Rampant Games - A Bit More Conservative

No, Jay Barnson did not decide to write about politics. Instead he writes about becoming a bit more conservative over time about pushing novel design ideas.

I was a lot more opinionated about RPG design a few years ago. I talked a lot more about experimental design ideas, pushed a lot more concepts that really went far outside the bounds (well, I thought they did, anyway) of conventional design. I’ve come to realize I don’t do that so much these days. I’ve become a little bit more conservative with my ideas.

Why is this? I mean, shouldn’t we always be pushing the boundaries of the genre, doing newer and cooler and more interesting things? Absolutely! But I think these are the reasons I’ve toned down some of my bolder statements of how things ought to be:

#1 – Experience
Now that I’ve gone through the experience of building a commercial computer role-playing game, I’m a bit older and wiser. I realize that you have to pick your battles. People crave familiarity as much as they crave novelty. You have to find a good mix. Pick what to change, what to try, and what fundamentals to stick with. But a lot of it is just having a broader understanding of why designers have made the choices they did… because I’ve had to make the same choices.

#2 – I’ve tried them

#3 – The genre has already expanded

#4 – Experimental is everywhere

#5 – I’ve been humbled

#6 – Seeing Lots of Perspectives

#7 – Ideas aren’t unique

#8 – Deeds not words