Games, Content, and Focus

George and I had this conversation over donuts and coffee the other day, and it was very interesting. I laid out a theory of three different ways to categorize games: full toybox, playset, and action figure. This method of categorization tries to describe how much 'stuff' comes with a game, and how that stuff changes a game's focus. Let's lay out the game types below:

Action Figure: These types of games do one thing, and one thing well. They are games written for specific situations, with a small set of toys to play with - often built around the game's premise. Monsters, equipment, environments, and the rules to handle all of this stuff is centered around a narrow set of things to do, and typically a subset of things in the normal world. An action figure game's powers, classes, and content is tightly focused around a single hero type. Good examples of games like this are the original 007 RPG, the Conan RPG, the Top Secret RPG, Marvel Super Heroes, or even the old Indiana Jones RPG.

Playset: These games have a broader focus, but still limit play to a group or collection of groups in the world. The amount of stuff these games support is greater than an 'action figure' RPG, but is still limited along a theme or play style. You have enough to play members of several factions, and in doing so, this brings in a lot of gear, vehicles, and fringe monsters to fill out the game. You still play along a tight focus, say dungeon exploring or fighting crime, but the feel is broader and the allowed area of action is larger. A playset contains a tight set of classes, monsters, and powers all to be used in a set environment. Good examples of RPGs like this are Labyrinth Lord, Star Frontiers, DnD4, Vampire, Traveller, Gangbusters, Star Wars RPG, or even the superhero game Champions.

Toy Box:These games typically have no focus, and try to include everything and the kitchen sink. There is an implied focus of play, but the games go out of their way to support any campaign type or play style under one roof. You can identify a game of this type not only by the volume of material it covers, but the wide and varied focus of that material. A dungeoneering 'playset' game may stat out monsters typically fought by characters; but a 'toy box' game goes to the length of statting out monsters character may never fight, like draft horses, camels, and otters. A toy box celebrates its lack of focus. Good examples are the Pathfinder RPG, DnD3, GURPS, Hero System, and even SBRPG.

Yes, I broke apart DnD4 and Pathfinder here, probably a hot topic for some. I feel this is a fair difference between the two games. DnD4 focuses like a laser on the 1 to 30 run, and adventures. Every class, power, item, and monster is statted out for play in that range, and even the world design presented in the game is engineered to provide a great adventuring experience. While DnD4's worlds may be large, the material in those worlds is tightly focused around the entire 'playset' mentality. Note that one play style is not better than another - this is tearing down a game's content and focus.

Let's take Pathfinder, which can be totally played like DnD4's playset style of play. The difference is Pathfinder can be played many different ways, and the rules say so. You can play a politics game, horror game, romance game, kingdom building game, pirate game, or any other idea that the toybox full of content supports. To be fair, there is nothing stopping you from playing these with DnD4, but DnD4 has a built-in focus, tightly on the dungeon and tactics. Horror in DnD4 is hard, and romance makes no sense on a map. In Pathfinder, it is easier to pick out a couple horror or romance based monsters from the toy box, and get playing. Tactics doesn't matter, maps don't matter, and the 1-30 run fades away. The game celebrates a lack of focus, and supports whatever you want to do with the system.

Again, there is nothing wrong with playset style games, and for a lot of things, a playset style game makes more sense than a whole unfocused toy box. There are even times when you want to laser-focus what's in the game to an 'action figure' style game, and only support what is important. I play, and prefer all three types of games - none are better than the other.

Where you run into trouble, is where you use a focus that doesn't really fit what you are trying to do. Let's say you use an action figure game to play in a toy box style setting - pretty soon ,the limited focus of the original rules doesn't handle everything you want to do (hello, missing starship rules). It happens again with a toy box game used to play in an 'action figure' type setting - there is so much extra stuff creeping in the tight focus you want is gone (superheroes in a Tomb Raider game).

The game must fit what you want to do with it, and what you are doing with it must fit the game.