Ben Robbins
@lamemage.com
game designer, made Microscope, Kingdom, West Marches, this that and the other thing. I blog at arsludi.lamemage.com
Pinned
Ben Robbins
@lamemage.com
· 21d
Rules of Law Is Ready to Play
Our justice says who we are as a people. What do we punish? Do we enforce our laws fairly for everyone? Do we think our system is just?
These are big questions about the foundations of society, so of...
arsludi.lamemage.com
You know what tells you a lot about a society? Our LAWS.
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Continuing our examination of all the tropes and assumptions of D&D via In This World.
This week's topic: CLERICS.
Because clerics and gods and religion in D&D are fucking weeeeeeeeeird
#InThisWorld
This week's topic: CLERICS.
Because clerics and gods and religion in D&D are fucking weeeeeeeeeird
#InThisWorld
December 31, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Continuing our examination of all the tropes and assumptions of D&D via In This World.
This week's topic: CLERICS.
Because clerics and gods and religion in D&D are fucking weeeeeeeeeird
#InThisWorld
This week's topic: CLERICS.
Because clerics and gods and religion in D&D are fucking weeeeeeeeeird
#InThisWorld
Does our law ban knives because we're a peaceful society, opposed to weapons?
No, it's because *everyone* carries knives -- they love their knives! -- and we're making a futile effort to keep a lid on it.
#RuleofLaw #summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
No, it's because *everyone* carries knives -- they love their knives! -- and we're making a futile effort to keep a lid on it.
#RuleofLaw #summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
Rules of Law: We All Carry Knives
This is one of the examples included in Rules of Law to show how the game plays. But then I thought, well if this is such a good demonstration, why not share it with people who don't have the game yet...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Does our law ban knives because we're a peaceful society, opposed to weapons?
No, it's because *everyone* carries knives -- they love their knives! -- and we're making a futile effort to keep a lid on it.
#RuleofLaw #summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
No, it's because *everyone* carries knives -- they love their knives! -- and we're making a futile effort to keep a lid on it.
#RuleofLaw #summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
Reposted by Ben Robbins
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
The Golden Age of Indie RPGs: 2010-2025
YouTube video by A.A. Voigt
youtu.be
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
Gather round children, for a tale of holiday magic!
In which we not only fail to save xmas, but kind of shoot the moon and destroy it forever instead.
And Santa gets divorced.
#FollowRPG #gmless
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
In which we not only fail to save xmas, but kind of shoot the moon and destroy it forever instead.
And Santa gets divorced.
#FollowRPG #gmless
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
Sugar Plum, Fairy
Gather round children, and let me tell you a tale about Santa Claus and the spirit of Christmas! All around the world, people had forgotten the true meaning-of-the-season. So it was up to us, the asso...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Gather round children, for a tale of holiday magic!
In which we not only fail to save xmas, but kind of shoot the moon and destroy it forever instead.
And Santa gets divorced.
#FollowRPG #gmless
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
In which we not only fail to save xmas, but kind of shoot the moon and destroy it forever instead.
And Santa gets divorced.
#FollowRPG #gmless
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
Reposted by Ben Robbins
I wrote a listicle for the top 12 TTRPGs I enjoyed reading this year: dicesoniceisaiddicetwice.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/t...
#ttrpg #rpg
#ttrpg #rpg
The 12 TTRPGs that made me say “Hell Yeah” the most in 2025
2026 is around the corner and therefore I’d better get something together if I’m going to hit this page’s quota of 1 blog post a year. This year I had the good sense to keep a record of every game …
dicesoniceisaiddicetwice.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I wrote a listicle for the top 12 TTRPGs I enjoyed reading this year: dicesoniceisaiddicetwice.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/t...
#ttrpg #rpg
#ttrpg #rpg
I skip ONE SESSION and look what happens!!!
We had a hilarious playtest of my relationships and feelings game last night. A delightful princess-switch situation led to some pretty funny scenes of mistaken identity! More games should have two identical characters where only one of them actually wants to switch! #summerlab
December 22, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I skip ONE SESSION and look what happens!!!
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a game example is worth, I dunno, at least a couple hundred?
So I expanded Rules of Law to a luxurious THREE pages to make room for examples. And also made a version formatted for mobile.
#summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
So I expanded Rules of Law to a luxurious THREE pages to make room for examples. And also made a version formatted for mobile.
#summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
Rules of Law Update: Examples & Mobile
Rules of Law fits very nicely on two pages. It's a tight procedure, with not too many weird exceptions or explanations, so that works.
But one thing I miss are examples. Because clear rules are great...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:19 PM
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a game example is worth, I dunno, at least a couple hundred?
So I expanded Rules of Law to a luxurious THREE pages to make room for examples. And also made a version formatted for mobile.
#summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
So I expanded Rules of Law to a luxurious THREE pages to make room for examples. And also made a version formatted for mobile.
#summerlab
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/49...
I am a notorious em-dasher. I searched my blog posts for the last 20 years just to verify, and yep, endless –.
