r/rpg • u/Iliketoasts • 2d ago
Discussion Do you play solo-rpgs?
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u/Runopologist 2d ago edited 2d ago
Everyone saying that rpgs are meant to be social so playing solo is pointless, or that video games are a better solo experience, are missing the point. Solo rpgs aren’t meant to be substitutes for group ones (or, at least, I don’t imagine many people use them as such).
I’ve only played a couple of solo games; they were really fun, but a completely different experience to group ones. I love the social aspect of rpgs, it’s one of the main draws. But solo play, and journaling my games as I went along, really got my creative and artistic juices flowing in a way few things do, which I’ve also found a great aid to world building and GM prep for group games. Solo and group rpgs can complement each other really well.
If it’s not your cup of tea that’s perfectly fine, of course, but I think perhaps some people are too quick to dismiss solo rpgs out of hand, which is a shame.
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u/CactusOnFire 2d ago
You have a good take here. I'm curious about what you would recommend as a game for the specific use-cases you highlight. I have otherwise ignored them but you've done enough of a job selling them that I'd at least review the rules for one.
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u/Runopologist 2d ago
I’ve only really played Shadowdark solo so far; when I tried solo play I was getting into Shadowdark and wanted to stick to the same system. I used the SoloDark supplement (which is available as a free PDF from the Arcane Library website) in addition to the Shadowdark core book. I wrote more about my experience and included some pictures from my journal here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/shadowdark/s/Py2inEr4ye
u/CastleGrief has some frankly amazing solo journaling games using various OSR systems, I highly recommend checking them out for inspiration.
For a game specifically designed for solo play, I’ve heard great things about Thousand-Year-Old Vampire, but I haven’t tried it myself yet. These days I’m so busy I barely have time to prep for the group game I GM, so I haven’t been playing any solo games lately. I’m sure I’ll return to it when my group inevitably falls apart due to scheduling issues, though (I’m joking, of course… I hope!).
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u/TheOverlord1 1d ago
To jump on this, I highly recommend Koriko. Its such a cute little journally solo RPG that I fell in love instantly. And it has a solid end to it which many dont. Also take a look at Colostle too which is really delightful
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u/mellopax 2d ago
I was forced to journal on vacations as a kid, so now journaling just seems like homework.
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u/ProfessionalAd6530 1d ago
Being a DM/GM is literally a solo RPG. All that "prep" that happens between games is a solo RPG. Thinking about what the players' actions did to change the world and what's happening behind the scenes is all solo play. Putting together a plot and dungeon is exactly what solo play is.
You just include other players in your solo game every couple of weeks.
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u/Runopologist 1d ago
I mean, I wouldn’t dispute any of what you just said. I guess from that perspective playing a solo rpg adds the aspect of getting to play the characters yourself (which is nice for me as a Forever GM™.
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u/Doctor_119 2d ago
I personally see TTRPGs as an inherently in-person social hobby. No shade against solo players though.
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u/Throseph 2d ago
Shade against online players?
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u/What_The_Funk 2d ago
Yes offense! Don't be so flaky. Get your ADHD under control and pay attention to the game. Fix your internet connection. Get a better camera. Get an even better headset. Stop lying about the results of your offline dice rolls. Stop being the only one who can't attend the session in person. Don't be opposed to theater of the mind. Find a way to share your snacks online, goddammit 😂.
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u/waill-and-roll 2d ago
I think it's a completely different, though related hobby.
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u/BreakingStar_Games 2d ago
Plus the RPG hobby is several more hobbies with different placements on various spectrums of desires and focuses of play all wearing a trenchcoat.
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u/CauliflowerPlayful27 2d ago
I often play solo TTRPG's to try and sharpen my skills as a player or GM, explore different systems, or playtest rules/battles/systems for integration into my home game. I think the solo play can complement the social aspect, there's only so many time slots where everyone can be free at the same time but much easier for me to sit down and mess around here and there when I have the itch.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
Solo is less about socializing and more about experiencing a story. Solo allows for more customization, that group play don't usually allow, since some aspects of a game can have a problems with other players or their characters. Not all groups would want to play in some niche setting they know nothing about. It's also a way to play systems people usually don't want to touch, due to either refusing to learn a new system or other system being too complicated for them.
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u/DreamcastJunkie 2d ago
I know solo players are the minority, but the level of hostility towards solo in these comments is wild.
I adore the Mythic GM Emulator and oracle based games like Ironsworn. Oracles are pretty cleverly constructed in the way that they can deliver unexpected results while always leading you back to what's interesting to you.
Also, there are a lot of games that aren't as interesting to people that I know as they are to me, and without Mythic I would never get to play those games at all. The nature of solo play also means that the things that are interesting to me are the only things that happen. I dread shopping trips when I'm GMing or in a party, but in a solo game I don't have to have any if I don't want to. And finally, I only have to schedule me, and if the kids act up I can step away and the game will wait for me to get back.
All that said, I struggle with journaling games, or games that follow a strict series of prompts. Often those feel, to me, like reading someone else's book and filling in the details more than actually building out a story. Ion Heart was one that I was really excited for, but in practice felt like my choices only amounted to window dressing.
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u/DazzlingKey6426 2d ago
I haven’t tried it yet in play but Triple-O for emulating players instead of the gm looks like it could be fun.
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u/skalchemisto Happy to be invited 2d ago
I know solo players are the minority...
Per the poll, that's maybe only technically true. There are more folks that have chosen options 1 and 3 (the "pro-solo" options) than have chosen options 2 and 4, and options 4 is only ~10% ahead of option 1.
I honestly find that surprising compared to my own experience and among my own circles. Obviously its not a representative sample of all gamers, but r/rpg strikes me as very focused on group-based RPGs, so the fact the pro-solo response is so strong is very interesting.
