B: Games exist today in a rather odd space compared to other media: while both tabletop and electronic games were vanguards of digital distribution, there remains a larger demand for physical products than, say, music or movies. Console manufacturers, for instance, haven’t completely done away with optical drives and, as IP other legal issues cause games to vanish from online stores, there’s a lot to be said for having your game in a form that won’t suddenly go * poof *. RPG books are (generally) less likely to vanish into the ether, but there’s a significance to owning them as a marker of your dedication to the hobby and, more practically, ease of access during game sessions. (And can survive many more cat-induced rapid-deceleration floor events than, say… a tablet. Ask me how I know.) A durable version of the rules is more conducive to running a game, and you don’t have to worry about battery life. Not to mention a certain “made it” factor when a title makes it to print - there’s a reason print versions tend to be higher tiers for kickstarter campaigns. In short, games cost money, but there are options for what that money acquires… something to consider when every little bit needs to go a long way.
So why should it matter? Many of us have huge backlogs of games we haven’t had a chance to get to, and utilizing the money you’ve already spent is certainly one aspect of what we’ll need going forward. It’s worth it, though, to ask why you haven’t gotten around to a game that’s been languishing on your shelf (digital or physical) for years. Was it an impulse purchase spurred by a deep discount, and you don’t know all that much about it? Was it something you thought was personally interesting, but put off selling your gaming group on? Something you’d started, but wasn’t the right game for you at that time? I know I have examples of all these (and more), and I suspect you do, too.
One answer is mods. Okay, that might be a little harder for hardcore console gamers, but certainly not impossible. Mods for digital games have been around as long as people have been playing them. It might be something as "simple" as a graphics tweak to give the game a fresh look. Modifications might just add a little something new to your in-game resources, or add completely new missions - almost like completely getting a brand new game (albeit it in older packaging... new to you, at least.) Or you might get a complete overhaul that changes the dynamics of the game completely while still occupying the same space. This needn't just apply to digital gaming, though, you can mod your tabletop games as well. It wouldn’t be surprising if the amount of TTRPGers that "homebrew" rules for their game, or play in games using them, is far, far higher than purists. You can even do this with non-RPG tabletop games, too. Even the two of us at Never Say Dice have had to make do with an old chess board that had only a third of the pieces by adding a few checkers, an eraser, a few buttons and a bottle cap... and then inventing our own rules. Maybe it didn’t turn out to be something anyone, even us, would ever want to play again. It was, however, a new experience. You can take something as simple as Candyland and add new rules/changes to make it new and more engaging. As long as we have places online to search and discuss, you don’t even have to make the alternate rules yourself - you can borrow from what others have done. Please don’t let purists stop you, either. If you want that Hulk action figure to represent some sort of Orc Warboss, knock yourself out. As long as you and the other players agree, you can change it however you like. Perhaps that should even become a future Never Say Dice post - trying out mods to games so you don’t have to.
B: So there are a few things you can do with the games you already have. But what about the ones you don't, yet? There are always new things coming along in gaming spaces, and it's frustrating to feel like you're missing out on new ideas because you can't take the financial hit. Next, we'll talk about some ways to expand your library of accessible games without it feeling like you're making a financial mistake.
Send questions and comments, and homebrew hopscotch house rules to neversaydice20@gmail.com or tweet us @neversaydice2.
