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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dethklok" data-source="post: 6142850" data-attributes="member: 6746469">I've created two, though I don't intend to publish either one (despite some of my players' arguments to the contrary - it's a lot of work).The only general pitfall to game design I can point out is the desire to keep building a game system after it's complete. You'll be tempted to add rules to cover every foreseeable situation, but ultimately no amount of designer foresight can do the GM's job. There comes a point when more rules simply get in the way, distracting from more important mechanics and making the game more difficult to get at. (And really, the same goes for the setting.) Once you've completed the system (and the setting), turn the passion you have for the project into designing scenarios for it. These are really what make the game work anyway - gamemasters will find it easier to learn the game from the scenarios.The only other general piece of advice I can offer is one I became aware of fairly recently, and it's this: Good games start simple, and increase in complexity with player familiarity. This means a newbie should be able to make a character in only a few minutes and get through a game without more than his imagination and common sense, but that after playing a few sessions that same player should have access to the additional options for customizing the character and using special abilities in the game.One last observation I can offer is much less likely to be useful to most game designers. But I'm constantly plagued by GMs who try to play the games I write as though they are D&D or some variant of the d20 system. The mechanics, setting, and style they're accustomed to are often so thoroughly ingrained that they don't realize they're just not in Kansas anymore. You may never encounter this, but the more your game differs from what people think an rpg is "supposed to be," the more I'd suggest stressing that your rpg works differently - otherwise, it won't work differently at all; it will be the same games they know, just with different character sheets. If this is going to be a problem, you'll find out when you have other people playtest it.</blockquote>

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