Pынок/общество НРИ в России; RPG scene/market in Russia

[KFC]

Privyet iz Polshy,

Hi guys, my name's Konrad I'm a Polish Roleplayer, a few rpg-bloggers from my country had written an articles how looks Roleplaying in countries like Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, etc. and I wanted to write something about Tabletop RPG in Russia and other russian-speaking countries, I've found that this is one of the major russianspeaking RPG sites so I wanted to ask You how in general Tabletop RPG market/scene looks like in Russia or other countries?

Generally I'm interested in everything - do You have any specific Russian RPGs?, not only translated into Russian, but those also - which games(and when) were translated and published in Russian?
Which games are the most popular - I assume WFRP, D&D but maybe I'm wrong? ; Do you have/had many companies publishing RPGs - I know there is Studio 101 which has published Fiasco and Savage Worlds recently;
You play mainly imported games from abroad or maybe games in Russian language?

Do you have any publishers/companies concerned at tabletopRPG publishing only?
Do you have any magazines (paper or on the internet) focused on tabletop RPG?

What about Conventions? How they look like? They gather fans of fantasy and all kinds of games like LARPS, TabletopRPGs, Wargames, Boardgames, Cardgames, etc. or rather they are focused on one kind of games only? Are they big? where they take place? Only big cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg or maybe at some smaller also?

What about community in general do people gather in some RPG clubs, on the internet, or generally majority of them just play at their houses and don't bother "RPG scene", conventions, and this kind of stuff at all?


Where do you buy RPG books? Do you have any specific shops, internet shops, or maybe you are forced to get books from foreign shops because this hobby is very rare and unpopular in the country?

What about the Internet RPG community? Is it acticve? Do people publish their articles/thoughts on tabletopRPG or gaming in general? Maybe some scenarios/translations/own games/settings/characters on the net?
There are any popular forums/blogs etc?
Which are the most popular sites on the russian-speaking internet about RPG(НРИ)?


What are your feelings about this hobby is it rare or popular in the country?

What about the past? Maybe it was more popular in the past than it is nowadays?

Maybe someone could introduce me the beginnings of the tabletop RPG in Russia? First published books, translations, etc?

What about the future? Do You think that it will be better or worse for RPG gaming than it is now/ and why?

Is this hobby cheap in general in Russia - prices of books, accessories, PDF's etc?
I've found that Savage Worlds Rulebook costs about 1500 rub. I assume it is quite expensive (50$?)
is it the common price of the RPGbooks published in Russia?

Do You buy much books per year? which ones - foreign mainly or russian?

Maybe You just download them from the torrents, or other warezes? (for any reasons)


Feel free to write anything what comes to your mind about tabletop RPG gaming in Russia.
In English or in Russian. I can understand both but it was easier 4 me to write in english.

Thank you, and best wishes for you in the new year 2012!

Napishyte pozhaluysta vsyo shto vam prihodit na mysl' ob
Nastolnyh Rolevyh Igrah v Rossii - libo na Angliyskom libo na Russkom yazyke.

Spasibo vsem i vsego horoshego vam v Novom Godu!

[Zlanomar]

Dear KFC, let me speak from my heart in english. 
I'll make some statements here, based on my personal observations, but not insider's information or solid statistics. So...
1) Yes. We do have our original table RPG's. Most of them are compilations of mishmash rules or fantasy heartbrakers, but not all. An example of latter could be Эра Водолея (Era Vodoleya), which has survived for two editions. Shortly speaking it is about "alternative present" and organisations which keep our mundane world from supernatural intervention.
Much of foreign game literature (games, systems, settings etc.) has been being translated onto russian (For example D&D, WHRP40K, Old WoD), but it is mostly done by individuals and sometimes is for personal usage only.
2) Still D&D is the most known system in Russia.
3) Not many publishing companies of RPGs: Studio 101 which has published Fiasco and Savage Worlds recently.

You play mainly imported games from abroad or maybe games in Russian language?

That's depends on every gaming group individually.

Do you have any publishers/companies concerned at tabletopRPG publishing only?

Ahem, Studio 101 (Аве, поправь, если что я не так ляпнул)

Do you have any magazines (paper or on the internet) focused on tabletop RPG?

Yes, hobby-games shops are centered in major cities of Russia (Krasnoyarsk, Moskva, Sanct-Petersburg) - do not know much about less populated cities. Still, they are oriented on the boardgames mostly.

What about Conventions? How they look like? They gather fans of fantasy and all kinds of games like LARPS, TabletopRPGs, Wargames, Boardgames, Cardgames, etc. or rather they are focused on one kind of games only? Are they big? where they take place? Only big cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg or maybe at some smaller also?

Yes, we do theese. The frequency and amount of people attending depends on convention itself: the most popular are summer field-plays (с бугуртами и дивнюками), warhammer-game-days, large RPG-conventions, such as Rolecon. The smaller are also exist, for example in Tomsk (ЕМНИП, "Комкон").

