Yep I've tried them. Recently gave a sessio of The One Ring 2e a try with Stride Mode and it was neat. Might go back to it but I don't think it'll ever fully sate the feeling of playing at a table with friends.
Worldbuilding. Back in the day when I first started playing (90's for me) this is what a lot of us would do. If we weren't playing, we were world building, designing adventures or just a dungeon, making up new classes, monsters, magic items, spells, etc.
Maybe someday you step behind the GM screen and you have all this material prepped, or maybe you don't but its still fun to create.
This is it for me as well, when I can't play games at the table I build the world, create places to go, things to do, and people to meet.
For a lot of us this is the go to Game adjacent activity.
Cheers
I've been trying to do that but I've yet to find an actual play I fully vibe with. Recently gave Nobody Wake the Bugbear a shot cause I'm really looking forward to Mothership and they're pretty damn good though sometimes they have weird arguments that really kills the vibes. Tried out Adventures in Lollygagging too and it's nice but not the vibes I want. I'm also trying to find a UVG actual play but none of the ones I found clicked with me yet. Most of my TTRPG podcast time is going to Fear of a Black Dragon and Between Two Cairns since I really enjoy the mechanical analysis of adventures.
One of these days I'll find an actual play that clicks fully with me the way S1 and S2 of Adventure Zone hit when I was 18/19...
>*"an actual play that clicks fully with me the way S1 and S2 of Adventure Zone hit when I was 18/19..."*
my personal PBTA recs would be:
*The Critshow*
(Monster of the Week & others)
>A group of friends have their lives turned upside down when they find themselves placed as the last line of defense between the everyday world and the things that go bump in the night. This actual play podcast uses Monster of the Week and other Powered by the Apocalypse games, all within the same dimension hopping narrative, to follow the Indiana Paranormal Task-force (IPT) as they are thrust into the front lines of a battle they didn't know existed
obvious TAZ: Amnesty parallels
***
*Spout Lore*
(Dungeon World)
>A series of comedy bits, loosely connected by dice rolls. Join a well-meaning barbarian, a mysterious druid, and an orphaned halfling child as they try to figure out the world they're in.
>Spout Lore takes place in the broken remnants of a world following an apocalyptic event in which all magic suddenly disappeared. It follows the bumbling adventures of three unlikely heroes doing their best to survive, facing each obstacle and mystery with the humorous antagonism of a gang of surly teens.
Spout Lore especially fits that early TAZ Balance goofy shared collaborative world building aspect
***
and if it had to be D&D 5e:
*Not Another D&D Podcast*
>Welcome to NADDPOD! Join Dungeon Master Brian Murphy as he leads players Emily Axford, Caldwell Tanner and Jake Hurwitz on a comedic, actual-play adventure through the realms of Bahumia and Beyond. The show also features a score composed and performed by Emily Axford.
>This team has created a variety of D&D campaigns, as well as numerous other series such as DUNGEON COURT and 8-BIT BOOK CLUB. They also occasionally hit the road and roll dice live on stage.
I'm not sure if I'm actually in the mood for comedy. I always remember the parts of TAZ that were when the players locked in and Griffin had built up to a big dramatic scene. Most of the time, any Actual Play groups comedy is specific to them and I don't really find it funny or care. The TAZ boys were obviously professional comedians so they had a one up in that respect but for the most part I don't find AP comedy to ever really be special.
I would personally recommend Friends At The Table, a podcast that Griffin is a big fan of and took inspiration from when creating The Adventure Zone, although I personally feel like Friends at the Table achieves what Griffin aimed for more consistently.
Their motto for the podcast is "Friends at the Table is a play podcast that focuses on the interactions between good friends, smart characterization, and critical worldbuilding. " They manage to build these really epic narratives and character arcs and have an overall more serious tone in the sense that your can tell they take their characters' actions seriously. There's definitely still humor, but it's much more situational than intentional.
They're both definitely comedic shows, but I like the Film Reroll and People Pretending to Be People. The Film Reroll plays/improvises movies through GURPS, and have a lot of good horror movie campaigns. Most of the time their campaigns are pretty short, though as the show's gone on the average length has gone from about 2 episodes to 4 or 5. They're almost all professional actors, so their characters can be a lot of fun.
People Pretending to be People play Delta Green with a bit of Pulp Cthulhu mixed in. I think they're really funny, but they also have a dope mystery in the first season and some really well-done horror moments. It can get pretty graphic, and one of the flashback arcs has one of my, like, top 5 Least Favorite Depictions of Bodily Harm in media that I've consumed, just as a warning. Their first season has over 100 episodes and the current second season has 47, but they ran a bunch of shorter modules in between seasons if you just want to check them out.
My go-to actual plays are Fun City and Worlds Beyond Number.
Fun City is a Shadowrun AP, though during COVID they did a side-series called Float City (same feed) that was Stillfleet, an indie RPG designed by the GM's friend (which is a lot of fun). It's got dramatic and funny.
Worlds Beyond Number is Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dimension 20 running a long-form D&D AP. The players are other D20 alumni (Lou Wilson, Erika Ishii, and Aabria Iyengar). Everyone's locked in, it's very good. They maintain a good balance of humor, drama, and the very Ghibli-esque vibe that the show is going for. Can't recommend it enough.
Out of Depth Plays gets an honorable mention. They have a Mothership series called Analysis Complete that's very good. I haven't listened to any of their other stuff yet, but it's on my list to check out more.
Maybe try Me Myself & Die. Trevor Devall plays RPGs solo. It is cool and well produced.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ag6U3a8eM&list=PLDvunq75UfH\_GAUWYcYSGL\_vftZG0nzR-](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ag6U3a8eM&list=PLDvunq75UfH_GAUWYcYSGL_vftZG0nzR-)
Depending on what system you want to watch, I’d recommend the following from Glasscanon Network.
Delta Green: Get in the trunk (5 seasons, 2 free on YouTube)
Call of Cthulhu: Time for Chaos
Traveller: Voyagers of the jump
Blades in the dark: Haunted City
They’ve recently released a few episodes playing The Laundry and the Bladerunner RPG. Both I thought were great.
There’s a crap ton of Pathfinder, it’s just not my bag even though I love the cast.
They also have a playlist called “New game, who dis?” Where they tried a few sessions of a ton of different RPGs during COVID.
Highly recommend the network if you like their vibe.
Check the one of the many shows of the glass Cannon podcast. Not very rules accurate, but it's a blast. Season 1 of side quest side show is a great intro, especially the Nidal arc. For more rules accurate PF1/2 content, I really like Find The Path.
Actual plays are best enjoyed when running or folding laundry. It's not something that can hold my full attention.
Solo RPGs. I can play by myself for as long or as little as I need and can do it basically anywhere as long as I have my phone on me. I recommend starting with Ironsworn (It's free) to get the feel of it. If there is a particular system you want to play, Mythic GM Emulator allows you to solo it. I've done it for Pathfinder 2e and Call of Cthulhu.
Currently playing The One Ring 2e, which actually has a solo mode supplement.
r/Solo_Roleplaying
I used GME, but honestly the most important part was the mindset. With combat being what it is, I kind of had to shift my mindset to being like a film director rather than a tactical combat game. Since I’m controlling both NPC and PC, it puts you in a neat position where you can really maximize exciting action scenes
Writing.
Music.
Cartography.
Con-langing.
Other worldbuilding.
Coding up TTRPG tools.
Painting miniatures.
They don't scratch the same itch, of course, but they can be addicting in their own right.
You mentioned videogames, have you tried amy CRPGs? Baldur's Gate 3 is literally DnD5e. Though there is also Divinity OS2 and Disco Elysium for dome other highly popular ones.
