RP6
A downloadable game
Really, most TTRPG rules boil down to "I can do this if the GM says I can." We have certain bits set down as rules, so it's an inviolable right that you can add your Strength modifier to Strength rolls when you're playing D&D, but there's equally enough GM fiat and jiggery-pokery behind the scenes that setting the Target Number higher can completely negate that modifier. The dice sit in the middle as a charming arbitrator, and to remove some of the perceived responsibility from the GM, but they're in charge and you're gambolling for their favour.
Anyway, to grossly oversimplify it: all roleplaying games are bullshit and are an exercise in framing fictional concerns modulated through the prism of social interaction between players and GM. So when I was writing the simplest possible one, I wanted to say the quiet part out loud and condense almost all the rules into "convince the GM that it's a good idea." RP6 is that.
It's pretty much the purest form of roleplaying you can have, and everything else we do as games designers is guide rails that push the story, tone, pacing etc. in different directions. (Not that "pure" implies "best," here. Unprocessed sugar cane is all well and good but I can't make a cake with it, can I?)
Status | Released |
Category | Physical game |
Rating | Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars (4 total ratings) |
Author | gshowitt |
Tags | One-page, Tabletop role-playing game |
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Comments
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Hey, i'm preparing a polish version, and i have 2 questions about the game.
1. Is Prussia (in the Thanks section) a real person or you are talking about the country?
2. "If a player uses the same reason twice, write it down. It can’t be used again until the situation changes." Does the second part impacts every player or only that one player?
Can't answer #2 (though it might just be up to reader's discretion), but Prussia is a reference towards the practice of Prussian Krieggspiel, so presumably the country.
Awesome onepager, as always. A german version is incoming. :d
Since you gave me permission on BlueSky the other day, I've finished and uploaded the French translation on my own page : https://le-joyeux-scribe.itch.io/6dr
Thanks for making this available ! I already have ideas for hacks...
Until download appears here you can also get it from the Patreon page (no subscription required): https://www.patreon.com/posts/rp6-116678704
And now I'm left wondering if gshowitt ever did a GMless game.
With the amount that's out there there had to be one, right?
If I have this system I can handwaved downtime.
I need something I can play with younger kids and this seems like a simplified system that would be perfect for that.
It's bones are solid and seems like scaffolding for anything.
Does that hit a 3…?
YES! Exactly how I explain what an RPG is to my new Players and how my brother and I used to play D&D between classes and on trips to wherever. It's how my daughter and I play now.
Maybe we need to convince the GM that it's a good idea to let us download the game...
Good idea! I'll roll first (I'm only *ok* at convincing people, so that's probably a plus 1).
I rolled a:
~ [2] ~
so that's [2] + (1) = 3. Probably not enough, we can only guess at the required threshold. Someone else want to try?
I rolled a 3! I can be very persuasive when necessary, so I reckon I have at least a plus 2!
So 5! Let's see - "Hey, I've got a fresh £/$/€ bill/note/coin here just waiting to be spent! How about you give us a download link in exchange?"
What do you think? Persuasive enough?
Looks like you were successful! Well done :)
Hi, annoying first comment about "where's the download button????!!!!!" here :D
Frantic follow-up on that topic. Where is it!!!
Bewildered reply-all: Hey, where's the attachment?
Guys, lets all convince the GM that we are investigating the area as a group and see if we can pass the check that way.