8) Our community is consoldated and active, as long as I see it now. We have a time to periodically meet at large and play/discuss our affairs and plans, most of which are nevertheless complete later.

Where do you buy RPG books?

I can tell only about my own customs: I try to get original books (if I understand their language) from BEYOND (Europe or USA), sometimes pretty rulebooks can be found in our stores as well (GURPS 4ed, WHRP40K:DH, D&D 4ed)

There are any popular forums/blogs etc? Which are the most popular sites on the russian-speaking internet about RPG(НРИ)?

Well, you are just at the right place. Enjoy your stay!

What are your feelings about this hobby is it rare or popular in the country?

Not without a portion of fanaticism: I LOVE this kind of entertainment! (Most of forum-colleagues will approve the same feeligs, I presume )

What about the past? Maybe it was more popular in the past than it is nowadays?

No, the affairs have been quite inactive for the last 5 or 6 years. Only now we have a great opportunity to promote table RPGs into masses (я х.з. - нести в массы).

What about the future? Do You think that it will be better or worse for RPG gaming than it is now/ and why?

Optimistic. Why? Well, we have strong internet support, information is abundant, we have new publishers, more creative people, gamedesigners, simple players from almost everywhere and so on

Is this hobby cheap in general in Russia - prices of books, accessories, PDF's etc?

That's depends. I think the hobby is enough cheap and not so expensive. For example the same rulebook in europe could have a price 39-49 euro, or even more (And i do not take this statement out of thin air - I've been there for several times).

Maybe You just download them from the torrents, or other warezes? (for any reasons)

That's occasional, but the reasons are always noble.

Thank you, and best wishes for you in the new year 2012!

You too!

[Иерофант]

Cescz Konrad!
Nie chcesz zrobic material pro Ukrainy również ?

[Presto]

Much of foreign game literature (games, systems, settings etc.) has been being translated onto russian (For example D&D, WHRP40K, Old WoD), but it is mostly done by individuals and sometimes is for personal usage only.
2) Still D&D is the most known system in Russia.

Let's not forget 7th sea, which has its share of fans in Russia and is being translated into Russian by enthusiasts even as we speak!

[Rigval]

2) Still D&D is the most known system in Russia.

Not at all. VtM has comparable popularity.

[Chronicler]

Я отвечу на русском языке. I'll answer in Russian.

You how in general Tabletop RPG market/scene looks like in Russia or other countries?

Менее развитым, но с приличным потенциалом.

Generally I'm interested in everything - do You have any specific Russian RPGs?, not only translated into Russian, but those also - which games(and when) were translated and published in Russian?

В России были разработаны и изданы "Мир Великого Дракона" (очень маленький тираж), Эра Водолея (7500 тираж), Эра Водолея 2 (2000 тираж, очень низкое качество, продаётся сейчас по 700 рублей).
Официальные переводы были: Искусство Волшебства (Ars Magica 4, низкое качество издания, неплохой перевод), Dungeons & Dragons 3,5 Players Guide (очень низкое качество издания, перевода, отсутствие остальных книг, тиржа 1000, продавалось по 900 рублей), Fiasco и Дневник авантюриста.
Переводы пиратские, нелегальные: World of Darkness (все основные книги старого, пару книг из нового), Dungeons & Dragons 2,3,4 (очень много книг). Unknown Armies 2nd, Warhammer 40K Dark Heresy, много indie-games. Естественно, из этого ничего не издавалось.

Which games are the most popular - I assume WFRP, D&D but maybe I'm wrong?  ; Do you have/had many companies publishing RPGs - I know there is Studio 101 which has published Fiasco and Savage Worlds recently;
You play mainly imported games from abroad or maybe games in Russian language?

Популярны D&D, oWod, WH40K именно в таком порядке. Где-то после идут Эра Водолея (Age of Aquarius) 1 и Unknown Armies.
Компаний две - известная вам Studio 101 и Игрология (специализируется на настольных играх (boardgames) для детей и вечеринок, издала вторую Эру Водолея).

Do you have any publishers/companies concerned at tabletopRPG publishing only?
Do you have any magazines (paper or on the internet) focused on tabletop RPG?

Только Studio 101. Специализированных изданий журналов нету, есть ежемесячный Мир Фантастики, где один из  разделов посвящён boardgames и tabletop RPG.

What about Conventions? How they look like? They gather fans of fantasy and all kinds of games like LARPS, TabletopRPGs, Wargames, Boardgames, Cardgames, etc. or rather they are focused on one kind of games only? Are they big? where they take place? Only big cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg or maybe at some smaller also?

Конвентов много, в основном они посвящены LARPS, чуть меньше boardgames. По CCG делают скорее "дни игр". Обычно они от 300 до 2000 человек. Проходя в разных городах - Москва (Комкон, Деткон - для детей), Петербург (Блинком), Казань (самый крупный, Зиланткон)

What about community in general do people gather in some RPG clubs, on the internet, or generally majority of them just play at their houses and don't bother "RPG scene", conventions, and this kind of stuff at all?

