On Creating a New Role-Playing Game

Call it a role-playing game, roleplaying game, or RPG, it doesn't really matter. I have been on a kick for a long time now on wanting to create my own. But, why? There are so many awesome games out there. I own a lot of the--a LOT. Isn't there one of those that could fit my needs? Well, yes. In fact, several would suit my needs for playing a game.

I get asked "why" a lot when I look at making a change to an existing game or talk about creating my own game. I suppose I could say, "why not?" After all, is there a reason to not follow a creative pursuit and delve further into a hobby I have spent a lot of time enjoying? Sometimes, I just don't have what others might consider a valid reason why, but I have been asked that question enough times that I think it is time to put forward a well thought out answer.

Thanks to the thriving community of gamers and game designers on Google+, I have gotten back into the hobby with a vengeance, so to speak. For years, I lived away from fellow gamers. I also went off and started a family and the time required to be a part of that family and work and do all those silly adult things got in the way of me enjoying sitting around a table and gaming with friends and strangers. I kept buying and reading the books, though.

Since I was younger, when I first started gaming as a teenager, I wanted to make changes. I wanted my own game then, but didn't know it. I made adjustments to existing rules. I made my own campaigns. I ran my own adventures. I never ran a pre-made and published adventure, only had a look at a few to see how they were put together.

So, why do I want to create my own game? I want something that is mine. So many people rush out to buy the latest supplement with the newest piece of metaplot that it can be daunting. They get upset at my table when I don't memorize all these trivial facts. They get even more upset when I sit back and tell them that these things they have memorized simply do not exist in my game. So, I want MY game to be MY game.

Currently, I'm toying around with some basic mechanics. I am awful at math, after all. I'm also looking at altering games that already exist. I find it to be a fun project in any event.

Does there need to be a higher purpose, some great reasoning behind creating a new RPG? I don't think so. What do you think?