Both. Character development and exploring side quests are what I enjoy.
Yesterday, I reflected back and took notes of my solo games. Different characters with different assets and weapons on different arc stories and paths.
My question first was what character do I want to continue? It also was important, what story do I want to explore the most next?
Or what new story and character is the next itch to scratch?
Thanks, Chuck. I’m inclined to agree. I like branching quests, which enable us to solve problems in different ways. It’s hard to implement, but I’m going to try…
An Open World with a chance to retain core stats is great for many. But I’m not a stats guy. I’m here for the vibe, the variation I can add through journaling and then going off on my own path. I stop. I start again. I continue enjoying the journey. The ending is still out there somewhere (maybe).
Very much so. I approach Solo as a writer first so I'm exploring language and plot and characters--co-creating with the original artist. It's a trip. :)
I've been thinking about this recently too. It can be a bit unsatisfying to never 'finish' anything because as you say most games have no mechanic for 'finishing' them other than death!
I played Bone Riders recently and if had really fun procedures that have a natural end point where you can let you character ride off into the sunset or keep playing to defeat another Trouble. I really liked that as I could put the game away and play something else but still come back to it later without having to try and remember what I was in the middle of. It actually felt like I'd 'finished' something, which was a really good feeling!
I like old school campaign play with no definitive ending. I either let a campaign come to a natural conclusion of sorts, give up when I'm bored or let the main PC's death be an end to it. I haven't really got into the idea of solo RPG one-shots like I have in the past as a GM with a group. It might be something I'll tinker with in the future, but I really do like setting myself up for an epic campaign (even if it fizzles and dies after a few weeks or months).
Sometimes. 😂 My Walking Dead campaign ended up being relatively short. I hit a natural stopping point. My PC's goal was getting back to his family, which he accomplished. There's room to extend the campaign should I wish to in the future, but it felt like a good season finale.
My Ironsworn campaign simply fizzled. I set it up to be too epic, and I lost interest in the main vow. I wouldn't call it a satisfying ending. And I really don't know if I want to go back to that character.
I've had D&D BECMI and Star Wars solo campaigns fizzle out without a satisfying ending, as well.
I guess I'm mostly a miss when it comes to satisfying conclusions. 😂
If it's a good game, I want it to have a near endless play cycle (like Skyrim), but that's also the problem. Time is finite and if I fall into just exploring that one game it could last for years and the pile of stuff I want to try just gets larger and larger. Since I'm at a point in my life where I've got so much other stuff to do, I gravitate toward the games with definitive ends so that I can get closure and set the game down. (But those beautifully crafted open worlds.... chef's kiss. I have great regard for those creators)
Yeah, there is always that internal pressure (only in our heads, of course!) to move on to try other games. So a game with a way to bring everything to a conclusion is good, even if there is also an option to keep playing in the sandbox!
Absolutely never-ending games. Which is the reason why my games are infinite, for the most part, and why lots of character options are important to me, because playing for the sake of it without a goal gets old fast.
Many of the Mothership modules that I play (both designed for solo and group) are intended for 3-4 sessions, then they have a conclusion (or your party dies). I think the idea of doing that on a campaign style is really cool! And if you don't want to pursue the main quest, you don't have to!
Despite my hundreds of hours in Skyrim, I never even got close to completing the main quest with any of my characters. I always had a different story to tell. I have no idea how the game even ends (no spoilers! haha). Same goes for Fallout 4, Fallout New Vegas, etc. I just always enjoy doing my own thing.
The PDF for the core rules is free on Tuesday Knight Games website. There is an excellent solo module that got me started called Thousand Empty Light by Alfred Valley. There is a print only version with no art that is free from him as well, but the art I think is worth the few bucks he charges on itch.io. For other modules that are fun solo but made for group play: VR Dead, Picket Line Tango, Cleaning of Echo Station, Burial Grounds of Pavel Theta, Vibechete, Desert Moon of Karth (more of an open campaign but with quest generators). I think I recall you picked up a few bundles from itcho.io a while back for some charities. They usually have a few Mothership modules within them you can take a look at!
End condition, I built the Delver Games around this very question. Games and Stories needs to have an end condition or an evolution. The evolution needs to be drastic. Conclusion is a necesisty. Without conclusion, we struggle to determine the next step. Whether it is we shut down one chapter to evolve to another chapter, or we end it, humanity does not work well without a conclusion. Conclusion helps us create. I don't want a Hobbit 4 -- But the Lord of the Rings was the next evolution. Drastic. What we get wrong is we continually want to sequalize versus let it go, conclude, and forced to create. I can rant on about this issue in ttrpg's, but I'll save for an article.
Before I start any RPG I set myself a low unambitious goal, like ´playing 3 sessions´, ´gaining 10 xp´, ´doing x quests´. It´s true I don´t find the deep, complete experience of playing a game to death as I did when I was a kid. But that strategy eliminated my shelve of shame, I played every game I own.
With letting a game just´fizzle out´ or stop when I´m bored, it leaves me with a bad feeling. Like the game failed in something, or perhaps it´s guilt for not having played it enough...
It depends. Ironsworn has an end for example by testing your legacy but high replayability. I would want a game with an end but a lot of story potentially so that I would play it again
Both. Character development and exploring side quests are what I enjoy.
Yesterday, I reflected back and took notes of my solo games. Different characters with different assets and weapons on different arc stories and paths.
My question first was what character do I want to continue? It also was important, what story do I want to explore the most next?
Or what new story and character is the next itch to scratch?