Большинство играет дома. Есть немаленькое сообщество тех, что предпочитают интернет (Skype или форумы). Активно действующих клубов нету, только совмещающие с CCG.

Where do you buy RPG books? Do you have any specific shops, internet shops, or maybe you are forced to get books from foreign shops because this hobby is very rare and unpopular in the country?

Пока что большая часть книг приобретается в иностранных магазинах. Но уже сейчас книги от WotC, FFG и Studio 101 можно найти в магазинах настольных игр (boardgames).

What are your feelings about this hobby is it rare or popular in the country?
What about the past? Maybe it was more popular in the past than it is nowadays?
Maybe someone could introduce me the beginnings of the tabletop RPG in Russia? First published books, translations, etc?
What about the future? Do You think that it will be better or worse for RPG gaming than it is now/ and why?

Сейчас это хобби не очень популярно, но его известность растёт.
Первые игры - это Заколдованная Страна (нечто среднее между ролевой и настольной игрой), пиратский перевод ADnD2 и Эра Водолея. И я верю, что в будущем игры станут популярнее.

Is this hobby cheap in general in Russia - prices of books, accessories, PDF's etc?
I've found that Savage Worlds Rulebook costs about 1500 rub. I assume it is quite expensive (50$?)
is it the common price of the RPGbooks published in Russia?

Сравнимо с настольными играми, даже дешевле.

Do You buy much books per year? which ones - foreign mainly or russian?

Лично я покупаю 2-3 бумажных книги в год. Англоязычных. И ещё 10-12 PDF. Это нестандартное количество.

Maybe You just download them from the torrents, or other warezes? (for any reasons)

Да, иногда смотрю перед покупкой бумажной копии (если цена высока). В целом же в России torrents очень и очень популярны.

P.S. Это случайно не вы связались со мной на форумах Pinnacle?

[Green_eyes]

Если есть понимание русского устного, то очень рекомендую доклад Ymir на Ролеконе "Исторический обзор издания российских ролевых игр" http://master-klass.rpod.ru/242068.html

[Shurikat]

Уважаемый Конрад, не могли бы вы поделится ссылками на блоги ваших друзей, в которых они рассказывают про ролевые игры в Мексике, Германии и других странах. Я думаю это всем будет интересно.

Ничего если они будут на польском языке, в крайнем случае попросим кого-нибудь из завсегдатаев нашего форума перевести.

[KFC]

@Аваллах
Why not, it would be also interesting
If You could give me any information it will be great.

Guys I found also that:
http://ru.rpg.wikia.com/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons

"В августе 2006 правила D&D 3.5 были впервые официально изданы на русском языке владеющим в этот момент лицензией на издание D&D в России издательством АСТ (перевод под редакцией А. Ленского)."
but they did not managed to publish it?

http://ru.rpg.wikia.com/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons
on that site I found also some other projects like
Уникум, Синтари, АРРРГХЪ!, ТриМ, maybe someone could write something more about them or other like these which comes to his mind? They are just fan made projects/ heartbreakers or maybe some of them had gained some popularity in the country?
 

I'm also interested in the tendencies from the USA rpg scene - do you see people turning into Indie gaming, you know all these stuff from The Forge, Indie Press Revolution, like:
Polaris, Dont Rest Your Head, In Spectres, Cold City, Hot War, A Dirty World, Microscope, Burning Empires, Apocalypse World, Dogs in the Vineyard, etc.
I see that here you have complex thread about indie gaming, but is it popular in general in Russia or rather not?

And what about retrogaming, OSR, old school tendencies, sandbox gaming etc?
all those games inspired by OD&D, AD&D, and other games from 70'-80'
like OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Castle and Crusades, Labyrinth Lord - you see/hear about people playing like this?

I found on rpg-world.org a rumour that Deadlands are translated into Russian? maybe somebody has some more info about that? I'd be great news i think


What about "Крылья ворона" magazine? Is it the only fan magazine published now in Russian RPG community or maybe there are (were in the past?) other magazines like this one?

Maybe someone is recording RPG podcasts in Russia?


@Chronicler, Green Eyes, Zlanomar, Lender
thank You guys very, very much, your contribution helped me A LOT.

@p.s. Chronicler
In not very active at Pinnacle forum, i think that was somebody else.

@Shurikat -
I'll search for those links, maybe after new year I can translate some of those for you (in english, because translating those into russian by me would take ages I think )

also if You'd like I can write few words how tabletopRPG scene looks like in Poland.

[Chronicler]

but they did not managed to publish it?

АСТ издали PHB низким тиражом, но перевод и само качество издания были подвергнуты агрессивной критике. Это, а так же истечение срока лицензии не позволили выпустить DMG, MM и остальные книги. Структура же подачи материала в DnD3.5 делала игру весьма сложной без DMG.

