Who are the really interesting modern TTRPG designers?

[Reynard]

Wildsea looks like a really great FitD.

 

[Shardstone]

Me.

 

[Reynard]

Me.

Ok. Prove it.

 

[Shardstone]

Ok. Prove it.

Are we allowed to post our own content in this specific forum? I'm always afraid to. If not, I can DM you; I am very proud of a project I have coming out later this year.

 

[aramis erak]

I get that games like Nobilis can be hard to actually play at the table. But Ars Magica? Isn't that more of a taste thing? I would never link ham-fisted with Ars Magica. It's brilliant and entirely playable.
Thanks for heads up on The Far Roofs. I'll definitely check it out. We have the fancy coffee table version of Nobilis, waiting to be played one day... I keep telling myself it can be done!

Ars Magica first ed was hard to parse for me; 3rd was much better at explaining the game, the intended playstyles, and such.

 

[Reynard]

Are we allowed to post our own content in this specific forum? I'm always afraid to. If not, I can DM you; I am very proud of a project I have coming out later this year.

I mean I asked you to. People are posting other games. But I'm not a mod so

 

[Shardstone]

I mean I asked you to. People are posting other games. But I'm not a mod so

I'll post a free PDF link so that way it's not like I'm trying to make money/advertise here. Keep in mind the PDF is still under construction; part 4 hasn't been laid out yet, and we're still going through and filling in some blanks and fixing formatting errors, but largely it's done so far. I also post this knowing that 5E designers often aren't what's wanted in these kinds of indie discussions but my inspirations are all indie

I've been working for a few years now trying to create a version of the 5E combat and storytelling experience that better suit the games I like to run -- high-octane, cinematic combats mixed with compelling and real storytelling moments and explicitly asymmetrical in balance between players and GM instead of 5E's assumed balanced state.

I wanted skirmishes, easier and more cinematic actions to take in combat, ways to fight large numbers of opponents without having to use a lot of seperate monsters on a map, and ways to make boss battles against solo creatures actually work well. I also wanted to figure out ways to create tools for improving + prepping environmental things and Battlefield Assets (which I'm actually rewriting for the book now) that can be used on-demand. Lastly, I wanted to create a game that helped the DM keep pace without forcing them too while also giving a huge number of levers to create narrative and cinematic scenarios.

On top of this, I spent a huge number of months working on a character generator that not only on-boarded you to the game world but that gave you a compelling and easy to understand character despite the complete strange baroqueness of the setting. This is my greatest achievement in the book, and is at the front of Tablet 2.

I don't think the game is perfect, and there's things now I'd do differently if I restarted the project (including making it completely bespoke and rooting out all of 5E); however, I think I did a great job of showing how you can stretch 5E and designing something that I think could really be applied to every game in terms of base idea. Some of the stuff is setting specific, but most of it can easily be dropped into any 5E game and would IMO be a good model for enjoyment.

Tablet 4, which isn't fully in layout though, is what I consider my other masterpiece, and I'll link that when it's done. But I spent a loooong time creating a campaign toolkit that also equipped the GM with tools that can be used to just maximize what I perceive to be 5E's greatest trait: how well it runs when asymmetrical.

This is the second book, the first was a world book you can buy that mapped to D&D, but this second book turns the setting into almost its own complete game.

 

[niklinna]

You definitely cannot please everyone all the time, but I think there is a fundamental difference between admittedly complex, rules-not-explained-real-well games like Amber, Ars Magica, etc. that are clearly intended to be played as actual games (no matter how ham-fisted their design may be) --

-- and something like Nobilis which I am not entirely convinced is intended ever to be played. That said! It is absolutely inspirational reading and Jenna Moran has a new game coming out, The Far Roofs.

I suspect you would get a great big kick in the dirty diapers about Human Occupied Landfill. I've seen people actually play it, and have a great time doing so. But you'd never believe it was possible from reading it. Maybe!

 

[soviet]

I suspect you would get a great big kick in the dirty diapers about Human Occupied Landfill. I've seen people actually play it, and have a great time doing so. But you'd never believe it was possible from reading it. Maybe!

I played it! I was a Rorschach type guy with a grappling hook gun. I'd quite like to find a copy and actually read it.

 

[SteveC]

Wildsea looks like a really great FitD.

The Knights of Last Call did a first-look at it which was pretty extensive. The author was a regular on a Reddit Sub that I frequent, and so I can say they're a very responsive and fun designer.