased to know that the PDF for the Player's Handbook is out. :)

Personally I have read both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books, and while I really like Tolkien's works I don't really consider myself an expert. At least not compared to my friends.

I'm pretty sure we will end up getting the PDFs and playing in the world of Middle Earth at some point. It is probably just a matter of actually finding a slot in our schedules to actually do it, and that might take some time. When I have tried it I will return with some more thoughts on it though.

My current games

Greetings!

Due to feeling unwell - something I have discussed more in my other blog - I probably won't have the energy or mental capacity to write any in-depth or long posts until my head starts clearing up again. Though I will try to write something at least, for you all to enjoy.

So today I am going to write a short list of what game systems I am currently playing in with my friends. Right now it isn't really an extensive list, but then again I unfortunatelly can only fit so many games into my schedule.

Currently we are playing:

• Star Wars Saga Edition
• Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition - Published by Wizards of the Coast, D&D is one of, if not the most well-known tabletop RPG out there at the moment. Especially after the launch of the 5th edition rules, and online attention from shows such as Critical Role and Dice, Camera, Action!. We, however, are still running our old campaign using 4th edition rules, a campaign which has been running for... 3 or 4 years now? Head is a bit too cloudy to remember right now, but we are still running it because we all love the campaign.
• Ryuutama - A Japanese tabletop rpg which has got an English translation via a Kickstarter. We only just started this, so I am still new to the system.
• Iron Kingdoms - A steampunk fantasy tabletop roleplaying game by Privateer Press, which is based off of their wargame Warmachine. We were running a straight up Iron Kingdoms game previously, but now that that has ended we are currently running a new Iron Kingdoms game which also includes elements of a supplement/expansion called Unleashed.

There is a lot of interesting lore in both Iron Kingdoms and Warmachine which I highly recommend reading if you enjoy that sort of thing.

I am planning to go more indepth on various tabletop roleplaying games & systems, and my thoughts on them, in future posts. So stay tuned for that.

I think that will have to do from me for now. Time to go lie down and rest a bit.

Playing a tabletop RPG for the first time

Greetings!

Today I will talk about playing a tabletop roleplaying game for the very first time.

It might feel intimidating, especially if you feel like you are not quite sure about what you are in for. Hopefully the Dungeon Master (DM) / Game Master (GM) of your game will fill you in on the details, for example, the basic rules of the game system you are going to use (you don't need to know the rules by heart, but it helps if you have a basic understanding of them at least), and the setting you will be playing in, as well as help you with creating your character. Perhaps one or more of the other, more experienced players, can help as well.

My personal view is that if you have a new player, or players for that matter, at the table, be kind to them. Help them out until they have found their footing. They will make mistakes, they will not always know what to do, and some times you have to explain something several times before it finally clicks. But hey, we were all new at roleplaying at some point, and most of us were pestering someone else with questions. With enough support, the new players will hopefully come back and find the same love of roleplaying games as we all have. :)

And as the new player you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don't understand. There are NO stupid questions, it's simply a case of either you know or you don't. Don't expect everyone around the table to know every single rule by heart, but if you ask nicely they might look it up for you.

Discuss amongst yourselves what kind of genre you would like to try out. If your players are all new to tabletop roleplaying, let them make the final call. It might not turn out to be your favorite genre, but it will be a good introduction for them to play in a genre they enjoy. Next time you, as a GM, might get to pick the genre instead.

If you are a new player, and are looking for people to play with, I would suggest starting with your friends. They may not have played either, but if you know someone who has then perhaps you can get that person to DM for you. Or if no one in the group has any previous experience of tabletop roleplaying, then perhaps you can DM the first game? If you have a story you want to tell, or an idea for an adventure to send your friends out on, go right ahead! :) It takes a bit more work on your part than it does the players, but it will be well worth it in the end. Remember to make sure you know the rules of the game system you want to play in, but the books or PDF's are there for a reason so you don't need to know EVERYTHING by heart. Also remember that, no matter what the system is that you are planning on using, rules are only guidelines. They are not set in stone. If you, as the DM, see something you don't like, or if you feel like you'd like to do something a bit differently than what the rules suggest, go right ahead. It's ok. Every DM does it, more or less, depending on the DM in question. The basic rule should always be that everyone around the table should have fun, including the DM.