Dont Rest Your Head, Microscope, Apocalypse World, Old School Hack - о них у нас знают и вроде даже иногда играют.
АРРРГХЪ! - юмористическая игра полная самоиронии. Типичное инди, распространяется бесплатно. http://dicelords.narod.ru/RARS/arrrgh.pdf
Про остальных ничего не скажу, думаю тут найдутся те кто знают больше.

Журналов нету, Крылья Ворона были закрыты.
Активный подкаст - http://master-klass.rpod.ru/

Deadlands: Reloaded будут переведены Studio 101 в следующем году.
Существует пиратский перевод Deadlands D20.

И да, нам очень интересно как все обстоит с RPG в Польше.

[Rigval]

С вашего позволения на русском

"В августе 2006 правила D&D 3.5 были впервые официально изданы на русском языке владеющим в этот момент лицензией на издание D&D в России издательством АСТ (перевод под редакцией А. Ленского)."
but they did not managed to publish it?

Да, это то издание о котором говорил Chronicler. Отличалось крайне низким качеством перевода и множеством ошибок.

АРРРГХЪ!

Пародийная игра, высмеивающая штампы русской фантастики 90х. Сейчас, готовится новая редакция правил. Подробнее здесь http://ru.rpg.wikia.com/wiki/%D0%90%D0%A0%D0%A0%D0%A0%D0%93%D0%A5%D0%AA%21

ТриМ

Мертвый проект. Подробнее здесь http://ru.rpg.wikia.com/wiki/%D0%A2%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BC

I'm also interested in the tendencies from the USA rpg scene - do you see people turning into Indie gaming, you know all these stuff from The Forge, Indie Press Revolution, like:
Polaris, Dont Rest Your Head, In Spectres, Cold City, Hot War, A Dirty World, Microscope, Burning Empires, Apocalypse World, Dogs in the Vineyard, etc.

Да, инди игры становятся все более популярными и имеют своих поклонников.

And what about retrogaming, OSR, old school tendencies, sandbox gaming etc?
all those games inspired by OD&D, AD&D, and other games from 70'-80'
like OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Castle and Crusades, Labyrinth Lord - you see/hear about people playing like those?

По моим ощущениям единственный боле-менее известный в русскоязычном сообществе продукт - Old School Hack. Так же мне известно, что существует ряд групп играющих по AD&D. Но в целом ретрогейминг не очень популярен.

What about "Крылья ворона" magazine? Is it the only fan magazine published now in Russian RPG community or maybe there are other magazines like this one?

Низкокачественный журнал, закрывшийся из-за нежелания автора продолжать. Как правило те, кто читает журналы предпочитают англоязычные альтернативы.

I found on rpg-world.org a rumour that Deadlands are translated into Russian? maybe somebody has some more info about that? I'd be great news i think

Перевод Мертвых земель будет издан в следующем году, если верить Студии 101.

Maybe someone is recording RPG podcasts in Russia?

Да. Их можно найти здесь http://master-klass.rpod.ru/

[Геометр Теней]

Раз уж всё равно отвечают на русском в основном, я отвечу на нём же.

And what about retrogaming, OSR, old school tendencies, sandbox gaming etc?
all those games inspired by OD&D, AD&D, and other games from 70'-80'
like OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry, Castle and Crusades, Labyrinth Lord - you see/hear about people playing like those?

Да, они существуют. Даже часть ответивших в этой теме имеют подобный опыт. Их, однако, относительно мало, потому что более-менее массовое приобщение к ролевым играм пришлось на русскоязычном пространстве на более позднее время, потому мало кто страдает ностальгией по эпохе ранних игр. Таких людей, видимо, меньше, чем делающих собственные фанатские системы (часть из них, ненамеренно, с чертами старых игр).

I'm also interested in the tendencies from the USA rpg scene - do you see people turning into Indie gaming, you know all these stuff from The Forge, Indie Press Revolution, like:
Polaris, Dont Rest Your Head, In Spectres, Cold City, Hot War, A Dirty World, Microscope, Burning Empires, Apocalypse World, Dogs in the Vineyard, etc.
I see that here you have complex thread about indie gaming, but is it popular in general in Russia or rather not?

Насколько я понимаю, ролевое движение на русскоязычных просторах весьма и весьма неоднородно и не имеет не то что центра, но даже системы явных центров. Потому очень трудно говорить о движении в целом. Существует часть игроков, активная на форумах, среди них довольно много людей, хорошо знакомых с инди-играми. При этом вокруг каждого активного форумчанина (особенно не из европейской части страны) может существовать три-четыре ролевые группы, которые не "высвечиваются" на ресурсах вроде этого.
В целом, я бы сказал так. При наличии опыта форумного общения на ресурсах вроде этого найти группу для инди-игр - не такая уж большая проблема (хотя она, скорее всего, будет разделена географически). Если искать группу строго для живой игры (не через сеть) - во многих местах могут возникнуть сложности. 