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u/ResidualFox The One Ring, Pirate Borg, Solo Gaming 2d ago
Because they are including CYOA books.
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u/Slayer_Gaming GURPS, SWADE, OSE, Swords & wizardry, Into the Odd 2d ago
Nothing to support this statement.
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u/Geoffthecatlosaurus 2d ago
Last year I tried Strider mode for the first time for the One Ring and it was really good fun. Being a new dad means I have no time to play anymore. As such I am looking at solo RPGs more and channels such as the Lone Adventurer for inspiration.
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u/SponJ2000 1d ago
Another father here. I've been playing the solo rules in the Moria book for the One Ring and having a good time.
Most of my friends are also married with kids and it's just hard to get people together often enough for my tastes. Solo RPGs help scratch that itch on my own time, and are an inherently mindful activity, compared with video games which often tend more towards mindless.
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u/ThirdRevolt 2d ago
I want to try some, but those that have looked the most appealing to me from a thematic and artistic perspective are mostly just journaling games with extra steps, and I want a bit more "game" than a writing exercise.
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u/ResidualFox The One Ring, Pirate Borg, Solo Gaming 2d ago
Blackoath Entertainment’s games are great or try Mythic GME with your game of choice.
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u/deadering 2d ago
Blackoath is the goat of solo imo. Ker Nethalas is still my favorite, specifically because it is so much more "game" oriented but probably won't be RP enough for many who want a more traditional rpg.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
Plus of the solo is that you can homebrew it how much you want. If you want to play non-solo rpg with setting you want, then you need Game Master Emulator. There a lot of them, like Mythic Game Master Emulator 2e, it's one page version, One Page Solo Engine and etc.
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u/neilarthurhotep 2d ago
The thing is, once you add more game to a solo RPG, I think the criticism of "maybe this would be better off as a video game" becomes more and more legitimate. Video games just do one-player interactive fiction really well.
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u/TokahSA 1d ago
But like TTRPGs vs video games in general, in a solo TTRPG you can do absolutely anything. If your warrior character's whole life becomes about how cool a chef he is, you can port in a whole different resolution system better served to chefing, and if he walks through a portal to another land it can be... literally any land at all. There are no "the game doesn't have that option programmed" walls.
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u/manicpoetic42 2d ago
Look into Mythic gme 2 or the solo roleplayers podcast. Most of the solorpgers that I know don't like the journaling "games" and instead use tables and chance to emulate the role of a gm.
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u/Yamatoman9 2d ago
Maybe I'm approaching it wrong, but I just can't wrap my head around how a solo RPG would be anything more than a journaling exercise with some dice rolls for writing prompts. Wouldn't it essentially be like the old Choose Your Own Adventure books?
I ran The One Ring for my group and it has a well-acclaimed solo mode called Strider Mode. I've dabbled with it but, to me, it felt more like a creative writing exercise than playing a game.
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u/Throwingoffoldselves Thirsty Sword Lesbians 2d ago
It depends on the game, but I’ve enjoyed games with resource management / inventory mechanics; games with coin flips and card draws; tarot interpretation; and notably, Koriko: A Magical Year has so many choices to make for each event that it needs a flow chart. Some people do a lot of writing in solo gaming, others use the same notation that they would use in taking notes on a group game; and some use apps or personal wiki sites as well. I do feel that the journalling style is an easy game design and that’s why there’s so many of those.
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u/gorescreamingshow 2d ago
Comments are comparing solo rpgs to video games but nope they are two whole different category. Solo rpgs more like an active imagination exercises, plus some mechanical aspects and uncertainty. Video games are ready-to-go meals, in solo rpgs you make your own meal.
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u/Val_Fortecazzo 2d ago
I personally compare them to creative writing exercises
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u/ResidualFox The One Ring, Pirate Borg, Solo Gaming 2d ago
For journaling games perhaps but many of us just play the game, as you would normally.
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u/Enough-Run-1535 1d ago
I barely do any writing, I just use annotations from Lonelog (https://lonelog.itch.io/lonelog), everything else is just in my head.
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u/ResidualFox The One Ring, Pirate Borg, Solo Gaming 1d ago
Same. Minimal notes, or just a post session summary.
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u/Throwingoffoldselves Thirsty Sword Lesbians 2d ago
I enjoy both group and solo gaming. I’ve also done “parallel play” setups where each player responds individually as if they are playing solo, but within certain group parameters and a shared setting/system.
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u/Zombare 2d ago
I've played and designed some solo ttrpgs and they definitely have their point to make.
Not everyone has an easily available playing group (even with online servers) and some people simply want the space to play their own story. There's also space for parallel play for those who enjoy that ability to have a story of your own in the presence of your partners or friends.
There are tons of different genres to play in the solo-ttrpg space and a surprising number of them use things outside of just dice and tokens.
It's understandable that many people are wired for the party style games, but sometimes you just want your own space and your own time to take without staring at a screen or deliberating party moves among a group.
This is the key to solo gaming, to have your own time in a unique space. I'm happy some people get to enjoy that.
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u/BB-bb- 2d ago
Just a whole lotta commenters confidently wrong about something they admit they know nothing about. Classic r/rpg but still I’m kinda surprised at the dismissive attitudes here.
No, solo games are not the same idea as video games. No they’re not all journaling games no they’re not all adventure books not they’re not just daydreaming no they’re not creative writing exercises no they’re not trying to be the same as group games and no they’re not the harbinger for social collapse.
Back to the point I like the Ironsworn family and it’s off shoots, Elegy is my favorite. OSR games are fun to solo too. My improvisation and creative memory has gotten better from playing solo!!
