I interviewed Richard Iorio, creator of the Colonial Gothic RPG and the operator of Rogue Games. He was gracious enough to answer my questions.
1. What was the first roleplaying game you played and first (if different) that you owned? How do you think it shaped your perceptions of roleplaying going forward in life?
Like most my age the first RPG I played was Basic D&D. I was living in Pocatello, Idaho in 1979 and my friend Chad had the game. My friends and I had no idea what we were doing, but we played it, and from there I was hooked. From there a whole new world opened up to me, and I have not left that world since. As for the impact it made on my life, here I am 40 years later not only playing these games but designing them and building a life with them.
2. How was Rogue Games formed? Did you have a mission when it was started or were you more focused on getting a specific game published?
It was formed by my then business partner and myself as a reaction to being tired of freelancing. We had two ideas we wanted to pursue, and neither of us wanted to go the traditional route, that is, find a publisher and deal with that. For me, I felt if I was going to fail, I wanted to fail on my terms.
3. Colonial Gothic is a setting not common in RPGs, one taking place during the American Revolution (the Colonial Record supplement for my own Coyote Trail RPG also delving into that era). Are you into historical games? And if so, what would be your favorite era other than American colonial? If not, what is your favorite genre of RPGs?
For me, a historical game has to have a hook. I am a historian, and I have played many games set during a specific point in time, and most historical gms I have played never grabbed me. Well, I take that back, I love TSR's Gangbusters, but I realize that is not actual history. LOL
4. Shadow, Sword & Spell is a rules-lightish fantasy game. What would you say it brings to the table to stand out amongst the vast crowd of fantasy RPGs? In other words, tell me why I want to buy it.
SS&S was a reaction to my growing boredom with fantasy. I was, and still am, tired of the tropes of high fantasy and the baggage that comes with it. With SS&S I asked myself if I was going to create a game that is fantasy base what would I do.
So I stripped out the typical fantasy trappings and went with a human-focused game. I wanted pulp and the type of fantasy inspired by Howard, Lovecraft, and Smith. Instead of orcs, fuzzy footed gluttons, and the like, wanted people. The best monster is humans, and that was what I wanted.
I also wanted a game that would take you from a lowly sellsword to the potential king of your own country (think Conan). Yes, in some ways, I was inspired by D&D (hell the first Edition was two books "Basic" and "Expert") but not D&D.
As to why buy it? SS&S is a toolbox. Everything you need to create a pulp fantasy game is between the covers. You do not need anything else.
Now I look at the game, and I am inspired to do more with it. Bring more ideas, more tools, and more possibilities. I think this is a good thing.
5. Why do you like the 2d12 mechanic for your games? I know of only a few games that primarily use the d12. This brings a longer dice curve to the game. Did you choose this mechanic for the curve, larger number of outcomes, or another reason?
I like the mechanic because of the spread and larger outcome possibilities. I tried the game using d6s, d100, and d20 (I will not talk about the d4s). I also wanted a system that made combat more deadly. The reason is the two games that use it (Colonial Gothic and SS&S) both games are designed with an eye toward one hit one kill. To do this, I needed to make sure there was a better chance to succeed.
6. Colonial Gothic is now in its Third Edition, which means that it's been around the block a few times. What have you learned between editions to a) make your games better overall and b) perform better in play?
Every new Edition was to make the game better.
1E (2007) had many faults, that is where Revised (2008) came into play. That version was played for a long time, and by 2011 the game showed its wear. I released 2E in 2012 because the game needed to be cleaned up again. A lot of material had been created and there needed to be a way to bring everything in. Also, how could you resist releasing a d12 game at 12:00 AM on December 12, 2012? Yes, the game went 0n sale at Drivetherurpg at that exact time,
3E came about because the more I, and others played the game, the low roll aspect did not work. Also, it made it hard to hook people. I was experimenting with a new version of 12 Degrees that I was using for SS&S 2E, and the more I used it, the more I realized Colonial Gothic needed to be in synch.
If you have followed the game since the start, each version has been done to make the game better, fix the broken areas.
Now, I did not invalidate anything, and I always made sure that what you bought before, would work with each version. I also gave each new Edition of the game to everyone who purchased the game's PDF. I also gave the newer versions to those who got the PDF via buying the book.
For me, each new Edition needed to be in the hands of those who bought the last. That way no one would feel as if I was making them purchase something new.
7. Didn't Rogue Games publish Thousand Suns at one time? I believe it even uses the same 2d12 system. Can you explain the story behind that?
Yes, that game was my previous business partners game. It was the second game we released.
8. Do you have any other games or supplements currently in the works?
Well, if you did not know, Colonial Gothic has been licensed by Grim & Perilous Studios (publisher of ZWEIHANDER), and a new edition will be released in 2020. I am part of this deal, and I am writing the new game with the Grim & Perilous. This is something that I would never think possible, but now it is. Colonial Gothic, as well as myself, have a whole team to work with, and the game will be bigger, better, and available to a broader audience.
August 2019 Fairyland is released. It is a departure from all of my other designs, and it is something personal to me. The game is what the title says and deals with imagination and playing in a world of imagination. I wanted an easy game. The reason is I wanted families to be able to play it together. Roleplaying games are such an excellent means to express yourself, and I wanted a game that all could play. I feel I did it with this game.
After that, I have a couple of ideas. One is for SS&S and the other is a new game in a similar vein as Fairyland. Before all of that, I am writing the first Storybook (adventure) for Fairyland, The Curse of the Licorice Witch, which will be out by year-end.
I also have an idea for something else. This is a byproduct of Grumpy Old Gamers (the podcast I co-host with jim pinto). I challenged myself publicly to put my money where my mouth is, and, well, I never back down from a challenge.
9. Are there any other game designers from which you take inspiration when writing and designing games and/or supplements?
Dave Arneson.
James Wallis.
10. Your approach to game design appears to be very similar to mine: easy-to-learn and use rules that don't detract from the story. Is this your approach to gaming in general or do you also enjoy more complex games (assuming you still get a chance to play)?
I have never liked complex roleplaying games. For me, I want a little setup time so that I can play. That is why such games like Big Eyes Small Mouth, Warhammer FRP, TSR's Marvel Superheroes, Mayfair's Ghostbusters RPG, and the like always clicked with me.
Now that does not mean I have not played more complex games; I do, heck I do so with my group. We switch off GM duties every 4 to 5 weeks which gives us a chance to play something else. Yet, at the end of the day for a roleplaying game, I want rules lite.
Now, I am a wargamer also. That is where I get my complexity. Wargames are vastly different, and they need the complex.
I get the best of both worlds. |
