TTRPGs and Tech
Disclaimer: This has the potential to be a controversial post, so it's important to clarify here that I am not looking to denigrate anyone's choice in how they game. The opinions here apply to me alone and the way I personally game, and are not intended to judge anyone else's choices or tell you that your fun is in some way wrong. If it comes across any other way, I apologize in advance and assure you that is not the intent.
The growing relationship between tabletop RPGs and technology is something I've really struggled with for a long time. On one hand, there's no argument that wih the advent of things like VTT platforms, more people than ever have the ability to game. People can now game with friends from all over the world using a slick interface that incorporates everything from dice rollers to digital maps and digital tokens, so much so that when completely, fully used, these things really resemble video games as much as they do a traditional tabletop RPG.
Even things as basic as the ubiquitous availability of PDFs have changed the shape of the TTRPG landscape. People can now carry entire libraries of books with them on a single mobile device, be it a tablet, laptop, or smartphone. We have form-fillabe character sheets, direct messaging, and so many other resources. For some people it's all been a massive boon, and those who have adopted these things wholesale tend to take an "all or nothing" attitude towards technology.
It's a strangely polarizing thing: people on both sides of the argument (and I am not immune) tend to be arrogant about their points of view - those who eschew technology are utterly dismissive of those who embrace it, and those who embrace it are quick to brush the older crowd under the rug, brush them aside as being somehow in the way of progress.
Of course, neither side will admit that they do that.
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A Digital World is a Cold World
I've said this in conversations with friends, and I find that people who have fully embraced the digital world vehemently disagree, and are sometimes extremely dismissive of my views on this...but digital is absolutely not, in my opinion, any sort of worthy substitute for real, face-to-face interaction. It's not a way to see people you can't normally see. It's really just a cold reminder that you can't see them. You can't shake their hand. You can't hug them. They are nothing but a cold image on a screen. Even their voice is digitized through a microphone.
It's a psychological fact that we are a social species; any argument to the contrary has been roundly disproven by psychologists. My wife is a therapist and mental health expert, and we have had extensive conversations on this issue. We are, to put it bluntly, herd animals, and virtual presences do not satisfy our basic psychological need for gathering and being with other people.
Yet we've created a world where we are actively encouraging people to not interact in person, to stay home, to learn to love a virtual world where the screen is as good as the real, and even to become misanthropic to the point where we actively hate going out among other people. We're even encouraging people to use "being an introvert" as an excuse for avoiding contact with others (hint: that's not how being an introvert works).
That's just sad. There's a place for many folks for digital interaction. It's a tool like any other tool. But going in whole hog is a horrible idea that's just unhealthy. Going entirely in-person, on the other hand, conversely has no such negative effects on our mental health and psychology.
Finding a Middle Ground
I've been trying very hard to find a middle ground: technology at the gaming table is simply not for me. I think it's important that we have an analog form of gaming, that we have something that actually allows us to disconnect once in awhile and get back to real, physical things with real, physical people. Again, however, I understand that there are those out there for whom digital platforms and technology have been a godsend. There has to be room for both.
I don't play virtual gaming. I've tried it, and I absolutely abhor it. I had to run a few sessions at a virtual convention (another term I can't stand - if it's virtual it defeats the entire purpose of a convention) and though my groups were outstanding and the games went really well, I hated every minute of it. I was so angry by the end of the sessions I just wanted to hit something.
When COVID hit, my groups simply stopped meeting for about 8 months or so until the restrictions lightened, and we trusted each other to behave safely and made our group part of our pod. It worked out fine. We had a couple scares, even one or two members that had COVID, but always handled it carefully and the infection never made it into the group. If someone had symptoms or tested positive, they were out until they were safe to be around again.
That said, some of my players have embraced virtual gaming and have ongoing groups using VTT, Zoom, and other media options. That's great for them, and I'm glad that people have found enjoyment in it. I do, however, grow tired of being pressured to embrace it and to learn to love it.
Streaming Games
I'm also of two minds on streaming games. In this day and age it's one of the biggest platforms for advertising your game there is, and I have begun to actively solicit people to run streaming sessions of Night Shift: VSW on Twitch and other platforms.
