Rpg Research

Using volunteer researchers around the world, performing ongoing, multiple, multi-disciplinary research studies on the effects of role-playing games on various populations and targeted recreational, educational, or therapeutic goals. Though based in Spokane, Washington, our volunteer researchers and support staff are all around the world. Our budget and capabilities are directly determined by how much donation support we get each year. Funds raised the previous year determine what we can do for the upcoming year. Research is released either through open peer-reviewed journals, or first to our donors, and then at a later date to the general public with no pay wall.

https://www.rpgresearch.com/bcirpg
RPG Research is a huge advocate for accessibility and inclusiveness in gaming. Not only through all of our training, advocacy, and accessible mobile facilities, but through our active projects to make gaming accessible to all.

The ultimate in accessibility potential is through the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies based on Electroencephalogram (EEG) technologies, literally allowing a person to interface with computer system purely with the thoughts of their brain.

Also, when linked with haptics, robotics, AR, VR, and other technologies it is the potential in ultimate immersive experiences.

We have been hard at work experimenting with EEG and BCI equipment with music and RPGs since 2004.

Since 2019 our research and development team have been working on Project Ilmatar - https://github.com/rpgresearch/erpg/wiki - an opensource, online, multiplayer, turn-based, cooperative-play, electronic, role-playing game designed from the ground up for maximal accessibility including BCI control support.

While the software is free, the hardware we have to purchase to realize this technology fully is expensive. We are currently utilizing OpenBCI which still costs from hundreds to even thousands of dollars per headset.

Electronic Role-Playing Game Development for all ages.
RPG Research is a huge advocate for accessibility and inclusiveness in gaming. Not only through all of our training, advocacy, and accessible mobile facilities, but through our active projects to make gaming accessible to all.
Ultimate in accessibility potential is through the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies based on Electroencephalogram (EEG) technologies, literally allowing a person to interface with computer system purely with their brain.
haptics, robotics, AR, VR, and other technologies it is the potential in ultimate immersive experiences.
at work experimenting with EEG and BCI equipment with music and RPGs since 2004.
Since 2019 our research and development team have been working on Project- https://github.com/rpgresearch/erpg/wiki - opensource, online, multiplayer, turn-based, cooperative-play, electronic, role-playing game designed from ground up for maximal accessibility including BCI control support.

https://www.rpgresearch.com/dropin
Open global community "Drop In and RPG" open role-playing game sessions.

"Drop In and Play" other game, drum circle, and music jam open sessions through RPG Research.

Our volunteers sometimes fall behind on updating our Events page, but that is the first place to check for any upcoming events to sign up for.

Also see our Broadcasts schedule for other sessions you can watch and/or join.

Generally we consistently offer the following open community programs (all times PST8PDT):

Drop In & RPG Saturdays Noon to 3:00 pm PST8PDT (online through RPG Research until Spark Central re-opens) (active).

Tolkien Moot, Third weekend of July each year, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (active).

Halloween Special, Call of Cthulhu, October 31st 9:00 pm to 1:00am+ (active).

New Years Special, Paranoia RPG, December 31st 9:00 pm to 1:00am+ (active)

Many other events each week via our Events Page.

https://www.rpgresearch.com/learning-options
RPG Research freely shares our learning process with the public over our live video streams, recorded sessions on our Patreon page or our upcoming Gumroad page, and other publications at various locations.


One of the best methods to get the most training from us for free, is to join as a volunteer and participate in one 4-hour training per week (see our schedule), and then "give back" to the community twice per month by helping with out programs.
Currently we have 20 levels of achievement. We used to offer only 4 levels, and this was too steep a learning and commitment for most (though some have stuck to it over the years). As we break these into smaller bite-size units, we are trying to get the lower levels to about 12-16 weeks of training per level. The higher level programs may have to be longer but we are trying to break those down into 6 month (or less) units as much as possible.


Levels 1 training is fairly stabilized and mostly complete and ready. Levels 2 through 5 are getting close to this completion.

Levels 6+ are still being worked out as far as the specific details.

Game Tiers

Learning Pathways

Volunteer Roles

Our Youtube Channel - youtube.com/rpgresearch

Our Twitch Channel - twitch.tv/rpgresearch

Our Research Repositories - /research

Our RPG Historical Museum - www.rpgmuseum.org (coming soon!) - donate to RPG Historical Museum: gofundme.com/rpgmuseum

Trainee Workbooks & Study Guides www.rpgpublishers.com (coming soon!)
You can use our freely shared public information to self-train, but you will be missing out on the peer review benefits and the materials we can't release publicly due to copyright.You can join as a volunteer and go through our various learning pathways once per week, with regular testing.
You can use the above to work toward completing one of our training diplomas at various levels.
You can participate in-person or online during our multiple live training sessions per week.

The goal of the non-profit RPG Museum and Community Center, by the 501(c)3 non-profit RPG Research, is to provide an accessible, welcoming, online and in-person, historical and research museum, and community center, that provides experiential learning on all role-playing game formats: tabletop (TRPG), live-action (LRPG & larp), electronic (ERPG), and hybrids (HRPG), and provides all the inherent benefits that participant in RPGs provides.

RPG Research and the RPG Museum are run by 100% unpaid volunteers. No one at RPG Research, especially the founders, is paid. We do what we do for the good of the communities we serve around the world.

The museum will have several "pathways of exploration" you can take:

Non-gamer layperson (from 2 years old on up) wanting to learn about RPGs.

Gamer layperson (from 2 years old on up) wanting to learn more about RPGs.

Recreational professional looking for methods to incorporate RPGs into their programs.

Entertainment professional lo

We are getting close to opening a new RPG CC in the Spokane, Washington area in first half of 2022.

The new Spokane RPGCC will also house the hands-on interactive learning historical RPG Museum.

It will include many accessibility resources for Deaf, Hard of Hearing (HoH), visually impaired and blind, mobility and grasping impairments, and others.

RPG Research is a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)3 non-profit research and human services charitable organization.

Drop In and RPG

All ages welcomed from 2 years old (with parent/guardian) through senior adults to drop in and join our role-playing games.

Drop In and Jam

Facilitated drum circles and cooperative open music jams.
All RPG formats are provided, including: tabletop (TRPG), live-action (LRPG and larp), electronic (including VR , AR, Metaverse, and BCI), and hybrids (HRPG). Cooperative music programs include facilitated drum circles and open music jams for up to 50 people at a time. We also provide many related activities.