Caroline Hobbs
@chobbs.bsky.social
Award winning game designer - Downfall, Fedora Noir, One Missed Call. My cat is very handsome. She/her
https://lessthanthreegames.com/
https://lessthanthreegames.com/
Pinned
Caroline Hobbs
@chobbs.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Introduction!👋 I'm Caroline Hobbs, and I'm part of the game design duo known as Less Than Three Games! I make and play gmless games where we co-create amazing worlds and stories together <3
🔗 Website: lessthanthreegames.com
✏️ Blog: lessthanthreegames.com/blog/
🎲 Itch: lessthanthreegames.itch.io/
🔗 Website: lessthanthreegames.com
✏️ Blog: lessthanthreegames.com/blog/
🎲 Itch: lessthanthreegames.itch.io/
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
November 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Yay! Go Play NW is the best!
Save the date! Go Play NW’s Summer in-person event will be July 24-26, 2026 at the Centilia Cultural Center in Seattle, WA.
Event details, COVID policy, buying tickets, and more information is forthcoming. For now, please save the date, and come hang out on Discord: discord.gg/cvHUHFpzwf
Event details, COVID policy, buying tickets, and more information is forthcoming. For now, please save the date, and come hang out on Discord: discord.gg/cvHUHFpzwf
November 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Yay! Go Play NW is the best!
One of my favorite things about doing risograph printing is the creative constraint of limited colors! I've been having a ton of fun with scarlet and medium blue. This is the first of a series that I finally had time to print last week at my local community print collective!
October 29, 2025 at 11:37 PM
One of my favorite things about doing risograph printing is the creative constraint of limited colors! I've been having a ton of fun with scarlet and medium blue. This is the first of a series that I finally had time to print last week at my local community print collective!
Summerlab! ☀️
You know what really helps the brain get things done? A mantra. A rallying cry.
Ours is summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Ours is summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Summerlab: Because Lab is Experimental and Summer is Fun
I want to tell you about a new thing we've been doing that's got our engines firing on all cylinders. A thing we call… summerlab.
Summerlab is our game design support group / experimental design spac...
arsludi.lamemage.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Summerlab! ☀️
Hurting my brain again by trying to describe turn order for table play *and* online play with a rotating starter for the loop. Is right down? What is clockwise to a list?
October 6, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Hurting my brain again by trying to describe turn order for table play *and* online play with a rotating starter for the loop. Is right down? What is clockwise to a list?
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
"Which would you rather play, a GMless or a diceless RPG"
To which I say, "why not both"
To which you say, "examples please"
Leaving out (checks notes) every single one of my games, let me throw out a few. If I miss your favs, chime in!
To which I say, "why not both"
To which you say, "examples please"
Leaving out (checks notes) every single one of my games, let me throw out a few. If I miss your favs, chime in!
October 3, 2025 at 9:57 PM
"Which would you rather play, a GMless or a diceless RPG"
To which I say, "why not both"
To which you say, "examples please"
Leaving out (checks notes) every single one of my games, let me throw out a few. If I miss your favs, chime in!
To which I say, "why not both"
To which you say, "examples please"
Leaving out (checks notes) every single one of my games, let me throw out a few. If I miss your favs, chime in!
My partner Marc (@thehintguy.bsky.social) had a really lovely conversation with the charming folks on @readplaygame.bsky.social about their play through of Epitaph a few weeks ago. It's a great listen if you are curious about iterative design or gmless gaming!
Epitaph - Interview (feat. Marc Hobbs) | Read, Play, Game
shows.acast.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:44 PM
My partner Marc (@thehintguy.bsky.social) had a really lovely conversation with the charming folks on @readplaygame.bsky.social about their play through of Epitaph a few weeks ago. It's a great listen if you are curious about iterative design or gmless gaming!
Holy poäng - apparently there is an online Ikea museum where you can look at old catalogs!!! ikeamuseum.com/en/explore/i...
Time travelling with IKEA catalogues 1951-2021 - IKEA Museum
Browse IKEA catalogues through the ages, reflecting different eras and lifestyles - a goldmine for the nostalgic, design enthusiasts and history buffs.
ikeamuseum.com
September 1, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Holy poäng - apparently there is an online Ikea museum where you can look at old catalogs!!! ikeamuseum.com/en/explore/i...
The unique embarrassment of opening up design notes from 9 years ago and realizing you basically just drafted up the same thing
August 12, 2025 at 8:35 PM
The unique embarrassment of opening up design notes from 9 years ago and realizing you basically just drafted up the same thing
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
Feminist gothic horror house drafting tabletop rpg called Bluebeard's Prince
August 7, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Feminist gothic horror house drafting tabletop rpg called Bluebeard's Prince
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
Indie Games on Demand is alive and well at #GenCon. Want to play an interesting #TTRPG? No need to plan, just show up at Westin Grand Ballroom 3 with a generic ticket and join our boarding process.
Also visit our friends:
@ipr.bsky.social @pelgranepress.bsky.social @igdn-official.bsky.social
Also visit our friends:
@ipr.bsky.social @pelgranepress.bsky.social @igdn-official.bsky.social
July 31, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Indie Games on Demand is alive and well at #GenCon. Want to play an interesting #TTRPG? No need to plan, just show up at Westin Grand Ballroom 3 with a generic ticket and join our boarding process.
