ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Goodgis I Made the Most Chaotic Table-Top Roleplaying Game – Devlog
Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, with Dungeons and Dragons leading the charge. Despite never playing D&D as a child, I was captivated by the concept of creating my own game. This fascination led me to participate in Kickstarter’s Zine Quest, an event encouraging creators to develop their own role-playing games or modules for existing ones.
Every January, I find myself drawn to the idea of creating a role-playing game. In January 2020, I seized the opportunity presented by Zine Quest to finally bring my vision to life. I partnered with my friend and fellow graphic designer, Brad, to create a game we called “Snomes.”
“Snomes” wasn’t born from a completely blank slate. A couple of years earlier, I had developed the concept for a winter-themed website project. The story revolved around a town facing a mysterious freeze, with its inhabitants racing to solve the mystery of a missing winter star before Christmas. With a foundation already in place, Brad and I focused on developing the game’s artwork and mechanics.
In “Snomes,” players take on the roles of magical winter gnomes, self-proclaimed masters of magic. The game introduces a unique mechanic called “reckless reactions,” triggered when a player rolls a one on the dice. These reactions can lead to unpredictable and chaotic outcomes, such as shooting fireballs, altering gravity, or even transforming into a lamp. This element of chaos keeps the game exciting and challenging for both players and game masters.
Despite our enthusiasm, we made the mistake of launching our Kickstarter campaign before the game was fully developed. We rushed to complete the concept, character sheets, maps, and illustrations, but only 10% of the book was finished at the time of launch. Surprisingly, the campaign was successful, but the pressure to deliver weighed heavily on me.
To overcome writer’s block, I dedicated a week to focus solely on writing. I isolated myself, writing for hours each day, and collaborated with Brad for illustrations. After a week of intense focus, the game was finally complete. The final steps involved typesetting and printing, tasks that Brad efficiently managed.
For those interested in experiencing the chaos of “Snomes,” the game is available on itch.io as a print-and-play version. It’s a fantastic way to gather friends for a fun and unpredictable adventure. Recently, a group even live-streamed their gameplay, showcasing the game’s entertaining nature.
I want to express my gratitude to Heath, Sergeant Rye Bread, Buddy Games, and all the amazing Patreon supporters who made this project possible. Thank you for joining me on this game development journey. I look forward to sharing more adventures with you in the future!
Design a basic concept for your own tabletop role-playing game. Consider the setting, characters, and unique mechanics that would make your game stand out. Share your ideas with classmates and gather feedback to refine your concept.
Participate in a workshop where you will explore different game mechanics. Experiment with creating your own mechanics, such as “reckless reactions,” and test them in small groups. Discuss how these mechanics impact gameplay and player engagement.
Team up with fellow students to design a mini TTRPG. Assign roles such as writer, illustrator, and game master. Develop a short campaign and present it to the class. This activity will enhance your teamwork and creative problem-solving skills.
Organize a live-streamed session of a TTRPG, such as “Snomes.” Invite classmates to participate as players or audience members. Analyze the session afterward, focusing on the dynamics of live gameplay and audience interaction.
Write a reflective essay on the challenges and rewards of developing a tabletop role-playing game. Consider the insights gained from the article and your own experiences in the activities. Share your reflections with the class to foster a deeper understanding of game design.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. There’s no hiding it: tabletop role-playing games are huge right now, from Dungeons and Dragons to… well, mostly Dungeons and Dragons. But it’s always interesting to see new life brought back to a game that predates the Nintendo Entertainment System.
I never played D&D growing up, but hearing other kids’ stories about the campaigns they played in… maybe that was for the best. Instead, I found myself more interested in the concept around it. After all, D&D was just a game, and that means I could make my own, right?
I tend to be a very cyclical person, meaning every year I do certain hobbies at specific times. For some reason, January has always been my month to try to create a role-playing game. After a couple of years of trying to make a game, it came as no shock that in January 2020, I joined Kickstarter’s second annual Zine Quest. Zine Quest is fairly simple: the idea is to make either your own role-playing game or to write a module for a popular one like D&D. This felt like the perfect opportunity for me to finally create the tabletop role-playing game I always wanted.
But before we get started, Squarespace makes creating your own website or online store much easier. Believe me, I’ve done it many times before, and the best way to cut the hassle is to use Squarespace. From selling your products online to creating a portfolio or gallery of your work, or even something as tedious as image scaling, it’s so much easier and saves you a lot of time with Squarespace. As the internet expands, I truly believe everyone should have their own online presence. With Squarespace, you can connect your social profiles, allowing you to instantly post on different platforms, making it fantastic and easy to share your new product or game. Make sure to check out squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to squarespace.com/goodguess to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, it’s probably best to explain why I wanted to create my own game in the first place. You see, most tabletop role-playing games are like reading scientific journals. They’re full of detailed characters, complex mechanics, and long backstories. For some people, that’s what they love about it—the details and the complexity. But for me, the appeal of a tabletop game came from the creativity and imagination behind it. I love the idea that I could sit down with my friends, explore a world in our imagination together, have a fun adventure, and then call it a day. I also like adding humor to my games because I feel that all adventures should have some funny moments. Unlike some role-playing games, which can be really serious, I wanted to keep things lighthearted.