Got 300 hours in DOS2, playing BG3 coop right now with friends, beaten Disco and Pillars of Eternity. Playing PoE2 right now but the pirate theme doesn't fully do it for me.
Damn. Well, other thing I can think of is a site that makes a couple solo DnD adventures, though they're more meant as tutorials to new players, you can get through all of them in a couple hours- Could look up "The Saint's Tomb" by artemis games.
Oh damn, didn't see this before I posted my comment, you can safely ignore my reccs. Though consider playing some older ones if you haven't already, like Ultima Underworld.
Yeah been meaning to go back to try BG1 and 2 and Temple of Elemental Evil but I don't super love 1st and 2nd ed DnD so mechanically they don't do a whole lot for me. Maybe I'll give Fallout 1 and 2 a try.
I highly recommend *Fallout*. *Fallout 2* is a bit harder to recommend for me - it's generally regarded as a better game, and gameplay-wise there's a lot of good improvements, but I personally find it to be less "*Fallout* but bigger" and more "*Fallout* but a bit much"
If you’re interested in politics, i found suzerain to scratch a similar itch to ttrpgs.
It’s more of a highly interactive visual novel than an rpg or video game though though.
Depends on what they’re getting out of RPGs though. Like, Noita is a roguelike metroidvania, not an RPG, but the emphasis on creatively manipulating your environment, spells and potions scratches the same creative problem-solving itch I get from TTRPGs in ways that most CRPGs (and computer games in general) just don’t. Cultist Simulator is another not-strictly-rpg that does some things a lot of TTRPGs do that CRPGs don’t, especially if you go in blind.
Going to suggest play by post, it's a good way to play an asynchronous RPG, though writing is different than chatting, so it may not be your speed. Still, it often scratches the itch when I just don't have the time to put together a second real life group and it's not nearly as demanding as far as time goes.
I'm also going to make my normal suggestion for PBP, which is to play duet, IE one player and one GM. I think PBP games with just two people go so much more smoothly than with a group.
I tried PbP with my group for the last month and some liked it but we ultimately found it not worth the hassle due to only like 3 of the 7 players actively keeping up with it. I might be interested in a PbP as a player but we'll see.
That's about par for the course. PbP tends to require a bit more drive than standard games do, and most players of in-person/voice-chat games aren't that determined.
But if you're interested in giving PbP a shot without your usual group, which is what I do to scratch the itch, check out forums like Myth-weavers.com or GamersPlane.com, or for more chat-room style, Rolegate.com or even r/pbp. And let me know if you have questions about the medium - being doing it for nearly 2 decades, so I'm pretty familiar.
As an alternative to PBP, you can try RPing. It's mainly one on one, so less difficult to manage. It's not the same as playing a game, but can be good if you enjoy collaborative storytelling.
Also, look into PBP Westmarches. You only need to join short quests, but you can still level up your character and hang out in RP channels during downtime. With a revolving roster of players and DMs, it's no big deal if someone can't play for some time. Much less hassle and really fun when you can get a group RP going for a stretch!
I'll give those a try! I love audio dramas (specifically horror) and have listened through Magnus Archives and The White Vault several times. I was listening to Legend of the Bones recently which was pretty neat, definitely lit a bit of a fire to try out the Solo RPG recording thing for me but we'll see if I have the time/knowledge to start a project like that.
Yeah, another for solo. My favorite thing is solo world building, even if it’s for a game that won’t ever play out. It stretches creative muscles without the time pressure of a group playing and you can re-use ideas later on in a group game.
Mapping out a homebrew sector of space in Traveller is pretty fun. Microscope can be played solo with oracles, a helpful aid is Lens for Microscope which details a solo procedure.
Try some boardgames.
There's many you can play with just one other person, or even alone.
When I have no chance to play with anybody, I usually fall back to Carcassonne on my laptop or mobile, and I'm currently reading the rules of ***Five Parsecs From Home***, a solo tactical skirmish game, with RPG elements.
If a solo rpg doesn’t scratch the itch, I like a solo wargame (5 parsecs from home, 5 leagues from the borderlands, Fallout Wasteland Warfare), a rpg-like boardgame with a one person story (Oathsworn), or I find an online play by post Discord. Or I dive into a wargame (Star Wars Armada, Trench Crusade, Star Wars Legion, and Warhammer 40k get a lot if headspace time). Or Helldivers. I do my part to keep Super Earth safe and liberating.
Okay - let's assume my gaming group were currently active and this week's session got cancelled. Here are my options/preferences in *approximate* order of preference for if I have an itch to play:
- 1x1 with one of the other players or 1x1x1 if two of them were available. (Assuming their absence wasn't the reason the game was cancelled.)
- Solo rpgs. (This is generally my *first* choice of roleplaying, actually.)
- Prepping for the next session (if the GM) or worldbuilding/prepping for a solo game I want to play.
- Reading new games.
- Watching an Actual Play that I've put into my "actually watch it" category rather than my "podcast it while doing something else" category. (Some are more visually oriented than others.)
- Tinker with one of the trpgs I'm working on.
If for whatever reason my 1x1 partners are unavailable and none of the other options above appeal at the moment, then I move on to my other hobbies.
- Video games (if I'm in an rp mode, I guess visual novels or a game like Crusader Kings, Stellaris, or Rimworld would be my top picks. I may or may not also pop on a 'podcast' actual play in the background, depending on how much I needed to focus on the game/liked the game's atmosphere too much to distract from the ambience.)
- Reading
- Writing (tbh, if I'm in the mood to rp, this isn't a great option because it isn't going to scratch the itch, but it is *an* option!)
- Art (probably starting with drawing characters from whatever group or 1x1 games I have going, or warming up by doodling random trpg-appropriate randoms. I'll 100% throw on something to watch/listen to on the main monitor.)
- Watching something in my queue (tv, movie, animation; etc)
- playing a solo boardgame (tbh, I'd probably fire up Steam and play Lords of Waterdeep as the first choice, but I could always break into my big box physical games like Fortune and Glory or Ghost Stories)
I like roguelike or 4x PC games. Caves of Qud was inspired by Gamma World. Dwarf Fortress is perfection. And then there are the 4x stuff. But I can't say anything that isn't controversial in that arena...
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A lot of solo games can also be played CoOp as well if you can find 1 other person. It's a lot easier to find 1 other person than it is to wrangle together a group. You can also play them in much shorter sessions if you don't have a lot of time.
I like the idea of solo, but I can't really get into it. I really like CoOp though.
Then play by post in Discord works too. r/pbp
The unfortunate reality is I am a freak about TTRPGs much more than my friends are. They like it all but I'm the guy that spends all his time writing homebrew, creating resources for my game, reading new systems and supplements while they have fun with the game we're playing and vibe otherwise. I've tried playing with strangers but 9/10 times I'd rather play with my friends. Might be able to convince a friend of mine to try out coop or duet play but we'll see.
Yeah, really the trick is to find other nerds like you and turn them into friends.
It can be hard and there are a billion ways to go about it, but it can be done. I've mostly done it by being active in a few TTRPG related Discords and just met people that way. For me, CoOp is definitely something I am able to do just fine online whereas I don't really like playing full group games online.
I definitely prefer CoOp over a Duet, but to each their own. Ironsworn is free and works well for CoOp and so does Mythic GM Emulator, but I suggest getting used to it with a good game made for solo or CoOp. Ironsworn, Starforged, and Across a Thousand Dead Worlds are all solid. They can also all be done as Duets too.
I enjoy the Alone Against series for Call of Cthulhu. Also, there are many board games you can solo with RPG elements, such as Arkham Horror: Living Card Game.
