Jack Edward
@jackedward.bsky.social
🎥📝 YouTubing/Blogging about tabletop roleplaying, collaborative worldbuilding
🕹 Designing games
👥 Organizing and running TTRPGs in Brooklyn
https://jacke.substack.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@Jack-gs6sd
https://jack-edward.itch.io/the-roaring-age
🕹 Designing games
👥 Organizing and running TTRPGs in Brooklyn
https://jacke.substack.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@Jack-gs6sd
https://jack-edward.itch.io/the-roaring-age
Brad Kerr once described the problem here in “Souls-like TTRPG” discourse as the fact that Elden Ring has more in common with Tony Hawk Pro Skater than anything resembling an RPG.
I am shocked that this is still a design goal for some folks!
I am shocked that this is still a design goal for some folks!
Not to say there aren't design thoughts/lessons to be had when pondering video games, but I don't think seeing a door high up and going "oh, I'll come back in 5 sessions after I get the double jump" sounds fun at all, lol. The juice is in discovering a creative solution to get there (or die trying).
September 9, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Brad Kerr once described the problem here in “Souls-like TTRPG” discourse as the fact that Elden Ring has more in common with Tony Hawk Pro Skater than anything resembling an RPG.
I am shocked that this is still a design goal for some folks!
I am shocked that this is still a design goal for some folks!
Folks in Seth’s comments are saying “but what about inflation?”
How much do people think they HAVE to spend on TTRPGs to play them exactly?
How much do people think they HAVE to spend on TTRPGs to play them exactly?
"TTRPGs are just so expensive now"
According to the MSRPs printed on my AD&D 2e books - PHB-$20, DMG-$18, MM-$30. That's $68 in 1990 money. Inflation puts that at $170ish in 2025.
We now have full-color books. Most RPGs come with PDFs. And all for the same price or less.
Stop yelling at clouds.
According to the MSRPs printed on my AD&D 2e books - PHB-$20, DMG-$18, MM-$30. That's $68 in 1990 money. Inflation puts that at $170ish in 2025.
We now have full-color books. Most RPGs come with PDFs. And all for the same price or less.
Stop yelling at clouds.
August 11, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Folks in Seth’s comments are saying “but what about inflation?”
How much do people think they HAVE to spend on TTRPGs to play them exactly?
How much do people think they HAVE to spend on TTRPGs to play them exactly?
It just feels good seeing someone admit that players like rolling dice, a take way more controversial in the dice game hobby than it should be.
Are you a Quinns Quest patron? Today it DOESN'T MATTER
I've just published a conversation with @bastionland.bsky.social about my criticisms of Mythic Bastionland's combat. The post is entirely free so Chris can share it with his community, too. Enjoy folks! www.patreon.com/posts/136012...
I've just published a conversation with @bastionland.bsky.social about my criticisms of Mythic Bastionland's combat. The post is entirely free so Chris can share it with his community, too. Enjoy folks! www.patreon.com/posts/136012...
Fan Club “Blog” #20: A Combat Conversation | Quinns Quest
Get more from Quinns Quest on Patreon
www.patreon.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
It just feels good seeing someone admit that players like rolling dice, a take way more controversial in the dice game hobby than it should be.
Jealous for Gen Con attendees primarily for access to Wild Bill's Sodas on tap.
Speaking as one of those suckers who paid like $80 for a tin cup, I can't imagine a greater consolation for the life of a conventional goer than that sweet sticky bullshit.
Speaking as one of those suckers who paid like $80 for a tin cup, I can't imagine a greater consolation for the life of a conventional goer than that sweet sticky bullshit.
July 31, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Jealous for Gen Con attendees primarily for access to Wild Bill's Sodas on tap.
Speaking as one of those suckers who paid like $80 for a tin cup, I can't imagine a greater consolation for the life of a conventional goer than that sweet sticky bullshit.
Speaking as one of those suckers who paid like $80 for a tin cup, I can't imagine a greater consolation for the life of a conventional goer than that sweet sticky bullshit.
She GLOG on my BLORB until I adjudicate unexpected situations fairly
July 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
She GLOG on my BLORB until I adjudicate unexpected situations fairly
She Kick my starter 'til I never delivered
July 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
She Kick my starter 'til I never delivered
Reposted by Jack Edward
a game designer is born from trust — as a player, i am trusting that your game is worth playing and that if i come to it in good faith, it will provide for me in turn. i think playtesting is an important step for earning and maintaining that trust
May 25, 2025 at 4:04 AM
a game designer is born from trust — as a player, i am trusting that your game is worth playing and that if i come to it in good faith, it will provide for me in turn. i think playtesting is an important step for earning and maintaining that trust
There is a parallel to the TTRPG “immersion” thing in film/theater, where people believe that Method Acting is like, the most extreme form or pinnacle expression of acting, as opposed to an incredibly niche and distinct school of acting pedagogy that has always been a profound minority technique.
Oh, immersion, my nemesis.
Over the years, I've heard so many ppl talking about metagaming and how it takes away from immersion, but here's the secret:
There are different types of immersion.
