September Update
This month got away from me faster than I expected, so I missed a lot of deadlines I set for myself. The biggest project was an attempt to finish a "sub-game" of Rulers for a game jam and it changed how I think about Rulers.
You may have noticed I have stopped referring to "Basic Rules" vs "Core Rules" everywhere (and if I missed somewhere let me know!). Originally, I had this idea that the online version of Rulers 2e would be balanced and setting agnostic for anyone to use in any kind of game, and then Core would be a more complex and fantasy themed version built off of that. Basically, somewhere I could take wilder swings with the game.
But after writing out the different starting scenarios I started to make notes about expanding them into supplements; providing maps, NPCs and Realms specific to the setting. It then made sense to me that certain mechanics that I was thinking about withholding for Core should go into these scenario supplements instead. Ideas for spies, subterfuge and rumors would make sense in a Under One Rule game. Whereas ideas for magical resources and gunpowder would fit in a Common Enemy game.
So for this game jam I started on Last 100 Years. It's a solo-game built of Rulers where you play through the fall of a civilization, and see if you can last 100 years. As a sub-game, I have enjoyed focusing mostly on one mechanic and feeling more comfortable taking risks with it. In particular I am re-working the Turmoil mechanic from Rulers 1e.
In the future I can see development going like this:
Update Rulers 2e -> Develop a scenario specific sub game -> review if anything from the sub game should be added to Rulers 2e -> Develop another sub game
I can't promise it'll happen this way, but that's my general plan!
What got done
- Removed references to "Basic Rules". Across multiple platforms the game is simply referred to as Rulers 2e.
- Launched on RPGtrader.com. This is a new platform specifically for TTRPGs and it is soooo much better than DriveThruRPG or Itch. It is really fantastic and I am excited to make more small things just to upload them on RPGtrader.
- Adjustments to listing descriptions. Some minor updates to all store page descriptions.
What was worked on
Last 100 Years. A solo-game built off Rulers 2e that is essentially "wave defense" of one crisis after another trying to bring about the end of your civilization. Mostly the work that remains is writing a lot more events that happen to you as you play.
What needs work
- Famine. This hasn't been addressed for a while but what happens when you run out of Food is not well defined.
- Settlement types. The upgrade settlement action created in-between stages of settlements as a necessity, but I think it makes more sense to just have more tiers of settlement.
- Smaller Regions. Making some progress on how to balance the game if Regions were smaller, with only one settlement and one attribute, instead of 3-4. Will need to do internal testing before that's released though.
What else happened
The Tallowman Diaries!
This was a big enough deal that I am spotlighting it.
Witch Bolt makes dungeon synth music, and you might be familiar with albums like Howl and Bellow. But did you know there is an entire world of lore behind the music he makes?
Anyone is welcome to join the Witch Bolt worldbuilding community, and I did. For a Halloween special Witch Bolt made the album The Tallowman. So I wrote a horror short story for it called The Tallowman Diaries, and I am really flattered that some of the lines I wrote wound up being the name of tracks on the album!
Album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dt28YT_wLQ
Story: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/b5ae08bf42.html
So go checkout the album on YouTube and click the link in the description to my story!
In other news, I traded an RPG with a friend for a copy of Mork Borg and read it while listening to Castle Rat on cassette. It was awesome. I already have ideas for writing Mork Borg content now.