After a period of a series of localised lockdowns, and further COVID wave scares, 2022 marked for many, including those in the RPG communities within Newcastle, a return to the in-person events and play many had been without for two years, a transition that was experienced with a mix of excitement and anxiety.
Unable to run in-person events and allow play, boardgame cafés like Meeple Perk were forced to persevere though an uncertain time.
Exactly how efficient are DnD and other RPGs are helping maintain your social and mental health during isolation?
During the pandemic, many creators continued to release unique and independently produced products, encountering issues and pressure along the way.
Youness Alaoui, a.ka. KaKaRoTo, is a developer who created the Beyond20 app shortly before the COVID pandemic. The app, which allowed players to seamless integrate two popular DnD web tools, DnDBeyond and Roll20, experienced a surge in users as players were forced to take their tabletop virtual.
Youness Alaoui speaks to me about the growth of the app, the personal impact on him, and how we feels the lockdowns have shifted player mentality towards online RPGs.
