Design
Articles and posts that include any RPG mechanic designs or hacks.
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Caught in the Rain, a Solo Mystery Roleplaying Game
Caught in The Rain is the new game that I am developing and it is my attempt at solving the difficulty of playing a mystery roleplaying game as a solo player. Whether it is group play or solo play, the general consensus is mystery campaigns or adventures in roleplaying games are challenging or time-consuming to… Continue reading
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Cognitive Load Theory in Roleplaying Games
Cognitive load theory is the idea that our working memory is imposed by the complexity and distracting elements of new information before we start to make connections. In roleplaying games, complex and distracting elements of new information can result in a loss of player engagement. In this post, I briefly describe cognitive load theory, how… Continue reading
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How to create a NPC for your RPG campaigns
For me, NPCs are the heart of my RPG campaigns and the manner in which I create a NPC for my RPGs has changed over the past two campaigns. Now, no matter what system I use, my NPCs will always include four key elements: a drive, threat, dilemma, and conflict. Originally inspired by an RPGgeek… Continue reading
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Using Orbital Crypt’s 18-Slot Inventory
Orbital Crypt recently described an 18-slot inventory system “inspired by the old word” to track resources in their campaigns. In the past, I wrote about the place component of campaigns using point-crawls and recently wrote about the time component using a campaign tracker. I read Orbital Crypt’s post about the 18-slot inventory just as I… Continue reading
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Web DM Campaign Tracker and Blades in the Dark Clocks
One element of my planning for my TTRPG campaigns that I have yet to formalise or implement a tool for is campaign tracking. Jim Davis recently described a campaign tracker he uses in planning for his sessions over on the Web DM YouTube channel and I think pairing it with a Kanban board alongside Blades… Continue reading
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Tracking Relationships between PCs and NPCs
Non-player characters (NPCs) play a large role when I run games. Sprawling locations, engaging plots, and player characters’ (PCs) drives or flaws are all centred around these NPCs. They provide a means for my voice as a game master which allows me to deliver hooks or information about the world, and contrast for the PCs… Continue reading
About Me
An ARPIA award-winning Australian tabletop roleplaying game designer.
Find MY GAMES on itch.io or DrivethruRPG.com
Top Posts
- How to improve player engagement in roleplaying games using questions
- Frame scenes in your roleplaying games with the inverted pyramid
- Cognitive load theory in roleplaying games
- Kaiju generator
- How to write a backstory for a DnD character
- How to create a NPC for your RPG campaigns
- How to play a solo RPG (Ultimate Guide)
The Bardic Inquiry 