9 April 2024: The Heart of the Story

Update: See the end for an answer to a frequently asked question about this post.

Theme is another one of those aspects where people either understand what I’m doing, or it feels like they never will. A few people seem outright repulsed by the idea, given the reactions I’ve received from the very first book on theme in roleplaying that I published through my Great Gatsby hack.

The question I get asked most is why. They want to know why I seem so obsessed with the idea that theme is an essential element for roleplaying. My answer is simple; I like my adventures to be about something.

Roll dice, kill monster, take treasure, repeat. That gets boring to me after a while. Considering that I’ve been at this for decades, my desire for something more, something a little deeper, with a little more substance, should be understandable. There needs to be some other motivation. Something has to be at stake. Characters need motivations and intrinsic rewards.

In the roleplaying business, they say you should write the sort of material that you enjoy playing. Even if the theme is good versus evil, I need to see the moral quandary of choosing between getting the loot and stopping the bad guy. I want characters that care about things, about other characters and causes. That means there needs to be things to care about. Themes provide emotional connections and depth. They create immersion.

At no point will I ever say that everyone should play every game this way. Do what makes you happy, as long as you’re not hurting other people doing it. I just think that being stuck in 1981 murder hobo mode forever is a waste of potential.

Update: I haven’t immediately dropped prices across the board because the software that runs this site can’t bulk-edit prices for digital products. That means having to edit each product individually, which takes time. I will happen over time, but I need to carve out time to do it. 

I hope you’re doing well today.

Berin