Tag: Wastoid
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A principle for modular RPG design
Inside me are two wolves. One’s favors hyper–minimalist rules, just this side of “let’s play pretend.” The other has been working on-and-off for years on a game with 7 ability scores and over 70 character upgrades. This wolf is wanted dead or alive by the Free Kriegsspiel Revolution. I can’t help it; I am creature…
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Chain reaction design
I prefer my tabletop RPG rules pared down—just this side of “Let’s Play Pretend.” I still deploy a range of rules, though, because my games often wear their inspirations on their sleeve, and those inspirations influence how I approach design. Here’s how that plays out in practice. I start with a design element that evokes…
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20 post-apocalyptic raider encounters that (probably) end without bloodshed
My playtest campaign of Wastoid culminated in an arena battle against a legendary cryptid in front of a massive crowd, competing to win the last well-preserved painting in the local wasteland. The prize was put up by a raider boss in exchange for a cut of the ticket sales—and to make sure his guys didn’t…
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Wastoid devlog: A playtest campaign overview
Awhile back, I reflected on my blog, “if I only have limited energy to do a thing or talk about doing a thing, I’m better off skipping the talking.” It’s a useful philosophy, I think, but only to a point: being in conversation about game design can be, in itself, energizing! I had to “skip…
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Math Wrath
Figuring out the “best” way to handle arithmetic in a game is my least favorite part of playtesting. I obsess over it anyway because I want to save myself—and GMs/players who feel similarly about math—some trouble down the line. Figuring out the finer points of dice rolling in a D&D-alike is, of course, basically reinventing…
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2400 Devlog: Nuclear Family
Nuclear Family is a game about braving the wasteland with your misfit buddies in a gonzo, post-apocalyptic future. (And my attempt to answer folks who wonder whether a super-short game can be used for long-term play!) Download it on Itch.io as part of the entire 2400 collection, or on DriveThruRPG either on its own or…
Pretendo Games 