Ttrpg Design - Tumblr Posts
So I had to read books on heraldry (making coats of arms) for my research paper
It’s basically like reading the character creation part of a TTRPG rule book, but only the bad stuff! There’s no colored pictures, and there’s too much lore.
My one brain cell is bouncing around at a slightly higher velocity when I think about making a TTRPG system based on heraldry though, so that’s a thought
I love how the icon for a processor is just. A full raspberry pi
The first of two light frames for my upcoming mecha TTRPG, Celestial Bodies.
Light//Flash is the smallest, fastest frame available. Most every other frame's default loadout uses some space to equip shields or armor to defend their most vital components.
This mech is not for the faint of heart.
Really happy to see a lot of indie ttrpg people come back to, or start trying tumblr for the first time! I would love to see the indie ttrpg sphere over here continue to grow!
If you're involved in, or even just interested in indie ttrpgs, drop a like, reblog, or comment here!
some more bucket art,, who knows what they're up to (deffo not secretly leaving Jake some flowers, no sirree)
maybe that's smth I'll incorporate into their character, like food insecurity or smth like the post abt the person's mom leaving her boyfriend soon to be husband oranges in his backpack coz she grew up food insecure.
here's my Dungeon World character, Casfure Honey Rudrod - they're a tavern owner/bartender who died just minutes into their first adventure! but worry not - our campaign has a looping mechanic when a character dies; Casfure "woke up in a strange and unfamiliar place" after falling to their death on a VERY icy cliff :^)))!
gonna try n get out a character sheet for them, but god it's fuckin HARD TO DO rn for some reason. nothing's coming out how I want it to :^( v frustrating but expect more Casfure soon ig! as soon as I get my art to cooperate
some dungeon world art of a) Casfure and b) Pattie, one of the playable peasants in the dungeon with us
Pattie is currently stranded in a horrible wet place where she had to like, swim around - I played her coz I was the one who last played her, and man oh man, boy oh boy do I hate horrible watery places, like the amnesia water level bleghh
more Zellmitch art! I've got Zellmitch brainrot atm, as per usual when I'm making a new character for a ttrpg
literally fucking feral for him
My little ttrpg is disponible, you can find it in itch, merrigol apothecary.
Let me knows if you like it , its my first tabletop playng game
So as a for fun project, for the last couple of months(?) I've been kinda working on my own ttrpg thing. More of a narrative thing since I find my group would rather play that than a tactical dungeon crawler (D&D). Frankly, im not sure why they've been so against it at first. The system has 4 core stats, you roll 2d6 for checks and add bonuses, and you character gets to have 3 unique abilities/quirks/powers/skills that they start with and the players get to choose. Not simple "add +1 to rolls" type stuff, more like more options for how your character interacts with the world...
Would anyone like a system like that? Setting agnostic, and involves a bit of dm fiat, but if I make it, I'm making it free for all.
I guess I don't have any specific project, but i've been trying to come up with my own more narrative system for a while! The idea I had was your character had 4 stats, and 3 abilities the players could choose, and wounds were similar to in city of mist where its a status condition, but Im still working on it. The 3 abilities I thought would add more flexibility, but my groups have had trouble coming up with things. I want something setting agnostic, that can fit a more narrative style, but isnt unable to run fantasy or sci-fi at the extremes. I mean, Im basically stealing F.I.S.T. by claymore games and making it more open, but Idk, I feel like I should just modify an existing game, I just am not a huge fan of DND anymore.
What are you working on?
It is what it says on the tin! If you're working on an indie ttrpg project, idea, art, podcast, stream, whatever, drop links, wips, and talk about it in the comments!
I just finished the first draft of a playbook that's part of the Apocalypse Keys stretch goals, and am going to be working on some secret space pirate stuff very shortly 👀
I've also got a few other projects in some very early stages that I've talked about HERE and HERE.
It's been great seeing so many new and returning ttrpg people pop up on tumblr, and the best way to continue that momentum is to keep talking, posting, and reblogging all the cool stuff everyone is working on!