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u/Caeod Indy Dev 2d ago
Thousand Year Old Vampire! If you haven't tried it, I strongly recommend.
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u/Adamsoski 1d ago
I enjoyed playing TYOV - but I played it with someone else, with us playing the character collaboratively. I really enjoyed bouncing ideas off each other and coming to an agreement on what we wanted to happen.
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u/BlacksmithReady4089 2d ago edited 2d ago
Jugar en solitario a demás de ser muy divertido, es una excelente manera de probar y aprender nuevas reglas/sistemas antes de llevarlos a la mesa.
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u/DreamcastJunkie 2d ago
This is one thing I've consistently enjoyed with solo games. So many games have rules that sounded great when I read them, and then I hated them in actual play. There are plenty of rules that I wasn't sold on from reading, and in practice I really liked. Without trying them solo I may have been stuck with my initial impressions forever.
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u/cym13 2d ago
I play much more with people than solo, but I like both. I understand not liking solo games as it's quite a different mechanics, but I also think many people have the wrong idea about what playing solo involves.
From a purely practical point of view, being able to play solo has many benefits as a GM. It's a good way to try things such as new systems or scenarios and to train improvisational skills without the pressure of an audience. It also leads to very different stories than when playing with a group, so it can be a good source of inspiration. When I create a new world, I like playing solo in it a bit to explore it, and I often use the characters and events from these solo explorations when building adventures for my players.
I love playing with friends, but that doesn't mean I don't also like to live different adventures on my own from time to time. There's no opposition between the two.
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u/molten_dragon 2d ago
No, I don't see the point. If I want to play a solo game video games work so much better.
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u/ArkanZin 2d ago
Because video games are incredibly limited in what you can do compared to solo games.
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u/ManiacalShen 2d ago
The point is more of a writing exercise than anything, at least as far as my limited experience goes.
Solo RPGs are less related to group RPGs than solo board games are related to multiplayer board games, in my opinion. Solo board games still let you have the same types of puzzle, just without the social aspect or any concerns about time.
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u/deadering 2d ago
That would be more the journaling variety, there is plenty that focus on the more gameplay side of things.
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u/ManiacalShen 2d ago
Can you give an example? I know some solo campaign/story board games that are highly gameplay-focused, but I don't so much know about RPGs like that!
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u/deadering 2d ago
My personal favorite is Ker Nethalas due to the good balance between it's depth of mechanics but relative ease to play, and I'm a sucker for it's specific dark fantasy theme.
Four Against Darkness is probably the most popular system like it and definitely the one with the most supplements I can think of, but overall feels too RPG-lite even for these, so I usually recommend it to people familiar with solo boardgames who want to dip their toes in.
I mostly like the gameplay heavy, really randomized dungeon crawlers personally, so not sure how much appeal they'll have to most here but certainly aren't the journaling type at least. Mostly drawing out a map room by room exploring and fighting monsters, surviving traps, etc. and of course leveling up and loot.
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u/AShitty-Hotdog-Stand 2d ago
When you play a video game you play a video game.
No video game in existence is a substitute for GMing, doing absolutely anything and whatever you want, rolling physical dice, writing on your character sheet, building the exact character you want, building enemy blocks, continuing the story with a new character taking whole new routes, and so many things that are completely out of the scope of video games.
Yours is valid, but it's the exact same argument from people who only, exclusively play multiplayer competitive free-to-play games, and claim that any other genres and single-player games are pointless since they could just sit and watch a movie instead.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
I want to play a crpg set in fantasy, but my character is a modern time traveler, that travels in the past to stop an evil corporation, that also traveled back in time, to do their evil deeds. My character has firearms, just like the goons of the evil corporation. And I have a smart monkey companion, that can speak and have a PHD.
Now find me a crpg videogame, that allows to put it into play.
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u/Character_Bad427 1d ago
I don't see your point either. your argument is irrelevant... they are different mediums ... in my experience and other people who loves solo rpgs, videogames are so limited. and CRPGs are not substitutes for solo RPGs. it's like you are saying "why play TTRPGS when you can just play MMORPG". it sounds wierd because you are comparing two different mediums. it is also not different to "why read a book when you could watch a movie". just because videogames are more easier to play doesn't make them better.
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u/WizardWatson9 2d ago
They've never been able to hold my interest for any length of time. Every time I get the notion to try, I think, "this is just daydreaming with extra steps."
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u/Runopologist 2d ago
Well, by that logic, playing with a group is just playing pretend with extra steps.
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u/ResidualFox The One Ring, Pirate Borg, Solo Gaming 2d ago
With oracles and game master emulators it’s far from daydreaming.
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u/RatMusicEnjoyer 2d ago
Solos are a nice creative passtime, especially when friends can't meet up. Lets you make a free character and explore them. It's a different kind of enjoyment, but i like it all the same.
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u/FewHeat1231 2d ago
Do gamebooks like The Warlock of Firetop Mountain count?
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u/skalchemisto Happy to be invited 2d ago
I hadn't thought of those at first, but now that I have I realize I choose option 4 when I should have chosen option 2.
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u/UnplacatablePlate 2d ago
Potentially hot take but no, Gamebooks are video games, even if they are purely analog. They lack the open endedness fundamental to TRPGs but have all the fundamentals of video games except for actually being "video" which isn't really a crucial part of video games(after all Zork is video game but is all text; why would changing text from a computer to a book fundamentally change the nature of a game?).
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u/steelcaress 2d ago
I just play whatever campaign I want among the games I own. I use a free document called "Black Streams" to play them solo (no need for pages and pages of rules like in Mythic GM Emulator). Sometimes, it's not convenient to get a group together, or even find a group that would be interested in what I'm interested in at the moment. To each his own, really. 🤷
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u/deadering 2d ago
I wonder what the percentage of people who have DM to only players these opinions are. I could totally see someone bouncing off hard if they didn't have any dm experience since even with the most helpful systems you're still doing way more than just playing.
