Hey, TMLers!! How'd you like a shot at winning $100.00? Sounds pretty
good, huh? Well, all you have to do is take a few minutes and fill out
a copy of the Official DGP RPG Survey shown below. Once you're done,
just mail the completed copy back to me ([email removed]) or,
if you can't get through for some reason, to the TML moderator
([email removed]) before November 20th. This will allow
us to bundle and forward all the returned surveys to the good people
at DGP before the entry deadline of November 30th. After the deadline,
one lucky survey returnee will be drawn at random to receive $100.00
in credit towards current and/or future DGP products.
The E-mailing instructions given below are for subscribers on GEnie, so
you can disregard them, although the U.S. Mail address IS valid. If
you want to mail a hard copy of your survey directly to DGP instead
of returning it to us, that's find too. The address is listed below.
Help Joe and Gary find out what a large group of rabid travellers really
want in an RPG. This way, we all win!!
Later,
Mark F. Cook
USMail: User Interface Technical Support
Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
[address removed]
INTERNET: [email removed]
UUCP: {cmcl2, harpo, hplabs, rice, tektronix}!hp-pcd!markc
P.S. Just in case you scoff at the free drawing idea ("Aw, I NEVER win
that sort of thing!"), I'm living proof that sometimes you CAN get lucky.
Last year, I sent in one of the surveys from an issue of Travellers
Digest, and promptly won a free subscription! Not bad, huh?
- ------8<----------8<-----------Cut Here---------8<------------8<---------------
ROLEPLAYING GAME SURVEY SWEEPSTAKES
If you play roleplaying games, are just interested in playing
roleplaying games, or you just like taking surveys -- you are invited
to fill out the following survey. The survey deadline is November 30,
1990. E-Mail it to DIGEST.GROUP, or print it out and mail it regular
US Mail to:
Digest Group Publications
[address removed]
PRIZE OF $100!
A winner will be randomly drawn from all the survey respondents to
receive a prize of $100 as a credit toward DGP products. You can
either take this prize in our current products, or you can save it and
apply your credit toward a free copy of the new roleplaying game and
support materials we are designing. As a special bonus, all products
you get from us with this credit are POST PAID (the shipping doesn't
count against your credit, we'll pay that as a service to our winner).
Name........:
Age.........:
Occupation..:
Eduation....:
Telephone...:
1. How many hours per month do you dedicate to playing roleplaying games?
___ less than 2 hours
___ 2-4 hours
___ 5-8 hours
___ 9-16 hours
___ 17-24 hours
___ Over 24 hours
2. What is the average age of your gaming group?
___ under 15
___ 15-17
___ 18-20
___ 21-25
___ 26-30
___ 31-35
___ over 35
3. Assume you are in a store to buy a new roleplaying game, and a sample of
the game is open and available on the counter for you to look over.
Which factors would influence you the most in your decision to BUY the
game? Rank the factors from 1 to 10.
___ Artwork/graphics (game art is attractive and inspiring)
___ Text editing (text has minimal gramatical/spelling errors)
___ Realistic rules (rules are accurate and realistic)
___ Game packaging (materials are eye-catching and soundly constructed)
___ Background (background is well thought out)
___ Clarity of presentation (Material easy to grasp, with good examples)
___ Game accessories (game has lots of nice accessories)
___ Uniqueness (game background, rules, or presentation unlike any other)
___ Playable rules (rules are easy and elegant)
___ Affordability (game has a low price)
10=the most likely to influence you
1=the least likely to influence you
4. If you enjoy science fiction, rank the following from 1 to 5 according to
your preference.
Time Period...
___ Current/Near Future: 0-50 years
___ Mid future: 50-500 years
___ Far future: 500 - 5,000 years
___ Distant future: 5,000+
___ Past/Any: time travel, Atlantis, Jules Verne
5=the most interesting
1=the least interesting
Scope/Locale...
___ Earthbound
___ Solar-system bound
___ Local interstellar
___ Far interstellar
___ Intergalactic
5=the most interesting
1=the least interesting
5. Rank these factors of game rule design. Rank them from 1 to 10.
___ Fast running rules that don't break the pace of adventure
___ Detailed personality and background generation for characters
___ Ultra-detailed hit resolution
___ Extensive rules for generating game background, settings, creatures, etc.
___ Detailed rules for activities other than combat (swimming, falling, etc.)
___ Detailed rules for interpersonal activities (negotiating, bribing, etc.)
___ Game-time character improvement and/or advancement
___ Detailed task resolution system for character activities
___ Minimal learning curve on the rules (e.g., 15 minutes then you play)
___ Rules to randomly generate adventures
10=the most important
1=the least important
6. What types of adventures do you like best? Rank the types from 1
to 5.
