Why isn't the Forge promoting all these swell games?

[The Magus]

I think this is a really interesting site but it is somewhat intimidating to the new user.  One of the things I'm not all that keen on is the lack of a system to find suitable RPGs for one's needs.  I wish there was some feature a bit like Board Game Geek that helped you pick and choose RPGs.  RPG Geek does not appear forthcoming.

For example, what if I wanted a sci-fi RPG that I could play in an evening?  A Fantasy RPG for extended campaigns and character development (I know that one: Burning Wheel).  A game that's suited to 2 players?  With or without a GM?

You get the idea - I'm sorry that I can't be more helpful in doing this - I don't know enough about it.  I just think it's a crying shame that there's so much potentially good stuff here that could be a lot more accessible.

Or am I missing something?

[Eero Tuovinen]

Well, maybe that the Forge isn't a marketing cooperative, and making it such would betray its neutrality and openness to new designers and new games. There are other places where rpgs are sorted out - I'm pretty fond of my own little webstore, wherein I sort, introduce and review 50+ indie games for the benefit of Finnish hobbyists. The focus at the Forge tends to be squarely on supporting design and development, so this site isn't even directed at the general hobbyist so much nowadays.

In the English-language world... I don't think there is any one resource that really exposes the Forgean scene of games, so perhaps somebody should start one.

As for you personally, you can always ask if you want game recommendations. I for one don't mind telling about my own favourite games.

[Adam Schiller]

I'm a big supporter of "if you want it, don't necessarily wait for someone to do it for you." In this case, I feel it is an appropriate philosophy. The Magus, I totally agree with your sentiment about offering a games list for people to view and sort-through the hundreds--maybe thousands--of wonderful RPGs that might very well go under the RADAR even when someone is specifically looking for one of a certain kind.

Such a list would benefit the following:
- Casual viewers
- Non-members
- Bored corporate editors
- Newcomers
- Designers searching for similarly interested designers
- Other promotional sites

Despite these numerous advantages, Eero Tuovinen has a point about "neutrality" and "openness." However, if you (for instance) started researching and organising the games yourself, and if (due to popularity) the thread got stickied at the top of one of the main sub-forums, the result would be near the same but save the site itself from "officially supporting" one thing or the other. It's a tall order, to be sure, but I'd be willing to help you do this, if you want to be The Big Cheese in making this dream a reality. I know we'd all owe you a debt of gratitude, if you did. PM me if you're interested.

[lumpley]

I would love for the Forge to host a database of indie rpgs, along the same lines as Board Game Geek's database.

Anybody have any suggestions for software? It could be a wiki, or what else?

-Vincent
site tech admin

[Ron Edwards]

Eero's supposition about the neutrality is true by default, but not by design. Vincent and I simply don't have the time (remember, we don't get paid for any of this). The Forge did have a similar feature, or the beginnings of one, a while ago, but it ran into technical difficulties.

The obvious solution is for one person to step up as the vision-holder, and then solicit technical help from others if he or she can't do it.

The Connections forum is available for anyone to do that, any time.

Stating a desire for someone else to satisfy without doing anything to make it happen is not particularly helpful or even admirable. I could name a few things I'd like to experience every day, but I don't think that obliges anyone to make them happen for me. But even doing a little something in the right direction is great.

"The Magus," you're stating a fine desire, and if you wanted to be that vision-holder I mentioned above, then please go for it.

Best, Ron

[Paul Czege]

Wagn might be worth exploring.

Paul

[The Magus]

Stating a desire for someone else to satisfy without doing anything to make it happen is not particularly helpful or even admirable. I could name a few things I'd like to experience every day, but I don't think that obliges anyone to make them happen for me. But even doing a little something in the right direction is great.

"The Magus," you're stating a fine desire, and if you wanted to be that vision-holder I mentioned above, then please go for it.

Best, Ron

Damn - this is like punk rock.  It reminded me of Tim Kerr of the Big Boys/Lord High Fixers saying, "What are you doing to participate?"  I would love to participate more but I'm worried about offering for two reasons:

1. I don't know enough about the RPGs out there.  My view is distorted having not been involved in the hobby for 15 years, only returning last year.  I don't know enough about computing or setting up forums, wikis, databases, hosting.  I know what information I might want but it might not be as in depth as what others want or indeed what would be good for the hobby.

2.  Like many others I would do this for the love - I work full time and am studying part time for a Masters.  Then I try to find time to have a social life.  Then I try to find time to actually play these games with like-minded friends.  Then I try to find time to write posts on forums.  Then I notice it's bedtime but I stay up to read one more post... etc. etc.  Time would be a problem.

I want the designers of these games to make as much money off these games as possible.  One of the things that annoyed me about punk was an eschewing of money out of a sense of purity.  My worry is that your ideas and designs in some ways get co-opted into the mainstream and you all get screwed financially.  However, I realise that Everway never sold well in its time.  You could pick up copies of it in UK games shops for £3 (we Brits can be philistines).  Maybe this will remain a hardcore minority pursuit.

As DOA said Talk - Action = 0
I will attempt to solicit help or set up some sort of project, perhaps initially to cover all the games here.

Thanks for reading
Piers

[lumpley]

Hey, I've kicked off a thread in the connections forum, here: Database of independent rpgs. I think this is a cool project.

-Vincent

[Larry L.]

Piers,

Damn - this is like punk rock.

Yesss!!!!

Welcome to the Forge!