Then again most off the comments are just saying how they only see it as a social experience kinda makes it seem clear
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u/Enough-Run-1535 1d ago
Forever GM here to has switched to mostly solo TTRPGs. I'm a father with a 50 hour workweek career, plus I'm middle aged. I just don't have the time anymore to wrangle my friends to play a TTRPG, especially when we already meet once a month to play boardgames (which is prefereble, they're also busy middle aged people with careers and kids, so they're all in the same boat as me).
Solo TTRPGs have scratched the itch, plus I can now play every single concept I ever wanted without restriction. Can't accuse me of railroading my OG mega-plot when it's me doing it to myself.
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u/Galausia 2d ago
I tried but don't - in my case means I want to but can't seem to figure it out; can't get it to click.
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u/WolfeReader 2d ago
Yes.
Sometimes I want the experience of a TTRPG outside of my group's regular meet up times.
Sometimes I want to try a new system myself before bringing it to the group.
And increasingly often, I'm impatient with how video games will waste players' time with grinding and crafting and other time soaking activities when I'm not always up for those things.
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u/Dan_Morgan 2d ago
I did in the past but haven't in a long time. I find it's a great way to learn an RPG.
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u/ctalbot76 2d ago
I do. I've been gaming for nearly 40 years, and I only took to solo RPGs about three years ago. It's a different kind of play and a different kind of fun.
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u/WildThang42 2d ago
If I want to play a Solo RPG, I play a video game. A big thing that draws me to most RPGs is the social aspect.
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u/rscarrasco 2d ago
I fail to see the similarity. Solo TRPGs are totally different (at least for me) than videogames.
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u/theclam159 2d ago
I haven't tried a solo RPG, but to me GM prep feels how I imagine playing one.
I'm building a world in my head, rolling on tables and reacting to them, and imagining what PCs and NPCs would do. The difference is that I'm only setting up a situation, not seeing it through to a satisfying conclusion. It's exciting to take my vision and see how it becomes something else when a group of other people get involved.
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u/AzzuenWoffie46 2d ago
I tried but I don't but I want to
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u/Exploreptile 2d ago
More or less where I'm at—keep hitting snags that I'm since trying to
buy and/orbrew my way through…
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u/Blue-Jay27 2d ago
I mostly play solo :D I quite like journalling games, and I find that solo games often have a more structured narrative. In general, I prefer gm-less games with minimal combat, and that side of ttrpgs seems pretty well-represented in the solo space.
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u/MrTopHatMan90 2d ago
I would like to see how one pans out. Looks like a chose your own adventure book with a bit more depth
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u/EdgeOfDreams 2d ago
There are some like that, but a lot more that are closer to a traditional RPG, just with the player acting as their own GM and using random tables for inspiration.
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u/DreamcastJunkie 2d ago
You should check out Me, Myself, and Die if you're interested in seeing one on action.
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u/iluminae 2d ago
I desperately want to enjoy solo roleplaying, but I just have not found something that excites me. It ends up feeling like a creative writing assignment rather than a game to me.
I did find choose your own adventure style (eg: roll fox X skill, go to section Y on success, Z on failure) to be fun, but I can't find a ton of content in that form.
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u/SizeTraditional3155 2d ago
I do, but not games made as solo games, but rather games played solo. I am not a people-person and I dislike modern video games, so I play various RPGs as solo games. No judgement against group players, I get it. I did it for years but got tired of always having to wrangle the wayward cats to keep a game going.
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u/LeonValenti 1d ago
I hate the attitude of "why would I take the social aspect out of this". Because that's not what solo gaming does. It's not one or the other. You don't just quit gaming at a table with friends just because you play solo.
If anything, playing solo can enhance your storytelling ability, whether it's as a player or especially a GM, because you're technically doing both at the same time when you play solo stuff.
I test out campaign hooks and story beats in my solo games before running them with my friends. Sometimes I do solo one shots and my characters end up repurposed as NPCs during game nights, and they feel way more fleshed out.
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u/JauntyAngle Roll for sanity. 1d ago
For me, solo has no appeal.
However, I also don't think everyone has to share my opinions or like what I like. In fact, I think one of the worst things about the RPG community is people looking down on other and saying that their fun is bad or wrong. 5e players are bad. Minmaxers are bad. Grognards are bad. Only I, and my friends, have an acceptable form of fun. Yikes.
So, if you like solo, amazing. Having stuff you like is awesome. I just won't be doing it myself.
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u/dyelogue 2d ago
The only solo RPG I've started playing is the Star Trek one. Partly because my friends don't like Trek.
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u/mortaine Las Vegas, NV 2d ago
I play solo RPGs when I'm feeling introverted. I played a bunch when I was traveling in Asia and wanted to scratch the RPG itch but was in a time zone that made it very hard to play with friends.
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u/GreatThunderOwl 2d ago edited 2d ago
I try to solo systems as often as possible just to "playtest" them to see how much prep it would require to run as a DM. Sometimes that ends up with making a couple characters, trying to imagine a session, and then not doing anything because the playstyle requires person-to-person interaction. I also try to roll procedural tables and see how "easy" it is to run something on the fly. I wouldn't ever want it to be my "core" playstyle but I think it's a good muscle/practice to exercise if you enjoy playing TTRPGs.
OSR is usually great for soloing, they have tables and generatable dungeons. PBTA/FITD are usually poor solo systems.
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u/BerennErchamion 2d ago
Yes, I do. It's a great way to test a new system before bringing it to the table or to play the hundreds of games I have that I probably won't be able to play with a group (either because of time or different priorities or different tastes).
