Sunday, October 23, 2011

Coffeeshop Gaming

Maybe we'll also look at reducing the dice used to just the d6s?
I'm thinking of running RPG sessions that take up very little table space.

There's a coffeeshop at the ground floor of our building that has relatively small tables, but most places that we want to game at need a fairly large-sized table to be able to comfortably fit:
  • maps and figurines
  • character sheets
  • rulebooks
  • dice and tokens
  • GM tablespace (including the GM screen, dice, game notes, and maps)
  • food and drink of the players
In order to eliminate maps and figurines, we'd probably need to eliminate the need for tactical (positional) combat.

In order to reduce the character sheet space, they should be able to fit on a 4" x 6" index card.

Not much we can do with the rulebooks, unless the rules themselves are easily memorized and internally consistent, or can ALL (every last rule) fit on the GM's screen.

Electronic devices can tackle the dice, but it also helps not having to roll that many dice per person and over an entire gaming session. Tokens have the same issue, but perhaps poker chips will work -- you can stack them.

Following the above items can help reduce GM tablespace requirements as well, though not much can be done about the screen. Unless the GM can keep all rules and adventure notes in his head. Alternately, laptops and tablets work too.

7 comments:

  1. Try my Vivid system :) You only need space to roll a handful of six-siders.

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  2. Risus? Max 4d6 per player.

    Why not old World of Darkness LARP? You don't have to LARP, just use its rock-paper-scissors action resolution system. No dice at all.

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  3. There's a system called FUDGE, I believe, that's perfect for such things. Also yes, I've found a laptop works really well for DM notes. It would be good to get a game going that could work in such a small area.

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  4. Vivid, Risus, and FUDGE (which i'd forgotten about) will certainly be up for consideration. I'm hesitant about Rock-paper-scissors because of the skill involved -- but non-dice systems are an option, it's true.

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  5. When I buy an iPad, I certainly shall. :)

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  6. There is always Universalis, that only takes poker chips and 3x5 index cards. Of course it is far more narrative gaming than it is role playing.

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That's my side of things. Let me know what you think, my friend.