What's your reason for not writing LitRPG fiction?

[ShrimpShady]

Have you seen me? I don't write, ever

In all seriousness, I'm just not that big of a fantasy guy

 

[Jianzheng1w]

Actually, that can be kind of fun - have you seen either the comic book (originally just a strip, first in Shadis Magazine, then in Dragon vbefore getting its own book) Knights of the Dinner Table, or watched The Gamers or any Dead Gentleman Productions/Zombie Orpheus Entertainment videos?
"I hide behind the pile of dead bards"
"I waste him with my crossbow..."

Sorry, I am unfamiliar with that sort of genre and humor in general.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Sorry, I am unfamiliar with that sort of genre and humor in general.

Ah, well, Knights of the Dinner Table and The Gamers both center primarily around actual gamers. KoDT rarely actually shows their CHARACTERS, just the players (but there was a short-lived spin-off "Knights of the Dinner Table Illustrated - abbreviated as K.ill - that did) but The Gamers actually goes into the game as the characters see it (with one of the funniest recurring sight gags being when he really needs to roleplay, the guy playing the female elf is suddenly replaced by a woman playing his character, and then he makes an aside of some sort or has to make a die roll, and he's the male player again).

 

[ElijahRyne]

What's Your Reason for Not Writing LiRPG Fiction?​

I see the LiRPG genre as a popular genre that quickly attracts readers. Even if you release any LiRPG fiction on RR, it can quickly gain attention compared to other genres. Well, RR is indeed a heaven for LiRPG (almost all writers know that).

I myself published the dark fantasy fiction on RR, and it took over 400 pages just to get the first rating (and the rating has not increased). Compare that to new LiRPG fiction on RR, which tends to get ratings quickly with 50 pages.

Well, the quality of the content does matter; perhaps my writing isn't good enough to attract new readers to leave ratings (I don't deny that). However, this is not my focus in this thread (this thread is more intended to highlight LiRPG as a preference).

I know the LiRPG genre can be written interestingly and provide fast engagement; however, I don't intend to write any fiction in this genre... at least now, due to preference and to focus on my current fiction (I like my dark fantasy stories).

My question is, perhaps you also see the potential of LiRPG but have not intended to write it now. What is your reason for not writing the LiRPG genre even though this genre is popular?

Note: I respect other LiRPG fiction authors. However, this thread is meant to see the preferences of other authors towards the LiRPG genre who choose not to write it despite the promise of quick engagement.

It is boring to me. I don’t think I have enjoyed a story because it was a LitRPG, but despite the fact that it was. With the possible exception of a non combat focused story, but if so I don’t remember it. System novels are a bit more interesting, especially if the system is a character as well, but also suffers from the same issue. Having power quantified by harsh levels and experience points is boring.

 

[JayMark]

I feel like I've been here before.

I will just say this. Write what you like, write what you want to explore, and write when you have an inspired idea. Don't chase trends, but be aware of them for when they coincide with your idea flow. Try new things even if they fail.

Moo.

 

[HotConsensualSalt]

I also loved SAO when I was younger, but most systems are really plot devices for the main character to find a way to "cheat". This also breaks immersion in some cases, because in reality, any community of gamers would instantly find every exploit in it. Then the extra steps a story takes so only one lucky protagonist is capable of cheating the system or getting unique amazing powers breaks immersion further. This is why I never cared about solo leveling.

Yeah, I think this is a good point.

MMOs and TTRPGs are so communal that having one special player/character in the entire game with a unique cheat/exploit "power" that no one else on the server has feels like "oh, so you don't actually like TTRPGs and MMOs." Moving from "each party member is important" to "I'm special. Just me. MEEEEE" saps everything I enjoy about RPGs.

You can be special in a single player RPG. Everyone's Dark Souls character is going to be legendary in their own way. But needing human NPCs who pale in comparison to a singular hero with his miraculous power is the opposite of a story I want to read.

 

[DireBadger]

I actually quite like LitRPG, as long as the author doesn't overdo it.

That's the thing, though... most authors overdo it. At Any Price is arguably litrRPG, but I think I have it show like... two times, and the entire 'character sheet' is small enough to fit on the face of a watch. Then again, the book is not ABOUT the litrpg factors, it is about the romance, adventure, and tragedy, so the litrpg aspects are more of a 'background'.

FYI- 'the system is the enemy', and 'the system is controlled by the enemy', is NOT overdone... it's a fun twist I rarely see.

 

[Sylver]

I don't know what that genre is x) I probably live under a rock.

 

[MFontana]

I don't know what that genre is x) I probably live under a rock.

This may be an over-simplification, but in my understanding it is a genre of fiction that leans heavily on game elements and game systems; usually combined with Isekai in the form of characters being pulled into, or reincarnated into, a game world.

 

[Sylver]

This may be an over-simplification, but in my understanding it is a genre of fiction that leans heavily on game elements and game systems; usually combined with Isekai in the form of characters being pulled into, or reincarnated into, a game world.

Ooooooh! So like health points, hard rules, a level up system, that kind of stuff? Okay, I now have a good idea of what that genre is, thank you!

 

[MFontana]

Ooooooh! So like health points, hard rules, a level up system, that kind of stuff? Okay, I now have a good idea of what that genre is, thank you!

Yup. That's it. Basically anything that includes stats and game mechanics in the story as part of its narrative falls into the genre. Some people like it, others don't.
Off the top of my head, these are likely some fairly well-known ones:
Log Horizon, Solo-Leveling, .hack, Overlord, and plenty of others all fall into the genre (to varying degrees).

 

[Leonotis]

I actually considered converting my story to a litRPG but decided against it because I didn't want to have to deal with the whole system and those rules. I also wanted to make my magic system based on the Nigerian Yoruba religion and I couldn't figure out how to make those two work together.