Questions and thoughts about solo design

[houndle]

Another question that occurred to me the other day: numeric paragraphs (1, 2, 3 and so on) or alphanumeric (1A, 1B, 1C) ones? Looks to me as though the original solos used an alphanumeric style, presumably to assist the user find the right page when flipping through a physical book. Later solos use numeric paragraphs, I guess because you're just scrolling or following a hyperlink. Following that logic a digital-only solo could presumably dispense with numbering entirely and just use the links. 

Generally speaking I still prefer the alphanumeric style; there's something oddly satisfying in having a book where all the paragraphs beginning in "1" are located on page 1 , and so on. Strangely this seems to get altered when old solos are updated for dT&T; the classic version of Naked Doom as alphanumeric paragraphs, the new version has numbers. Unfortunately the new numbers don't look quite right; looks to me as though para 44 links to 8, not as shown in the solo. (In case anyone was wondering it took me 11 attempts to get there.)

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 3, 2022 0:16:55 GMT -5 houndle said:

Is there a "sweet spot" in terms of solo design I wonder? Something that occurred to me when I was trying some solos a while back and which I don't think has been discussed in detail (correct me if I'm wrong). 

Reading some old solos (after finishing them!) I did a bit of analysis to try and classify the paragraphs. I arrived at the following broad headings:

• Narrative. Describing something, with no significant choices. Generally deplored, but may have its uses in building atmosphere or tension and sometimes a necessary evil because of the overall structure.
• Utility. Things like the introduction, various exit paragraphs and so forth. Another type of narrative but essential.
• Paragraphs that require the player to make a choice. May be an informed choice (open the dangerous looking chest?) or uninformed (turn left or right at a junction).
• Paragraphs that involve saving rolls.
• Paragraphs that involve fighting.

Some of these may be repeatable (e.g. fighting wandering monsters, choosing from a list of multiple items), some will ideally occur only once.

So, two questions:

1. Does the list sound about right? Is there anything which should or could be added?
2. Any thoughts on the ideal balance between the list items to keep things interesting?

I have solo gaming question: If, and when you play more free style solo rpg, do you use a oracle, or something similar, and do you have any tips of any good ones?

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 21, 2022 5:49:04 GMT -5 trolletgunnar said:

Jun 3, 2022 0:16:55 GMT -5 houndle said:

Is there a "sweet spot" in terms of solo design I wonder? Something that occurred to me when I was trying some solos a while back and which I don't think has been discussed in detail (correct me if I'm wrong). 

Reading some old solos (after finishing them!) I did a bit of analysis to try and classify the paragraphs. I arrived at the following broad headings:

• Narrative. Describing something, with no significant choices. Generally deplored, but may have its uses in building atmosphere or tension and sometimes a necessary evil because of the overall structure.
• Utility. Things like the introduction, various exit paragraphs and so forth. Another type of narrative but essential.
• Paragraphs that require the player to make a choice. May be an informed choice (open the dangerous looking chest?) or uninformed (turn left or right at a junction).
• Paragraphs that involve saving rolls.
• Paragraphs that involve fighting.

Some of these may be repeatable (e.g. fighting wandering monsters, choosing from a list of multiple items), some will ideally occur only once.

So, two questions:

1. Does the list sound about right? Is there anything which should or could be added?
2. Any thoughts on the ideal balance between the list items to keep things interesting?

I have solo gaming question: If, and when you play more free style solo rpg, do you use a oracle, or something similar, and do you have any tips of any good ones?

[houndle]

Sorry not quite sure what you mean by "oracle" trolletgunnar. Can you explain further?

[trolletgunnar]

I'm talking about a set of rules to help generat solo adventures; Usually based on yes and no questions. I have heard about Mystic, but I haven't tried it. 

[houndle]

Understood trolletgunnar. I haven't tried anything commercial. I think Rat Salad will have something on solos in the next Trollszine, though I don't know any detail beyond what he has posted on here.

I find it quite difficult to generate what I would consider a satisfying solo, because I think in terms of story lines and I always have an idea what the end should be. So any solos I generate for myself tend to be quite straightforward dungeon delves with the main interest being the monsters' abilities and whatever traps I can dream up. Most people would find the results quite bland I fear. My preference is for a story with unexpected twists, some characterization and the opportunity for a little silliness.

[youfiend]

Jun 21, 2022 5:49:37 GMT -5 trolletgunnar said:

Jun 21, 2022 5:49:04 GMT -5 trolletgunnar said:

I have solo gaming question: If, and when you play more free style solo rpg, do you use a oracle, or something similar, and do you have any tips of any good ones?

