If the idea is, "Make a tabletop rpg now, and then do some kind of online implementation of it later, step by step," this seems not a bad approach, and not a bad idea.
Your challenge at this first stage will perhaps be defining a scope so as to encourage people to create games that will be easy to then bring online / into a VTT.
Very true. The issue is that in what I've seen so far, I'm not sure that there are a lot of free VTTs, and I'm not sure how flexible they are as far as what types of games can be on there.
Part of the consideration for the jam series include:
1. Low cost of entry/no monetary entry barrier. I wouldn't want people to feel they have to pay for something if they want to participate in the jam series, or that they have to give credit card info to a service.
2. Making sure that creativity is not restricted. I still need to learn more about the various VTTs that are out there, but I wouldn't want someone to not be able to do a really creative game that is not suited to any of the VTTs out there because the series is geared towards eventually putting the game on a VTT. Other options for online implementation are not trivial either. We can definitely incorporate those elements as an optional element, but I'm hesitant to make that a driving goal for those who want to make games, but for now don't want to put them on a VTT.
So then maybe the best thing to do is to refine the definition of "electronic," as was originally pointed out. Maybe that means something that can be distributed in a more general electronic form, such as a set of downloadable PDFs or assets that people can still use outside of a VTT or strictly online/electronic play. So "electronically distributed TTRPG" rather than "electronic TTRPG."
That way, those that want to eventually use a VTT can still join us when we discuss that, but no one feels they have to be locked into that path.
Again, I'm learning right along with everyone else in this, and I know there are people a lot more versed in this area than I am, so if someone knows more in-depth about VTTs and other, purely electronic play modes that are flexible, or what does/doesn't work on these platforms, I am open to your expertise. So please do bear with me as I get a better understanding as we go through this process.
Would ya'll have any objections if I broadened the definition/interpretation of "electronic?"
When we had started doing the regular practice game jams, there were some folks who were also specifically interested in doing something similar for TTRPGs and specifically. Basically I thought it would be something that could be fun and of value for those who might want to try a new genre of game development. I know I'd have to do a lot of learning on the subject myself, but I'm ok with that as it's also helping other people who might not otherwise find other jams/opportunities like this.
As a CRPG/JRPG/WRPG fan myself, I think it's also cool to explore another branch of RPG development as well.
