Writing What Makes A LitRPG Good?

[Alaska]

I'm rather new to writing, just started like last last week, and last week I began reading a number of books. While reading I noticed there was a particular genre that intrigued me, it was called LitRPG, and because of thinking all the cool scenarios in a LitRPG and writing one myself https://www.scribblehub.com/series/462241/returning-schoolgirl/

I wondered. What makes a LitRPG Good?
Sorry for making this post, I haven't exactly cracked the code on this case!

 

[PancakesWitch]

What i find good in LitRPG and what I primarily look forward when reading one is:
-Advanced game-like mechanics merged into a living and breathign world
-Good fantasy world building, established kingdoms and nations, adventurer guilds and the like
-Good Action and characters, fun times with the characters interacting in a world that has game-like mechanics and the many intrincancies involved with it, alongside how society adapts to these and how they judge others based in such powers
-Detailed Skill, Magic, and Status System

That's about it, and that's what I write in my own LitRPG books, which all have hit Top 10 Trending every week.

 

[Lloyd]

Lots of numbers and shit

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

A clear-cut showing of how powers and abilities work. While yes, we might have some idea of lava=melt face off in the real world, having a Level 6 ultimate man of nature skill with a +14 bonus toward resistances being stacked on innate warmth negation and 37.185% fire resistance w/bonus on proximity to the closest sun temple(3.3021E-11 ly away for this example); will paint a clear picture as to why in-story the character is only getting a tan.

 

[BlackKnightX]

The tangible sense of progression. When you get stronger, you see it clearly. When you do the right things, you see it clearly. When you make progress, you see it clearly.

 

[Deeprotsorcerer]

A novelized version of gameplay and story intergration, at least in works where characters are aware of the RPG aspects.

How does the game system effect society and the characters? Their culture? Their lifestyles? A lot of authors just spam windows and go on and on about cool abilities without making any of it mean anything or having the implications entirely separate from the rest of the story in a similar manner to Xianxia authors that dilute all their good story beats in endless cultivation.

If you can make the level ups and cultivation and DBZ space rock ki blasting in a 1000gs pressurized simulation pod to increase your power level by 10 points every year interesting, sure, go for it. But that takes a rare talent indeed.

 

[Mephi]

Technically, the Wandering Inn is a LitRPG, but the only numbers it has are the level number, and then you have random skills that aren't described by said system. Probably one of the best stories out there.

As such, I have to say that the most important thing in the lirRPG part are leveling and getting stronger (show us through character actions, not just numbers on the sheet - numbers are meaningless if they aren't backed up in story) and crazy, gamelike abilities that only work because of game logic. A good part of the genre is invoking the feel of a living game.

After that, it's purely about good characters and well described world, standard good writing techniques.

 

[Sylthix]

At the crux of any genre or story , good characterisation comes first in order for readers to connect with the world. You could have the most thought out RPG system ever but if no one likes your characters, then no one will want to keep reading. However, moving past that whole can of worms, The main thing you need to do is to establish what people can and can't do under your system. Stuff such as this power level is unable to lift x kilograms or this magic rank can't do this thing. By establishing boundaries, it places stuff into perspective and helps clamps down on the mc/magic can do anything pitfall.

 

[Daitengu]

Dunno about good, but I can say what I don't like.

I don't like a status screen just handing out skills or stat improvements. That's the exact opposite of the original intent of an rpg system. As games just can't replicate how people learn and experience things to become masters. And in table top, a good GM/DM will have you train the skill/stat improvements you want.

Levels from killing. That's how video games work simply because it's easier to represent character grow that way than the player's actual skill increase in learning how to better kill.

Status menu becoming god. I'm not talking about the cases where that's literal. I'm talking about the character uses it as a crutch. It's the giver of things, so you center your life around it. Watching the numbers go up being a reward to chase instead of an indicator of personal growth. So many stories, ttrpgs, and video games just turn it into the goal, which causes players to just have murder hobo characters.

 

[Cipiteca396]

A GameLit takes game mechanics and creates a story around them. Instead of using a game to entertain the player and represent the world, the world is founded on core principles that resemble game mechanics.

For LitRPG specifically, this means the story has mechanics from a Role Playing Game. You get certain traits- like classes, attributes, and skills- that help you fill a role in the world. Even if you aren't a great speaker, if you take the Diplomat class and get the Persuasion skill, you can play the role you've chosen.

The details vary as the author wills, but the one thing LitRPG requires is progression. As you practice your role, you gain proficiency or experience that helps you better fulfill your role, or evolve it in some way.
This is distinct from a person's natural ability to grow, and the effects stack. So you can get stronger both by understanding your skills and simply grinding them like a murderhobo.

(If a story has stats, but those stats are just a measurement of what's already there, that's 'Game Elements', not LitRPG.)

So... The appeal of LitRPG is the easy, measurable progression. You'll never encounter a situation where you train and train and try your best, just to make no progress. If you encounter an insurmountable obstacle, it's fine- You can just come back later when you're stronger.

There's a secondary appeal though, I suppose. Choice. You have the option of picking your talents right from the start. If you lack a talent in something, you can overcome it by grinding. This means that you'll never be forbidden from something you want. (Even if the character is forbidden, the audience can choose to put the book down and read something they're more interested in.)

Well, I lost steam. Don't remember if I had more to say.

 

[AnUnknownMan]

The lite-rpg is supposed to have easy to track progression and easy to understand requirements to progress. It is important to remember that actual rpgs are carefully balanced to make every path theoretically equal, but stories don't need this balance outside of making valid parties and keeping variety in the world.
Skills can be limited to a certain number (easier on you), unlimited (easy to botch but more rewarding when done right), stay static (block lv 1 -> block lv 2), expand in evolution (Block (blocks attack you receive) -> Defend (block any attack)), or transform (block (can block self) -> defend (can only block other)). Decide on resources (health, mana, skill points, gold points, stamina, class points, specialized mana types (fire, ice, wind, etc.), mental energy, soul power, etc.)
Classes can be dealt with in five way: unofficially (he knows heal), skill based (he knows the healer skill that grants him better healing), Synergy based (he knows anatomy, giving a boost to healing, muscle training, and critical hit chance/damage), Statically (healer lv1->healer lv2), evolution (medic->healer)
If you are aiming for a comedic tone have certain mechanics just not make sense in real life, otherwise don't make your skills too concrete. If the world is affected, think about how your system would impact society. Maybe have economies be built by crafting classer guilds while kings grant bonuses to their subordinates.
The most important thing is that goals should be set by the character for a power, reach that power, and than have that power show. Also, under no circumstances should the system assign a mandatory quest with system assigned penalties. While you can make "Survive" a mandatory quest, you cannot have "Confess or Die" be a quest. It undermines their control.