Hey, trolletgunnar! I actually do a lot of the freeform solo play you're talking about. Personally, I find that a good "idea generator" has been more useful than yes-or-no question oracles. You mentioned Mythic above, but I feel like that's a bit too cumbersome for fast-paced solo play and that it's easier just to roll a six-sided die with the odds you think a yes-or-no question should have.

If you don't mind a computer-based tool, I've really enjoyed using The Augur in my recent solo play. It has generators for monsters, places, threats, arbitrary prompts, and more. the-augur.itch.io/theaugur

If you prefer something in paper, I'm pretty partial to "Maze Rat" published by Parts Per Million Games, as it includes a d66 prompt table that adapts well to d6-only Tunnels & Trolls. They also have a lot of other solo tools inspired by different systems which you might want to take a look at! www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318210/MAZE-RAT-Solo-Roleplay-Using-MAZE-RATS

I've got a lot of other little bits and bobs I've picked up from other systems and solo publications, so feel free to message me to discuss those in more details, because I may have a helpful tool at hand that would assist if you're looking for a specific kind of solo experience!

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 27, 2022 13:18:26 GMT -5 houndle said:

Understood trolletgunnar . I haven't tried anything commercial. I think Rat Salad will have something on solos in the next Trollszine, though I don't know any detail beyond what he has posted on here.

I find it quite difficult to generate what I would consider a satisfying solo, because I think in terms of story lines and I always have an idea what the end should be. So any solos I generate for myself tend to be quite straightforward dungeon delves with the main interest being the monsters' abilities and whatever traps I can dream up. Most people would find the results quite bland I fear. My preference is for a story with unexpected twists, some characterization and the opportunity for a little silliness.

Well it sound good to me!  When I write something for T&T, I find it central to add some silliness to it; It is a game after all, and should be fun, Plus it’s what’s makes for the specific flavor of T&T. 

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 27, 2022 13:50:56 GMT -5 youfiend said:

Jun 21, 2022 5:49:37 GMT -5 trolletgunnar said:

I have solo gaming question: If, and when you play more free style solo rpg, do you use a oracle, or something similar, and do you have any tips of any good ones?

Hey, trolletgunnar! I actually do a lot of the freeform solo play you're talking about. Personally, I find that a good "idea generator" has been more useful than yes-or-no question oracles. You mentioned Mythic above, but I feel like that's a bit too cumbersome for fast-paced solo play and that it's easier just to roll a six-sided die with the odds you think a yes-or-no question should have.

If you don't mind a computer-based tool, I've really enjoyed using The Augur in my recent solo play. It has generators for monsters, places, threats, arbitrary prompts, and more. the-augur.itch.io/theaugur

If you prefer something in paper, I'm pretty partial to "Maze Rat" published by Parts Per Million Games, as it includes a d66 prompt table that adapts well to d6-only Tunnels & Trolls. They also have a lot of other solo tools inspired by different systems which you might want to take a look at! www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318210/MAZE-RAT-Solo-Roleplay-Using-MAZE-RATS

I've got a lot of other little bits and bobs I've picked up from other systems and solo publications, so feel free to message me to discuss those in more details, because I may have a helpful tool at hand that would assist if you're looking for a specific kind of solo experience!

Well thank you for your helpful post! I usually use the solo tables found in ad&d the first edition, plus some solo rules that Gygax wrote in 1974. I also use a compendium called wilderness exploration: davidmauricegarrett.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/jed-mcclure_wilderness_hexplore_revised.pdf



I will definitively check out your links – thanks a lot!

[apn]

I'm kind of late to the party here and not read everything through so I apologise if this has been trodden over already. Rather than have set paragraphs saying "You go here, this happens, your choices are..." how about you simply have a book of tables. Roll 3D6 to look on the starting table which states which path you then go down (in other words which set of tables).

[lurker37]

Jun 14, 2022 11:47:05 GMT -5 houndle said:

Another question that occurred to me the other day: numeric paragraphs (1, 2, 3 and so on) or alphanumeric (1A, 1B, 1C) ones? Looks to me as though the original solos used an alphanumeric style, presumably to assist the user find the right page when flipping through a physical book. Later solos use numeric paragraphs, I guess because you're just scrolling or following a hyperlink. Following that logic a digital-only solo could presumably dispense with numbering entirely and just use the links. 