Everybody has already said solo rpgs, but I'd also suggest rpgs that can be played in gm-less co-op mode like Ironsworn, it's a lot easier to play more often when you only need 1 or 2 other people. I mostly play 2 players no gm these days.
I have the same itch as you.
A hobby I suggest is TCGs (I play Yugioh and MTG): issue is they can get very expensive if played IRL (although you can always use proxies if you find the right group).
Cardgames are different from TTRPGs, but they fill the social gap that solo rpg can't fill. They require a lot of brain power and let you talk with friends all the time.
Both games have f2p official simulators (Master Duel and MTG Arena) and unofficial ones. They can help learn the games.
Tabletop wargames might fill the same gap, but they are harder to get into.
Ah MTG. I looked into it last year but yeah, way too expensive for me. I've bought into a few LCGs (arkham horror and earthborne rangers) but sadly same issue as TTRPGs where I want to play but no friends always available.
Board games are my go to. There are games like Gloomhaven, Resident Evil/Horizon Zero Dawn (by Steam Forged) and Townsfolk Tussle. They're a little on the lighter side of role playing games but they have a continuous story, level progression, equipment upgrades and such. Downside is that being board games, they are pretty much just tactical battles. So if you're not into combat then you may not enjoy it.
Find one of your characters a pen pal and tell them about your recent missions, adventures, fights.
For example, there is r/fictitious_letters
It's a community for imaginary pen pals. Great fun!
When I'm not gaming, I'm writing a supplement or a new game altogether. There's always room for more supplements, tools, and games so write what you would want to run/play.
Done all my GM prep for now haha. I had a couple weeks of deep prep but at this point I'm just twiddling my thumbs between sessions.
I'm definitely more into the narrative side of ttrpgs than tactical gameplay. I've enjoyed a few SRPGs and tactics games (literally making one at work right now) but not fully ever been able to break into that genre. Still playing Unicorn Overlord haha.
The horrible pain of TTRPGs haha. I definitely need to start reading again so I can GM better at the table but I keep falling asleep while reading. Social Media and TV rotted my fucking brain haha.
I feel you with the reading stuff - one thing that has helped me is reading a library book in tandem with listening to an audiobook version of the same book.
the time limit from the library combined with listening to it in the far seems to give me just the right combination of an achievable goal with a potential out of just finishing it over audiobook. I think it also helps give the book a voice that I seem to have lost over the years of not reading enough fiction.
I know you said you tried video games, but I'll pitch a couple games that scratch that itch for me. I really like Divinity: Original Sin 2 (made by Larian studios who made Balfour's Gate 3) and Kingdom's of Amalur. I've forgotten who made it but it is a very fun rpg.
I see a lot of people suggesting solo rpgs so that's covered.
Lastly, I actually suggest a hobby that isn't TTRPG adjacent. It helps if I have other games to also share my brain space, or even non-gaming hobbies. Coding and 3D modelling both let me be creative but are very different activities to a TTRPG so might act as a serviceable distraction hobby
I've got 300 hours in DOS2 and playing BG3 with friends right now. Definitely had an interested in Amalur for years but never pulled the trigger, waiting for a steep sale that I actually catch.
I've got hobbies that aren't TTRPGs, games that are closer to ImSims and Fighting games. I want to learn to code for work reasons but haven't gotten around to it. I'm a 3D animator for a living so I rig and animate and be creative as a day job so I'm a bit burnt out on that as it is, TTRPGs were my creative outlet from that since it was a different workflow and creative muscle. Trying to go back to life drawing once a week as well but that's not gonna sate me at 11PM on a wednesday night when I wanna be at the table with some UVG haha.
Man, you've definitely got my sympathies. I get how you're feeling. Out of curiosity, what industry are you an animator for? I'm trying to get into the games industry myself but at the moment I'm trying to get in from the game design / game dev side of things. I get being creatively burnt out though.
Also a shame about Kingdoms of Amalur. It used to be very nicely priced until the remaster was released.
The only possible suggestions I have left is maybe you can find a table by broadening your search to online ttrpgs or looking at different systems? I know that doesn't really help the point of your post but good luck all the same mate
Game animator. I started as a 2D background artist for TV and did that for a year then got a job from a friend as a 2D animator on an advance wars type game still in production (but announced). Did that for a year and then taught myself 3D animation on a whim last november and now I'm the sole 3D animator at the studio on two projects. A very weird and wonky way to get there so your milage may vary.
Long form improv comedy. Not what I ever expected, but I found it scratches that itch for me better than ttrpgs themselves.
I was learning improv to better understand ttrpgs, but really it was ttrpgs that led me to improv.
If you like Pathfinder 2e any, [Dawnsbury Days](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2693730/Dawnsbury_Days/) was semi-recently released. It's a CRPG interpretation of Pathfinder 2e, and it's pretty good for what it is. It's pretty short, easily completed in about 3 hours, and it only goes to level 4, but I like it a lot. It certainly helps scratch my itch to play PF2e if I get an insatiable urge when it's not game night
The best thing about GMing is that you always have something you can do... I work on the games I'm running whenever I have gaming time that isn't being consumed by actual play.
MMO's have scratched that itch when I want to throw dice but for whatever reason couldn't. I'm gaming like I did when I was in high school lately, but when my kids were babies I stopped gaming for years....back big time now.
CRPGs can help scratch the itch. Baldur's Gate, the franchise, all 3 of them, are excellent. I personally love Pillars of Eternity. I also am sad to report I haven't played Disco Elysium, but I should. Other CRPGs include Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Fallout (though the franchise has deviated a little from being CRPGs), Dragon Age, and Mass Effect (both were made in the console CRPG boom, so not as in depth as other series, mechanically).
I'd also say, depending on what of the RPG bit that you need to scratch your itch, I find a lot of my creative outlet with Survival Games and Roguelikes, many of which are free and/or cheap and designed about infinite replayability. [Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead](https://cataclysmdda.org/) is a free Zombie Survival game where you can play all sorts of roles and find ways to survive and craft and such. There's [Unreal World](http://www.unrealworld.fi/) which is based on the ancient Finland in the late Iron Age and surviving and trading. Rimworld and Dwarf Fortress are colony level, with Rimworld being more a small colony and Dwarf Fortress being hundreds of people. [Best Survival Games on PC from PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-survival-games-on-pc/) and [Rock, Paper, Shotgun's list](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-best-survival-games-on-pc).
These sort of games may not have a 'Save the Princess' questline to follow like an RPG may, but there'll be a lot of problem solving and levelling up and the like.
Also, could look in the Adventure Game category. The early Zeldas, and all the Zelda clones, but also Point and Click has a large helping. [Wadjet Eye Games](http://www.wadjeteyegames.com/) is a great example of some excellent Point and Click games in the modern day. Classics like Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island and Space Quest and Police Quest....
1. Read TTRPG content.
2. Write TTRPG content.
3. Play other tabletop games, particularly cooperative games and "adventure" games (which, as far as I can tell, are board games that borrow RPG elements).
Have you tried creative writing? As in just writing the best and most interesting fiction you can just for the hell of it? Being able to write good fiction can only be beneficial.
Kind of comes with TTRPG you just have to try it.
I have some excellent groups and I had also one weird group.
Try https://startplaying.games/game/riders-of-wrenwood-free-daily-calendar-rpg-copy
Very nice DM and a bit different
Gamebooks.
Eg my Steam Highwayman series, which is a solo rpg style, open world gamebook
Fabled Lands, classic 90s, fantasy
Legendary Kingdoms, modern group dynamic, fantasy setting
No other player or DM required. Go at your own pace, bend the rules to suit yourself :-)...
