Pen and paper role-playing games have always suffered from the challenges of introducing new players to a complicated rule set. Starter sets create a great ramp for beginners willing to read rulebooks. Players who do not read these rulebooks, however, still suffer from confusion and information overload.
RPG Connect was a semester long pitch team at the Entertainment Technology Center. We created a connected application for a Starter Set designed to let players jump into the action immediately and teach them action crafting along the way. This experience is delivered through mobile devices to augment Starter Set adventure materials.
Our vision was to create a better first 30 minutes of play after which brand new players should feel confident and interested in further exploration. The visuals focus on the actions of characters who are recognizable at a distance while leaving the emotions to the players. Our audio is designed to underlay dialog at the table while setting the mood and focusing players on the task at hand. All of this is wrapped in a synchronized application able to influence each other’s characters.