Role smartphone app enables live RPGs without the pens and paper
If you like role-playing, or are keen to try but a bit wary of all the books and dice, this free smartphone game may be a dream come true.
Role is an iOS app designed to bring players together in meat space for a bit of traditional storytelling gaming.
Designed by San Francisco indie The Soap Collective, Role is based on a simple pen-and-paper RPG system, so it's not as detailed and technical as games like Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons. In the vein of narrative driven, rules-light games like Risus, it emphasises collaborative story telling over min-maxing and the loot cycle.
It sounds like a great way to pass the time with friends over a few beers, and maybe introduce them to the wider world of tabletop gaming. You can read the rules [PDF] if you like, or just grab it on the App Store now. It's free; The Soap Collective intends to monetise via pre-fab content packs.