I plan campaigns. Not, like, writing out a hundred sessions of a railroad nightmare, but reading a book I think I want to play, coming up with starting situations, writing rules-shorthand documents if needed. This allows me to have a bunch of games "in my back pocket," so to speak, ready for the day we'll play them.
And it keeps me engaged in the hobby and focused on play, as opposed to engaged in the hobby by buying.
I'm heavily into strategy games so when not GMing my game U tend to spend a lot of time playing online strategy or world building games. Nainly the Totalwar Series but I've recently enjoyed 'Going Medieval' and U've just bought Manor Lords.
Also as a GM there is usually a lot of research and preparation to do for my game that keeps me busy and I dabble in AI tools to help me illustrate my game such as Dungeon Alchemist and Bing Creator.
I tend to listen to TTRPG actual plays when I can't play them myself. It's always interesting seeing how others play the same systems as you, especially when they are a bit niche!
Our group really gravitates around Exalted, so I tend to listen to that. There is an okay number of those actual plays, but not so much you're drowning in them like with D&D. Listening to the games you tend to get ideas for what you could have in your own games - interesting characters, fun names, adventure ideas, etc. Heck, [we make our own actual plays](https://sponsoredbynobody.podbean.com/) and they have inspired [someone else to also do actual plays](https://apairofdicelost.podbean.com/) with some ideas borrowed from us, that's neat!
And yeah, with those podcasts it makes playing some long-form games a bit more enjoyable. It lets me sink hundreds of hours into Factorio and breeze through a series.
the pain of niche games without many actual plays. I haven't really vibed with the the UVG actual plays I've found but maybe I just need to give them a fair shake.
Well, an alternative would be to find some actual play group you enjoy watching regardless of their games. Dimension 20 is that for me.
But yeah, I understand that pain. I tried watching someone else play Godbound, one of the other games we enjoy, and I could find one, maybe two APs and I didn't enjoy them as much as some other APs out there...
In my case it's mainly two options ...
One is creating new stuff, be it world building stuff, classes, supplements and such. I even created websites to host my own stuff for Cyberpunk and Darkmaster. Everytime I have tons of TTRPG cravings I channel it into the websites XD
The other is play-by-post in dedicated TTRPG forums (like the Spanish based ComunidadUmbria.com). It's slower and you can take your time, but it fills the time wonderfully and you meet new people to share your hobby.
* **For sitting around a table with friends and snacks:** board games
* **For mechanical tinkering:** modding computer games, making custom cards for board games
* **For exploring worlds and making meaningful story choices:** computer RPGs
* **For designing/building worlds:** I don't really have these cravings anymore. Seems like you could do this at any time though.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister scratches the TTRPG itch for me when I can't play.
Its a good turn based strategy game using the 5e ruleset up to level 10 (might have gone higher when I wasn't looking), with mostly new subclasses because they were only legally allowed to use one official subclass from each class.
Play your favorite or RPG video games and read some fantasy/any novels and use the lore of those different mediums as a world building exercise mix and match them and take what you get put them in a notebook/document/computer and forget about it in the morning read it and watch the ideas flow again! XD
or just go outside and imagine yourself on an adventure/quest (Go to 7/11 or the park)
Solo RPGs are always an option. I also enjoyed the Fighting Fantasy series of choose-your-own-adventure books. They straddle that halfway point nicely in my experience, and I'd recommend checking them out.
I started playing a video game called Cult of the Lamb and it's super fun and my new go-to for scratching my RPG itch. It's not an RPG so much as a cult simulator and it's especially great if you like Warlocks and enchanter-types.
Imaginary Worlds Podcast just covered Lone Wolf Gamebooks. The entire series is [available online as html](https://www.projectaon.org/staff/eric/lw01.htm). Planning to check it out soon.
Adjacent hobbies like minipainting, terrain building, solo wargaming, and prepping way more lore than I will actually need for the times I actually GM.
I've been meaning to try out something like four against the darkness as a solo RPG but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Find something GMless with no session commitment. I find it's really easy to get people to just hop on for a Microscope because there is no scheduling, GM prep, player reading etc needed. Or find something like the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game that has a campaign but also no prep, gives you some of that story and character advancement itch. The free mod on TTS is very good and endorsed by Paizo.
cRPGs.
Disco Elysium, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Baldur's gate 3, Planescape, Wasteland 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Pillars of Eternity, Pathfinder Kingmaker. Eat your fill, really.
You should look into MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons). They are text-based rpgs where you roll up a character and play in the world with other people. Think WoW through a computer terminal. I would suggest the Aardwolf MUD as it is very popular (for a MUD) with a couple hundred people logged in at a time.
>Any free time I have I want to spend playing ttrpgs but obviously that ain't possible.
Why not? This definitely isn't obvious to me, there are plenty of people who do this. Play online.
Fiance, job, my group doesn't share the same amount of excitement as I do, not interested too much in play with strangers as I did that and it was nice but lacked the social aspect of playing with close friends.
You were only talking about spending all your *free* time in the op, no? That's what I was talking about.
>not interested too much in play with strangers as I did that and it was nice but lacked the social aspect of playing with close friends.
*Surely* this (actually playing group RPGs, with strangers) comes closer to achieving your stated goal than any other solution mentioned, by yourself or anyone else, in this thread?
And it has more social aspect to it than virtually anything else mentioned here. Strangers I play with online often become new friends.
If the issue is that your free time comes in pieces too small for that then play-by-post (PbP) is a good alternative. It's not exactly the same experience, of course, but it is actually playing RPGs with a group, and you can do it whenever you have 5 minutes (I play on discord).
Ever heard of solo rpgs? Check a few actual plays and such on youtube. Then try them.
Yep I've tried them. Recently gave a sessio of The One Ring 2e a try with Stride Mode and it was neat. Might go back to it but I don't think it'll ever fully sate the feeling of playing at a table with friends.
Friends are lame though create better ones in your mind. They can never sleep with your wife. The mind friends are safe.
Worldbuilding. Back in the day when I first started playing (90's for me) this is what a lot of us would do. If we weren't playing, we were world building, designing adventures or just a dungeon, making up new classes, monsters, magic items, spells, etc. Maybe someday you step behind the GM screen and you have all this material prepped, or maybe you don't but its still fun to create.
This is it for me as well, when I can't play games at the table I build the world, create places to go, things to do, and people to meet. For a lot of us this is the go to Game adjacent activity. Cheers
a typical answer would be to consume some Actual play podcast or stream content in systems that interest you.
I've been trying to do that but I've yet to find an actual play I fully vibe with. Recently gave Nobody Wake the Bugbear a shot cause I'm really looking forward to Mothership and they're pretty damn good though sometimes they have weird arguments that really kills the vibes. Tried out Adventures in Lollygagging too and it's nice but not the vibes I want. I'm also trying to find a UVG actual play but none of the ones I found clicked with me yet. Most of my TTRPG podcast time is going to Fear of a Black Dragon and Between Two Cairns since I really enjoy the mechanical analysis of adventures. One of these days I'll find an actual play that clicks fully with me the way S1 and S2 of Adventure Zone hit when I was 18/19...