That being said, I find the spate of "famous" actors and voice actors monetizing our hobby (when let's be real; they don't need the extra money) by streaming what all-too-often are bad sessions of D&D and convincing young people that's how the game is supposed to be played somewhat disgusting. There are millions of great gaming groups out there, but we're all driven to watch these streams (and buy their litany of books) just because we recognize the names. That's just our celebrity culture at work.
On the other hand, there are a lot of great games being streamed by normal people just out to have a good time. The next time you head out to watch a game, I'd encourage you to find the names you recognize and instantly throw them in the trash. Then go find a great game streamed by people you might sit down at a con with to play a game. You'll be better off for it and you won't be soaking money into the corporatizing of the hobby.
Then again, I'm a hypocritical shill and if one of those famous groups wanted to stream my game I'd be all over it. So there's that. As a company I'll do what I have to do, to get the word out about my game. It's also worth noting that nothing is universal: some of these famed folks are actually great gamers and their stuff is fun. I'm not going to issue my opinions on which are good and which are bad.
Technology at the Table
Technology at the table is another issue that we're stuck with. I have players who keep their character sheets on their iPads, now, who use dice rolling programs, and who keep their books in PDF format. Frankly, I hate it. As a GM, I feel like using tech at the table is a gateway to loss of engagement in the game. I never know when someone's looking at their character sheet, checking a rule in the book...or scanning social media and ignoring me entirely.
I like to think I'm a pretty damn good GM. My players actively look forward to my games. They tell stories about their characters and adventures. I had one close friend with whom I hadn't gamed in a very long time sit in on a con game with me and afterward, he said to me, "Man, I forgot what a good GM you are." I'm not saying this to toot my own horn, but to say it's crushing to me when I think someone would rather read their Facebook page than pay attention to the game I worked hard to prepare.
I don't like tech at the table. Roll real dice. Read real books. Use a pencil and paper. And above all, pay attention to the GM and other players.
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All Digital is Not the Future
In a positive sense, the younger crowd of Zoomers and those who come after them do seem to be eschewing the technology that has been so heavily embraced by the generations before. A good friend and fellow publisher of mine games with kids a lot, and he has pointed out that through no action of his, the kids he plays with insist on putting the phones and devices away, having piles of books, and throwing real dice. That gives me hope for the future.
Folks, there's a place for technology in gaming. It's here and it's here to stay. But there's also a place and time to put down your phone, disconnect, and enjoy the real-life, physical presence of other people around an actual table. Perhaps, just perhaps, as we move into the future, both are necessary for the evolution and health of the hobby.
Does This Mean NSVSW Will Never Be on Digital Plaforms?
This does not mean you won't ever see Elf Lair Games on VTT platforms. Indeed, it seems that eventually, it's something that needs to happen. Here's the problem: it's very expensive and time consuming to get your games on platforms like Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, and the like. Each of these platforms has its own proprietary system, so you have to completely reprogram your game for each individual platform. I'm no computer programmer, and frankly, I'm terrified of the day when being a game designer means you have to be one, because that'll be the end of a lifelong dream that I'm only now starting to realize.
You also have to pay them for the privilege of having your game rules up there. That's not a bad thing; these services are businesses and businesses exist to make money. It just means that as a business myself, I need to carefully weigh what I can afford to do. One wrong step, and Elf Lair Games ceases to exist.
So yes, eventually you will see our games on VTT platforms; it just requires me to have the resources to do it. Until then, I encourage anyone who embraces these platforms to use whatever resources they can without having rules modules, to play our games and enjoy them. I am of the understanding that having the rules on R20 or FG is a bonus, but not entirely necessary to use the platforms.
I'm interested in your thoughts and comments on this issue, but let's keep it civil - if embracing technology has been a godsend to you, that's great; tell us about it. If you disdain it and go all anaogue, talk to us about it as well. Please don't, however, argue which is better. Both are equally valid and everyone is different. So let's do it! Give us your thoughts below, and of course, as always, pick up a copy of Night Shift or any of our other games today!
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