Blog / Idea stub

Role-Playing Game Research - Does Back Story Matter in Role-Playing Games for Player Characters?

Does Back Story Matter in Role-Playing Games for Player Characters? (an idea stub for discussion)

January 14, 2021 · 1 min read

Backstory matters for helping players know the motivations of their character. This may not have anything to do with the adventure's story itself. But it impacts HOW a character will react to situations that come up in the game.

When you physically removed your microphone to show the book, you could not be heard at all.

Bah! Checkov! 😛 too formulaic 😛

Yes, in longitudinal campaigns, backstory is very important for long-term buy in for the players.

Red herrings

Hawke Robinson

Known across multiple industries as "The Grandfather of Therapeutic Gaming" because he has been studying the effects and uses of role-playing games and their potential to achieve therapeutic goals longer than anyone else, Hawke Robinson is a Washington State Department of Health Registered Recreational Therapist.

He has a diverse and deep background in Therapeutic Recreation / Recreation Therapy, computer science, neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology, neurotech, research psychology, nursing, play therapy, education, music, and role-playing gaming.

Hawke Robinson has been involved with role-playing games in community settings since 1977.
Studying methods for optimizing the experience of role-playing games, software development, and online since 1979.
A paid professional game master since 1982.
Studying the effects of role-playing games upon participants since 1983.
Providing role-playing games in educational settings and for educational goals since 1985.
Working with incarcerated populations since 1989.
Researching and using role-playing games to achieve therapeutic goals for a wide range of populations from 2 years old through senior adults since 2004.
Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit 501(c)3 charitable research and human services organization, RPG Research.
Founder and CEO of the for-profit RPG Therapeutics LLC and RPG.LLC.
Author of multiple books in technology and gaming W.A. Hawkes-Robinson books available on Amazon.
Creator of the wheelchair accessible RPG Mobile fleet vehicles and trailers.
Founder of the experiential learning Role-Playing Game RPG Museum, and much more.
Creator of the Brain-Computer Interface Role-Playing Game (BCI RPG) and many other related projects.