Another important rule for everyone to remember is that you can discuss a rule, or a situation, but in the end the DM makes the final call. This is not to be cruel to the players, but because in the case of a disagreement someone has to have final say. As a DM it can some times be a thin line to walk, and a lot comes down to the personality of the players and the DM. I think it is a good idea that you, as new players, discuss it, are aware of it and agree upon it ahead of the first gaming session, so that everyone who plays is aware of it.

If you don't really want to, or can't, play with your IRL friends for whatever reason, there are plenty of forums, and websites, online where you can meet people to play with. You won't all be sitting around a table together, but you can play online with the help of Skype for talking and a program such as MapTools for the maps and tokens. There are also other solutions such as Roll20.net, Fantasygrounds or Epictable.

I think this will do for now. I might return to this subject later at some point.

Until next time!

Why play tabletop roleplaying games?

Greetings!

Now, I know that tabletop roleplaying has had a major upswing in popularity recently, and I think that is great! Especially for one such as myself who remember playing tabletop RPGs 'back in the day' (read: mainly 90's). As a Swede it is also good seeing some of the old Swedish games coming back with new editions, such as 'Kult: Divinity lost' (Helmgast), 'Mutant Chronicles' (currently published by UK-based Modiphius), Eon (Helmgast), Mutant Year Zero (Fria Ligan / Free League Publishing), etc.

Now, I figured I would take this opportunity to discuss a bit about WHY I think everyone should play tabletop roleplaying games, or at least try it out. Some people might say "well, if I want to play an RPG I can just play it on my computer, X-Box or Playstation.", which I suppose is true. Believe me, I enjoy playing video- and computer games as well, but there is still something special about playing tabletop RPGs because it allows you to tap into your own creativity in a way that a videogame doesn't.

Let me explain: When you are playing a video game or a computer game, you see the world on the screen before you, you mash a few buttons and the monster is dead, you select one of a few options for conversation, etc, etc.

When you are playing a tabletop RPG, you are part of the story. You decide what your character says in a conversation. You decide on your character's personality and manners, and sometimes the backstory you write for your character can help influence parts of the world as well, depending on the DM (Dungeon Master) or GM (Game Master) - the person running the game session that the players' characters are in. You get to use your own creativity to paint a picture in your mind of what the world around your character looks like.
And if you are the GM / DM / whatever-it-is-called-in-your-prefered-gamesystem (I'll just stick to GM from now on in this post, for simplicity's sake), you get to use your creativity to create the world, and to describe it to your players as you guide them on their adventures.

I should probably point out that if you as a GM is willing to do it, allowing your players to take part in creating the world they are in, through their characters' backstories for example, can be really rewarding, both for you and your players. Though for first-time players it might be easier if the GM creates the world him- or herself.

Playing tabletop RPGs are a fun way to do something creative together with your friends, or even your kids. It doesn't have to be about slaying demons or dragons. There are plenty of roleplaying games out there that are aimed at kids - for example: "The Princess Kingdom", "No Thank You, Evil!" or the swedish RPG "Tassar & Morrhår" - and even if you don't use one of those, you as the GM decide what happens in the world, and can homebrew the rules of whichever system you want to use to fit younger players. Never feel tied down by a specific setting or system. Instead I would encourage you to adapt the world you create to the players you have availiable and what kind of game you all like to play together.

Remember, playing a tabletop RPG should be a fun experience that you share with your friends or family members. All ages can join in, and enjoy it. :) It is a fun, social experience which, at least in my experience, can serve up dramatic moments, tense moments, and laughter, all in one game session.

Playing tabletop roleplaying games helps you train your creative thinking, thinking on your feet, imagination, problem solving, storytelling ability, team-play, improvisational skills, and many other skills. It can even help people combat their shyness. They get go play a character, which effectively acts as a mask, which allows them to feel less vulnerable when they face various social situations in the game. They are also surrounded by friends and/or family around the same table, so they also have that comfort while they play and deal with the social situations in-game.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with being shy. I have been shy on occasion as well. But tabletop roleplaying can offer some help if you want to try and get a bit less shy in social situations.

If no one in the group has played a game before, discuss what kind of game you would all like to play for your first try, and then do some research into what games exist in that genre. It does help, of course, if at least one member of the group is a bit more experienced - preferably taking on the role of the GM. But if not, then keep it simple for the first attempt. Just make a short, simple adventure for the players to go on, and then build from there.

I might return to this subject at some point in a later post, but for now I think this will do.