But then a lot hasn’t changed at all.

Roleplaying has many new fantastic resources to bring the adventure to life. We now have 3D printing for models, scenery and playing aids, printing at home or on demand to create great maps and support information and the Internet to find new friends and research different stories.

However, the core remains – a group of friends gathering together to share a fun adventure.

Computerised games – even with so called AI – are still limited by the pathways established inside the programming. People with the appropriate incentives and experience will always be better than a computer. Humans are a lot more unpredictable if they do it right.

The clever human running a game needs to use his intelligence and wits to prepare an adventure. It is not as easy as writing a story where the characters are under his control. He has to create a background and plot with a desired ending under the cloud of the chaotic factor of self willed characters in his adventure.

Many use established adventure guides to start their games. A lot of these are like the old “choose your adventure” style books where the story leads down many paths depending on the character’s choices. Others are descriptive, providing lots of optional places, people and things the characters will meet, interact, destroy or flee from. But that is why it is fun.

The human factor is key. The enjoyment of a roleplaying game is a mix of how the CM (the person hosting the adventure) interacts, guides and misdirects the players, combined with how the players react or misunderstand what is happening. Add in the chaotic impact of dice rolls to determine chance and “Voila!”, we have a new adventure every time.

New Tech, Perpetual Human Ingenuity

The new technology is great. It is even better combined with resourceful and ingenious humans. That is why we first created inter Planet and it is time to realise it back into the wild!