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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Fantasy Adventure Game (“D&D® Game” for short) is a role playing adventure game for persons 10 years and older. In the D&D rules, individuals play the role of characters in a fantasy world where magic is real and heroes venture out on dangerous quests in search of fame and fortune. characters gain experience by overcoming perils and recovering treasures. As characters gain experience, they grow in power and ability.

At least two persons are needed to play this game, though the game is most enjoyable when played by a group of four to eight people. This game, unlike others, does not use a playing board or actual playing pieces. All that is needed to play are these rules, the dice included in this set, pencil and paper, graph paper, and imagination. the game may be more exciting if miniature lead figures of the characters and monsters are used, but the game can be played without such aids.

The rulebook then outlines the various chapters and provides definitions of various game terms and concepts, elements of most any roleplaying game orienting new readers to the game system and setting.

These two paragraphs provide enough of a description of roleplaying games to complete newcomers to the hobby without cluttering up the book’s introductory portions with overbearing definitions of basic elements of such games. Whether this approach worked in an introductory product like the D&D basic boxed set remains open to debate.

As a gamer, I’m well-versed in the workings of roleplaying games and don’t necessarily need a lengthy introduction to the form in rulebooks I buy. I don’t mind them, I just skip ahead to the rules and setting chapters. Sometimes I find “What Is A Roleplaying Game?” sections good material for people I’m seeking to introduce to gaming; some contain basic overviews of the game setting for orienting new players to an innovative genre.

As a game developer I’ve often included “What Is A Roleplaying Game?” sections -- often with solitaire tutorial adventures to impart basic rules and setting concepts -- because the projects were in some degree directed at newcomers to the gaming hobby with prior interest in the setting: things like the Star Wars Introductory Adventure Game, whose primary purpose was to draw Star Wars fans into the roleplaying game.

Whether one feels “What Is A Roleplaying Game?” sections have a place in rulebooks remains a subjective issue. Longtime gamers often find these introductions superfluous, especially when they feel such space would be better served with rules and setting material. The approach taken in outlining the concept of roleplaying games doesn’t always click with the newcomers given their different ages and backgrounds; the Moldvay-edition introduction above might seem too brief and sketchy for some without continuing into the rules, which, by their very nature, introduce specific new concepts by teaching the game engine (a case where plentiful examples provide immense help).

Perhaps the best approach remains keeping “What Is A Roleplaying Game?” sections in rulebooks short and basic, when necessary at all. The Moldvay-edition introduction to D&D provides a good example how to briefly outline the game and setting for new players. The exception remains product specifically intended to introduce newcomers to the roleplaying game hobby, especially children. With today’s technology, publishers can find other venues for explaining games to complete newcomers, particularly through supplemental product available free online, such as introductory adventures, quick-start rules, and tutorial videos.

Random tables remain an integral part of roleplaying games, from serving as, one might argue, a cornerstone of the earliest games to more refined and diverse tools in contemporary games: in-game encounter generators, character background devices, even scenario design inspiration.

As a player I’ve enjoyed tables to help enhance character creation, whether it’s background, motivation, or even starting equipment. As a gamemaster I find random tables as good inspiration for keeping the action flowing during a game, creating conflicts for adventure hooks, generating encounters, and otherwise enhancing scenarios I design.

Random Encounters: Roll 1d6 each time the heroes traverse a passageway; a “1” indicates a random encounter resulting in combat, injury, or incarceration (roll 1d6): 1. foot-long carved scarab hieroglyphs decorating the wall animate and attack; 2-3. a wandering “pet” crocodile sniffs out the heroes; 4. a pit trap sends some heroes down a chute to location 5. Cells; 5. a hieroglyphic ward on the walls “freezes” heroes passing through it; 6. two guards patrolling discover the heroes, attack, and raise the alarm.

These helped infuse gameplay with unexpected incidents between planned locations, offering some spontaneity to the game play without completely derailing the adventure with inappropriate results.