Also visit our friends:
@ipr.bsky.social @pelgranepress.bsky.social @igdn-official.bsky.social
Also visit our friends:
@ipr.bsky.social @pelgranepress.bsky.social @igdn-official.bsky.social
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
Work continues on my current project, a versatile archaeology world-building game currently titled “More to Explore”. Got an awesome session in at Go Play NW and now it’s back to the workbench for tinkering! 🔧 ⚙️ #trrpg #gamedesign
July 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Work continues on my current project, a versatile archaeology world-building game currently titled “More to Explore”. Got an awesome session in at Go Play NW and now it’s back to the workbench for tinkering! 🔧 ⚙️ #trrpg #gamedesign
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
I represented Groundtable (GMless) all the way: Follow, The Final Girl, In This World, Kingdom, and my newest project More To Explore.
If you went to Go Play NW, I want to hear what you played!
July 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I represented Groundtable (GMless) all the way: Follow, The Final Girl, In This World, Kingdom, and my newest project More To Explore.
I played Going for Broke, Microscope: Chronicle, The Final Girl, Inheritance, and Kingdom! Every game was awesome!
If you went to Go Play NW, I want to hear what you played!
July 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I played Going for Broke, Microscope: Chronicle, The Final Girl, Inheritance, and Kingdom! Every game was awesome!
If you went to Go Play NW, I want to hear what you played!
July 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
If you went to Go Play NW, I want to hear what you played!
I had such a lovely @goplaynw.bsky.social this weekend! Huge thanks to the organizers for cultivating a welcoming space and for all the behind-the-scenes work that lets us enjoy the magic of playing games with friends, old and new ❤️
July 21, 2025 at 4:43 PM
I had such a lovely @goplaynw.bsky.social this weekend! Huge thanks to the organizers for cultivating a welcoming space and for all the behind-the-scenes work that lets us enjoy the magic of playing games with friends, old and new ❤️
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
Bob Ross x game design theory:
We don't make worlds together, we make illusions of worlds
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/47...
We don't make worlds together, we make illusions of worlds
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/47...
An Illusion of a Mountain
I had never watched Bob Ross's Joy of Painting series until that magnificent twitch run back in 2015. The thing that really stuck with me (other than the fact that Bob Ross was a saint now but had cle...
arsludi.lamemage.com
July 9, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Bob Ross x game design theory:
We don't make worlds together, we make illusions of worlds
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/47...
We don't make worlds together, we make illusions of worlds
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/47...
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
It was such a fun game to work on! We keep having great one-shots with it. Go check out the original immediately.
Very exciting mail day! It's the Italian edition of Fedora Noir! Yay yay yay! Thank you so much @nessundovelab.bsky.social - it looks so fantastic!
July 4, 2025 at 6:45 PM
It was such a fun game to work on! We keep having great one-shots with it. Go check out the original immediately.
Very exciting mail day! It's the Italian edition of Fedora Noir! Yay yay yay! Thank you so much @nessundovelab.bsky.social - it looks so fantastic!
July 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Very exciting mail day! It's the Italian edition of Fedora Noir! Yay yay yay! Thank you so much @nessundovelab.bsky.social - it looks so fantastic!
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
#IGM25 sponsor Less Than Three Games is @chobbs.bsky.social and @thehintguy.bsky.social who design creative and collaborative story-driven games. Physical copies their games Downfall, Epitaph, and Fedora Noir can be won by registering for IGM at the link in our bio.
Thanks lessthanthreegames.com !
Thanks lessthanthreegames.com !
Less Than Three Games – Less Than Three Games Store
lessthanthreegames.com
June 30, 2025 at 2:54 PM
#IGM25 sponsor Less Than Three Games is @chobbs.bsky.social and @thehintguy.bsky.social who design creative and collaborative story-driven games. Physical copies their games Downfall, Epitaph, and Fedora Noir can be won by registering for IGM at the link in our bio.
Thanks lessthanthreegames.com !
Thanks lessthanthreegames.com !
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
Here’s my theory: the more a game lets you contribute — the more it asks of you — the more rewarding play can be.
But also, satisfaction is not the same as fun
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/46...
But also, satisfaction is not the same as fun
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/46...
A Satisfying Game
You can make a game that is very easy to learn and play if you ask the players to do very little.
But here's my theory: the more a game lets you contribute -- the more it asks of you -- the more rewa...
arsludi.lamemage.com
June 17, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Here’s my theory: the more a game lets you contribute — the more it asks of you — the more rewarding play can be.
But also, satisfaction is not the same as fun
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/46...
But also, satisfaction is not the same as fun
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/46...
Reposted by Caroline Hobbs
An Altogether Different River is a beautiful game about returning home
June 17, 2025 at 7:04 PM
An Altogether Different River is a beautiful game about returning home
Someone asked me if Epitaph is a good game. I said sure, if that's how you want to live your life.
Someone asked me if An Altogether Different River is a good game. I told them it used to be.
Someone asked me if Fiasco was a good game. I said if you put your cards on the table it goes horribly.
June 16, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Someone asked me if Epitaph is a good game. I said sure, if that's how you want to live your life.
Someone asked me if An Altogether Different River is a good game. I told them it used to be.
Someone asked me if Fiasco was a good game. I said if you put your cards on the table it goes horribly.
Someone asked me if A Penny For My Thoughts is a good game. What did I say then?
June 16, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Someone asked me if An Altogether Different River is a good game. I told them it used to be.
Continuing our surprisingly busy week of story gaming, we had a new friend over last night to play Follow! We played the Dragon quest and had a good time, but boy oh boy do we love making things hard for ourselves by re-skinning things.
May 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Continuing our surprisingly busy week of story gaming, we had a new friend over last night to play Follow! We played the Dragon quest and had a good time, but boy oh boy do we love making things hard for ourselves by re-skinning things.