I've been exploring a lot of different game systems over the last year, doing a lot of solo-gaming and research. I did a game design course through California Institute of the Arts, have been doing other related courses, and in general trying to expand my knowledge of game design, methods, and play.
Recently, I've started playing Fabled Lands, an old solo RPG game book series from the 80s that's reprinted through Amazon. They're similar to Choose Your Own Adventure game books but incorporate an open world and RPG mechanics. From what I understand, books like this and Fighting Fantasy were quite innovative at the time. These books have some very interesting concepts that I would sum up as "if this, then that" and utilize code words to make it all happen.
A code word in this type of book is something you gain after a notable event, good or bad. The word itself can be gibberish, numbers, a cypher, or related. It doesn't really matter. These words are added to your character sheet just like an item, and sometimes they can be removed again.
Part of the allure of using a system like this is that it obscures where you'd receive a codeword from. It means that playing solo can still be a surprise. It also means that the world can feel slightly more alive with minimal effort on the game designer's part.
Thinking about a variation of this, characters could gain certain words during a play. Then, based on the code words collected, you could make changes to the game book, map, or other materials at the end of a session, quest, or other milestone—a type of legacy system. Again, the key here is that players know they're tracking something that will have a later effect but don't know the impact yet. They aren't biased. This could also offload some of the work in the moment of tracking and changing things.
One way I think this code word system, or any form of "if this, then that" system, could be utilized for TTRPGs is to differentiate table columns. For example:
| Item | Price | Codeword1 Price | Codeword2 Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shovel | 10 | 50 | 5 |
| Potion | 100 | 500 | 50 |
| Bag of marbles | 5 | 25 | Free |
In this example, the economy changes with a code word. Maybe we think it's a certain action we could take in game that will improve the cost of goods but there are actually unforeseen consequences, and we don't know for certain until we take action.
It could also alter random events and other tables.
| D100 events | Good code word alternate | bad code word alternate |
|---|---|---|
| An uninhabited shrine by the side of the road | A shrine with a locked chest at the base | 2 goblins pick the lock of a chest at the base of a shrine |
| A stream babbles near the road | Something shiny can be seen at the bottom of a stream | A stream runs with dark, black ichor |
| D4 goblins jump out of the bush | A single goblin roams the road | D8 goblins jump out of the bush |
In more narrative-based games, like PbtA-based systems, you could achieve codewords at certain milestones based on fulfilling player-interpreted phrasing. For example:
As I explore new ways to keep things interesting for solo players, I think codewords, a mechanic from tabletop gaming's past, could be an excellent thing to revive and utilize. Have you encountered any games that use mechanics or systems like this? Let me know on social media.
