So You’ve Decided to Write an RPG!
First of all, that’s awesome, way to go. Writing anything is a challenge, but you are welcomed with open arms into the community of creators. It is my distinct pleasure to be able to welcome you. Please know that everything below is only my personal experience, and you can feel free to deviate wherever it suits you.
Your First RPG Should Maybe Not Be Your Dream RPG
I’m reticent to make my first piece of advice something not to do, and while this is something I believe, feel free to take what you need, and leave what you don’t.
If you’re actually putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), it’s probably because you have an idea that you think is really great and are ready to go to town on it. However, I would advise you to write the basics of this idea and some key details, and then save it for a later day. As you begin writing, your taste will outmatch your skill, and to dedicate your most precious ideas to something that will likely disappoint you is not an ideal place to start!
Start Small
Chances are, you’re familiar with, and perhaps even inspired by, larger, complete RPG systems like Dungeons and Dragons or Shadowrun. While these are beautiful, complete worlds, these games are novels. Any aspiring novelist has likely begun by writing shorter stories, and you should begin your journey in a similar way. Don’t be afraid of leaving room for players to get creative with your rules and your world in the aspects of the game where you leave space.
Read Other RPGs
Research should be a part of your writing process, but the point at which you really delve into similar works could vary depending on your process. You can start when all you have is an idea, when you’ve got the basic structure, or even when you’ve got your entire first draft completed. However, the point at which you undergo your research will affect what you get out of it.
Remember to read things from a variety of sources; mainstream games, indie games, games from creators like you, creators very different from yourself, games kind of like your game, games totally different from your game, etc. Familiarizing yourself with what people are making in this format will make you and your writing better.
You’re probably already be familiar with Dungeons & Dragons, but here are some other RPGs to kick-start your research: Minimum Rage, Kids on Bike, Masks, InSpectres, Honey Heist, Fiasco, Lasers and Feelings, and many more await you!
Playtest
Wrangle some of your friends into playing the game, both with you as a participant (or GM, as appropriate) and with you solely as an observer. Note the parts where players struggle, where things go smoothly, and also note the timing and pacing of gameplay. Evaluate these results with how you’d like the game to play.
Perfect
Take what you’ve learned from your play testing and retool the game where necessary. You may have to go through a few cycles of play testing and refining your game, but since it is your first game, you also don’t need to go too hard on yourself! You’ll know when the game is ready
Publish
Share your creation with the world! There are a number of platforms out there to publish your work, including drivethrurpg, itch.io, and others. As your game launches to the world, you may receive additional feedback from people as they play your game, which you may or may not find useful. Feel free to refine or rebalance the game into additional versions as necessary, or just let people enjoy the game that you’ve made as is! Feel free to share your games with the community below!
If you want to see the first RPG I ever wrote, you can find it on itch.io for the low low price of pay what you want. It’s called Divorce, and it’s about a custody battle. Laughs not guaranteed.