Hi roleplayers,
I'd like to introduce an idea I've been pursuing for breaking the fourth wall in dice based table-top roleplaying, through the use of dice. It would be cool to know what people think about the concept...
The concept boils down into two parts.
1) The first is that the dice are designed as though they would be objects that could actually have been found in the fantasy setting in which we're gaming, e.g. an old dungeon in the Forgotten Realms. This covers the dice design all the way from how they look, how they are numbered, what material they are made from, and also their context in the world: who, why and how they were made. This means that the dice that we hold and roll could actually be objects that our avatar has previously found themselves in their world. Almost breaking the fourth wall.
2) The second aspect, is to have some secondary use for the dice that isn't resolving aspects of the game 'simulation'. This is because the idea of using dice to resolve a roleplaying game event isn't something that our avatar would ever do… so in rolling them for this purpose we aren't assuming the role of our character (and breaking down that 4th wall) at all! So this aspect of the idea, is to give the dice a purpose that our avatar would want to roll them for – entirely within the context of the game world. An example, would be that the dice can ask the spirits of the dead for guidance (as in a Ouija board). In this example, our avatar might want to use their dice to ask for guidance as to which way to go – in which case when we roll the dice (as though we are our avatar rolling the dice) we really have broken down the 4th wall! We ARE our character, rolling THEIR dice! :D
It would be cool to know what people think about this. Any ideas on other ways avatars might want to use dice-like objects within a game world – other than as a Ouija board?
On the note of the Ouija board implementation, I'm actually running a Kickstarter campaign to make actual dice that have this aspect. If this roleplaying concept sounds cool to you, then it would be great if you could check it out! :D kickstarter.com/projects/1422641660/fa.. This is my first project along this concept.
Looking forward to hearing peoples thoughts on the concept! :)
Keep Rolling,
Gary.
Post this in spam. You'll get the most people to see this. I for one am considering donating :].