Thanks, Chuck. I’m inclined to agree. I like branching quests, which enable us to solve problems in different ways. It’s hard to implement, but I’m going to try…
An Open World with a chance to retain core stats is great for many. But I’m not a stats guy. I’m here for the vibe, the variation I can add through journaling and then going off on my own path. I stop. I start again. I continue enjoying the journey. The ending is still out there somewhere (maybe).
Well, that's a different way again, Julian - more of a journalling vibe than a "campaign" as such
Very much so. I approach Solo as a writer first so I'm exploring language and plot and characters--co-creating with the original artist. It's a trip. :)
I've been thinking about this recently too. It can be a bit unsatisfying to never 'finish' anything because as you say most games have no mechanic for 'finishing' them other than death!
I played Bone Riders recently and if had really fun procedures that have a natural end point where you can let you character ride off into the sunset or keep playing to defeat another Trouble. I really liked that as I could put the game away and play something else but still come back to it later without having to try and remember what I was in the middle of. It actually felt like I'd 'finished' something, which was a really good feeling!
Hmmm... this sounds a bit like what Alone in the Realm was saying about modules i.e. a way to "park" a game in a way that feels satisfying
I like old school campaign play with no definitive ending. I either let a campaign come to a natural conclusion of sorts, give up when I'm bored or let the main PC's death be an end to it. I haven't really got into the idea of solo RPG one-shots like I have in the past as a GM with a group. It might be something I'll tinker with in the future, but I really do like setting myself up for an epic campaign (even if it fizzles and dies after a few weeks or months).
But do you like to feel that a campaign "resolves" in a way that feels satisfying and complete?
Sometimes. 😂 My Walking Dead campaign ended up being relatively short. I hit a natural stopping point. My PC's goal was getting back to his family, which he accomplished. There's room to extend the campaign should I wish to in the future, but it felt like a good season finale.
My Ironsworn campaign simply fizzled. I set it up to be too epic, and I lost interest in the main vow. I wouldn't call it a satisfying ending. And I really don't know if I want to go back to that character.
I've had D&D BECMI and Star Wars solo campaigns fizzle out without a satisfying ending, as well.
I guess I'm mostly a miss when it comes to satisfying conclusions. 😂
If it's a good game, I want it to have a near endless play cycle (like Skyrim), but that's also the problem. Time is finite and if I fall into just exploring that one game it could last for years and the pile of stuff I want to try just gets larger and larger. Since I'm at a point in my life where I've got so much other stuff to do, I gravitate toward the games with definitive ends so that I can get closure and set the game down. (But those beautifully crafted open worlds.... chef's kiss. I have great regard for those creators)
Yeah, there is always that internal pressure (only in our heads, of course!) to move on to try other games. So a game with a way to bring everything to a conclusion is good, even if there is also an option to keep playing in the sandbox!
Absolutely never-ending games. Which is the reason why my games are infinite, for the most part, and why lots of character options are important to me, because playing for the sake of it without a goal gets old fast.
Limitless character builds are what make your games especially juicy!
Many of the Mothership modules that I play (both designed for solo and group) are intended for 3-4 sessions, then they have a conclusion (or your party dies). I think the idea of doing that on a campaign style is really cool! And if you don't want to pursue the main quest, you don't have to!
Despite my hundreds of hours in Skyrim, I never even got close to completing the main quest with any of my characters. I always had a different story to tell. I have no idea how the game even ends (no spoilers! haha). Same goes for Fallout 4, Fallout New Vegas, etc. I just always enjoy doing my own thing.
I don’t I’ve ever “finished” Fallout 4…and I must have made 100 characters over the years!
I like the idea of “modules” and I’ll take a closer look at Mothership. Where should I look first?
The PDF for the core rules is free on Tuesday Knight Games website. There is an excellent solo module that got me started called Thousand Empty Light by Alfred Valley. There is a print only version with no art that is free from him as well, but the art I think is worth the few bucks he charges on itch.io. For other modules that are fun solo but made for group play: VR Dead, Picket Line Tango, Cleaning of Echo Station, Burial Grounds of Pavel Theta, Vibechete, Desert Moon of Karth (more of an open campaign but with quest generators). I think I recall you picked up a few bundles from itcho.io a while back for some charities. They usually have a few Mothership modules within them you can take a look at!
OK, I'll check those out soon
End condition, I built the Delver Games around this very question. Games and Stories needs to have an end condition or an evolution. The evolution needs to be drastic. Conclusion is a necesisty. Without conclusion, we struggle to determine the next step. Whether it is we shut down one chapter to evolve to another chapter, or we end it, humanity does not work well without a conclusion. Conclusion helps us create. I don't want a Hobbit 4 -- But the Lord of the Rings was the next evolution. Drastic. What we get wrong is we continually want to sequalize versus let it go, conclude, and forced to create. I can rant on about this issue in ttrpg's, but I'll save for an article.
Before I start any RPG I set myself a low unambitious goal, like ´playing 3 sessions´, ´gaining 10 xp´, ´doing x quests´. It´s true I don´t find the deep, complete experience of playing a game to death as I did when I was a kid. But that strategy eliminated my shelve of shame, I played every game I own.
With letting a game just´fizzle out´ or stop when I´m bored, it leaves me with a bad feeling. Like the game failed in something, or perhaps it´s guilt for not having played it enough...
It depends. Ironsworn has an end for example by testing your legacy but high replayability. I would want a game with an end but a lot of story potentially so that I would play it again
I agree with that!
One wishes for a flood. .just to see the houses depart....cant we order a flood?