So, what're you working on??
Reblogging to raise awareness of this cool campaign 🫖🐭
A sample page spread from the GM's Guide in our current kickstarter project, a collection of 50 system-neutral magic items for TTRPGs inspired by medieval literature, marginalia, and archaeology.
Okay, technically this one is inspired by pre-medieval archaeology, but come on. Look at it. You can't be mad at those little mice.
This was inspired by the following item of ancient pottery, currently held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (link here):
And no, I cannot explain how or why I decided that this thing should be used to make helpful mouse-constructs out of wine. But if you want it to do that for you, you can back the kickstarter at the link below -- it runs until the end of June.
6Q-System: A Free RPG
Hey, from the numbers, it looks like you all like free RPGs! This has given me such a positive boost, that I finally finished up the GM side of things and updated the previous release with clearer language. The images hold the whole game. To celebrate, I also put in more community copies of the PDFs on Itch.io. Enjoy!
Since it is CC BY 4.0, you are welcome to hack it to whatever you want. If you do, please tag me, as I would love to see it.
TTRPG Rulebook organization
Hello TTRPG fam, I'm facing a common challenge while writing my latest rulebook, and I'm curious about your thoughts.
How do you prefer to organize the order of rules in your TTRPGs? In my current draft, I have references in earlier chapters to concepts that aren't fully explained until later. Putting these ideas first disrupts the natural flow of the rules, but I also want to avoid constant "see page XX" references.
I'm considering a few options:
A "quick start" guide at the beginning
Sidebar explanations for referenced concepts
A comprehensive glossary of terms in the front
Detailed index at the back
Restructuring the entire rulebook (a last resort)
As both designers and players, how do you balance comprehension with readability? What ways have you found effective for introducing complex concepts without overwhelming new players or constantly redirecting readers to other sections?
I'm interested in hearing about your solutions and experiences. How have you tackled this issue in your own designs? What approaches have you appreciated in other rulebooks?
Let's talk
Expanding the 6Q-System
Hey TTRPG family,
Since a lot of you seem to like my free game 6Q, I've been kicking around some ideas for setting modules for it, and I'd love to get your input. I'm currently considering eight different settings, each with its own unique flavor. Take a look at these summaries and let me know which ones grab you the most:
🌆 Cyberpunk Megacity: Navigate a neon-drenched domed metropolis where climate control has gone haywire and micro weather haunts the districts. Help claw back control of the very weather from the corrupt corps exploiting it.
🐉 Mythic Fantasy Realm: Explore a world where forgotten gods walk among mortals and ancient magic pulses through the land. Your choices will shape the destiny of a realm teetering between rebirth and oblivion. May the fog spare you.
🪐 Space Opera Fringe: Carve out your legacy on the edge of known space, where alien mysteries and human ambition collide. The key to uniting worlds may lie in the unlikliest of friendships.
🕴️ Supernatural Investigation Agency: Join a clandestine organization tasked with keeping the supernatural hidden from the public eye. Balance maintaining the veil under which society operates with uncovering otherworldly truths that threaten reality itself.
🏜️ Post Apocalyptic Reconstruction: In a world ravaged by catastrophe, lead the charge to rebuild civilization. Your choices will determine not just survival, but the very nature of the society that rises from the ashes.
🎩 Steampunk Conspiracy: Unravel a web of secrets in a world of brass and steam, where science and the occult intertwine. Your inventions and deductions could topple empires or usher in a new age of enlightenment.
☀️ Solarpunk Utopia: Shape the future in a world that has overcome its greatest challenges through technology and social change. Explore the complexities of maintaining harmony while striving for perfection.
🏡 Slice of Life Community: Build connections and navigate personal growth in a close-knit community. Discover the extraordinary in the ordinary as you help shape the lives of those around you.
I'm genuinely curious to hear which of these resonates with you. Your input will be a big help as I expand 6Q. I can't promise I will nail every setting as some of these are challenging for me and outside my expertise. And of course details may change. I hope to get to every setting in due time, but your choice tells me what I will work on first. Cheers!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments - I'm always interested in hearing your ideas and what you'd like to see.
