Craptacular RPG Challenge

[Bomb Cat]

Not sure if this fits in this forum or not... If not, my most sincere apologies.

I really like the idea of rpg design events so...

Here is what I was thinking.
1. Make an RPG as ridiculous and as crappy as possible.
2. It has to be playable.
3. Use crappy artwork, clip art, whatever, the worse...the better.

Basically anything goes as long as it is totally stupid and ridiculous?

Has anyone done this before? Would anyone be interested in this? I would be happy to put any games made on www.simiancircle.com.

This would have nothing to do with the current d6 contest. There would be no due dates, no regulations on size or anything. Also, this wouldn't be a competition, just a relaxing ride down crappy rpg lane. I know there already a ton of crappy rpgs out there, but I don't think the majority of them are meant to be.

I think Ill make one just for the hell of it...

I would even be willing to put some time and effort in getting the word out on these games...

[Eero Tuovinen]

We usually do this sort of thing in the Endeavour forum nowadays. Small matter, that.

There is a kernel of an interesting idea in what you're planning, but I suggest that it won't work without honing it through some dialogue and a clearer set of goals. I would find this sort of competition interesting if it could shed light to cultural history of rpgs, the common mistakes of game design therein and the pathologies that result. I have no idea if this is feasible, but I sort of imagine that it would be interesting to try to create a game text that clarifies and distills the problems I find in Call of Cthulhu, to pick an example. Another approach could be to draft games with intentional "landmines" in the design, ones that were cleverly hidden but crippling when the game is put to action. I'd find reading this sort of stuff interesting, but it's probably too much of a high concept thing - revelry in game design with little practical value.

On the other hand, just writing a bad game and putting in some shitty illustrations seems like it'd just lead to some cheap laughs, if that. Most "bad games" are just incomplete or lacking in imagination, I'm having difficulty imagining how I'd be intrigued or even entertained by exaggerated depictions of such. So you see how I'd like you to hone the idea and think about it a bit before trying to put it into action. It might even be that your idea works better as a lone concept game - write a shitty game for us to appreciate, one such might certainly be interesting where a dozen would be repetitive and boring.

[Bomb Cat]

We usually do this sort of thing in the Endeavour forum nowadays. Small matter, that.

There is a kernel of an interesting idea in what you're planning, but I suggest that it won't work without honing it through some dialogue and a clearer set of goals. I would find this sort of competition interesting if it could shed light to cultural history of rpgs, the common mistakes of game design therein and the pathologies that result. I have no idea if this is feasible, but I sort of imagine that it would be interesting to try to create a game text that clarifies and distills the problems I find in Call of Cthulhu, to pick an example. Another approach could be to draft games with intentional "landmines" in the design, ones that were cleverly hidden but crippling when the game is put to action. I'd find reading this sort of stuff interesting, but it's probably too much of a high concept thing - revelry in game design with little practical value.

On the other hand, just writing a bad game and putting in some shitty illustrations seems like it'd just lead to some cheap laughs, if that. Most "bad games" are just incomplete or lacking in imagination, I'm having difficulty imagining how I'd be intrigued or even entertained by exaggerated depictions of such. So you see how I'd like you to hone the idea and think about it a bit before trying to put it into action. It might even be that your idea works better as a lone concept game - write a shitty game for us to appreciate, one such might certainly be interesting where a dozen would be repetitive and boring.

I should have clarified.
Im not really talking about game mechanics being crappy, I mean the theme of the game being ridiculous. Looky here for an example...
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=142351

A game with unplayable mechanics, or mechanics riddled with holes on purpose really makes no sense. Im looking for a game with an awful theme, like the one in the example. Perhaps something that exposes the cliches of rpgs or pokes fun at the serious nature of the role playing world.

You may be right on the whole lone endeavor thing. I am putting one of these together as we speak. When its done, Ill be sure to post it.

[David Artman]

"The Redo HoL--But Different--Game Design Challenge", basically.

It could work. I don't see the point in doing that when there's some real comps going on that (should) result in sellable games... but, hey, why not? HoL sold.

I would listed to Eero, though, and provide a bit more unpacking. The link you gave, for instance, seems to mean you want humorous, bad-grammar (l33t-sp33k) games with stick man sketches. OK, so say that (or use that as a baseline). "Write like a ten year old, draw like a five year old, but make it playable." Something like that.

But I think a MUCH more interesting challenge would be a LitRPG Challenge (see here). But that... is another thread.

(Damn, now I want to run that challenge... and I'm already in one, committed to organizing another, have a con's gaming to plan, and--oh yeah--have to layout a 400-page RPG for a contract! The Carolina Hurricanes better not make the playoffs, I reckon....)