Rollenspiel als Gasriese

Greg Cpic1025508_mdostikyan: What do you think the role of roleplaying games is and will be in gaming?

Marc Miller: Role-playing games are really big right now. Personally, I see it taking care of a major problem serious gamers have always had — which is the closet Nazi. Once upon a time, we had a lot of problems with people who really wanted to be the Germans, not because they’re Nazis but because they’re really good, or because they had colorful uniforms. And those people were kind of men without a country. They didn’t really have any place to go, and it ended up that the closet Nazi syndrome appealed to them.

Now, they wear armor and carry swords and slay dragons – which is a more healthy enterprise, I think. That’s what happend [sic], that a lot of people really transfer their feelings into the role-playing — something which wasn’t available to them before. To some extent, that has cleared the historical market out.

GC: I know what you mean. It is amazing, some of the people who get deeply involved in role-playing. I know several people who have essentially flunked out of college because they’re playing D&D or one of the role-playingg games to such an extent that tehy don’t get the work done.

MM: Right. And they used to do it when they were playing Russian Front games. Mow they do it with role-playing games, and I at least think it’s healthier. They aren’t forced now to feel Nazi feelings — anyone can feel fantasy feelings without being looked down upon politically or socially. I think it’s a lot healthier. i see a lot of expansion of roleplaying into other fields. I see some mating of role-playing with the boardgames. I see specific areas turning up role-playing games — like piracy, like World War II — which hasn’t been done yet. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, those role-playing games are going to be minor. The major emphasis is on people who live alternative lives, and the Society for Creative Anachronism is another aspect of the same thing. Fields for role-playing are relatively limited in that sense, for people who’ll grow totally dedicated to them. They end up being science fiction and fantasy.

MOVES magazine nr. 51 June-July 1980, SPI, New York

Und heute? Hat WoW die Karawane weiterziehen lassen?

Zur O.R.K.-dépendance

I’m a gambling man

Frohe Botschaft, Europa wird einflußreicher!
Mongoose informiert uns:

Some companies have certainly experienced difficulties (and it was with some sympathy we watched Guardians of Order try to make its way through its problems, to no avail). Many retailers and distributors are very hesitant to try new things, and orders have become very conservative as everyone waits through this quiet period for the Next Big Thing to hit.

This is all true. In the USA. What was once an 80% share in our business has shrunk to something like 55-60%. However, not all is doom and gloom, as this has been matched (even exceeded) by a growing tide in Europe and the UK, where we have seen both RPGs and miniatures games experience a sharp rise, to the point where even relatively small UK distributors have leapfrogged most of those in America. The second largest distributor (in terms of Mongoose sales) is in the UK, and is nipping at the heels of the Number One in America. My first prediction for 2007 is the Rise of Europe. Americans „“ you are letting your side down! You cannot have us Brits be the centre of roleplaying! Start playing more!

Weiterhin wird der Erfolg Runequests dargestellt, und SpaceQuest angekündigt! Enorm, mit der Ankündigung von Avenger:

The title of the new rules is not 100% decided, though opinion is in favour of Translight. This is a joint Avenger/Comstar product, with the basic system drawn from BRP but adapted for SF gaming. Avenger/Comstar’s Translight rules have been largely developed by me (MJD), with some areas done by freelancers working for Comstar.

und dem alten Ringworld sowie Space Gothic existieren dann Unmengen von Material für SciFi-BRP! Meine kühnsten Träume werden war.

Weiterhin wird Lone Wolf wiederaufgelegt (RuneQuest Lankhmar ist ja schon in aller Munde, wenngleich auch wegen schlechter Illustrationen), und allerfeinste vorbemalte Miniaturen rollen an. Nächstes Jahr werde ich richtig viel Geld ausgeben.

Es gibt eben doch noch Gutes in der Welt. Fast wie Weihnachten.
Zum O.R.K.