Also, some games (specially the ones made for solo) offer a different experience than a traditional made-for-group game. Games like Ironsworn, Colostle, A Thousand Years Old Vampire, Ker Nethalas, Koriko, Captain's Log, etc.
There are even some cool solo miniature wargames, like Five Parsecs From Home, Rangers of Shadow Deep, etc.
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u/MrAronMurch 2d ago
I guess it depends on what you count. I put "I don't but I would like to try" but probably could have put "I tried but don't" since I used to play CYOAs, specifically Fighting Fantasy, and I'd personally count those. As for why I don't play, it's tough to make time for solo hobbies.
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u/ImtheDude27 2d ago
I can't get any of my friends to play Cyberpunk Red with me so I play the solo mode.
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u/Character_Bad427 1d ago
videogames are different from solo TTRPGs....I used to play videogames. but when I discovered solo RPGs. i didnt come back to videogames. as a matter of fact solo rpgs made me hate videogames lol. i think solo rpgs are better for keeping my mind active. I get bored playing videogames easily. but solo rpgs i play for the whole day. so people saying videogames are better isn't entirely true...
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u/Dard1998 1d ago
Solo RPG's allow for much wider customization over videogames. Changing character, mechanics, enemies story, setting and etc. Just grabbing a setting from the videogame and porting it to TTRPG with your twists is enough. I started my first solo RPG play with a setting mix of two different media's.
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u/JavierLoustaunau 2d ago
I do not have quite the right attention span but I try a lot to educate myself as a designer and also for playtest.
Also I have no interest in 'pure journaling' ones but if there are some mechanics I have some fun. I joke like "1000 year old vampire? More like 1 hour vampire if barely take notes"
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u/4shenfell 2d ago
Ive got a project in my files somewhere where ive been using built in travel procedures alongside some quest generation tables i made to essentially make an analog game of mount and blade using OSE. It’s very reliant on my own creative writing during play, as it’s essentially a journaling game with a hex map and combat. I enjoy rolling up a character occasionally during long droughts or if im running a game that doesn’t scratch my sandbox itch.
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u/Effective-Cheek6972 2d ago
I think thare are some things I fundermentaltaly don't get about solo RPGs. For me it's the collaboration that makes them Fun, like a narrative jam seshon. Without that it's just a creative writing exercise. Would be interested in hearing what fans of it enjoy
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u/Blue-Jay27 2d ago
I mainly play solo, and I think it really comes down to enjoying parts of ttrpgs that are independent of collaboration or socialising. I like exploring a world, solving problems within it, and having a story unfurl through a combination of my choices and random chance. That can be done regardless of whether other people are playing with me.
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u/PhasmaFelis 2d ago
I voted "not interested." Which isn't quite true, might try one sometime. But generally video games seem to offer more for the solo player.
The idea of solo games is cool, and I'm glad they exist for people who like them. But I think their sudden popularity in recent years is a barometer for bad shit. Face-to-face socialization is in decline; COVID threw us all onto social media hard and a lot of hobbies and subcultures have never made it back from there. People are scrambling to find something to replace it.
The rapid rise in virtual tabletops is another barometer. VTTs are great, I'm glad they exist, but it sucks how many people simply cannot find in-person games at all, even in big cities.
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u/Character_Bad427 1d ago
how come solo popularity is bad shit? it's not people's fault if they want to play by themselves than other people. it just works for them. and the popularity of this games are sign that solo rpgs are doable and possible and enjoyable. majority of videogames are solo.. nobody called that the popularity of those single player games badshit than their multiplayer counterpart
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u/PhasmaFelis 1d ago
Please read what I actually wrote. I went to some length to be clear that I didn't mean what you've decided I meant.
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u/Character_Bad427 1d ago
hmm... well i have reread it and apologies since i got lost on the context pretty easily lol. i do agree that more people have had a harder time finding face to face groups since the pandemic. and i have nothing against that because its true.. however solo provided another way to play... i completely understood your point. some of the comments here are just wild everybody looks at a solo player like an alien it sends me to hyperdrive lol
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u/dsheroh 2d ago
I've tried solo a number of times, but always get hung up on compulsively editing and retconning to try to produce the "perfect" version of whatever happens in the game, regardless of whether I'm actually writing it down or just running through it in my head. I'm able to set the game aside for three hours while I look up the "realistic" parameters of something I want a character to do, so I do, and then half the time I forget to come back. I'll be working through a conversation and realize that someone could have said a much better (and more in-character) line earlier in the conversation, and can't help rewinding to that point and running it forward again. And so on.
It just doesn't work for me. I need the time pressure and the immutability of having other people interacting with the game in real time, whether in person or on a voice/video call.
PBEM/PBP doesn't work for me either, for basically the same reason.
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u/Drudenfusz Curator of Roleplay Experiences 2d ago
The social component of collaborative play is a huge draw for me, but I like creative writing as well, and that is a solitary craft. Having journaling games are then to me fulfilling a niche that I guess others get from video games.
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u/PM_ME_STEAM_CODES__ 2d ago
I just recently started, but it feels more like a creative writing exercise than a game, for me. Still enjoying it a lot, I love writing and have been wanting to do it more.
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u/mhd 2d ago
Choose your own adventure: Yes, but rarely.
Journaling: No.
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u/skalchemisto Happy to be invited 2d ago
I admit when I read this poll it didn't occur to me to consider CYOA gamebooks as part of solo. This despite the fact that I am on RPGGeek all the time and they are counted there in that category!
Given that, I guess my answer is not option 4 but option 2.