Customizing a generalized table to one’s specific campaign or character takes a bit of work, something more easily done in preparation than during play. The Chronicles of Arax solitaire scenario format probably represents the most refined end of this concept, a “random table” so fully customized as a dungeon crawl that the results both provide randomly determined locations and encounters while still leading toward an adventure climax.

Early incarnations of Dungeons & Dragons suggested some players in the group assume additional duties beyond running their characters, roles designated the “caller” and “mapper.” While these responsibilities seem appropriate in a more rules-centric game given their administrative, in-game nature, a third role, that of the adventure “chronicler,” might serve to record in one style or another the group’s encounters and accomplishments for future reference and retelling.

Caller & Mapper

The Moldvay edition of the Basic Dungeons & Dragons rules states:
     

“One player should be chosen to tell the DM about the plans and actions of the party. This player is the caller. The players may tell the DM what their characters are doing, but the game runs more smoothly when the caller relays the information.”

     
and
    

“One player should draw a map of the dungeon as it is explored. this player is called the mapper…. Maps are drawn to help players visualize the area their characters are exploring and provide a record of sections of a dungeon they have already explored.”

These player roles serve administrative purposes during the game, notably to act as a liaison between the group of players and the gamemaster and to record in map form where the characters explore and what they encounter there, primarily for in-game reference. I vaguely recall using these roles in my earliest D&D experiences; we didn’t always use them, and, beyond dungeon delving-style gameplay, these jobs don’t always have relevance. I have foggy impressions that, when we did use them in those early days exploring D&D, the caller was the role every player wanted, since it seemed like the boss-leader position in the party, and the mapper was the less desirable, bookkeeping job. I certainly didn’t use them in other roleplaying games, and not in later D&D games after my exposure to games less concerned with in-game administration than with running exciting adventures with varying rule sets in different settings.

Both duties embody concepts quite opposite to the styles of gaming I favor today. The caller seems obsolete for a gamemaster who prefers each player to describe his character’s actions (even after conferring with the group) and invites everyone at the table to contribute to rendering maps when the situation calls for them. Perhaps their primary goal was to provide structure to those unfamiliar with roleplaying games whose first experiences came from dungeon-delving adventures with large parties of characters.

Chronicler

My past gaming escapades have frequently spawned another unofficial player role more relevant to the overall roleplaying game experience, that of a “chronicler” of sorts. This player steps forward and records the adventure’s events in some form or another.

In its most basic role, a chronicler keeps a few basic notes on what occurs during a scenario: the set-up premise or introduction, key events and the characters’ role in them, the climactic resolution of the adventure, and any follow-up materials. Sometimes these take the form of simple notes, other times the chronicler artfully crafts it into an in-universe account to reflect the nature of the campaign. These more elaborate retellings sometimes evolve into a character journal, a natural development for those who enjoy crafting elaborate background stories for the characters.

I freely admit that, counter to my lifelong love of reading, writing, and game designing, and my other aspirations as a writer, I’ve never really possessed the urge to chronicle my infrequent experiences as a player, either for a group’s adventures or my own character’s exploits. Perhaps this stems from my more frequent role as gamemaster, responsible for creating and an adventure and, true to my nature as a game designer and writer, often transcribing my scenario materials into a form suitable for eventual publication.

In several campaigns -- most notably long-running Star Wars D6, Cyberpunk 2020, and Space 1889 games over the years -- one player usually kept a record of interesting quotations from characters, mostly humorous ones or those from key moments in the game. Few make any sense to those outside the game group; few have much relevance to me so many years later, even when I search my memory to put everything in context. But at the time, and for a while afterward, they were pleasant and humorous reminders of what the characters encountered and how they reacted throughout long campaigns.

One player was quite a gifted artist and created renderings of characters, villains, locations, and in-game scenes when she found the inspiration, time, and energy. I still have some copies of these sketches, and they remain a more vivid memento of our adventures than any list of humorous quotations or even a written account of our escapades. She illustrated a few climactic scenes from several adventures in montages, and gave visual life to the players’ heroes and non-player characters encountered. (I later hired her as a freelance artist when I edited The Official Star Wars Adventure Journal for West End Games and gave her motivation and a venue for her artistic talents.)

