Gus L.

I suspect the lair is deadly is it's not treated as a "dungeon zoo" where the monsters stay in their rooms and don't respond to noise etc? Or was it just too rough even room by room? I did not love that adventure.

The Awards Debrief 2025 An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.

It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

Also in - I should also get the TMNT beat 'em up remake... though the sprite size makes this looks less Double Dragon and more Final Fight... and at that scale nothing will ever look better then Red Earth.

Was the Ultimate Warrior guy better? Though "Ultimate Warrior Rule" just sounds like a book written by some guy who wants to sell protein shakes and eugenics so... Macho Man Randy Savage? Jake the Snake (likely not him...)?

Some more Bones of Bronze Art - a Mellified Royal - one of the Palace Queens of old Sildvar laid to rest in a sealed coffin of magically puissant honey and revived by the corrupting sorcery of the Iron Barrow.

Goblins are best when they aren't "goblins" but instead something else with a goblinesque ethos and aesthetic. Weird creepy lil' guys doing weird creepy lil' guy things.

It's weird to see bad originalism go back to medieval times and even weirder that they've decided that history used a GP standard for trade...

This is good. I wish I had more to say on it, but it's just good sense.

Deep in the red rock beneath the Iron Barrow, the bronze bulls still haunt the catacombs - automations maintained by deathless smiths at a forge of cold fire.

Still drawing away slowly on the art for Bones of Bronze, which is now through its final edits.

One Person Who Writes Sometimes, LLC

Fandom... it's a hell of drug.

More seriously, I think it takes a fair bit of courage to put a manifesto or theory out about your preferred mode of game design and even if we don't agree with Jay, we should cheer them for this. If one doesn't like what Jay is saying - write your own manifesto.

Thanks Brian, I appreciate it, though I've never thought of you as one of the people who were making trouble for me back then. So no need to feel any weight then or now.

Glad you've enjoyed my game stuff as well. Keep on making interesting things!

Let me know when you get to Mordor's scenic resort town.

I think this shampoo (and so so so much more ... dilute, dilute, dilute) may be partially responsible for me learning to read.

I quite liked "Big Machine" - there were some mediocre bits, but the characters and at least one scene in it were unforgettable.

LaValle writes some good stuff - always very creepy in unexpected ways.

Takes are dish best served cold?

This one tho?

I don't - I see RPGs as "Symbolist", the character is not the important bit - and can remain the player's pawn. Emotional impact and the desire to struggle against the rules is derived from the fantasy world and the way it offers symbols of the real.

Anyway nice to see good RPG theory.

Let me add to this. I think Jay sees RPGs as "Expressionist" - focusing on character and the way a character-player link or "bleed" can create an emotional response to the fantasy world that resonates in the player and drives conflict with the rules.

2/3

I've said elsewhere that while I am fond of Jay and Jay's thought is good, I don't entirely degree with this manifesto. That also means I largely agree with it. An RPG is best when player desire is in conflict with some of the rules, and when the game questions itself. You can find this playing B2.

I am old and have slow fingers now - and yeah Silksong is no harder then Hollow Knight, slower paced maybe and a bit different - but not harder.

I've been up to some weird bird stuff myself. Weird birds are the best birds.

I remember that Aviary! Never did figure it out entirely.

This is the real test - they will pirate everything, the question is how many hours or days it takes! Congrats Casey!

My record was 36 hours I think?

I'm going with "Sauron" cause dude terrifies the Nazgul.

I've always heard great things about Al-Qadim - but it came out when I didn't care about games at all so I've never really looked at it.

Yet there's a lot wrong with Palace of the Vampire Queen...

I like the old Grognardia answer ... "enough to run a campaign"...