Generally ppl making this complaint are talking about character immersion...
Over the years, I've heard so many ppl talking about metagaming and how it takes away from immersion, but here's the secret:
There are different types of immersion.
Generally ppl making this complaint are talking about character immersion...
May 20, 2025 at 3:24 PM
There is a parallel to the TTRPG “immersion” thing in film/theater, where people believe that Method Acting is like, the most extreme form or pinnacle expression of acting, as opposed to an incredibly niche and distinct school of acting pedagogy that has always been a profound minority technique.
I liked Sinners, but… is it just me, or does the movie imply pretty overtly that the Irish were forcibly converted to Christianity by the British?
May 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I liked Sinners, but… is it just me, or does the movie imply pretty overtly that the Irish were forcibly converted to Christianity by the British?
Here's what my ass has to say about Goodman Games. Happy Mother's Day!
Integrity is the only way out
--------
jacke.substack.com
May 11, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Here's what my ass has to say about Goodman Games. Happy Mother's Day!
Reposted by Jack Edward
bronze workers in 1600 bc after creating the sword
I'm so excited for Weapons holy shit dude
April 30, 2025 at 1:33 PM
bronze workers in 1600 bc after creating the sword
One thing that's always kinda dogged me about the GMing dynamic on the major actual plays — the GM as omnipotent mastermind with literal tented fingers, certain players as wittle chaos goblins foiling his plans — is how it reproduces a style of millennial marital humor, weird gender dynamics intact.
April 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
One thing that's always kinda dogged me about the GMing dynamic on the major actual plays — the GM as omnipotent mastermind with literal tented fingers, certain players as wittle chaos goblins foiling his plans — is how it reproduces a style of millennial marital humor, weird gender dynamics intact.
This is neat as hell, but I do feel sorta sad for the folks who were like “this will never reach print” and like, hand-bound their own hardcovers of this.
Their reward is in heaven.
Their reward is in heaven.
We've started a clock.
Get ready for the print edition of Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts!
Hold this treasure trove of new lore and innovative rules options from @johnharper.bsky.social in your own hands.
Sign up here to get notified when the project goes live:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
Get ready for the print edition of Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts!
Hold this treasure trove of new lore and innovative rules options from @johnharper.bsky.social in your own hands.
Sign up here to get notified when the project goes live:
www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...
April 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This is neat as hell, but I do feel sorta sad for the folks who were like “this will never reach print” and like, hand-bound their own hardcovers of this.
Their reward is in heaven.
Their reward is in heaven.
Reposted by Jack Edward
“The Jesuit principle ‘finding God in all things’ means that anything which does not directly injure your relationship with God is in fact something that can support and nurture it. So we find God in music, in literature, in theater, in films, in science, in exploration, and, yes, in video games.”
This year, the story of Carlo Acutis made headlines: the 15-year-old who died in 2006 is set to be canonized as the Catholic Church's first video game-playing saint. I asked game designer-turned-Jesuit @sjml.bsky.social what it all means.
aftermath.site/carlo-acutis...
aftermath.site/carlo-acutis...
April 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
“The Jesuit principle ‘finding God in all things’ means that anything which does not directly injure your relationship with God is in fact something that can support and nurture it. So we find God in music, in literature, in theater, in films, in science, in exploration, and, yes, in video games.”
I was a teen DM who ran lots of little 3e games, but in 2005/6 I ran my first ever full campaign of any kind — WFRP, Ashes of Middenheim with local skaters and such.
They had little RPG experience, but rolling up random ratcatchers and such was a blast for them, and a revelation for me.
They had little RPG experience, but rolling up random ratcatchers and such was a blast for them, and a revelation for me.
hey dungeon masters, spell casters, and adventurers
what was the first non dnd ttrpg you ever played?
what was the first non dnd ttrpg you ever played?
April 14, 2025 at 5:40 PM
I was a teen DM who ran lots of little 3e games, but in 2005/6 I ran my first ever full campaign of any kind — WFRP, Ashes of Middenheim with local skaters and such.
They had little RPG experience, but rolling up random ratcatchers and such was a blast for them, and a revelation for me.
They had little RPG experience, but rolling up random ratcatchers and such was a blast for them, and a revelation for me.
I watch Paolo Sorrentino films/shows mostly for the head shapes.
i've been saying this for like a decade: people want weird faces, bad hair. they want to look at people they recognize themselves and their loved ones in.
all of this is correct but this especially, everybody has an interesting face and that's a thing that you don't see on tv much anymore
April 5, 2025 at 1:25 AM
I watch Paolo Sorrentino films/shows mostly for the head shapes.
Given how wonderful Worldwizard is, I basically can’t wait to get a group together to make a sci-fi setting for a potential Scum & Villainy game.
The Perilous Void
By Jason Lutes
The Perilous Wild was a fantastic supplement for Dungeon Word for exploration focused adventures, but now Jason made something similar, but completely #SystemNeutral for #Weird #SciFi settings.
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...
