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Tweet RPG – It’s awesome. You’ve read the review. Now, for the interview…

Hi Sam, how are you doing today? You don’t mind if I call you Sam, do you? :)

I’m not too bad thanks. You can call me Sam – no point in being overly formal!

Why did you start Tweet RPG?

It was quite bizarre really – the concept came to me earlier in the summer whilst I was in a bit of a trance after suffering sunstroke! I was lying awake in bed during the early hours of the morning, and started pondering what I could do to promote my writing. I started to think about RPGs, and how my biggest problem with them was that I always get sucked in and waste loads of time playing. Then I thought, what if there was a way to play RPGs that limited you to a certain amount a time per day? I pondered the idea, and Tweet RPG was born! In short, I love RPGs and I love writing, and want to share both these passions with as many people as possible.

What games have been your muse?

My biggest RPG muses are the ‘Fighting Fantasy’ gamebooks by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, and the similarly-named ‘Final Fantasy’ video game series. Final Fantasy VII is probably my strongest influence – the closest you’ll get to a perfect game in my opinion.

How do you think Tweet RPG is going to end?

I’d love Tweet RPG to carry on forever, if it were possible! At this early stage it’s hard to completely map out the future of the project, but as things begin to take shape, I’m starting to see some pathways that could be taken. I guess I’d love to have a set of ongoing stories/settings that keep players coming back for more.

Do you pre-think out all of your adventures with possible directions or do you just fly by the seat of your pants?

It’s a bit of both really. For King Slayer, the first Tweet RPG adventure, I planned out the whole adventure before actually starting, but deviated from the plan at certain points to make the story more exciting or interesting, or because the way the players were responding inspired me to create a new path on the spur of the moment. With Starfall, I’ve mapped out the main events that the players could encounter, but left the specifics unmapped. Sometimes a completely new idea will pop into my head as I’m about to tweet the next story update, which is one of the great things about doing RPGs in this way!

Do you like Sci-Fi or Fantasy more? We’ve all noticed that you’ve already created both genres…

Difficult question! If I was forced to choose, I think I’d have to go with science fiction. Watching Star Wars as I boy was one of my most resolute formative experiences – from that moment on, everything was light-sabres and x-wings! Also if I’m really honest I think writing and creating sci-fi stories comes more naturally to me than fantasy, as much as I love anything with swords and sorcery.

What other genres are you thinking of doing?

I’d love to do some horror narratives, maybe attempt to do something new with the zombie genre, although there’s not much new to say there. I’d like to work in the cyberpunk genre – seems suitable for a digital community of role-players! I’m also toying with the idea of doing a wrestling-themed RPG – just to make my WWE-obsessed mates happy!

How did you come up with the battle system in the game and the other rules?

The battle system involved in Tweet RPG is heavily influenced by the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, which use a similar dice-rolling system to determine the outcome of combat. I tried a few different ideas, sticking with the one that worked best (although I’m always trying to find ways to improve the process). As far as the other rules go, there were two things I had in mind when setting up the system: it had to be simple, and it had to be quick. As I’m working pretty much full-time with two jobs, I need to be able to update Tweet RPG with as little fuss as possible.

Is this the first game you’ve ever created?

Yeah, so I’m still learning the ropes really when it comes to some things. My background is more in the area of writing. I started creating stories when I was about fifteen, and picked this passion back up when I went to university, studying English and Creative Writing.

Do you have any other projects that you plan on doing?

I’ve got a novel idea that I’ve been working for year or so, but that’s been on the back-burner recently. It’s a teen fantasy story called ‘This Dark World’, based on the concept of spiritual warfare as found in the Bible. I’ve hit a brick wall with the novel, so I’ve shelved it for the moment. To have a sneak-peek at an early chapter, visit http://themusingsofsamuelj.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-dark-world-sample-chapter.html

What kind of stories do you normally enjoy reading?

I’ll read anything with compelling characters, a good setting and an engaging plot! My favourite authors are Tolkien, Philip K Dick and Margaret Atwood, and I’m currently getting stuck into ‘Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire – Book One’ by George R R Martin.

Do you do a lot of table top gaming?

Here comes a big confession… I’ve never done any table-top gaming! I did participate in a ‘Warhammer 40,000′ demo at my local Games Workshop recently, but that doesn’t really count, does it? My mates aren’t really into RPGs in a big way, so I’ve never had anyone to do any table-top gaming with… (a single tear rolls down Sam’s face)

What’s your favorite video game?

Guess I’ve already covered this in an earlier question – Final Fantasy VII! Other games that I love are Metal Gear Solid for Playstation One, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for Playstation 3.

How often do you tweet for Tweet RPG?

I tweet between 10-15 times a day for story updates, and probably the same again for reminders, links and retweets/promoting ‘Friends of Tweet RPG’. So roughly 20-30 tweets a day I think. That’s quite a lot, isn’t it?

Have you ever thought of having a co-writer?  (hint, hint, wink, wink…)

That’s a very tempting proposition! I definitely think there’ll be room for collaboration being part of the Tweet RPG project in the future – would certainly take the pressure off me a bit! However, as things are still very much in formative stage, I think I’ll have to go it alone for the moment. That doesn’t mean I’m against getting advice and suggestions from other writers; that’s integral to improving your skills and learning new stuff.

I noticed you mention your faith on your personal site. Do you think this has shaped Tweet RPG in any way? And if so, how?

My faith as a Christian effects every aspect of my life and Tweet RPG is no different. As a follower of Jesus, I want everything I do to be an act of worship to him, and therefore I try to carry out Tweet RPG to the highest standard possible. My faith has also shaped the level of priority I give Tweet RPG. I’ve got a bit of a tendency to get obsessed with my hobbies, and so God is often cutting me down to size when I prioritise Tweet RPG above more important things like my job, marriage and church responsibilities.

 

A Note from The RPG Guy: Did you like this interview? Are there any future interviews you would like to see? Do you have any further questions? Make sure to check out the site, Tweet RPG. Happy gaming!

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