In the absence of position-based tactics, singleplayer turn-based RPGs have converged upon some similar mechanics. I want to look at how this works through a few case studies and talk about what it would look like for ttrpgs to adopt this design pattern. Rather than try to talk around this in the abstract, it’s easier … weakness break mechanics: a case study
I’ve been reading Fabula Ultima and playing Octopath Traveller 2. Somehow, these two ingredients have mixed in my head to develop a dungeon crawl procedure based on their chemistry. Neither of them are really about dungeon crawling, and I am, perhaps infamously, not an OSR nerd. This is why I find it so weird that … hacking the dungeon procedure
The annual convention for Warframe, TennoCon, happened this past weekend. For those unfamiliar with the video game, it’s a space ninja looter-shooter with uncharacteristically benign monetization. Unlike other free-to-play games, Warframe ensures that all players can earn premium currency and has even removed microtransactions when players were using them too much. Between the lore and … warframe & tabletop game design
About a week ago, I jokingly announced to my friends that I had seen one too many posts about torches. My comrades in the OSR have received abundant mileage from blog posts talking about torches, torch alternatives, lighting, making light matter, and all manner of darkness mechanics. Truly: I love that for them. I am … alternative game fantasy: a manifesto
When combat starts, why does the wizard not simply cast their biggest spell? Magic as Ammunition The magic system of Dungeons & Dragons is (in part) based on a series of fantasy novels called the Dying Earth series by Jack Vance. Wizards memorize a limited number of spells, and when they cast them, they forget … why does the wizard not simply cast their biggest spell?
I’ve been working on some organization lately by putting together a library of all my tabletop games. Part of that process involves trying to come up with a “pitch” for each game — a brief summary on what the game is about and what makes it different from any other given game. Sometimes this summary … design ramble: expectation & structure
One of my favorite mecha writers, Osaka, wrote a post recently. I love pilots don’t get me wrong but the real sauce to a good mecha story is to tell a story where you couldn’t substitute the robot with something else like a dragon in a fantasy story or a fighter jet in a modern … Full Metal Bones: 2