1/2
By Jason Lutes
The Perilous Wild was a fantastic supplement for Dungeon Word for exploration focused adventures, but now Jason made something similar, but completely #SystemNeutral for #Weird #SciFi settings.
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...
1/2
April 4, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Given how wonderful Worldwizard is, I basically can’t wait to get a group together to make a sci-fi setting for a potential Scum & Villainy game.
Just ran Twilight 2000 for a group of five, and I will blog lots of stuff, but I gotta say:
Half a dozen people committed tons of homework time to internalizing one of the crunchiest RPGs available and, all credit to the design, it absolutely paid off.
Half a dozen people committed tons of homework time to internalizing one of the crunchiest RPGs available and, all credit to the design, it absolutely paid off.
April 3, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Just ran Twilight 2000 for a group of five, and I will blog lots of stuff, but I gotta say:
Half a dozen people committed tons of homework time to internalizing one of the crunchiest RPGs available and, all credit to the design, it absolutely paid off.
Half a dozen people committed tons of homework time to internalizing one of the crunchiest RPGs available and, all credit to the design, it absolutely paid off.
Most of the definitions here are ~"My friend group! Sometimes we mess up, but we try our best to handle it."
But even as I agree, I realize I trust a group FAR more when it can navigate a breach of safety with grace than when it is engineering a scenario where a breach never occurs (impossible)
But even as I agree, I realize I trust a group FAR more when it can navigate a breach of safety with grace than when it is engineering a scenario where a breach never occurs (impossible)
if i used the phrase "medium-trust gaming group" ; what would you believe that to mean?
March 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Most of the definitions here are ~"My friend group! Sometimes we mess up, but we try our best to handle it."
But even as I agree, I realize I trust a group FAR more when it can navigate a breach of safety with grace than when it is engineering a scenario where a breach never occurs (impossible)
But even as I agree, I realize I trust a group FAR more when it can navigate a breach of safety with grace than when it is engineering a scenario where a breach never occurs (impossible)
I just find this grid to be such an excellent way to say "I want to explore this, but there's a difference between as a FUN thing vs as a RISKY thing."
March 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I just find this grid to be such an excellent way to say "I want to explore this, but there's a difference between as a FUN thing vs as a RISKY thing."
The resurgent success over the past few years of 'The Secret History' doesn't necessarily surprise me, except that it has the most unforgivably ugly cover. This thing needs a redesign!
March 11, 2025 at 3:22 PM
The resurgent success over the past few years of 'The Secret History' doesn't necessarily surprise me, except that it has the most unforgivably ugly cover. This thing needs a redesign!
Reposted by Jack Edward
# Ritual Locations (for Liminal Horror)
1. Where a nun drowned.
2. Between two unmarked graves.
3. A waterway that has never seen the sun.
4. Where five roads meet.
5. A place with poisonous water.
6. Where the wind can be heard but not felt.
7. A beach where people get married.
1. Where a nun drowned.
2. Between two unmarked graves.
3. A waterway that has never seen the sun.
4. Where five roads meet.
5. A place with poisonous water.
6. Where the wind can be heard but not felt.
7. A beach where people get married.
January 31, 2025 at 8:29 PM
# Ritual Locations (for Liminal Horror)
1. Where a nun drowned.
2. Between two unmarked graves.
3. A waterway that has never seen the sun.
4. Where five roads meet.
5. A place with poisonous water.
6. Where the wind can be heard but not felt.
7. A beach where people get married.
1. Where a nun drowned.
2. Between two unmarked graves.
3. A waterway that has never seen the sun.
4. Where five roads meet.
5. A place with poisonous water.
6. Where the wind can be heard but not felt.
7. A beach where people get married.
The superbowl Squarespace ad was fucking genius. An advertisement of Squarespace’s (and other’s) own meaningless commodification and design-ification of the entire planet.
Turn the captions on to stare straight into the abyss.
Turn the captions on to stare straight into the abyss.
A Tale As Old As Websites (Extended) | Big Game Commercial 2025 | Squarespace
YouTube video by Squarespace
youtu.be
February 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The superbowl Squarespace ad was fucking genius. An advertisement of Squarespace’s (and other’s) own meaningless commodification and design-ification of the entire planet.
Turn the captions on to stare straight into the abyss.
Turn the captions on to stare straight into the abyss.
Recently finish the @aptshadow.bsky.social's Final Architecture trilogy cause I was looking for a slick, modern space opera with cosmic horror nods. It was that!
But it also feels like this stealthy update to atompunk/raygun gothic motifs. Like I feel like the covers should have been more like...
But it also feels like this stealthy update to atompunk/raygun gothic motifs. Like I feel like the covers should have been more like...
January 27, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Recently finish the @aptshadow.bsky.social's Final Architecture trilogy cause I was looking for a slick, modern space opera with cosmic horror nods. It was that!
But it also feels like this stealthy update to atompunk/raygun gothic motifs. Like I feel like the covers should have been more like...
But it also feels like this stealthy update to atompunk/raygun gothic motifs. Like I feel like the covers should have been more like...