[Cornugon]

Привет из России, с любовью! Так как моего знания английского хватает лишь на чтение раздела Armoury в Dark Heresy, то буду писать на русском.

Generally I'm interested in everything - do You have any specific Russian RPGs?, not only translated into Russian, but those also - which games(and when) were translated and published in Russian?
Which games are the most popular - I assume WFRP, D&D but maybe I'm wrong? ; Do you have/had many companies publishing RPGs - I know there is Studio 101 which has published Fiasco and Savage Worlds recently;
You play mainly imported games from abroad or maybe games in Russian language?

Такие безусловно есть - это вышеупомянутые Эра Водолея 1-ой и 2-ой редакции, перевод Ars Magica, перевод настольной книги игрока по D&D 3.5 ed, теперь вышли переводы Фиаско и Savage Worlds/Дневник Авантюриста. Ах да, есть ещё Перекрёсток Миров (автор некий Карелин), но про эту игру я практически почти ничего не знаю, может, на этом форуме есть люди, которые знают о ней больше. Также собираются издавать два русских сеттинга под Savage Worlds: Red Lands/Красная Земля и Волчье Солнце - в первом предлагается сыграть по Гражданской Войне в России, но с мистическими элементами (кровавые большевицкие жыдоупыри, пьющие народную кровь, буквально, прилагаются  ), во втором предлагается сыграть спец агентами, которые расследуют странные и необъяснимые, имеющие подчас сверхъестественную природу события - действие происходит в современной России - это немного похоже на вышеупомянутую Эру Водолея, или на Urban Arcana под d20 Modern. В основном пользуюсь англоязычными материалами, не потому, что русскоязычных мало, а потому, что у интересующих меня игр русских переводов пока, я надеюсь, что только пока, не очень много.

Where do you buy RPG books? Do you have any specific shops, internet shops, or maybe you are forced to get books from foreign shops because this hobby is very rare and unpopular in the country?

Э-э-м... Лично я где покупаю? Лично я покупаю на презентациях русскоязычных версий известных в мире ролевых систем. Специализированные магазины, где продаются РПГ(НРИ), конечно, есть, но продаётся там всё подряд: и книги правил ролевых систем, и настольные игры (boardgames), и варгеймы (wargames), и даже карты и шахматы.

What are your feelings about this hobby is it rare or popular in the country?

Я думаю, если сравнивать с какими-нибудь Соединёнными Штатами Америки, то в России этого хобби, увлечения ролевыми играми, я имею ввиду, как бы и вовсе нет, однако, учитывая те трудности, которые преодолевает Россия, кризис и прочее, ролевое движение процветает, ведь, по здравом размышлении, популярность ролевого движения в современной России должна была бы равняться таковой в какой-нибудь Нигерии или Северной Корее  , однако, только в этом году выпущены русскоязычные версии Фиаско и Savage Worlds, и это, наверное, можно даже назвать успехом.

What about the future? Do You think that it will be better or worse for RPG gaming than it is now/ and why?

Насчёт будущего ничего не знаю, ибо ни машины времени, ни хрустального шара не имею  , но хочу сказать, что видимо, с учётом того, что в новом году собираются издавать под Savage Worlds два новых русских сеттинга, перспективы ролевых игр в будущей России самые, ...э-эх, многообещающие.

Is this hobby cheap in general in Russia - prices of books, accessories, PDF's etc?
I've found that Savage Worlds Rulebook costs about 1500 rub. I assume it is quite expensive (50$?)
is it the common price of the RPGbooks published in Russia?

Учитывая, что, по-видимому, многим игрокам вне Москвы тяжело доставать ролевые материалы обычным способом (они эти материалы скачивают, в основном, из интернета, и иногда качают эти материалы бесплатно [пожимает плечами] - пожимающего плечами смайлика не нашёл  ), то можно сказать, хобби это не очень дорогое. Но лучше спроси о ситуации за пределами Москвы Геометра Теней, он, кажется, из Барнаула и может сказать о ситуации вне Москвы намного лучше, я-то об этом почти ничего не знаю. Да, стоит Дневник Авантюриста/Savage Worlds дороговато, хотя надо сравнить стоимость книжки по Savage Worlds c ценами на книжки по другим системам, а о причинах такой цены на русскую версию Savage Worlds надо спрашивать тех, кто более менее в курсе, что там и как, кажется, кое-что об этом мог бы рассказать Chronicler, если это не закрытая информация, конечно .
 

Do You buy much books per year? which ones - foreign mainly or russian?

За год я купил одну книгу, на русском. Мало, я понимаю, в следующем планирую повысить показатели 

Spasibo vsem i vsego horoshego vam v Novom Godu!

Тебя также поздравляю с наступающим праздником! Желаю успехов и счастья в Новом Году! И, это, чуть не забыл, спасибо Польше за Сапковского!