These various chronicler efforts serve not only to keep track, in an administrative way, of what the characters do and where they go, but act as mementos of the adventure for the players, reminding them how they spent their four hours gaming and serving as a springboard for the inevitable future retelling of what their characters accomplished.

Future Inspirations

My inspiration for a “chronicler” player role comes not only from my past gaming experiences but from my development of several future gaming projects.

In developing a solitaire wargame of sorts, I was faced with the solo gamer’s conundrum of investing an hour or two in solo gaming pursuits and have nothing really to show for it other than their own fleeting enjoyment and satisfaction. Solitaire gamers don’t even have a shared experience with others (though some quite nicely offer accounts of their solo exploits in online blogs). The nature of the game as a historical wargame presented me with a readymade solution in the form of a military patrol logbook, a chronicle of sorts of my activity throughout the game; each “day” in the game the player notes his activities as if recording it as part of his military duties, ending with an in-universe record of his exploits.

The roleplaying game project on my desk -- one of several, though my brain is inspired and thus motivated to develop this one -- hearkens back to a time when D&D was new in a somewhat old school renaissance way, yet one generally geared for a younger audience with a different game engine. Since it’s tapping into that Moldvay-edition D&D atmosphere, I thought I might offer some in-game incentive (such as bonus experience or some other character perk) for a player who, by their own actions or in the guise of their hero, takes on the role of the group’s chronicler, noting their accomplishments in whatever form seems viable. I’m still toying with this one, since it has implications within the game rules, but it’s something I’d like to explore.

Lately I’ve been watching a number of people -- both fellow game-designer friends and others with interesting ideas -- turn to Kickstarter to fund their projects. It’s inspired me to look at Kickstarter more closely as a means to publish my own game concepts currently under development…and while that’ll take me a bit of time to familiarize myself with how Kickstarter works, what people have done with it in the past, and how it might fit the vision for my own projects, it reminded me of a similar concept I contemplated about long ago, back when my online presence was focused through my old Griffon’s Aerie website (way back in 2004). Back then I posted a page called the “Patrons Club” listing some of my ideas for roleplaying game supplements I wanted to develop, with an eye to attracting the casual observer with influence in a roleplaying game publishing house.

The introduction to my “Patrons Club” listing of potential projects was a brief missive on the concept of patronage for game designers, much as in old times, when those with means (nobility, industrialists, clergy) funded the efforts of those with vision. I don’t mean to equate game designers -- especially average ones like me -- with the amazing artists who contributed to our civilization and culture, but the concept of patronage mirrors that system to some degree. This echoes some degree of what I understand of Kickstarter, though you can judge for yourself…here’s the original “Patrons Club” introduction I wrote in 2004:

"For centuries artists, pioneers, visionaries, and even just plain folks have pursued their careers with the generous funding and encouragement of patrons. Ramses the Great commissioned the artists of his ancient Egyptian empire to declare his glory in fine creations, from rings and scarabs to stone monuments still visible today. Pope Julius II funded Michelangelo’s artistic endeavors. Lord Carnarvon funded Howard Carter’s Egyptian excavations for years before they yielded anything of significant value. In our current age of corporate feudalism, these people seek their living by adjusting, molding, and constraining their dreams according to someone else’s dictates. The gaming hobby is no different -- game companies rarely pay outright for a freelance designer’s project. Instead they form an appealing and marketable concept and hire a writer to develop it according to their “vision,” frequently a designer under their roof or from their own fold whom they can guide and control. If one doesn’t have the means to fund a company -- or to stay home all day and write for the fun of it -- one cannot create and sell games without severe financial risk.