Thanks for being part of this journey with me. Please repost if this interests you, I would love to get as much input as possible! Looking forward to seeing what you all think.
It's all in the logo. Please help me out TTRPG Family.
I cannot decide.
Hello fellow TTRPG enthusiasts. I am looking for fun and interesting examples for the layout of random tables. I have looked at some of the books I own, but find they are mostly just boring tables straight out of excel. How can we make them look good while still giving all the info and keeping them usable? Has anyone some cool examples?
Today's mood : "Hand me an axe! Chopping to be done."
I am writing a Technicolour Post Apocalypse expansion for 6Q, it was going so well, and at almost 50 Pages my brain finally went: Hold it, 6Q doesn't need fully fleshed out item crafting, community upgrades or a bloody point crawl. So today is "kill your darlings" day. 🪓
Before I had four different random tables to generate the setting, plus the point crawl. Now it's one 6Q table. I had a core/body/mod crafting system with three d66 tables for parts. I even had three tables to generate characters. Why do you do this brain?
Chopped it all away and went back to what 6Q is all about: Answer six questions to play.
All that content will come back in some form, but not for basic 6Q. Not wasted effort, just not efficient effort.
Have any of you read 6Q already? It's free and just two pages. Would love to hear what you think, especially how you would like specific world and settings expansions to be presented.
Changes to d12 Core incoming
Hey everyone,
As many suspected, d12Core is evolving into "The Flux Engine." The polls in various online spaces helped me narrow down which direction to take, and "The Flux Engine" is the winner!
When the change happens, I will keep the d12 Core Itch page open "As is" but disable new downloads from there. I will set up an entirely new page for The Flux Engine. I struggled a lot with this decision as people who already have d12Core will be disconnected from TFE. But I haven't found a way to switch the Itch page to a new name while keeping the old links all over the web active and working. So a new page it is. Lesson learned!
With the change, the latest Beta 1.14 will be released and bring some significant improvements:
Revamped character creation with Origins and Archetypes
More dynamic combat using the enhanced Zones system
Expanded rules for group challenges and conflicts
Refined Adrenaline and Bond mechanics for more dramatic moments
Many examples
Based on your feedback, I've kept the core of what made d12Core fun while refining the system. The Flux Engine aims to be more flexible, inclusive and approachable, whether you're exploring ancient ruins, dodging asteroids or navigating futuristic cityscapes.
Stay tuned for more details and the official release date! You can also keep in touch with all the latest on Discord.
As a teaser, here is a sneak preview of the new cover style:
Changes to d12 Core incoming
Hey everyone,
As many suspected, d12Core is evolving into "The Flux Engine." The polls in various online spaces helped me narrow down which direction to take, and "The Flux Engine" is the winner!
When the change happens, I will keep the d12 Core Itch page open "As is" but disable new downloads from there. I will set up an entirely new page for The Flux Engine. I struggled a lot with this decision as people who already have d12Core will be disconnected from TFE. But I haven't found a way to switch the Itch page to a new name while keeping the old links all over the web active and working. So a new page it is. Lesson learned!
With the change, the latest Beta 1.14 will be released and bring some significant improvements:
Revamped character creation with Origins and Archetypes
More dynamic combat using the enhanced Zones system
Expanded rules for group challenges and conflicts
Refined Adrenaline and Bond mechanics for more dramatic moments
Many examples
Based on your feedback, I've kept the core of what made d12Core fun while refining the system. The Flux Engine aims to be more flexible, inclusive and approachable, whether you're exploring ancient ruins, dodging asteroids or navigating futuristic cityscapes.
Stay tuned for more details and the official release date! You can also keep in touch with all the latest on Discord.
As a teaser, here is a sneak preview of the new cover style:
A game that encodes non-visual, non-televisual forms of storytelling and imagery into its format and play style? We truly love to see it.