[ArK]

Были ещё  инди-игры H.E.N.T.A.I. и V.O.D.K.A.   

[Мышиный Король]

Как сказал Геометр Теней, большое число игроков в НРИ не посещают специализированные ресурсы подобные этому. НРИ популярны среди играющих в полёвки (LRPG). Почти все мои знакомые полевщики играют в НРИ, хотя для них это и второстепенное хобби. Я думаю, что многие из них могут быть найдены в группах по интересам на таких ресурсах социальных сетей как vkontakte или livejournal (интернет-активность моих знакомых ролевиков обычно происходит там).

[EvilCat]

Не знаю, поможет ли это автору темы, но на русском языке есть ещё и огромная, гигантская сцена форумных ролевых игр-словесок. Это как фанатские игры по "Котам-воителям", "Королю Льву", "Наруто" и другим популярным произведениям, так и игры по авторским мирам и "ситуационки", особенно учебные заведения и жизнь в иностранных городах. В любой момент существует не меньше ста активных форумов и до 500 менее активных, и каждый день возникают новые, хотя не все находят своих игроков. Как сообщества, любители НРИ и любители форумок почти не пересекаются. Но второе сообщество тоже имеет сильные традиции, своих лидеров, существует уже много лет и увядать даже не думает.

Подробнее можно почитать на Ролевой вики, а в разделе ссылок - увидеть каталоги ролевых форумов, чтобы оценить их масштаб и характер игры.

[KFC]

Hmm Evilcat - as I understand FRGP - v takom vide: (Сеттинговые ролевые игры, в которых весь форум — единый мир, а игра ведётся в основном в стиле свободного отыгрыша. Они возникли из фанатских форумок, создававшихся людьми, незнакомыми с индустрией ролевых игр, но объединёнными одним фандомом.) is much more popular than regular PBF, where people play by RPG rules.

What about regular PBF? Is it somehow popular, maybe even more popular than tRPG, or just as other forms of online playing like via skype etc. it's just a necessity for people who cant play tRPG with friends, or cant play as often as they want to?

[Leeder]

My 5 cents about PBF: there are people who play by forums only in the time between table-playings, and  there are people, who play by forums for the forum play itself. Regular PBF are less widespread than freeplay ones, generally because of a minor spreading of tRPG in Russia in comparison with fan sites and fanfics).

[EvilCat]

KFC: Прости, я не могу ответить компетентно на твой вопрос о форумам по традиционным ролевым играм. Мне случалось играть на форуме потому, что в реале не было времени или компании. Однако в крупных игрофорумных сообществах по настолкам я не участвовала. Сейчас я веду тест боя по Megaversal System (Palladium) на игровом форуме этого самого проекта, где мы с тобой сейчас общаемся %) Надеюсь, потом я так же смогу протестировать несколько ещё игр, для которых иначе сложно найти игроков. Но это всё касается меня, я не знаю, как у других...

Вот в сеттинговых форумках я бы участвовала больше, если бы время позволяло, и про них могу рассказать больше - правда, большая часть изложена в статье на Ролевой вики.

[KFC]

@Shurikat

Here are the links:
http://moje-granie.blogspot.com/2011/10/bugarskie-granie.html (lucek about Bulgaria)
http://rzutkrytyczny.blogspot.com/2011/03/strefa-erpegola-wolna-od-angola.html (neurocide has wrote few words about German and Czech RPG market)
http://gryfabularne.blogspot.com/search/label/rpg%20na%20świecie (Borejko about playing in Afghanistan, Australia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Netherlands).
as I see Google translate does quite good job at translating these to english

[Rigval]

Я думаю, что если пан будет писать по польски от нас не убудет.

[KFC]

I'm not so sure if Polish will be more accessible to you than English

Just two more questions that came to my mind:

• What do you consider as a problems/flaws (main problem/flaw?) at/with Russian fandom/rpg scene/market?
• In Poland we have constantly reoccuring fights between a few people who are followers of "storytelling" type of gaming and "by the book" players, "immersion" versus "rolling dices" etc., what about Russia, do you have some "schools", "techniques" of playing and its "followers", some specific "approaches" to RPG? or it is rather like - "it's just fun, hobby, play as you like, why to argue?"

[Shurikat]

@Rigval Лично я даже тексты на украинском воспринимаю с большим дискомфортом чем тексты на английском. Текст на польском буду понимать с пятого на десятое.

[Rigval]

@Rigval Лично я даже тексты на украинском воспринимаю с большим дискомфортом чем тексты на английском. Текст на польском буду понимать с пятого на десятое.

Прошу прощения, не учел, что украиноязычность сильно помогает понимать польский.

[EvilCat]

In Poland we have constantly reoccuring fights between a few people who are followers of "storytelling" type of gaming and "by the book" players, "immersion" versus "rolling dices" etc., what about Russia, do you have some "schools", "techniques" of playing and its "followers", some specific "approaches" to RPG? or it is rather like - "it's just fun, hobby, play as you like, why to argue?"

