For a decade, I’ve poured my heart and soul into tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs). But why? What drives me to create games when, as many have pointed out, the player base is relatively small?
From Settings to Systems
When I began crafting the world of Vanor a decade ago, my initial goal wasn’t to “create a game I wanted to play.” Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of most TTRPGs available. They were more games I “tolerated” than truly loved.
My starting point was to develop a game project that utilized the vast amount of work I’d already done on the Vanor setting. Finding the right system to house this world proved to be a challenge. I considered Pathfinder, given the D&D 3.5 foundation of much of my Vanor material, and even explored Savage Worlds.
However, a chance encounter on a forum led me to Dungeon World. This system resonated deeply with me, especially the GM chapters, which perfectly mirrored my preferred style of running games. It felt like a perfect marriage: a system I appreciated paired with the setting I yearned to share with the world.
Of course, I made adjustments to Vanor to ensure it would be approachable for players accustomed to Dungeon World’s style, ensuring both the setting and the game itself aligned with my vision.
Masks and Beyond
Similar inspiration struck with Wonders RPG. As a huge fan of superhero stories, I was on a quest for the perfect Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game for the genre. When I stumbled upon Magpie Games’ Masks: A New Generation, I knew I’d found my match.
Just like with Vanor, I adapted a pre-existing setting I’d written to seamlessly fit the framework of Masks. While my initial focus was presenting established settings, my creative process evolved into utilizing existing systems and molding them into my creations.
Rediscovering the Spark
This brings me back to the original question: why do I make games? It wasn’t long ago that I expressed discouragement about tabletop games, citing their niche market as a barrier. Part of my waning enthusiasm stemmed from the realization that very few people would ultimately play the games I poured my heart into.
"Honestly, part of the reason I stopped being excited about writing TTRPGs is that I know very few people will play them. It's not just about D&D. Every decade or so there is a major trend in the hobby, and people generally don't switch their main game. I know I don't! I would prefer to play any flavor of Powered by the Apocalypse game, and then learn a new system. I write this as the person who introduced new, non-D&D games to the Israeli market over the last decade (Dungeon World and Masks: a New Generation, both adapted with original content)."
Passion over Pragmatism
There was something crucial missing in all this: me.
When I create digital games, financial success rarely enters my initial thought process. This is partly because digital games inherently offer a wider potential audience and easier avenues for achieving some level of success. But more importantly, when I envision a video game, my first question revolves around playability. What features excite me? What systems do I relish?
So why don’t I apply this same logic to TTRPGs? Creating a tabletop game for my group is significantly easier than developing a video game that perfectly aligns with my individual preferences.
This past few weeks, as I contemplated a new iteration of Vanor, I paused and asked myself: what would I truly want to see in a new game? What would bring me joy as a player? How, above all else, can I prioritize creating a game I would love to play, setting aside business considerations for the moment?
This may seem like a simple shift in mindset, but it was a crucial reminder I needed. As I move forward, the joy of creating games, for myself and others, will once again be my guiding light.