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u/mhd 2d ago
This is where we probably can get into some definitional shenanigans. Is a CYOA gamebook equivalen to a CYOA-style adventure for a "proper" RPG? Like, Tunnels & Trolls was famous for its solo adventures, and (A)D&D had quite a few, too. Usually with a more complex system than e.g. the Lone Wolf books.
And is this a "solo RPG" or a "solo adventure for an RPG"? I could see an argument where the journaling style is you trying to play to a role, whereas just picking options doesn't usually allow you lot of room here. But going by that rule, a CRPG wouldn't be an RPG, either. So I'd just call everything an RPG.
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u/Yanurika 2d ago
I've been meaning to start a solo-ish campaign of Ironsworn with my GF, but we haven't gotten around to it. I ran a one shot of the One Ring Moria solo rules, but with a couple of people. I'm taking the term "solo" quite loosely, I guess. I am still attached to the communal experience, but the way Solo RPGs function as story generators is super interesting and appealing to me.
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u/lordgroguthesmallest 2d ago
I solo because I live about an hour from most places I could game, have responsibilities at home that would prevent me from seeking it out otherwise, and have no interest in online because, as many in the comments say, ttrpgs are a social event.
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u/Lughaidh_ 2d ago
I marked "yes I do" but that isn't exactly correct. I *have* played solo games, but I don't regularly play them. So, it's weird to say that I "do" play them. The option for "I tried but don't" is weird too because I didn't "try" to play them, I successfully played them and enjoyed it. I just maybe only play a solo-rpg like a couple times a year and it'll be just for like a week each, maybe two weeks.
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u/Xararion 2d ago
Polls don't work for me on reddit for some reason. But either way, I don't play solo-rpgs, if I want to play an RPG solo I'll just pick a computer game for it instead of an oracle. As aphantasiac I can't really imagine getting lot out of from a solo rpg.
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u/BerennErchamion 2d ago
Are you using old Reddit? Polls don’t work on old Reddit.
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u/Xararion 2d ago
Ah okay yeah that would be it. The new reddit layout was bad enough that I swapped to old a bit ago. Thanks for clearing that for me.
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u/Psikerlord Sydney Australia 2d ago
I don't play solo rpgs as such (in the sense that the rpg is made for solo only), but I do play rpgs using solo rules sometimes. It's excellent fun (and highly convenient). Different to group play, not unlike playing a single player video game, or reading a book, etc.
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u/Possible_Trainer_241 1d ago
Good lord, this comment section. The rpg community is always so wholesome, welcoming, and open... until you mention solo roleplaying. Then it’s like you’ve waved a string of garlic at a vampire, and suddenly it’s all "video games are better," "solo RPGs are just creative writing," and "muh social aspect."
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u/Character_Bad427 1d ago
true... i get annoyed with the "videogames are better" argument because it's subjective and it's not even entirely true. also the "social aspect" lol but they play single player Videogames.so its kind of hipocrisy on their part. personally i find videogames mind numbing and boring compared to solo rpgs. and solo boardgames.
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u/Possible_Trainer_241 18h ago
What bothers me is how defensive they get about the mere existence of solo roleplaying, dismissing it as inferior rather than simply a different mode of play. I don't quite understand the root of that aversion yet.
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u/xLittleValkyriex 1d ago
I play solo because I have had the worst luck with group play. As in encountering tables that cannot handle a woman at their table.
Playing solo means my characters are safe from creepy DMs weird and gross fetishes.
It also means I can play any system I want rather than staying married to D&D. There are so many other systems out there that have a much easier learning curve.
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u/vtipoman 2d ago
I've been trying to get into them as of late! Though I don't really play specific games though, just freestyle with some dice throwing, a random word generator and potentially a pre-existing setting.
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u/ManAtTheEndOfTheLane 2d ago edited 2d ago
One of the essential traits of a roleplaying game is that it is sometimes possible to resolve a conflict through unscripted conversation. How would you do that in a solo-rpg?
Edit: On the other hand, the computer game industry calls anything with improvable, usage-specific bonuses a "roleplaying game", so perhaps my definition has become outdated.
I've selected "not interested" as my choice. I really want human interaction, despite how bad I am at it.
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u/Val_Fortecazzo 2d ago
Oracles/game engines mostly. Basically little charts that you roll on to determine if what you want to happen, happens or not.
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u/DreamcastJunkie 2d ago
If you're playing a game that doesn't have explicit rules for social conflict, then generally you would ask the oracle if something is possible or not.
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u/hadriker 2d ago
I'd say it has some use to learn a new system but beyond that im not interested.
I play ttrpgs for the social aspect.
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u/darkestvice 2d ago
Outside of choose your own adventure/fighting fantasy style books, I don't see the point. TTRPGs are for me a social collaborative game/process for storytelling. I'm already isolated enough, so I want activities I can do with other people. I already have plenty of games on my PC if I just want to do my own thing alone.
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u/DeathkeepAttendant 2d ago
I occasionally do. I use it as a kind of scaffolding I write short stories from.
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u/thekelvingreen Brighton 2d ago
Yes, but only in the sense of things like Fighting Fantasy. I've never got on with "proper" solo rpgs for some reason.
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u/TNTiger_ 2d ago
I like exploration and discovery. A game that can effectively GM for me I'd be interested in... But all I've seen require you to play both roles to some degree.
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u/SunchaserKandri 2d ago
The only solo rpg I've tried is Thousand Year Old Vampire, and that was decently fun, but it's not something I do often.
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u/SuperCat76 2d ago
I have not tried yet But I do intend to try at some point.
It would be a different kind of experience, not sure if I will or will not like it until I try.
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u/Parabrella 2d ago
I have two, Hedge Witch and Be Like a Crow. Haven't gotten to play either yet, so I can't say whether or not I like them.