Насколько я знаю, настольные ролевые игры вообще возникли в обнимку вместе с противопоставлением "серьёзных" варгеймов и ролевых игр как развлекательных посиделок с отыгрышем %)

Русскоязычное ролевое сообщество не исключение. Например, есть те, кто трактует спорные вопросы в D&D согласному тому, какие процессы в реальности и сюжете эти правила отражают. Есть те, кто трактует правила D&D как стратегическую игру в себе. Ряд первых считают, что вторые играют в свою версию D&D, а не в игру, которая была задумана. Ряд вторых считают, что первые забивают гвозди микроскопом, и в игры с претензией на реалистичность надо играть по другим системам, а D&D - для классной тактики.

[Presto]

What do you consider as a problems/flaws (main problem/flaw?) at/with Russian fandom/rpg scene/market?

The demand for RPG products with money behind it is too small. It stems from low number of people in the hobby, internet piracy and the image of roleplaying as some strange thing for geeks alone. Pair it with unfavorable environment for small business in Russia, and you'll get the reason why there are so few RPG companies in the market. The situation slowly changes to the better though.

[Арсений]

What do you consider as a problems/flaws (main problem/flaw?) at/with Russian fandom/rpg scene/market?

I think the main problem that significantly outweighs all others is fractured nature of hobby. There is little to none contact between different small communities, and because of this getting a product out there a major challenge.

[KFC]

Can I have a little favor to ask?

I've found a lecture from Rolecon about the history of RPG, but its quite hard for me to understand what he's talking about..
It seems till 5 minute he talks about some kind of old games? Than about Era Vodoleya, after probably about 2 gamebooks? (Povelitel' bezbrezhnoy pustyni + an unidentified game ), Iskusstvo Volshebstva and D&D 3.5 Players Guide, that's it or I'm missing something?

Maybe someone could briefly summarize this lecture here?

[Ордос]

Maybe someone could briefly summarize this lecture here?

This guy is a member of our forums too (click here), so I think you can ask him personally about his lecture.

[Dmitry Gerasimov]

Cześć, Konrad!

(I honestly tried to type in Polish, but quickly found out that I had largely forgotten the language. So, I'll stick to English.) Below is a brief chronology of RPG publishing in Russia, the way I see it (I think I have taken into account all major points from Ymir's lecture that you've referenced above):

1990 - "Заколдованная страна" (The Enchanted Land) - basically, an attempt to recreate oD&D. It came as a large box containing a foldout map, a monster deck, 2 custom d6s used to represent d18, and 3 thin b&w booklets: GM's book, player's book and a collection of pre-mapped dungeons complete with pre-planned encounters. Each monster was represented as a separate card with a cool b&w picture on one side and stats on the reverse. These cards were really nice and handy -- and remember, it was full twenty freakin' years before WHFRPG3 or D&D4! Yet the quality of printing, or rather lack thereof, would make Gary Gygax cry of nostalgia. There was no advice whatsoever on running your own adventures -- all encounters were supposed to be taken straight from the book. The game had a print run of 40.000, which seems incredible today, and became a gateway into tabletop role-playing for many Russian hobbyists, myself included. You can download it from the link at http://lj.rossia.org/users/enjoy/11061.html. Btw, a commenter to that page argued that the game was a translation from a Polish (!) original.

1991 - "Подземелья Чёрного замка" (Dungeons of the Black Castle") - not a role-playing game per se, but of a tremendous influence on the hobby. It was the first title in a series of interactive fiction books written and published by Dmitry Braslavsky throughout the 1990-ies, enjoying an enormous run of 100.000 copies, not counting several subsequent printings, the last afaik in 2010. At least 7 other books followed, including "Повелитель безбрежной пустыни" (The Lord of Endless Desert) mentioned in the lecture. All were set in Braslavsky's somewhat light-tone fantasy universe, except "Верная шпага короля" (King's Faithful Sword), a swashbuckling adventure set in XVI c. France. Having played through these books, many of us were inspired to write our own; I can acknowledge that I have discovered many common techniques of tabletop role-playing solely through the realization that such "books" could be improvized during play without actually being written down.

1997 - "Заклятье Чёрного Мага" (Black Wizard's Enchantment) - this is the second game mentioned in the lecture; its official site is still alive (or, at least, undead) at http://camelotrpg.narod.ru/. I've never had a chance to play it, but folks describe it as "Заколдованная страна, Take 2". This time it had a semblance of detailed setting, with a fourth booklet, containing mainly legends in verse and other fluff, added to the playing set. A boardgame set in the same fictional universe ("Магический меч"/Magic Sword)  was published simultaneously and enjoyed much attention.