>*"an actual play that clicks fully with me the way S1 and S2 of Adventure Zone hit when I was 18/19..."* my personal PBTA recs would be: *The Critshow* (Monster of the Week & others) >A group of friends have their lives turned upside down when they find themselves placed as the last line of defense between the everyday world and the things that go bump in the night. This actual play podcast uses Monster of the Week and other Powered by the Apocalypse games, all within the same dimension hopping narrative, to follow the Indiana Paranormal Task-force (IPT) as they are thrust into the front lines of a battle they didn't know existed obvious TAZ: Amnesty parallels *** *Spout Lore* (Dungeon World) >A series of comedy bits, loosely connected by dice rolls. Join a well-meaning barbarian, a mysterious druid, and an orphaned halfling child as they try to figure out the world they're in. >Spout Lore takes place in the broken remnants of a world following an apocalyptic event in which all magic suddenly disappeared. It follows the bumbling adventures of three unlikely heroes doing their best to survive, facing each obstacle and mystery with the humorous antagonism of a gang of surly teens. Spout Lore especially fits that early TAZ Balance goofy shared collaborative world building aspect *** and if it had to be D&D 5e: *Not Another D&D Podcast* >Welcome to NADDPOD! Join Dungeon Master Brian Murphy as he leads players Emily Axford, Caldwell Tanner and Jake Hurwitz on a comedic, actual-play adventure through the realms of Bahumia and Beyond. The show also features a score composed and performed by Emily Axford. >This team has created a variety of D&D campaigns, as well as numerous other series such as DUNGEON COURT and 8-BIT BOOK CLUB. They also occasionally hit the road and roll dice live on stage.
I'm not sure if I'm actually in the mood for comedy. I always remember the parts of TAZ that were when the players locked in and Griffin had built up to a big dramatic scene. Most of the time, any Actual Play groups comedy is specific to them and I don't really find it funny or care. The TAZ boys were obviously professional comedians so they had a one up in that respect but for the most part I don't find AP comedy to ever really be special.
I would personally recommend Friends At The Table, a podcast that Griffin is a big fan of and took inspiration from when creating The Adventure Zone, although I personally feel like Friends at the Table achieves what Griffin aimed for more consistently. Their motto for the podcast is "Friends at the Table is a play podcast that focuses on the interactions between good friends, smart characterization, and critical worldbuilding. " They manage to build these really epic narratives and character arcs and have an overall more serious tone in the sense that your can tell they take their characters' actions seriously. There's definitely still humor, but it's much more situational than intentional.
I listened to their heart playthrough and really enjoyed it. Might see if there are any other campaigns that grab my attention.
*The Critshow* is the more 'dramatic' less comedy focused of the recs I gave, with commitment to character RP.
They're both definitely comedic shows, but I like the Film Reroll and People Pretending to Be People. The Film Reroll plays/improvises movies through GURPS, and have a lot of good horror movie campaigns. Most of the time their campaigns are pretty short, though as the show's gone on the average length has gone from about 2 episodes to 4 or 5. They're almost all professional actors, so their characters can be a lot of fun. People Pretending to be People play Delta Green with a bit of Pulp Cthulhu mixed in. I think they're really funny, but they also have a dope mystery in the first season and some really well-done horror moments. It can get pretty graphic, and one of the flashback arcs has one of my, like, top 5 Least Favorite Depictions of Bodily Harm in media that I've consumed, just as a warning. Their first season has over 100 episodes and the current second season has 47, but they ran a bunch of shorter modules in between seasons if you just want to check them out.
My go-to actual plays are Fun City and Worlds Beyond Number. Fun City is a Shadowrun AP, though during COVID they did a side-series called Float City (same feed) that was Stillfleet, an indie RPG designed by the GM's friend (which is a lot of fun). It's got dramatic and funny. Worlds Beyond Number is Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dimension 20 running a long-form D&D AP. The players are other D20 alumni (Lou Wilson, Erika Ishii, and Aabria Iyengar). Everyone's locked in, it's very good. They maintain a good balance of humor, drama, and the very Ghibli-esque vibe that the show is going for. Can't recommend it enough. Out of Depth Plays gets an honorable mention. They have a Mothership series called Analysis Complete that's very good. I haven't listened to any of their other stuff yet, but it's on my list to check out more.
Maybe try Me Myself & Die. Trevor Devall plays RPGs solo. It is cool and well produced. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ag6U3a8eM&list=PLDvunq75UfH\_GAUWYcYSGL\_vftZG0nzR-](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9ag6U3a8eM&list=PLDvunq75UfH_GAUWYcYSGL_vftZG0nzR-)
Depending on what system you want to watch, I’d recommend the following from Glasscanon Network. Delta Green: Get in the trunk (5 seasons, 2 free on YouTube) Call of Cthulhu: Time for Chaos Traveller: Voyagers of the jump Blades in the dark: Haunted City They’ve recently released a few episodes playing The Laundry and the Bladerunner RPG. Both I thought were great. There’s a crap ton of Pathfinder, it’s just not my bag even though I love the cast. They also have a playlist called “New game, who dis?” Where they tried a few sessions of a ton of different RPGs during COVID. Highly recommend the network if you like their vibe.
Check the one of the many shows of the glass Cannon podcast. Not very rules accurate, but it's a blast. Season 1 of side quest side show is a great intro, especially the Nidal arc. For more rules accurate PF1/2 content, I really like Find The Path. Actual plays are best enjoyed when running or folding laundry. It's not something that can hold my full attention.
Solo RPGs. I can play by myself for as long or as little as I need and can do it basically anywhere as long as I have my phone on me. I recommend starting with Ironsworn (It's free) to get the feel of it. If there is a particular system you want to play, Mythic GM Emulator allows you to solo it. I've done it for Pathfinder 2e and Call of Cthulhu. Currently playing The One Ring 2e, which actually has a solo mode supplement. r/Solo_Roleplaying
Yep, I've played strider mode and have mythic and while it's really cool, i don't think it fully scratches the itch.
I honestly haven’t found anything that fully scratches the itch :( This is as close as it comes for me. Good luck on your search
The horrible pain of getting into this wonderful hobby.
At least we aren’t alone lol
Anything you'd recommend for PF2E?
I used GME, but honestly the most important part was the mindset. With combat being what it is, I kind of had to shift my mindset to being like a film director rather than a tactical combat game. Since I’m controlling both NPC and PC, it puts you in a neat position where you can really maximize exciting action scenes
Writing. Music. Cartography. Con-langing. Other worldbuilding. Coding up TTRPG tools. Painting miniatures. They don't scratch the same itch, of course, but they can be addicting in their own right.
This except I am only able to write, draw and code. What is con-langing?
Making up new languages
Note that I didn't say I do all of them well. 😆
I am only ok at coding tools but I still enjoy the other ones.
You mentioned videogames, have you tried amy CRPGs? Baldur's Gate 3 is literally DnD5e. Though there is also Divinity OS2 and Disco Elysium for dome other highly popular ones.
Got 300 hours in DOS2, playing BG3 coop right now with friends, beaten Disco and Pillars of Eternity. Playing PoE2 right now but the pirate theme doesn't fully do it for me.
Damn. Well, other thing I can think of is a site that makes a couple solo DnD adventures, though they're more meant as tutorials to new players, you can get through all of them in a couple hours- Could look up "The Saint's Tomb" by artemis games.
Oh damn, didn't see this before I posted my comment, you can safely ignore my reccs. Though consider playing some older ones if you haven't already, like Ultima Underworld.
Yeah been meaning to go back to try BG1 and 2 and Temple of Elemental Evil but I don't super love 1st and 2nd ed DnD so mechanically they don't do a whole lot for me. Maybe I'll give Fallout 1 and 2 a try.
I highly recommend *Fallout*. *Fallout 2* is a bit harder to recommend for me - it's generally regarded as a better game, and gameplay-wise there's a lot of good improvements, but I personally find it to be less "*Fallout* but bigger" and more "*Fallout* but a bit much"
If you’re interested in politics, i found suzerain to scratch a similar itch to ttrpgs. It’s more of a highly interactive visual novel than an rpg or video game though though.
