Enterprise RPG - Tama Yutaka's Designer's Notes

Here is the last in my series of excerpts from my translation of the 1983 Japanese TRPG, Enterprise. I've finally (well, 3 weeks, not bad!) finished translating both the rulebook and the accompanying scenario, "The Drifting Ring". The scenario book wraps with designer Tama Yutaka's notes (below) on what he was trying to accomplish with the game, and the importance he saw in upcoming tabletop roleplaying game revolution.

Keep in mind that up until this time, gaming in Japan was mostly limited to simulation wargames, including Tsukuda's 1982 Star Trek: The Invasion of Klingon Empire (pictured left), which he references in his notes. Look for my articles regarding this game and its follow-up Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan over on Chessmess's Star Trek Games website in the near future. Yutaka also mentions "the original SF RPG we are now planning", which I can only assume was Ed Lipsett's Star Quest, detailed previously which came out later in 1983.


As for Yutaka himself, despite graduating from law school at Keio University in 1984, he would continue to do pioneering work in the Japanese gaming industry. With his partner Hitoshi Yasuda (translator/author of the Hobby Japan Traveller), he would edit the Japanese version of the UK publication "Warlock - The Fighting Fantasy Magazine" for a number of years before they continued the magazine with their own original content. He was author of many books such as the 1990 text "Handbook of Computer Game Design", and translator of numerous gaming-related texts and articles, including at least two exclusive Japanese texts based on the writings of "the father of D&D", Gary Gygax, entitled "Master of the Role-Playing Games" and "Master of the Game Master". Unfortunately, his life was cut short at the age of 35 by a collagen auto-immune disease, and he passed away in December 1997.

Here, then, to wrap up these excerpts from his work -- the first Japanese tabletop RPG -- are the words of Tama Yutaka regarding his thoughts on roleplaying games, and his STAR TREK RPG, ENTERPRISE:


DESIGNER NOTES

I designed this STAR TREK game as a way to introduce the Role Playing Game -- currently at dizzying heights in the United States -- to Japan. It is my belief that the ability to create a background world and your own characters in an SF and Fantasy Game is a significant one and, although Mr. Sonoko feels my translation of "Midgard" was a board-less story making game, I feel this role playing game is the true next step.

Previously, there were two ways in which to convert a story to a game: by taking a portion of the whole world and cutting out the characters, and then limiting it to one game board (which made a strategic game such as Mr. Nakajima's STAR TREK possible). And although one can focus on machines like the Enterprise, SF and Fantasy -- especially in the case of STAR TREK -- are something in which the human (character) should be central (though some are not), and the game that does not make the characters the subject feels incomplete.

There is also a limit in a board game's ability to employ the charm of a character, and for this reason the development of the role playing game is inevitable.

In a board game, with the focus on a map board and pieces, the ability to convey the world is limited. In role play, the only limits to an infinite world are the creativity of the GM and the restrictions he places upon the players and the actions he allows them.

Because charts cannot be included for everything, the system of this game is based on using percentages, allowing the GM to determine results for almost any situation.

Although one might find the combat system unsatisfactory when compared to that of a board game, please consider that the most valued element of this game should be that of making a story.

Although it is a game in which many parts are left to the discretion of the GM, if you are blessed with a good GM, you should be able to enjoy yourself.

Further, we look forward to showing the next stage in SF role playing with the original SF RPG we are now planning.

I wish to thank Mr. Yoshifumi Sakatani who supplied me with information during the design of this game.

Designer - Tama Yutaka
Keio HQ Simulation Game Club