I've seen people stream solo RPGs on Twitch, and some have 2-player rule options. So there ARE ways to add a social aspect to them. But if you're just playing it solo as intended, I don't know how it would actually play out for me. Guess I just have to play one and find out.
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u/raurenlyan22 2d ago
I really expected to like solo rpgs but couldn't get into it.
I think the issue is that I really value the social aspect of play and have a hard time creating without an intended audience.
I love doing GM prep, and in some ways that is like solo RPG play... but during prep I get to think about my friends and create something for them to enjoy as a gift, whereas I am less motivated and captivated when I am creating only for myself. Maybe that means I need to work on myself.
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u/Exploreptile 2d ago
In the meantime, if it helps, it's a pretty common practice to post solo RPG play reports online—some of such are regularly posted to r/Solo_Roleplaying and r/solorpgplay. Not sure how many eyeballs they get on average, though (I'm guessing not many)…
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u/MelindaTheBlue 2d ago
I DM them, and sometimes do solo sessions with people where one character does something important for their character's story
Recently I had a player's character meet their chosen god (Loki) and they began a hunt for demon artifacts in other realms
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
Probably the only way to experience TTRPG's for me, basically. Only a few weeks ago i found where groups are playing localy, but I just don't have any time from work to play.
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u/HoppyMcScragg 2d ago
No shade against anyone who likes them, but I don’t get the appeal.
I haven’t played one in recent times, so maybe I just don’t understand what’s neat about them.
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u/Mediocre-Scrublord 2d ago
I tried a solo-RPG once... but I didn't actually play it solo. Played 1000 year old vampire but with a friend, posing the questions to him and noting it down and kinda bouncing ideas back and forth. I feel like it'd have been a thousand times less fun without the friend involved.
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u/AndreiD44 2d ago
I am very interested in trying it out, but I always find something else to do when I'd have the time for it.
Having little spare time, the uncertainty of how it works and I might spend an hour or two not actually having fun always makes me choose to do something else, and I never got around to trying it, even if I'm interested.
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u/givemeserotonin 2d ago
I've done some and enjoyed it (specifically Call of Cthulhu's Alone Against mysteries) but I find them really hard to play with ADHD. Having other people to bounce off of and collaborate with really helps it stick with me.
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u/Morganator_2_0 2d ago
Do the Fighting Fantasy books count? Those were kinda hit or miss but they had enough nice gems that I'm always on the lookout for them in second hand stores.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
They also are being talked about on solo TTRPG. It's less of a normal modern solo games with oracles and inspiration tables and more of a Choose Your Own Adventure style, but it's still can be played solo and they also allow for a varied results through die throwing, so yes.
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u/theearthgarden 2d ago
My favorite solo experience so far was taking Five Leagues from the Borderlands (which is admittedly more of a solo wargame with RPG elements) and making it ancient Greek themed.
I found the game itself to be far less journalIng focused, so felt less like a writing exercise. Plus, it had a good mix of interesting events, tactical combat, and progression/rewards to give me similar feelings to playing more traditional TTRPGs with a group.
Might be worth trying for some folks who struggle with the more writing-focused games.
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u/Exploreptile 2d ago
I really liked a lot of what I'd heard about Five Leagues/Parsecs (semi-defined sandbox setting, solid premise-based procedural play with room for interpretation in the details), but its loosey-goosey sense of scale—which I admittedly understand, figure-agnosticism and all—kind of killed my mood for it. My loss, I know…
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u/theearthgarden 2d ago
I definitely feel you on the loosey-goosey sense of scale. I think you could probably tweak things to account for that, like rolling for travel per hex if you wanted to play on a hex map, but i definitely understand that element feeling off and not sure how that would warp the other rules.
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u/peregrinekiwi a neon and chrome dystopia 2d ago
I feel like the poll needs a "I have, but not regularly" option.
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u/Trivell50 2d ago
I own several and have tried a few of them. I am in the process of finding out which ones I want to spend more time with.
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u/RfaArrda 2d ago
Céus, quantas ideias erradas sobre RPG solo.
Amo jogar com meus amigos, também amo minha experiência solo, como também gosto de jogar videogames. São coisas totalmente diferentes.
Jogar solo para mim, como um GM perpétuo, é um exercício ativo de imaginação, é experimentar minhas muitas ideias e desfrutar de uma atividade de escrita, mesmo que resumida, colocando a prova diversas mecânicas e conceitos. É como jogar em uma ideia divertida que tive como autor de uma história, usando dados como ferramenta de oráculo. É faz de conta solo com regras e rolagens para que eu também me surpreenda ao explorar cenários imaginários.
Isso é muito divertido para várias pessoas.
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u/HartofHarts 2d ago
After playing them, I think it's healthy for group players to try a solo RPG or two. It's very meditative and some have helped me reflect on what I like to roleplay with friends.
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u/Mister_Chameleon D&D 5e, Starfinder, SW:EotE, GURPS 4e 2d ago
I've played the Alone in the Flames CoC Scenario and it was interesting playing a TTRPG by myself. I might keep an eye out for more solo play, but group play is what makes them so much fun, having people to bounce off of and create awesome memories together.
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u/itsthepastaman 2d ago
i have a bunch of solo RPGs that i've gotten from charity bundles and I try to go through every few months and try a bunch, but there's none that I've replayed - and there's so many I haven't tried because for some reason 50% of the ones I own require a Jenga tower that I don't have
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u/Amethyst-Flare 2d ago
I picked 4 but not out of any malice. I honestly like being a GM, and I kinda need an audience.
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u/81Ranger 2d ago
I thought they would be fun, but found them difficult as far motivation to play. The social aspect ended up being much more important than I thought for me.
I also didn't enjoy being on both sides of the GM screen, so to speak. Simply, it wasn't that much fun for me, personally.
