Opinions of Designers on Copying Mechanics from other RPGs
HeTeleports:
Quote from: Eero Tuovinen on February 25, 2010, 10:23:58 PM
To put the issue simply: you can't break into the market with a copied game mechanic when the market is mostly interested in innovative design in the first place, which is the case for a certain subsection of the rpg market.
I echo this sentiment. Further, I'll strengthen it by writing that such subsects that Eero mentioned are potential gateways to a broader market. It's not uncommon for a board game (with a new play mechanic) to catch popularity after members of a subsect introduce the "novel game mechanic" in the new game to people outside the subsect. (Look at Settlers of Catan's origins.)
It's like industrial mining. Speaking stereotypically, RPG designers can be gold prospectors -- hunting for their next strike. On my intuition, I'd suggest that those RPG design prospectors who fail at innovative design fall into the vast majority Ron's bringing up. Syncretism isn't a bad way to look at it, particularly since the designers who directly imitate may be doing so out of a sense of owning up to a heritage in order to produce something innovative at a different level (thematically, artistically, etc.)
It's an interesting project you've taken on, sir. I'm eager to see how the discussion develops.
-Youssef
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