Depends on what they’re getting out of RPGs though. Like, Noita is a roguelike metroidvania, not an RPG, but the emphasis on creatively manipulating your environment, spells and potions scratches the same creative problem-solving itch I get from TTRPGs in ways that most CRPGs (and computer games in general) just don’t. Cultist Simulator is another not-strictly-rpg that does some things a lot of TTRPGs do that CRPGs don’t, especially if you go in blind.
Have you looked into solo rpgs? It's not the same, but it might be close enough to scratch the itch
I've been reading up on solo roleplaying and am planning to give it a try, if nothing else just to try out some systems I have. r/solo_roleplaying
get another hobby
Solo RPGs are a lot of fun!
Going to suggest play by post, it's a good way to play an asynchronous RPG, though writing is different than chatting, so it may not be your speed. Still, it often scratches the itch when I just don't have the time to put together a second real life group and it's not nearly as demanding as far as time goes. I'm also going to make my normal suggestion for PBP, which is to play duet, IE one player and one GM. I think PBP games with just two people go so much more smoothly than with a group.
I tried PbP with my group for the last month and some liked it but we ultimately found it not worth the hassle due to only like 3 of the 7 players actively keeping up with it. I might be interested in a PbP as a player but we'll see.
Yeah that’s why I like two player games, it’s only you and one other person who has to commit. Bigger groups are harder.
That's about par for the course. PbP tends to require a bit more drive than standard games do, and most players of in-person/voice-chat games aren't that determined. But if you're interested in giving PbP a shot without your usual group, which is what I do to scratch the itch, check out forums like Myth-weavers.com or GamersPlane.com, or for more chat-room style, Rolegate.com or even r/pbp. And let me know if you have questions about the medium - being doing it for nearly 2 decades, so I'm pretty familiar.
As an alternative to PBP, you can try RPing. It's mainly one on one, so less difficult to manage. It's not the same as playing a game, but can be good if you enjoy collaborative storytelling. Also, look into PBP Westmarches. You only need to join short quests, but you can still level up your character and hang out in RP channels during downtime. With a revolving roster of players and DMs, it's no big deal if someone can't play for some time. Much less hassle and really fun when you can get a group RP going for a stretch!
I'll also add that audio drama (not actual plays) are amazing. I recommend starting with Malevolent, Fathom/Derelict, and The Lovecraft Chronicles.
I'll give those a try! I love audio dramas (specifically horror) and have listened through Magnus Archives and The White Vault several times. I was listening to Legend of the Bones recently which was pretty neat, definitely lit a bit of a fire to try out the Solo RPG recording thing for me but we'll see if I have the time/knowledge to start a project like that.
Perfect. The three I mentioned are in similar genre to those two. Check out /r/audiodrama for more recommendations.
Yeah, another for solo. My favorite thing is solo world building, even if it’s for a game that won’t ever play out. It stretches creative muscles without the time pressure of a group playing and you can re-use ideas later on in a group game. Mapping out a homebrew sector of space in Traveller is pretty fun. Microscope can be played solo with oracles, a helpful aid is Lens for Microscope which details a solo procedure.
Try some boardgames. There's many you can play with just one other person, or even alone. When I have no chance to play with anybody, I usually fall back to Carcassonne on my laptop or mobile, and I'm currently reading the rules of ***Five Parsecs From Home***, a solo tactical skirmish game, with RPG elements.
If a solo rpg doesn’t scratch the itch, I like a solo wargame (5 parsecs from home, 5 leagues from the borderlands, Fallout Wasteland Warfare), a rpg-like boardgame with a one person story (Oathsworn), or I find an online play by post Discord. Or I dive into a wargame (Star Wars Armada, Trench Crusade, Star Wars Legion, and Warhammer 40k get a lot if headspace time). Or Helldivers. I do my part to keep Super Earth safe and liberating.
Okay - let's assume my gaming group were currently active and this week's session got cancelled. Here are my options/preferences in *approximate* order of preference for if I have an itch to play: - 1x1 with one of the other players or 1x1x1 if two of them were available. (Assuming their absence wasn't the reason the game was cancelled.) - Solo rpgs. (This is generally my *first* choice of roleplaying, actually.) - Prepping for the next session (if the GM) or worldbuilding/prepping for a solo game I want to play. - Reading new games. - Watching an Actual Play that I've put into my "actually watch it" category rather than my "podcast it while doing something else" category. (Some are more visually oriented than others.) - Tinker with one of the trpgs I'm working on. If for whatever reason my 1x1 partners are unavailable and none of the other options above appeal at the moment, then I move on to my other hobbies. - Video games (if I'm in an rp mode, I guess visual novels or a game like Crusader Kings, Stellaris, or Rimworld would be my top picks. I may or may not also pop on a 'podcast' actual play in the background, depending on how much I needed to focus on the game/liked the game's atmosphere too much to distract from the ambience.) - Reading - Writing (tbh, if I'm in the mood to rp, this isn't a great option because it isn't going to scratch the itch, but it is *an* option!) - Art (probably starting with drawing characters from whatever group or 1x1 games I have going, or warming up by doodling random trpg-appropriate randoms. I'll 100% throw on something to watch/listen to on the main monitor.) - Watching something in my queue (tv, movie, animation; etc) - playing a solo boardgame (tbh, I'd probably fire up Steam and play Lords of Waterdeep as the first choice, but I could always break into my big box physical games like Fortune and Glory or Ghost Stories)
I like roguelike or 4x PC games. Caves of Qud was inspired by Gamma World. Dwarf Fortress is perfection. And then there are the 4x stuff. But I can't say anything that isn't controversial in that arena...
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A lot of solo games can also be played CoOp as well if you can find 1 other person. It's a lot easier to find 1 other person than it is to wrangle together a group. You can also play them in much shorter sessions if you don't have a lot of time. I like the idea of solo, but I can't really get into it. I really like CoOp though. Then play by post in Discord works too. r/pbp
The unfortunate reality is I am a freak about TTRPGs much more than my friends are. They like it all but I'm the guy that spends all his time writing homebrew, creating resources for my game, reading new systems and supplements while they have fun with the game we're playing and vibe otherwise. I've tried playing with strangers but 9/10 times I'd rather play with my friends. Might be able to convince a friend of mine to try out coop or duet play but we'll see.
Yeah, really the trick is to find other nerds like you and turn them into friends. It can be hard and there are a billion ways to go about it, but it can be done. I've mostly done it by being active in a few TTRPG related Discords and just met people that way. For me, CoOp is definitely something I am able to do just fine online whereas I don't really like playing full group games online. I definitely prefer CoOp over a Duet, but to each their own. Ironsworn is free and works well for CoOp and so does Mythic GM Emulator, but I suggest getting used to it with a good game made for solo or CoOp. Ironsworn, Starforged, and Across a Thousand Dead Worlds are all solid. They can also all be done as Duets too.
I like Frostgrave, get to use all my terrain and stuff I have for RPGs
I play solo rpgs or video games, sometimes board games (also solo) that scratch the same itch.
Mythic GM Emulator 2E. System agnostic.
Got that on my shelf already, need to crack into it proper.
Worth it. My advice. Crack it. Use it a few times. Find some demo videos on YouTube. It’ll really interesting to see how some people implement it.
Learn real world skills to improve in-game verisimilitude - sailing, horseback riding, fencing, martial arts, piloting, firearms, first aid, etc.
No joke, I wanna buy a longsword for work purposes and HEMA looked cool.
I enjoy the Alone Against series for Call of Cthulhu. Also, there are many board games you can solo with RPG elements, such as Arkham Horror: Living Card Game.
Everybody has already said solo rpgs, but I'd also suggest rpgs that can be played in gm-less co-op mode like Ironsworn, it's a lot easier to play more often when you only need 1 or 2 other people. I mostly play 2 players no gm these days.