But now em-dashes are the mark of the beast. How do I prove my humanity in a world invaded by AI slop???
And don't say "just don't dash". If we give up our dashes, the enemy has won!!!
But now em-dashes are the mark of the beast. How do I prove my humanity in a world invaded by AI slop???
And don't say "just don't dash". If we give up our dashes, the enemy has won!!!
December 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I am a notorious em-dasher. I searched my blog posts for the last 20 years just to verify, and yep, endless –.
But now em-dashes are the mark of the beast. How do I prove my humanity in a world invaded by AI slop???
And don't say "just don't dash". If we give up our dashes, the enemy has won!!!
But now em-dashes are the mark of the beast. How do I prove my humanity in a world invaded by AI slop???
And don't say "just don't dash". If we give up our dashes, the enemy has won!!!
Tune in to find out what inappropriate things Ben says while on cold medicine!
We are very pleased to bring you our chat with Ben Robbins, the creator of Microscope, In This World, and many other indie games via Lame Mage. Check it out!
#lamemage #arsludi #BenRobbins #ttrpg
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
#lamemage #arsludi #BenRobbins #ttrpg
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
December 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Tune in to find out what inappropriate things Ben says while on cold medicine!
Reposted by Ben Robbins
DAY 8, GAME 11: Microscope is only one of the great collaborative story-games from @lamemage.com, but it's the first one of them I love to play with a group, to build and explore not just a world together, but its entire history. Brain-bursting fun for a lot of newcomers. lamemage.com/microscope/
December 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
DAY 8, GAME 11: Microscope is only one of the great collaborative story-games from @lamemage.com, but it's the first one of them I love to play with a group, to build and explore not just a world together, but its entire history. Brain-bursting fun for a lot of newcomers. lamemage.com/microscope/
Meta’s AI crawler bots (the ones swiping material to train their AI) have been hitting my website about 50,000 times a day. 10x more a few days ago.
Enough to act as a denial of service attack. And the files they're trying to read… don’t exist. The paths are bizarre combinations of real paths.
Enough to act as a denial of service attack. And the files they're trying to read… don’t exist. The paths are bizarre combinations of real paths.
December 17, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Meta’s AI crawler bots (the ones swiping material to train their AI) have been hitting my website about 50,000 times a day. 10x more a few days ago.
Enough to act as a denial of service attack. And the files they're trying to read… don’t exist. The paths are bizarre combinations of real paths.
Enough to act as a denial of service attack. And the files they're trying to read… don’t exist. The paths are bizarre combinations of real paths.
Getting everything on to two pages was lovely, but I've decided Rules of Law would be better with some in-depth demonstrations.
Sooooo I'm adding a whole third page with detailed examples, because I think that will make life better for the players.
Sooooo I'm adding a whole third page with detailed examples, because I think that will make life better for the players.
December 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Getting everything on to two pages was lovely, but I've decided Rules of Law would be better with some in-depth demonstrations.
Sooooo I'm adding a whole third page with detailed examples, because I think that will make life better for the players.
Sooooo I'm adding a whole third page with detailed examples, because I think that will make life better for the players.
"Unity is achieved under a ruthless leader"
This is why we can't have nice things, Microscope!!!
This is why we can't have nice things, Microscope!!!
Played a game of Microscope by @lamemage.com and really enjoyed it. @czamboni.bsky.social and @moltensulfur.bsky.social where my fellow players. I wrote up a review of the game here: planesailinggames.com/review/2025-...
Review - Microscope
Creating an epic history across all of time and space with friends in one afternoon.
planesailinggames.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
"Unity is achieved under a ruthless leader"
This is why we can't have nice things, Microscope!!!
This is why we can't have nice things, Microscope!!!
Reposted by Ben Robbins
Yay Rules of Law! I've played it a few times now, and it's simple, fun, and thought-provoking! All the good things!
You know what tells you a lot about a society? Our LAWS.
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Rules of Law Is Ready to Play
Our justice says who we are as a people. What do we punish? Do we enforce our laws fairly for everyone? Do we think our system is just?
These are big questions about the foundations of society, so of...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 10, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Yay Rules of Law! I've played it a few times now, and it's simple, fun, and thought-provoking! All the good things!
Reposted by Ben Robbins
HE KEEPS DOING IT, PEOPLE
You know what tells you a lot about a society? Our LAWS.
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Rules of Law Is Ready to Play
Our justice says who we are as a people. What do we punish? Do we enforce our laws fairly for everyone? Do we think our system is just?
These are big questions about the foundations of society, so of...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:13 PM
HE KEEPS DOING IT, PEOPLE
You know what tells you a lot about a society? Our LAWS.
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
Rules of Law Is Ready to Play
Our justice says who we are as a people. What do we punish? Do we enforce our laws fairly for everyone? Do we think our system is just?
These are big questions about the foundations of society, so of...
arsludi.lamemage.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:12 PM
You know what tells you a lot about a society? Our LAWS.
