I have a problem familiar to TTRPG nerds: my shelf runneth over with games I’ve not found time to play or read. It’s a privileged problem, of course, but it imparts the same shame as unread books and unplayed video games.
When I find time, I enjoy reading RPG rulebooks even if I don’t get around to playing them; there’s a lot to learn about how different designers approach different subjects, themes, systems, and information architectures. Whenever I run or facilitate a game, I typically read it cover-to-cover in advance so I can come in as prepared as possible.
But I read slowly, and I can’t read everything so thoroughly, especially my ballooning digital library. A close read can also be more dense and muddying than a quick, crisp overview. There’s a difficult balance to strike between skimming and perusing, and there‘s no single answer to the question of where a given game’s “heart” or “core” lies.
But the shelves (physical and digital) still stare disdainfully back at me, and I need new ways to read them. I want to learn to do incomplete (but still enlightening) RPG reading.
Learning to Read
Today, as an experiment, I picked 3 untouched RPGs on my shelf and dedicated 30 minutes to each one, hoping to see what I could glean and discover how much more closely I’m inclined to read.
I knew these books largely by their pitches; I had not read or played them and I knew little about their systems, besides all three having a traditional GM role:
- Interstitial 2e by Riley Hopkins — a modestly-sized RPG (80 pages) about interconnected worlds, inspired by Kingdom Hearts
- Deathmatch Island by Tim Denee — a medium-sized story game (200 pages) inspired by the popular death games trope, based on AGON’s system (which I’ve not read or played either)
- Coyote & Crow by Connor Alexander — a hulking (maybe) trad game (470 pages, large format) designed around a setting and system built by indigenous creators
Interstitial 2e
How did I approach it?
I checked the table of contents, then skimmed through largely in order. My time ran out right before I got to the appendices. I read the overview of playbooks, but only looked closely at a couple of them. I paid the most attention to the basic rules on Moves and Links and parts of the GM section.
How did it go?
I was able to get a good grasp on the overall system and what player characters are made of. It helped to understand Interstitial's shared lineage (Powered by the Apocalypse) with games I'm more familiar with. I also managed to form notions of how I think the game might play relative to those others.
I also had time to get to know the writing voice. Being familiar with core touchstones also helped me understand the tone it was going for.
What did I learn?
Games that are built on systems I already know are much easier to read, and the important focus is often where they deviate or elaborate. Because of the commonalities, the differences take on additional significance in my understanding of the game and its intentions. Voice and tone of instructional writing is also a good source of guidance.
Deathmatch Island
How did I approach it?
I browsed the table of contents, then again worked through from the beginning. I spent time up front (more than I should have) trying to understand some of the smaller-scale procedures for individual steps of play. I didn’t really get to the back half of the book.
How did it go?
I didn't get as complete of a picture for this book, and that's only partly because it was longer. Deathmatch Island runs on a system I don't already know, and it features a lot of different procedures for various phases of play. Putting it all together without moving ahead to the actual play material was a lot harder; I internalized far less than I did with Interstitial. I did, however, appreciate how much the layout and design helped highlight information.
What did I learn?
Obviously, unfamiliar systems take more time to understand. I also learn better by example, so I'd likely consult the included play example next to help solidify my understanding. Play examples are rarely thrilling to read, but it would be worse for them to be absent.
Coyote & Crow
How did I approach it?
I focused on the broad strokes and learning how the book was organized. I jumped around quite a bit between table of contents, intro text, explanation of the dice system, the worldbuilding section, character creation, and back to the remaining system explanation and the GM guide following it.
How did it go?
I got a relatively sturdy understanding of the core dice mechanics and the structure of the game. I looked at the stats, skills, and character creation alongside the blank character sheet at the back, which helped me get a good sense of what characters are made up of. I also got several glimpses of the book's ideological approach and how it intends engage both native and non-native players.
What did I learn?
Coyote & Crow is built in a more traditional style, not dissimilar from modern D&D (this style is often called "trad games"). That format meant that I could expect to find a big section on the setting, a section on making characters, a section explaining the core mechanics, and a section with GM advice and material for GMs to use in play. That structural familiarity was a huge benefit to understanding the game, and it gave me time to focus in on learning how dice rolls work and how to create characters.
I also realized that world-building sections are much harder to skim effectively. I got bits and pieces, but I was daunted by the sheer amount of it.
In Conclusion
I recognize that reading the quantity of RPGs I would like to is an uncommon pursuit, but it’s one that I find rewarding as a designer, GM, and enthusiast.
None of the impressions above constitute a review, or really any degree of considered criticism, of the games in question (apologies to these designers for experimenting on their work like this). I found that deliberate skimming and jumping around can accomplish quite a lot, and came more naturally than I'd have thought. I learned that I’m already attentive to where a book is easy to refer back to, and where I might need to read closely and build an understanding ahead of time. I also found that my familiarity with a rulebook's systems (obviously) and format (less obviously) make a difference in how quickly I can understand its information architecture.
I don't plan to continue reading in strictly-timed intervals, but it was refreshing to spend 90 minutes surveying several books rather than getting partway through one. I do, however, plan to skim more deliberately and skip around more liberally in my future RPG reading.