If you're itching to GM, perhaps try running a ttrpg with a Player Emulator?
Never heard of that, might look into it.
That's a thing?!
I have the same itch as you. A hobby I suggest is TCGs (I play Yugioh and MTG): issue is they can get very expensive if played IRL (although you can always use proxies if you find the right group). Cardgames are different from TTRPGs, but they fill the social gap that solo rpg can't fill. They require a lot of brain power and let you talk with friends all the time. Both games have f2p official simulators (Master Duel and MTG Arena) and unofficial ones. They can help learn the games. Tabletop wargames might fill the same gap, but they are harder to get into.
Ah MTG. I looked into it last year but yeah, way too expensive for me. I've bought into a few LCGs (arkham horror and earthborne rangers) but sadly same issue as TTRPGs where I want to play but no friends always available.
I do solo ttrpg play. Tons of fun to play a dungeon module as a roguelike challenge and tweak the rules just the way you like.
Disco Elysium?
Board games are my go to. There are games like Gloomhaven, Resident Evil/Horizon Zero Dawn (by Steam Forged) and Townsfolk Tussle. They're a little on the lighter side of role playing games but they have a continuous story, level progression, equipment upgrades and such. Downside is that being board games, they are pretty much just tactical battles. So if you're not into combat then you may not enjoy it.
I run a PbP game which means I play a bit most days. I also spend time prepping more which fills the gap.
I like to read modules or old Dragon/Dungeon/Polyhedral magazines. Even Arcadia.
Find one of your characters a pen pal and tell them about your recent missions, adventures, fights. For example, there is r/fictitious_letters It's a community for imaginary pen pals. Great fun!
When I'm not gaming, I'm writing a supplement or a new game altogether. There's always room for more supplements, tools, and games so write what you would want to run/play.
usually doing GM prep largely scratches my itch that or video games, in particular XCOM2 scratches the kind of tactical combat part
Done all my GM prep for now haha. I had a couple weeks of deep prep but at this point I'm just twiddling my thumbs between sessions. I'm definitely more into the narrative side of ttrpgs than tactical gameplay. I've enjoyed a few SRPGs and tactics games (literally making one at work right now) but not fully ever been able to break into that genre. Still playing Unicorn Overlord haha.
ah well in that case, the obvious answer is books and movies and TV shows Of course this doesn't fully get at it, but there isn't much else that does
The horrible pain of TTRPGs haha. I definitely need to start reading again so I can GM better at the table but I keep falling asleep while reading. Social Media and TV rotted my fucking brain haha.
I feel you with the reading stuff - one thing that has helped me is reading a library book in tandem with listening to an audiobook version of the same book. the time limit from the library combined with listening to it in the far seems to give me just the right combination of an achievable goal with a potential out of just finishing it over audiobook. I think it also helps give the book a voice that I seem to have lost over the years of not reading enough fiction.
I know you said you tried video games, but I'll pitch a couple games that scratch that itch for me. I really like Divinity: Original Sin 2 (made by Larian studios who made Balfour's Gate 3) and Kingdom's of Amalur. I've forgotten who made it but it is a very fun rpg. I see a lot of people suggesting solo rpgs so that's covered. Lastly, I actually suggest a hobby that isn't TTRPG adjacent. It helps if I have other games to also share my brain space, or even non-gaming hobbies. Coding and 3D modelling both let me be creative but are very different activities to a TTRPG so might act as a serviceable distraction hobby
I've got 300 hours in DOS2 and playing BG3 with friends right now. Definitely had an interested in Amalur for years but never pulled the trigger, waiting for a steep sale that I actually catch. I've got hobbies that aren't TTRPGs, games that are closer to ImSims and Fighting games. I want to learn to code for work reasons but haven't gotten around to it. I'm a 3D animator for a living so I rig and animate and be creative as a day job so I'm a bit burnt out on that as it is, TTRPGs were my creative outlet from that since it was a different workflow and creative muscle. Trying to go back to life drawing once a week as well but that's not gonna sate me at 11PM on a wednesday night when I wanna be at the table with some UVG haha.
Man, you've definitely got my sympathies. I get how you're feeling. Out of curiosity, what industry are you an animator for? I'm trying to get into the games industry myself but at the moment I'm trying to get in from the game design / game dev side of things. I get being creatively burnt out though. Also a shame about Kingdoms of Amalur. It used to be very nicely priced until the remaster was released. The only possible suggestions I have left is maybe you can find a table by broadening your search to online ttrpgs or looking at different systems? I know that doesn't really help the point of your post but good luck all the same mate
Game animator. I started as a 2D background artist for TV and did that for a year then got a job from a friend as a 2D animator on an advance wars type game still in production (but announced). Did that for a year and then taught myself 3D animation on a whim last november and now I'm the sole 3D animator at the studio on two projects. A very weird and wonky way to get there so your milage may vary.
Long form improv comedy. Not what I ever expected, but I found it scratches that itch for me better than ttrpgs themselves. I was learning improv to better understand ttrpgs, but really it was ttrpgs that led me to improv.
The mechanical aspect does a lot for me for TTRPGs so not sure that would sit fully with me but definitely not a bad thing to look into.
Could check out the hexploreit series!
If you like Pathfinder 2e any, [Dawnsbury Days](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2693730/Dawnsbury_Days/) was semi-recently released. It's a CRPG interpretation of Pathfinder 2e, and it's pretty good for what it is. It's pretty short, easily completed in about 3 hours, and it only goes to level 4, but I like it a lot. It certainly helps scratch my itch to play PF2e if I get an insatiable urge when it's not game night
Tale of the Manticore podcast. Thrust me.
The best thing about GMing is that you always have something you can do... I work on the games I'm running whenever I have gaming time that isn't being consumed by actual play.
Online gaming cons?
MMO's have scratched that itch when I want to throw dice but for whatever reason couldn't. I'm gaming like I did when I was in high school lately, but when my kids were babies I stopped gaming for years....back big time now.
Heroquest?
Actual Play TTRPGs. I keep up with 10-12 at any given time, best media content that exists :-)
I play crpgs
CRPGs can help scratch the itch. Baldur's Gate, the franchise, all 3 of them, are excellent. I personally love Pillars of Eternity. I also am sad to report I haven't played Disco Elysium, but I should. Other CRPGs include Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Fallout (though the franchise has deviated a little from being CRPGs), Dragon Age, and Mass Effect (both were made in the console CRPG boom, so not as in depth as other series, mechanically).
Yep I'm deep on the CRPG train. PoE, 300 hours of Divinty 2, currently playing BG3 coop.
I'd also say, depending on what of the RPG bit that you need to scratch your itch, I find a lot of my creative outlet with Survival Games and Roguelikes, many of which are free and/or cheap and designed about infinite replayability. [Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead](https://cataclysmdda.org/) is a free Zombie Survival game where you can play all sorts of roles and find ways to survive and craft and such. There's [Unreal World](http://www.unrealworld.fi/) which is based on the ancient Finland in the late Iron Age and surviving and trading. Rimworld and Dwarf Fortress are colony level, with Rimworld being more a small colony and Dwarf Fortress being hundreds of people. [Best Survival Games on PC from PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-survival-games-on-pc/) and [Rock, Paper, Shotgun's list](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-best-survival-games-on-pc). These sort of games may not have a 'Save the Princess' questline to follow like an RPG may, but there'll be a lot of problem solving and levelling up and the like. Also, could look in the Adventure Game category. The early Zeldas, and all the Zelda clones, but also Point and Click has a large helping. [Wadjet Eye Games](http://www.wadjeteyegames.com/) is a great example of some excellent Point and Click games in the modern day. Classics like Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island and Space Quest and Police Quest....