___ Combat
___ Exploration/problem solving
___ Interpersonal/roleplaying
___ Mystery/murder
___ Economic/trade
5=the most interesting
1=the least interesting
7. Which of the following RPG genres are your most favorite? Rank them
from 1 to 15.
___ sword and sorcery (Conan)
___ high fantasy (Tolkien)
___ galactic empires
___ giant robots
___ horror
___ cyberpunk
___ historical/historical fantasy (Robin Hood)
___ space exploration
___ light-hearted science fiction/fantasy
___ military science fiction
___ spy/espionage
___ superhero
___ post-holocaust
___ time travel
___ multi-genre (Torg, Rifts, etc.)
15=the most favorite
1=the least favorite
8. When playing an RPG, have you ever run a non-human character?
___ Yes
___ No
Do you play a non-human often or seldom?
___ Often
___ Seldom
9. What elements do you prefer in a roleplaying game? Rank the
following items from 1 to 10.
___ Magic
___ Psionics
___ Instantaneous travel (teleportation/warp drives)
___ Aliens/Monsters
___ Supernatural elements
___ Ultrahigh technology
___ Intricate background
___ Weapons
___ Vehicles/hardware
___ Unusual settings/locations
10=the most interesting
1=the least interesting
10. Assume you are in a game store looking at some new games. What
would you think the subject matter of the following titles
would be, and rank them in the order in which you would likely look at
the game box to learn more about them. Rank the titles from 1 to 10.
___ Mortals, Mammoths & Myths
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Scoop
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ A.I.
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Discovery
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Timers
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Tech Lord
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Millenium
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Atomic Heroes
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Fantastic Era
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Eon
Game topic:________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
10=the most interesting
1=the least interesting
11. What roleplaying game do you think has the:
-----------RPG game title------------
o Best rules?.....................:
o Best packaging?.................:
o Best graphics?..................:
o Most comprehensive background?..:
o Which is your all-time favorite?:
12. Which do you have more use for (select one)?
___ adventures
___ background supplements
13. Below are some unorthodox ideas for how to do a roleplaying game.
Indicate what you think of each idea.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game does not use dice
(Methods other than random generators put in the element of
uncertainty)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game uses mostly guidelines rather than rules
(Unless the rule can be expressed with a mathematical formula, the
game presents a guideline/rule-of-thumb instead)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game does not use a game master/referee
(Methods are provided whereby the players can self-administer an
adventure)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game has no rulebook
(Each adventure/weapon/device has its own set of mini-rules)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game illustrates each and every setting/event/creature/weapon/device
(25-50% of the content would be pictures instead of text. In your
rating, also realize you would pay significantly more if the game had
this high of an illustration ratio)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Game based on a 3-hole binder presentation
(Basic set comes with a binder, all supplements come as
a shrink-wrapped pack of three-hole punched lose pages)
What do you think of this idea?
__ It's stupid
__ Bit strange
__ Just different
__ Interesting
__ Pretty clever
Would this one factor keep you from buying the game?
__ No, it would make me want the game more!
__ Don't care, if the rest of the game is good.
__ Uncertain. I might not want a game like this.
__ Probably would. This seems too different for my taste.
__ Yes, I would put the game down and look for something else.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
14. What's the most expensive RPG you've ever considered purchasing?
Title:__________________________
How much did it cost? $________
Did you buy it? _ Yes _ No
15. How many fiction books do you read per year? ___
List your top 3 authors.
________________________
________________________
________________________
16. Do you read any science-fiction, fantasy, or gaming-related magazines?
If so list the top three titles.
________________________
________________________
________________________
17. Do you regularly read comic books? If so, name your top three titles.
________________________
________________________
________________________
18. If you own a computer, what type/brand is it?
___ IBM PC or compatible
___ Macintosh
___ Amiga
___ Atari ST
___ Other: _________________
19. Do you buy/play computer games? _ Yes _ No
Which kind do you prefer (select one):
___ text adventure
___ graphic adventure
___ arcade adventure
20. How much do you typically pay for a computer game you buy?
___ under $30
___ $30 to $40
___ $40 to $50
___ $50 to $60
___ $60 to $70
___ $70 to $80
___ over $80