"As a freelance writer I’m often torn between the projects I’d like to pursue and the assignments I must accept to make a living. Now and then I find some spare time to develop projects of my own which haven’t gone anywhere. Some are left over from my halcyon days of gaming just for the fun of it. Often there’s no market for them, they’re in rough stages, I haven’t had time to shop them around, or they were originally for games that have fallen from popularity. Usually they just don’t fit into anyone else’s corporate “vision” according to marketing and their own whims for what a game should accomplish.

"In the 'Patrons Club' I want to list and briefly describe a few of these orphaned personal projects in the vain hope that someone, a generous patron, might see them, find something worthwhile in them, and perhaps hire me to develop them professionally."

I then went on to briefly outline several projects that ranged from one-shot scenarios and short articles to full-fledged roleplaying game supplements. I doubt anybody read the page much (and it has since disappeared along with the balance of my old Griffon’s Aerie website); certainly nobody of influence contacted me to develop these for professional publication, as I’d vainly hoped. At least two of the shorter projects reached PDF publication on their own and remain available through the Griffon Publishing Studio website “Free Downloads” page (Yugiri’s Gift, a samurai-themed adventure, and Trapped in the Museum, a solitaire adventure gamebook).

Granted, roleplaying game publishing has come a long way since then, with electronic publishing becoming more mainstream and outlets like DriveThruRPG acting as online stores for PDF books. And now I sit here suddenly captivated by the possibilities of Kickstarter, looking at the projects I’m developing, and wondering how best to offer these to a hopefully supporting gaming community and whether I as a game designer who’s probably faded from most people’s memory (if they knew me at all) have the influence to garner enough Kickstarter support for a project….

The internet has brought about changes in the way we all share information, from professional publishers to enthusiastic fans. Once upon a time gamers got their news, supplemental articles, and other inspiration from print periodicals like the venerable Dragon Magazine; but today gamers of all kinds face an overwhelming flood of online information, relatively unedited into a digestible form, from sources offering various levels of quality (though some might argue trending toward the substandard end) all transiently scattered across the internet. The old curmudgeon inside me yearns for the days when this wealth of new game information could be culled, edited, and presented in a more easily read and referenced format.

Battlefront is rolling out its latest edition of the popular World War II miniatures game, Flames of War, and started with an interesting premise for making its current customers happy: a free, digest-sized copy of the new rulebook. Theoretically the free giveaway ended this past weekend, March 10, when the full third edition Flames of War pack (three, full-sized books covering the rules, forces, and hobby) officially released. I managed to pick up a copy of the mini-book for free at my Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS), Game Vault in Fredericksburg last month. Battlefront should serve as a model of customer service, fan support, and forward thinking.

“Trading Up” to New Edition

Those who already own the second edition hardcover rulebook of Flames of War (which retailed for $50 when it released six years ago) could bring their copy to their local approved Battlefront hobby store (listed on the website, and familiar to fans as place to purchase and play the game); there they could present their rulebook, put a “Flames of War Veteran” sticker somewhere on it, and receive a free mini-rulebook (while supplies last). The mini-book is a 296-page digest-sized, full-color tome containing the complete set of third edition rules. Battlefront also released a series of free PDF publications at its website with notes on revised third-edition rules and handy reference charts for the new version.

I can’t remember where I picked up my Flames of War 2nd Edition hardcover, full-color rulebook. When the game caught my notice I had access to three “local” game stores: Game Parlor in Woodbridge (1.5 hours away, now closed, though its Chantilly store remains), a hobby store in Fredericksburg, VA, with about a third of the space devoted to geeky game pursuits (roleplaying games, minis, board games -- the store has since closed), and Game Vault in Fredericksburg, VA (about 45 minutes away, alive and healthy still). At the time second edition was new, and I recall debating whether to purchase second edition at full price ($50) or first edition at a solid discount. I chose second edition, surprising for me since I’m not heavily into complex miniature wargames and hesitate spending that much money on any single gaming product. I’ve since bought more minis than I can paint, painted a few, and tried out the game mechanics on my own on the basement wargames table. One of these days I’ll get out to the Game Vault for their Friday night Flames of War skirmishes. But I stopped by Game Vault recently to pick up some board games they’d special ordered for me and picked up my mini-book and sticker.