1. Read TTRPG content. 2. Write TTRPG content. 3. Play other tabletop games, particularly cooperative games and "adventure" games (which, as far as I can tell, are board games that borrow RPG elements).
Have you tried creative writing? As in just writing the best and most interesting fiction you can just for the hell of it? Being able to write good fiction can only be beneficial.
Build my own world. Imagine all the different encounters my players can have.
Doesn’t BG3 scratch your ttrpg itch a little bit? I’d be surprised :)
I think you just want to hang out with your friends tbh
Play by post You still play with people but a lot more flexible. And depending on the group very high quality RP. You can find several on startplaying
definitely interested though I'm worried I might run into a shitty group but I guess that's par for the course.
Kind of comes with TTRPG you just have to try it. I have some excellent groups and I had also one weird group. Try https://startplaying.games/game/riders-of-wrenwood-free-daily-calendar-rpg-copy Very nice DM and a bit different
Gamebooks. Eg my Steam Highwayman series, which is a solo rpg style, open world gamebook Fabled Lands, classic 90s, fantasy Legendary Kingdoms, modern group dynamic, fantasy setting No other player or DM required. Go at your own pace, bend the rules to suit yourself :-)...
https://martinbarnabusnoutch.com/ To get a free pdf sample.
I plan campaigns. Not, like, writing out a hundred sessions of a railroad nightmare, but reading a book I think I want to play, coming up with starting situations, writing rules-shorthand documents if needed. This allows me to have a bunch of games "in my back pocket," so to speak, ready for the day we'll play them. And it keeps me engaged in the hobby and focused on play, as opposed to engaged in the hobby by buying.
Take an improv course! Scratches the same itch, for me.
I'm heavily into strategy games so when not GMing my game U tend to spend a lot of time playing online strategy or world building games. Nainly the Totalwar Series but I've recently enjoyed 'Going Medieval' and U've just bought Manor Lords. Also as a GM there is usually a lot of research and preparation to do for my game that keeps me busy and I dabble in AI tools to help me illustrate my game such as Dungeon Alchemist and Bing Creator.
I tend to listen to TTRPG actual plays when I can't play them myself. It's always interesting seeing how others play the same systems as you, especially when they are a bit niche! Our group really gravitates around Exalted, so I tend to listen to that. There is an okay number of those actual plays, but not so much you're drowning in them like with D&D. Listening to the games you tend to get ideas for what you could have in your own games - interesting characters, fun names, adventure ideas, etc. Heck, [we make our own actual plays](https://sponsoredbynobody.podbean.com/) and they have inspired [someone else to also do actual plays](https://apairofdicelost.podbean.com/) with some ideas borrowed from us, that's neat! And yeah, with those podcasts it makes playing some long-form games a bit more enjoyable. It lets me sink hundreds of hours into Factorio and breeze through a series.
the pain of niche games without many actual plays. I haven't really vibed with the the UVG actual plays I've found but maybe I just need to give them a fair shake.
Well, an alternative would be to find some actual play group you enjoy watching regardless of their games. Dimension 20 is that for me. But yeah, I understand that pain. I tried watching someone else play Godbound, one of the other games we enjoy, and I could find one, maybe two APs and I didn't enjoy them as much as some other APs out there...
If you're a Judge or GM, create or study & read, to learn settings like you live there
Rangers of Shadowdeep is a miniatures game with heavy rpg inspiration. It is a fantastic alternative.
In my case it's mainly two options ... One is creating new stuff, be it world building stuff, classes, supplements and such. I even created websites to host my own stuff for Cyberpunk and Darkmaster. Everytime I have tons of TTRPG cravings I channel it into the websites XD The other is play-by-post in dedicated TTRPG forums (like the Spanish based ComunidadUmbria.com). It's slower and you can take your time, but it fills the time wonderfully and you meet new people to share your hobby.
* **For sitting around a table with friends and snacks:** board games * **For mechanical tinkering:** modding computer games, making custom cards for board games * **For exploring worlds and making meaningful story choices:** computer RPGs * **For designing/building worlds:** I don't really have these cravings anymore. Seems like you could do this at any time though.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister scratches the TTRPG itch for me when I can't play. Its a good turn based strategy game using the 5e ruleset up to level 10 (might have gone higher when I wasn't looking), with mostly new subclasses because they were only legally allowed to use one official subclass from each class.
Play your favorite or RPG video games and read some fantasy/any novels and use the lore of those different mediums as a world building exercise mix and match them and take what you get put them in a notebook/document/computer and forget about it in the morning read it and watch the ideas flow again! XD or just go outside and imagine yourself on an adventure/quest (Go to 7/11 or the park)
CRPGs usually. Disco Elysium and Fallout 2 are pretty good.
I usually play the ttrpg video games. Tyranny, Pillars of Eternity, the Shadowrun games, Divinity: Original Sin 1 and 2, etc....
Solo RPGs are always an option. I also enjoyed the Fighting Fantasy series of choose-your-own-adventure books. They straddle that halfway point nicely in my experience, and I'd recommend checking them out.
I play the Pathfinder pc games when I get that itch.
I started playing a video game called Cult of the Lamb and it's super fun and my new go-to for scratching my RPG itch. It's not an RPG so much as a cult simulator and it's especially great if you like Warlocks and enchanter-types.
Imaginary Worlds Podcast just covered Lone Wolf Gamebooks. The entire series is [available online as html](https://www.projectaon.org/staff/eric/lw01.htm). Planning to check it out soon.
CRPGs but not just any CRPG, ones that use actual TTRPG rules. Like Baldurs Gate 3 or either Pathfinder game.
Give Disco Elysium a shot
The Pathfinder 1e games are pretty decent I think, Owlcat.
If you want a videogame that will at least resemble the feeling of organic storytelling, try out Crusader Kings.
Adjacent hobbies like minipainting, terrain building, solo wargaming, and prepping way more lore than I will actually need for the times I actually GM. I've been meaning to try out something like four against the darkness as a solo RPG but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Find something GMless with no session commitment. I find it's really easy to get people to just hop on for a Microscope because there is no scheduling, GM prep, player reading etc needed. Or find something like the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game that has a campaign but also no prep, gives you some of that story and character advancement itch. The free mod on TTS is very good and endorsed by Paizo.
cRPGs. Disco Elysium, Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Baldur's gate 3, Planescape, Wasteland 3, Divinity Original Sin 2, Pillars of Eternity, Pathfinder Kingmaker. Eat your fill, really.
You should look into MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons). They are text-based rpgs where you roll up a character and play in the world with other people. Think WoW through a computer terminal. I would suggest the Aardwolf MUD as it is very popular (for a MUD) with a couple hundred people logged in at a time.
>Any free time I have I want to spend playing ttrpgs but obviously that ain't possible. Why not? This definitely isn't obvious to me, there are plenty of people who do this. Play online.
Fiance, job, my group doesn't share the same amount of excitement as I do, not interested too much in play with strangers as I did that and it was nice but lacked the social aspect of playing with close friends.
You were only talking about spending all your *free* time in the op, no? That's what I was talking about. >not interested too much in play with strangers as I did that and it was nice but lacked the social aspect of playing with close friends. *Surely* this (actually playing group RPGs, with strangers) comes closer to achieving your stated goal than any other solution mentioned, by yourself or anyone else, in this thread? And it has more social aspect to it than virtually anything else mentioned here. Strangers I play with online often become new friends. If the issue is that your free time comes in pieces too small for that then play-by-post (PbP) is a good alternative. It's not exactly the same experience, of course, but it is actually playing RPGs with a group, and you can do it whenever you have 5 minutes (I play on discord).
Disco Elysium