After seeing Zine Quest, I knew I had to make a game, and I couldn’t do it alone. So, I recruited my close friend and fellow graphic designer, Brad, to help me out. With optimism in our hearts, we began creating “Snomes.”
To say that I started from a completely empty slate is probably unfair. I actually created “Snomes” a couple of years prior for a winter-themed website we made. The website’s purpose was to challenge us to create winter-themed creative projects. One of the ideas was about a town that was going to freeze over by Christmas, and the people had to figure out the mystery of what happened to a winter star and save it before Christmas.
I had already written a lot of details about the characters and the town, so we figured out how we were going to print and manufacture the booklets and came up with some concept art. One of my main goals was to push myself to try something different, so I wanted to illustrate in a style I had never done before. Eventually, Brad and I bounced a few ideas back and forth until we ended up with the lovely “Snomes” artwork.
However, we made a mistake by releasing the Kickstarter before the game was finished. We knew Zine Quest was about to start, and we didn’t have time to fully flesh out the game. We quickly came up with the concept, tested it, created the character sheet, a map, and the illustrations. Ninety percent of the book was not complete, but we ran out of time and decided to launch the Kickstarter anyway. To our surprise, it turned out really well.
Now, I never explained the main mechanic of “Snomes.” In the game, you play as magical winter gnomes who are self-proclaimed masters of magic. Whenever you roll a one on the dice, something chaotic happens, called “reckless reactions.” These can range from shooting a fireball to changing gravity or even turning into a lamp. The game is meant to be extremely chaotic, and if you love being a game master, you’ll find that this game keeps you on your toes.
Once the Kickstarter finished, we relaxed and felt good about what we created. But then we got busy and sidetracked with other projects. We ordered the dice and got everything set up for shipping, but the writing portion was challenging. It wasn’t the writing that was hard; it was sitting down to do it. The pressure of the Kickstarter started to get to me, and I was facing writer’s block.
Finally, I decided to spend a week doing nothing but writing. I isolated myself, focused, and wrote every single day for hours. I thought about the game and the concepts, and when I finished a page, I reached out to Brad for illustrations. After a week of focus, I finally finished the game. All that was left was the fun part: creating more illustrations and typesetting.
Now, I know typesetting might not sound fun to some, but there’s something satisfying about picking out fonts and laying out your book perfectly. After finishing that, all that was left to do was print the copies and send them off. Luckily, Brad took care of all that with his efficiency.
For those of you who want to play the game, it’s available on itch.io right now. There’s a print-and-play version you can download and start playing with your friends. A group even live-streamed it recently, and it looked like they had a blast.
I want to give a huge shout-out to Heath, Sergeant Rye Bread, Buddy Games, and the rest of the fantastic Patreon supporters who make these videos possible. Thank you for watching, and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day. I’ll see you next time for another game dev adventure!
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Tabletop – A type of game played on a flat surface, often involving boards, cards, or miniatures, commonly used in performing arts for improvisation exercises. – During the theater workshop, students used a tabletop game to practice their improvisation skills and enhance their quick thinking.
Role-playing – An activity in which participants assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create narratives, often used in theater and drama education. – In the drama class, role-playing exercises helped students explore different characters and improve their acting abilities.
Game – An activity that involves skill, knowledge, or chance, often used in performing arts to develop teamwork and strategic thinking. – The theater group designed a game to help actors understand the dynamics of stage presence and audience interaction.
Chaos – A state of complete disorder and confusion, often used in performing arts to describe the creative process or a scene that requires dynamic energy. – The director encouraged a bit of chaos during rehearsals to help actors discover new aspects of their characters.
Mechanics – The rules or methods designed to facilitate the functioning of a game or performance, crucial for understanding the structure of a play or a DIY project. – Understanding the mechanics of stage lighting can significantly enhance the visual impact of a theater production.
Creativity – The use of imagination or original ideas to create something, a fundamental aspect of both performing arts and DIY projects. – The students’ creativity shone through in their unique interpretations of classic plays during the festival.
Illustrations – Visual representations used to explain or decorate, often employed in set design and costume creation in performing arts. – The costume designer’s illustrations helped the actors visualize their characters and understand the era of the play.
Adventure – An unusual and exciting experience or activity, often depicted in performances to engage audiences with thrilling narratives. – The play took the audience on an adventure through time, exploring different historical periods with vivid storytelling.
Development – The process of growth or improvement, particularly in refining a performance or enhancing a DIY project. – The development of the script involved numerous revisions to ensure the dialogue was authentic and engaging.
Gameplay – The specific way in which players interact with a game, often used in performing arts to describe the interaction between actors and the narrative. – The interactive theater piece allowed for unique gameplay, where the audience’s choices influenced the outcome of the story.