I’ve read several encouraging accounts on the internet of avid Flames of War players who lamented the absence of a nearby game shop where they might “trade up” to the new rules; and the friendly folks at Battlefront made sure these fans got copies of the mini-book, often by directly mailing them.

The most consistent complaint I’ve seen regarding the mini-book comes from its fragile binding; given its thickness and the quality of binding glue, the spine tends to crack and pages fall out. Avid fans have remedied this by fitting the book into a small three-ring binder or an office-supply-store applied comb binding for a small price. I can’t complain too much; considering the book is free, and saved me $60 to upgrade to the new, full-sized edition, a little work or money on my part to retrofit a new binding medium isn’t a problem.

Battlefront’s made a modest public relations push about the free third edition mini-book rules upgrade, more to inform loyal players than to tout the company’s own generosity. It’s part of an ongoing commitment to good customer service and support. The company website posts weekly updates, from previews and product information to small-unit guides and historical scenarios. It compiles links to convention tournament reports and relevant podcasts to highlight fan efforts across the globe. Third edition upgrade features include free PDF downloads of quick reference sheets and missions, plus various articles exploring the changes from the earlier version.

Can This Work for Others?

I’m still astounded at Battlefront’s generosity at giving away a 296-page, digest-sized, full-color rulebook. It’s something I can’t recall anyone else having done in the adventure gaming hobby in recent memory (and I’m searching the dusty halls of my memory, almost 30 years as a gamer). Give away the new edition of your core ruleset to existing customers for free? Insane. Think of the money Battlefront could have made selling the recently released, full-sized third edition, a slipcased, three-book set including books containing the rules, forces information, and hobby tips, all for $60. (Though I believe the third edition bundle at $60 remains relatively comparable in price to the second edition hardbound rulebook.) Are they nuts? Maybe. Are they good people? Most certainly. Of course, Battlefront probably makes most of its profits from sales of miniatures and other accessories, all of which are high quality and priced accordingly. Like the model of the Games Workshop Warhammer hobby Battlefront emulates, the Flames of War hobby isn’t cheap. It encompasses expensive rules and army books, well-sculpted miniatures, dice and marker packs, paints, and even pre-painted terrain pieces ready for the tabletop. Making a half-sized version of the third edition rulebook available free to existing players who’ve already invested in the full second edition rulebook -- and having the sales and marketing infrastructure of approved retailers to implement it -- just makes good sense.

Can others in the adventure gaming hobby use this “free upgrade” strategy to their advantage? To do so assumes a publisher has a distribution structure and relationship with retailers who loyally carry relevant product, like Battlefront’s approved retailers listed on its website. With sales and marketing to “approved stores” similar to the Games Workshop Warhammer hobby model, Battlefront has an immediate channel to its customers, supplemented by its website and loyal online fan community.

Unfortunately few other publishers of various game types (wargames, roleplaying games, and board games) have the sales and marketing infrastructure to effectively implement this kind of free upgrade; in fact, most publishers seek to profit from their existing players, many of whom don’t give much thought to purchasing the next iteration of their favorite game.

During my time in the mid-1990s at West End Games I cannot imagine management ever consenting to release any rules upgrade for free as a standalone product (the company did include first-edition Star Wars Roleplaying Game rules upgrades packaged with several early products, mostly scenarios, though that was before my time).

About the only system with which I’m somewhat familiar comes from DriveThruRPG and its OneBookShelf affiliates. The online sales nature of the sites provides a system whereby registered users who purchase particular products can receive free upgrades should publishers make those available. I’ve never tried this myself, or been on the receiving end of any free revisions, but it’s a concept worth exploring.

Please correct me if I’m overlooking someone’s similar efforts in the past; it’s a great leap of faith, and a testament to the loyalty of its fans, for Battlefront to try putting even a half-sized new edition of its most popular rules set into the hands of every fans for free.