Now that I am at the second revision of my game, I can witness a detail I didn't think important at the beginning: write as less as you can! Noboby have neither time nor willingness to read many pages about rules! Or better: many pages full stop! My playtest version had approx 220 pages. My first edition had 130 pages. The second edition will have 70 pages. I think there's nothing else to add... and that has nothing to do with light or crunch rules... that is mere page count!
This is a great post, and your point about designing a game you genuinely want to play really hits home. It aligns so much with fundamental design thinking – focusing on the experience you want to create, and like you mentioned regarding burnout, having that personal passion seems essential to carry you through the inevitable tough spots. Trying to chase the market feels like a surefire way to lose motivation halfway through.
It also made me think about the idea of resonance that you touched upon with your grimdark Western example. Building on that, I've been considering what experience the game is trying to evoke for the player. Is it tension? Exploration? Something else entirely? Deciding that first, and then building the themes and setting around that core feeling – ensuring it's something that resonates personally and feels fun and interesting to you as the designer – feels absolutely key.
Your thoughts on game length connect nicely to something else I've been mulling over: how macro or micro the scope should be, both thematically and functionally. You can go vast, like Zweihänder, or incredibly focused. That micro focus, like the one-page RPG format I'm currently wrestling with, seems brilliant for creating intense resonance within specific constraints. It really forces you to distil everything down to its essence – focusing on exactly what's needed for that specific experience, which is a fantastic, if sometimes tough, design challenge!
Thanks for sharing your musings – it's definitely important to remember why we're making the game in the first place!
Thank you, I appreciate it. Even though I haven't done a lot of games yet, I have completed long projects before. There are uniquenesses to each type of endeavor, but I have noticed a common thread.
Nice commentary on the resonance issue. I agree that everything should reinforce the overall concept of the game - in tone as well as mechanics. If it's a combat game there should be lots of attention paid to combat, exploration then make sure your hexcrawl/dungeoncrawl rules are solid, etc.
I should have mentioned the single-page RPGs. I used Cairn as the short game, but single-page games are great. To be honest, I think those would be harder for me than a longer game for the very reasons you describe.
This was the advice I needed today. Thanks!
You're welcome! Glad it was useful.
Great advice. I think I'd say do as little as you think you can get away with. Then playtest it. Then you'll know what you need to add :)
Thank you! I agree completely.
Now that I am at the second revision of my game, I can witness a detail I didn't think important at the beginning: write as less as you can! Noboby have neither time nor willingness to read many pages about rules! Or better: many pages full stop! My playtest version had approx 220 pages. My first edition had 130 pages. The second edition will have 70 pages. I think there's nothing else to add... and that has nothing to do with light or crunch rules... that is mere page count!
May the fun be always at your table!
Glad your revisions are going well! It's hard to know exactly how much to include. I'm like you in that i have to be careful about overdoing it.
This is a great post, and your point about designing a game you genuinely want to play really hits home. It aligns so much with fundamental design thinking – focusing on the experience you want to create, and like you mentioned regarding burnout, having that personal passion seems essential to carry you through the inevitable tough spots. Trying to chase the market feels like a surefire way to lose motivation halfway through.
It also made me think about the idea of resonance that you touched upon with your grimdark Western example. Building on that, I've been considering what experience the game is trying to evoke for the player. Is it tension? Exploration? Something else entirely? Deciding that first, and then building the themes and setting around that core feeling – ensuring it's something that resonates personally and feels fun and interesting to you as the designer – feels absolutely key.
Your thoughts on game length connect nicely to something else I've been mulling over: how macro or micro the scope should be, both thematically and functionally. You can go vast, like Zweihänder, or incredibly focused. That micro focus, like the one-page RPG format I'm currently wrestling with, seems brilliant for creating intense resonance within specific constraints. It really forces you to distil everything down to its essence – focusing on exactly what's needed for that specific experience, which is a fantastic, if sometimes tough, design challenge!
Thanks for sharing your musings – it's definitely important to remember why we're making the game in the first place!
Thank you, I appreciate it. Even though I haven't done a lot of games yet, I have completed long projects before. There are uniquenesses to each type of endeavor, but I have noticed a common thread.
Nice commentary on the resonance issue. I agree that everything should reinforce the overall concept of the game - in tone as well as mechanics. If it's a combat game there should be lots of attention paid to combat, exploration then make sure your hexcrawl/dungeoncrawl rules are solid, etc.
I should have mentioned the single-page RPGs. I used Cairn as the short game, but single-page games are great. To be honest, I think those would be harder for me than a longer game for the very reasons you describe.
Good luck with your projects!
It's always nice to hear thoughts on games, game design and playing. I appreciate what you're doing. Thanks.
Thank you. I enjoy sharing my experiences in hopes they'll be helpful to other designers.