2000 - "Эра Водолея" - the first edition of Holy Mother Russia's answer to Bureau 13. Various sources mention either 5000 or 7500 copies. There was an agressive marketing campaign and the game, though being widely criticized for numerous shortcomings, drew many people to the hobby. Ten supplements were announced, none ever saw light. About the system itself, 'nuff seems to have been said above already.

You know one common trait shared by ЗС, ЗЧМ and ЭВ? Each one was marketed as "The first real Russian-language tabletop RPG ever". And maybe some later games also followed the lead, I am not sure.

2001 - "Искусство волшебства" (The Art of Magic) -- none other but Russian localization of the 4th edition of Ars Magica. The fluff section was completely rewritten and considerably expanded since Russian role-players were assumed to have stronger backgrounds in Mediaeval history as compared to their US counterparts. There were also some tweaks to the rules which seemed to work well -- at least, I met some Western AM fans who claimed they liked "the Russian rules" better and were using them in their games.

2002 - "Мир Великого Дракона" (The Great Dragon's World) -- an indie fantasy heartbreaker with the system partially inspired by S.P.E.C.I.A.L. It had several setting/genre-oriented supplements (fantasy, modern world, etc.). As it was primarily an endeavour of a loose group of enthusiasts, the border between canon and fan material is somewhat blurred. At least three distinct "official" editions saw light, with one more being announced in 2010. Afaik, the game never went to print, but Version 2.01 was distributed as a CD accompanying one of the issues of "Igromania", one of Russia's major computer games magazines, thus gaining some notoriety. The website for old editions is http://mvd-game.narod.ru/, the site dedicated to the development of Version 4.0 seems to be down.

2004 - "ТриМ" (standing for "Мечник, маг и менестрель"/ Swordsman, Mage and Minstrel) -- that's your classic fantasy heartbreaker as defined by Mr. Edwards. It presented some interesting mechanical ideas and a charming fantasy setting, but was much spoiled by a) unnecessary complicated basic mechanics; b) the authors' fanatical (and utterly misguided) belief that their lovechild was something truly revolutionary and groundbreaking. The game filled "the poor man's D&D" niche, but failed to attract considerable attention, despite much forum and blog advertising by the authors and relatively low book price. Purportedly, much work had been invested into the 2nd edition as well as into a WW2-themed game on the same mechanical chassis, but neither ever came to fruition. By 2009, the authors have rolled up any Internet presence.

2006 - Russian edition of D&D 3.5 published by one of the country's leading publishing houses. Awful translation, lots of critical typos, etc. The 2500 print run was not fully sold out, and DMG & MM never followed.

2007 - АРРРГХЪ!1!! (sometimes interpreted as "Альтернативная русская ролевая редакция Господа Христа" - Alternative Russian Role-Playing Edition of Our Lord Jesus Christ, though other readings exist) -- a humorous game by Dicelords, a small circle of indie designers responsible for a few other games of lesser renown. Available only as a free .pdf (but the arthouse-looking layout was quite professional), it was a parody of everything in Russia of those times, from Putin's political discourse to Internet memes to anime fandom to the role-playing community itself. Mechanically there was little new (in fact, the core engine was taken out of Greg Kostikyan's Violence RPG with d10 changed to d6), but the fluff part was a work of pure genius. Alas, it seems like the game was more avidly read then played; moreover, many memes and concepts parodied in the game have been largely forgotten by now.

2008 - "Перекрёсток Миров" (The Crossroads of Worlds) -- a game by Russian psychologist and tabletop game designer Anton Karelin, specifically aimed at players at their early teens. The players portray world-hopping teenage agents protecting the world from Extraterrestrial threats in an alternative universe where interworld travel is possible but mortally dangerous for adults. Again, the system is mostly the good old Storyteller with d6s instead of d10s, but the setting part shines. I personally like the colorful illustrations, which look like a blend of Japanese anime and the pics you find in Soviet adventure fiction for children -- which is very attractive for the audience and sets the tone perfectly. Karelin was smart enough to register "Перекрёсток Миров" as 'educational game' and even get some financial support from the Ministry of Education - with the perspective that in the future EVERY high school in this country, from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka, will receive a copy or two, sponsored by the Feddle Gummit. However, when the latter's support had been dropped, so was the project frozen. Two corebooks and several adventures (often critized for their linear plot) were published in a limited edition, they are still freely available at the official website, together with other resources for the game: http://www.o-s-a.ru/downloads.html.

2011 - "Эра Водолея-2" -- the second edition of once popular game, with many radical changes to both the setting and the system. Essentially it is an unfinished project abandoned by its authors who finally all grew sick of each other and then picked up by some fans who published it without much editorship. As a result, the text is a mess and some rule blocks are simply unplayable. An utter disaster.

2011 - Russian versions of Fiasco and Savage Worlds published by Studio 101 (http://studio101.ru/), represented by chronicler on these forums. More supplements for SW are in the pipeline for 2012, including soem original stuff. and there are plans for HeroQuest and GUMSHOE in a bit more distant future. Today, these guys are our main hope.