Interview with Alex of Alex's DBZ RPG

Courtesy Alex's DBZ RPG.

I recently spoke with Alexander Hinkley, designer of Alex’s Dragon Ball Z Role-Playing Game (DBZRPG).  Alex’s very successful DBZRPG is entirely conducted by message board and awards cash prizes for certain events.  We chatted about the origins of his game, how message board role-playing games differ from tabletop, and what’s next for DBZRPG.

MT: Since the title of this game is Alex's DBZRPG, tell us a little about you.

AH: I am currently 22 years old and just graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. I began watching anime with DBZ when it first aired on TV in the U.S. I've published a few short stories in magazines and have always dreamed of becoming a famous novelist. Role-playing online is what got me into writing.

MT: How did the DBZ RPG get started?

AH: The RPG started in 2000 when an RPG that I was on named Alpha Kogecki closed and I was really sad because this was the second RPG that I joined and the second that closed. I figured I would make my own RPG because then it would never close until I personally got tired of it. That's how my RPG was born.

MT: How does role-playing on a message board differ from other forms of role-playing?

AH: Role-playing on a message board is different because it really hones your creative writing skills since you are creating really in-depth stories. A single role-play thread could be likened to a short story you might find in a book or magazine. Many players have told me that after being on the site for awhile, their writing noticeably improved and even school grades have gone up because of it. Many strive to become published fiction writers.

MT: How is combat handled?

AH: Combat is also done by role-playing. There is a complex stats system which factors into battle and then each player receives so many actions to perform per post. It is turn based so you can use your actions for attacks or defenses. Battles are assigned refs to make sure people don't try to god-mode in their role-playing and that all battle rules are observed.

MT: How does a player join the game?

AH: To join, a player first needs to register on the site's message boards. Then, they must post a join form. Players fill that out and post it in the join forum. Join forms are then reviewed by the site administrator and must be approved.

MT: Can a player create their own character or do they have to be one of the DBZ characters?

AH: Players can play as any characters out of Dragonball, Dragonball Z, or Dragonball GT as long as they are currently untaken or they can create their own custom character. If you choose to be a real character, you can make them your own as well. For example, Goku could be a good guy like in the show or an evil doer.

MT: What's your favorite character from the DBZ universe?

AH: My favorite character is Vegeta but I also always liked Nappa too. Needless to say, the Saiyan Saga was my favorite out of all of DBZ.

MT: How many active players does DBZ RPG have today?

AH: There are currently 84 active role-players on the site, which is a relatively large base for a game like this. There are over 5,000 registered forum members who also contribute out of character posts and discussions on the site.

MT: You offer awesome DVD prizes.  How do you win a prize?

AH: Prizes are won through a variety of ways. Sometimes there is a site-wide tournament where players will battle to win the prize as well as earning game stats for each fight. Another way we give away prizes is writing contests. Since role-playing is really writing intensive, a writing contest is always a great way to judge how far people have come. Sometimes we have good ol' fashioned giveaways where all you have to do is register for the sweepstakes and a winner is picked randomly. Last year we gave away over $100 worth of prizes and this year we are looking to triple that.

MT: There are lots of failed RPGs started on message boards, but yours is a definite success. What's your secret?

AH: Most forum-based RPGs out there are made haphazardly or unprofessionally. It's just something thrown together in a short time because the owner feels like creating a site on a whim one day. I'm obsessed with game mechanics. I always hate playing a game and seeing something I think is unbalanced or unfair. I always have ideas on how I can better video games that I play. Creating my RPG was no different. I've toiled many hours making sure everything on the site is balanced and fun. I think that's what makes it so successful. Everything you do on the site is rewarded appropriately so it encourages people to continue to do more and more as they see their rewards piling up. It's just more fun when you are in control instead of restricted by poor game play mechanics. A new addition to the site takes months of planning.

MT: DBZ has been through several iterations.  Where do you see the RPG going in the future?

AH: I would love for the site to someday be completely automatic. Right now players have a profile page which uses wiki-technology and they edit their own stats (with staff approval of the changes). Although many players like being in control of their profiles, it does become a lot of work after playing for a long time. If I could ever get the necessary funds to hire a top of the line programmer, the site could become fully automatic and have an interface where you would input training and actions and it would immediately be reflected on the site.

MT: Anything else you’d like to add?

AH: People should not be confused that there is a game to download or a graphical interface. Everything on the site is done through the text on the message board. Often times I get private messages or emails asking where they can download the game. There are no downloads. Everything can be done as long as you have a browser.