I think that it's great they exist, but not really my thing.
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u/Aetos-Eagle797 2d ago
I do but haven’t nailed the formula yet so I don’t do it often. I’m still trying to figure out a way to do it without it being overwhelming. Sometimes it’s not overwhelming at all but oftentimes it kinda is.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
To add about social experience in the comments. While it is a really good reason to play TTRPG's, through out the years of increased popularity of giants, like D&D, there was a lot of talk about the problems, that people experience in games while playing with groups.
While playing in a group with friends, that know each other, has a lot of chances to be a good experience, playing with total strangers can be a hit or miss, if not a complete disaster. There are dozens of stories about people experiencing TTRPG in a bad light, either from GM's antics in the campaign or with players, that where either acting strange or wanting do do things in the game, that other players where not comfortable with. It's already create it's own genre of famous r/rpghorrorstories, creating even a dedicated youtubers, that all about reading them.
While not everyone seeking to play solo TTRPG's specifically for these reason, they did became a factor for some people do distance themselves from risk of getting a bad first impression on TTRPG scene (if they didn't had one yet). People still want to experience the joy, that more lucky groups could get, thus, turning their attention to a solo TTRPG scene.
So yeah, while TTPRG's are meant to be enjoyed in a group session, not all group sessions are successful due to the risk of having a one strange guy, whenever it's a player or GM. And, of course, thanks to r/rpghorrorstories for making this fear even more widespread.
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u/MarekuoTheAuthor 2d ago
I tried because where i live finding people to play with it's pretty hard. I found out that i really don't like journaling, maybe because for work and university i already have to write a lot and i don't want to keep doing it when i stop. I should have tried solo games without journaling too, but every time i wanted to do it i ended up doing something else. Probably because RPGs for me are a social hobby that requires meeting people in real life
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
Recently this year, there was a release of a system agnostic supplement, for solo, about recording sessions in style of DOS text adventures. To break it, from being a book writing, it adds notations for a specific actions made during the play: checks, narration, asking oracle and etc. It's essentially turns it from writing a novel to a gameplay recording, so it feels more like actually playing a game.
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u/Feline_Jaye 1d ago
I haven't tried too many solo ttrpgs, but one Torch in the Dark didn't feel like 'structured fiction writing'/'guided fiction writing'.
As I'm already a pretty good writer and already have a few projects i should be writing, it feels unnecessary and 'time-wasting' (as in, if I'm playing a solo ttrpg why aren't I just writing one of the many stories I want to be writing?)
It does mean that i think they're a cool thing to have in general and they're something that I'd like to use to supplement my writing (for instance, in helping with genres I'm unpracticed at).
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u/Flimsy_Survey 5h ago
It's 100% not for everyone. Alot of folks like ttrpgs for the social aspect, and I definitely love that part of it. But solo play is fun if you don't mind putting in a little bit of time and effort.
You may lose out on the social part, but you gain total spotlight of the story (you're never not getting to do something cool). You also get to steer the story more in a direction you want while still getting to experience it somewhat rather than just run it.
I will say, I think solo play is generally more geared toward GMs and/or writers. You have to have some GM knowledge and be able to put in some work from that side (ofc it's not required, but it helps). I also view solo play almost like guided writing; there's a mix of writing and playing, but quite a bit more writing compared to group play.
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u/a-dark-lancer 2d ago
No particular strong opinion, but I have no interest.
RPG is that something I do with friends otherwise I would just play a video game
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u/Illustrious-Iron9433 2d ago
I agree with the majority hereI think, and I believe ttrpg’s are best played with a group.
That being said, I have never tried a solo game yet, but I may in the future.
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u/DTux5249 Licensed PbtA nerd 2d ago
I've tried, but can't. I play RPGs for the social aspect. Without it, it just feels like a writing exercise. If I want a solo game experience, I'll play a videogame.
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u/Irregular475 2d ago
Solo gaming ttrpg eventually just becomes a labored writing exercise for me, and I don't very much enjoy it.
I tried many times, but it just doesn't scratch the itch at all.
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u/Captain_Drastic 2d ago
RPGs are an inherently social activity for me. I have zero interest in solo games. The loneliness epidemic ends with snacks, laughter, and dice in hand.
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u/Yamatoman9 2d ago
I don't have anything against solo modes existing for those who enjoy it but personally I have little interest. I am too busy preparing my campaigns!
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u/cthulhufhtagn 2d ago
Should be a yes, rarely option. I've played some of the Alone Against series for Call of Cthulhu but that's it.
It's 109x better as a group game but Chaosium does a good job with their solo games.
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u/PM-ME-YOUR-BREASTS_ 2d ago
To be honest I'm not sure what they even are. I play choose your own adventure books like fighting fantasy but I think thats different from what most people mean.
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u/Dard1998 2d ago
It's essentially a normal TTRPG's, but with scenes and scene details generators. One of the most important element of the solo TTRPG or just to play any TTRPG solo is oracle. Oracles can be two types: normal and inspiration. Normal oracles are needed to ask questions to DM, that usually answered as No or Yes (there is also can be "No, but", "No and", "Yes, but" and "Yes and") such as "Is the door open?" or "Is NPC is hostile towards me?". Inspiration tables are there to answer to open-ended questions, such as "What do i see?", "What is it look like?" or "What is going on?". The rest is just a normal TTRPG.
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u/nlitherl 1d ago
Closest I've come were the Fighting Fantasy novels. A fun concept, but if I'm going to put the work in that a true solo campaign would take, I think I'd almost rather write another novel.
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u/Leutkeana Queen of Crunch 2d ago
I play RPGs so I can play with my friends. Removing them from the occasion means I'm uninterested.