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
What do we punish? Do we enforce them fairly? Do we think our laws are just?
So of course I made world-building game about that…
arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/48...
"We bombed ourselves back to the stone age"
I know that feel, Microscope
I know that feel, Microscope
A lovely game "Microscope" by @lamemage.com - with @planesailinggames.com and @moltensulfur.bsky.social !
I quite enjoyed our post-apocalyptic civilization, with a mysterious Whomp technology, entrepreneurial "rat" people, telepathy and its discontents, and even a Mule-like figure!
🌏🚀
I quite enjoyed our post-apocalyptic civilization, with a mysterious Whomp technology, entrepreneurial "rat" people, telepathy and its discontents, and even a Mule-like figure!
🌏🚀
December 7, 2025 at 11:26 PM
"We bombed ourselves back to the stone age"
I know that feel, Microscope
I know that feel, Microscope
Ahhhhhh I just played Rules of Law and my brain is on fire!!!!
We had conflicting laws that required you to divulge information of public interest but also restricting how you divulge it.
Amazingly complex society, putting citizens in challenging situations, but all with good intent.
#summerlab
We had conflicting laws that required you to divulge information of public interest but also restricting how you divulge it.
Amazingly complex society, putting citizens in challenging situations, but all with good intent.
#summerlab
November 28, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Ahhhhhh I just played Rules of Law and my brain is on fire!!!!
We had conflicting laws that required you to divulge information of public interest but also restricting how you divulge it.
Amazingly complex society, putting citizens in challenging situations, but all with good intent.
#summerlab
We had conflicting laws that required you to divulge information of public interest but also restricting how you divulge it.
Amazingly complex society, putting citizens in challenging situations, but all with good intent.
#summerlab
Continuing our series of "what if D&D but not?" games of In This World.
I am continually astounded how we can make a setting I want to play a whole campaign in every 25 minutes less. And then another. And then another.
#InThisWorld
I am continually astounded how we can make a setting I want to play a whole campaign in every 25 minutes less. And then another. And then another.
#InThisWorld
November 27, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Continuing our series of "what if D&D but not?" games of In This World.
I am continually astounded how we can make a setting I want to play a whole campaign in every 25 minutes less. And then another. And then another.
#InThisWorld
I am continually astounded how we can make a setting I want to play a whole campaign in every 25 minutes less. And then another. And then another.
#InThisWorld
Reposted by Ben Robbins
Check out the new game that @diceexploder.com and I have designed: randylubin.itch.io/three-genera...
In "Three Generations: The Rise and Fall of the Eternal Empire" you tell the story of an empire as you build a city network and tell stories of the characters who travel across its lands.
In "Three Generations: The Rise and Fall of the Eternal Empire" you tell the story of an empire as you build a city network and tell stories of the characters who travel across its lands.
Three Generations: The Rise and Fall of the Eternal Empire by Randy Lubin, sdunnewold
Build an empire and watch it crumble
randylubin.itch.io
November 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Check out the new game that @diceexploder.com and I have designed: randylubin.itch.io/three-genera...
In "Three Generations: The Rise and Fall of the Eternal Empire" you tell the story of an empire as you build a city network and tell stories of the characters who travel across its lands.
In "Three Generations: The Rise and Fall of the Eternal Empire" you tell the story of an empire as you build a city network and tell stories of the characters who travel across its lands.
Reposted by Ben Robbins
This is tomorrow! Whether you're a fan of GMless indie #TTRPGs, mysteries and thrillers, or group chat drama, make sure to tune in on the @nerdswdice.bsky.social Twitch (www.twitch.tv/nerdswithdice)
Check us out on Saturday as we play Alice Is Missing, a game where the members of a group chat track down their missing friend, or die trying!
November 21, 2025 at 10:21 PM
This is tomorrow! Whether you're a fan of GMless indie #TTRPGs, mysteries and thrillers, or group chat drama, make sure to tune in on the @nerdswdice.bsky.social Twitch (www.twitch.tv/nerdswithdice)
Another nice thing about playing RPGs online instead of in-person is that you never have to worry about getting everyone else sick
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Another nice thing about playing RPGs online instead of in-person is that you never have to worry about getting everyone else sick
Well to be fair we used a lot of other words (some of them curses) but none that stuck
Generations of game designers tried their best but the only word they could muster was “GMless”
November 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Well to be fair we used a lot of other words (some of them curses) but none that stuck
This is also your periodic reminder that the original Predator movie (1987) is a perfectly crafted work of art.
A finely-tuned Swiss watch of a movie.
A finely-tuned Swiss watch of a movie.
November 13, 2025 at 5:31 AM
This is also your periodic reminder that the original Predator movie (1987) is a perfectly crafted work of art.
A finely-tuned Swiss watch of a movie.
A finely-tuned Swiss watch of a movie.
I came down with some kind of cold, so of course I have been treating it with heavy doses of game design?
#summerlab
#summerlab
November 12, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I came down with some kind of cold, so of course I have been treating it with heavy doses of game design?
#summerlab
#summerlab