Exploring how the design of Ghost Beacon for the One-Page RPG Jam taught me some lessons about game design. Keeping good notes, feedback on what's (not) fun, and using project management tools.
Hello! I just wanted to say a quick thank you for introducing the concept of one-page rpgs to me. I first learned about them in your analysis of Lacksmith (excellent game), and I got really excited at the idea of making a game that was mechanically satisfying but simple enough to fit on a single page. My submission to this year's One-Page RPG jam (which you can find here if you're interested: https://gus-the-gamesmith.itch.io/desperate-dating) is a direct result of your newsletters, so I'm very grateful! I'm going to print out Ghost Beacon today, and I'm certain that I'll enjoy it thoroughly :)
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing this! Congrats on creating a new game and submitting it to the one-page RPG jam! I took a quick look at it and it's looks really good!
The one page to full zine path is wonderful, it allows you to get an MVP that includes a good (fun) game and then you can expand on it.
Also super agree on taking all the notes and never to delete them. Its like unclogging the creativity pipe, you never know what will come out of it. For me it was my upcoming game using Adventure!. I had written a story draft for my novel series, then I decided to use the beginning of it (an adventurers citadel heist) as the game, but the moment I had to give NPCs some background it changed the whole beginning, you see it was a perfect night for the main character to attempt the heist, but this would be obvious to other people, and so the game grew and therefore the story.
That's the plan for Ghost Beacon. Made the core game loop as a one-pager and then I can add in all the parking lot items (or at least most of them) to the full version, knowing that the core is solid.
This is my original comment before I got sidetracked thinking about stratigraphy.
Last week I was at the Serious Play conference in Rochester, NY, home of the terrifying "garbage plate". On your point of additive vs. subtractive solutions, I just wrote a post on LinkedIn about not letting your games turn into a "garbage plate" where you keep piling on mechanics and/or content to try and fix issues or address all the learning objectives. If you start falling into garbage plate mode, chances you need to go back and redesign something or evaluate your learning objectives because you're probably trying to pack too much into one game.
I think the "additive vs. subtractive" solution thing is so interesting! There's a ton of research on it if you do a quick search. A lot to learn there.
I love Ghost Beacon, even if it defies stratigraphy with the age mechanic. Now that I think about it, faults churn up the strata so in areas where there is disruption such as next to a fault or where a hole appeared, you could add in the age mechanic and then the artifact found would be historical to the main time period of the rest of the artifacts on the surface of the planet, adding another layer of interpretation.
Thank you for sharing you're design lessons. They are very helpful and insightful.
Thanks! So glad you liked it!
You're welcome.
Hello! I just wanted to say a quick thank you for introducing the concept of one-page rpgs to me. I first learned about them in your analysis of Lacksmith (excellent game), and I got really excited at the idea of making a game that was mechanically satisfying but simple enough to fit on a single page. My submission to this year's One-Page RPG jam (which you can find here if you're interested: https://gus-the-gamesmith.itch.io/desperate-dating) is a direct result of your newsletters, so I'm very grateful! I'm going to print out Ghost Beacon today, and I'm certain that I'll enjoy it thoroughly :)
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing this! Congrats on creating a new game and submitting it to the one-page RPG jam! I took a quick look at it and it's looks really good!
The one page to full zine path is wonderful, it allows you to get an MVP that includes a good (fun) game and then you can expand on it.
Also super agree on taking all the notes and never to delete them. Its like unclogging the creativity pipe, you never know what will come out of it. For me it was my upcoming game using Adventure!. I had written a story draft for my novel series, then I decided to use the beginning of it (an adventurers citadel heist) as the game, but the moment I had to give NPCs some background it changed the whole beginning, you see it was a perfect night for the main character to attempt the heist, but this would be obvious to other people, and so the game grew and therefore the story.
Thank you for your comment!
That's the plan for Ghost Beacon. Made the core game loop as a one-pager and then I can add in all the parking lot items (or at least most of them) to the full version, knowing that the core is solid.
This is my original comment before I got sidetracked thinking about stratigraphy.
Last week I was at the Serious Play conference in Rochester, NY, home of the terrifying "garbage plate". On your point of additive vs. subtractive solutions, I just wrote a post on LinkedIn about not letting your games turn into a "garbage plate" where you keep piling on mechanics and/or content to try and fix issues or address all the learning objectives. If you start falling into garbage plate mode, chances you need to go back and redesign something or evaluate your learning objectives because you're probably trying to pack too much into one game.
I think the "additive vs. subtractive" solution thing is so interesting! There's a ton of research on it if you do a quick search. A lot to learn there.
Thank you for the comment!
I love Ghost Beacon, even if it defies stratigraphy with the age mechanic. Now that I think about it, faults churn up the strata so in areas where there is disruption such as next to a fault or where a hole appeared, you could add in the age mechanic and then the artifact found would be historical to the main time period of the rest of the artifacts on the surface of the planet, adding another layer of interpretation.
This is now the canon explanation for how the artifacts are found. I'll include a note in the full version. ;)