Generally speaking I still prefer the alphanumeric style; there's something oddly satisfying in having a book where all the paragraphs beginning in "1" are located on page 1 , and so on. Strangely this seems to get altered when old solos are updated for dT&T; the classic version of Naked Doom as alphanumeric paragraphs, the new version has numbers. Unfortunately the new numbers don't look quite right; looks to me as though para 44 links to 8, not as shown in the solo. (In case anyone was wondering it took me 11 attempts to get there.)

I frequently find myself having to backtrack in numeric solos because somewhere along the line of searching for the correct page I misremember the number - an issue I don't seem to have with the alphanumeric paragraph labels.

In some cases it has not been until the second playthrough of a solo that I realise the path I took last time was not actually possible.

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 14, 2022 11:47:05 GMT -5 houndle said:

Another question that occurred to me the other day: numeric paragraphs (1, 2, 3 and so on) or alphanumeric (1A, 1B, 1C) ones? Looks to me as though the original solos used an alphanumeric style, presumably to assist the user find the right page when flipping through a physical book. Later solos use numeric paragraphs, I guess because you're just scrolling or following a hyperlink. Following that logic a digital-only solo could presumably dispense with numbering entirely and just use the links. 

Generally speaking I still prefer the alphanumeric style; there's something oddly satisfying in having a book where all the paragraphs beginning in "1" are located on page 1 , and so on. Strangely this seems to get altered when old solos are updated for dT&T; the classic version of Naked Doom as alphanumeric paragraphs, the new version has numbers. Unfortunately the new numbers don't look quite right; looks to me as though para 44 links to 8, not as shown in the solo. (In case anyone was wondering it took me 11 attempts to get there.)

It is a good thing, if you use a paper version, to know where - at which page - to find a paragraph. I must remmber that when I finish up with the solo adventure that i'm Writing; as it is the paragraphs are all over the place    

[trolletgunnar]

Jun 28, 2022 6:23:51 GMT -5 apn said:

I'm kind of late to the party here and not read everything through so I apologise if this has been trodden over already. Rather than have set paragraphs saying "You go here, this happens, your choices are..." how about you simply have a book of tables. Roll 3D6 to look on the starting table which states which path you then go down (in other words which set of tables).

That looks neat! I like that it is customized after which character you are playing, is it something that you are planning on using will writing solos's

[apn]

Just an idea. A way to do something different rather than funnel down the go here, do this, go there, do that. I'm still looking into the options of how to make a CYOA (Choose your own adventure) and there seems a few free programs out there to do it.

[houndle]

Another random thought, prompted by recently purchasing Mercenaries Spies and Private Eyes. How do the experts of solo writing handle detective stories? I've made a start on The Case of the Pacific Clipper and while it's absolutely excellent it still feels quite linear to me, i.e. you follow the thread of the narrative from start to end(s) and there is limited scope for concealing clues or misdirection beyond the normal saving roll type scenario. Though admittedly I haven't yet pursued every thread in the adventure.

Initial thoughts, have something like a series of apparently unconnected threads which allow you to loop back and pursue a different thread at various times. Each thread contains a key paragraph which gives you a clue e.g.

Thread #1 eventually leads you to clue A.
Thread #2 gives you clue B.
Thread #3 yields clue C.
Thread #4 gives you clue D.

Whenever you find a clue you enter it on a grid e.g.

A	B
C	D

Completing a row OR a column takes you to a paragraph which moves the adventure on. You cannot reach these paragraphs by other means. So, for example the expanded version of the table (paragraph numbers in bold) might be:

A	B	30
C	D	35
30	40

Collecting clues A+B leads you to a new point in the narrative (may be the resolution, may be a fresh clue). Clues A+C lead you to the same point (different route to the same resolution). The other combinations lead you somewhere else which may be helpful but may not.

E.g. 
A. Colonel Moran was seen arguing with young Adair on Friday night. You have to find a witness to establish this.
B. Young Adair was found murdered on Saturday morning. You can probably get this out of the papers.
C. Colonel Moran is known to be a deadly shot with an air rifle and not over-scrupulous about using it. You'll winkle this out of someone from his old regiment.
D. Colonel Moran is an associate of the notorious Professor Moriarty. This is a deep secret you may only find out, possibly by accident, by solving another crime.

A+B and A+C could plausibly lead to para 30 "Colonel Moran is likely mixed up in some dastardly business."
C+D (para 35) gives you some hint that Colonel Moran is a villain, but you'll need a few more pieces of the jigsaw (via a bigger grid) to pin anything on him.
B+D (para 40) gives you two unconnected facts that hint at a bigger mystery. More work needed to join the dots.

Is this something which has been explored previously? I have some ideas for a short adventure but I don't want to reinvent the wheel. Again.