Oddplan!
@oddplan.itch.io
Oddplan is a collective, a label, and sometimes a pagan cult, focused on developing tabletop role-playing games.
What kind of market can exist when everybody insists on eating the same meal every day? What type of innovation do you expect when the audience demands novelty but only invests in what they already know?
From Pop To Slop
The comforting lure of the formless and tasteless mass product.
oddplan.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
What kind of market can exist when everybody insists on eating the same meal every day? What type of innovation do you expect when the audience demands novelty but only invests in what they already know?
While we were prepping the new free content for Epigoni, Affinity glitched out and decided to give us the cursed version of our brand all on its own. We love it and we aren't sleeping tonight.
November 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
While we were prepping the new free content for Epigoni, Affinity glitched out and decided to give us the cursed version of our brand all on its own. We love it and we aren't sleeping tonight.
"The sooner we, as a community, dispel the fantasy that a flashy Kickstarter guarantees fast success, the better. You don’t need a million. You need to finish what you start, pay your collaborators, ship what you promised, and have enough left to do it again—maybe even better."
All That Glitters ain’t Sold
Moderation and sensible planning are the new punk rock.
oddplan.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM
"The sooner we, as a community, dispel the fantasy that a flashy Kickstarter guarantees fast success, the better. You don’t need a million. You need to finish what you start, pay your collaborators, ship what you promised, and have enough left to do it again—maybe even better."
If you’re a tiny indie TTRPG dev, PWYW doesn’t give you good word of mouth, doesn’t make your reputation better, quite the contrary, and kills your revenue. The classic example of “why we can’t have nice things”.
Pay What We Want
The reasons why we are ditching the PWYW model and a couple of awkward rants
oddplan.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 9:45 AM
If you’re a tiny indie TTRPG dev, PWYW doesn’t give you good word of mouth, doesn’t make your reputation better, quite the contrary, and kills your revenue. The classic example of “why we can’t have nice things”.
A solo journaling game about a factory occupation wasn’t in our Bingo card, and yet here we are.
Rise Up! by Oddplan!
A Journaling TTRPG of Insurrection, Resistance and Change
oddplan.itch.io
October 15, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A solo journaling game about a factory occupation wasn’t in our Bingo card, and yet here we are.
Tomorrow is finally the release day of “Rise Up!”, a solo game with our engine about a real struggle and real people. Yes, it’s very (VERY) left-wing, but the story you can write is more universal than you can think.
October 14, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Tomorrow is finally the release day of “Rise Up!”, a solo game with our engine about a real struggle and real people. Yes, it’s very (VERY) left-wing, but the story you can write is more universal than you can think.
What? Are we really publishing a proper, long-ass TTRPG? About goblins, nonetheless?!
Incredible. Also terrifying.
Incredible. Also terrifying.
October 7, 2025 at 2:49 PM
What? Are we really publishing a proper, long-ass TTRPG? About goblins, nonetheless?!
Incredible. Also terrifying.
Incredible. Also terrifying.
Apparently #gobtober is a thing, and we have an upcoming game about our favourite green idiots, out this November. We’re sitting on dozens of illustrations of goblins. Should we share them?
October 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Apparently #gobtober is a thing, and we have an upcoming game about our favourite green idiots, out this November. We’re sitting on dozens of illustrations of goblins. Should we share them?
Let us introduce you to our bulletproof strategy for marketing a new TTRPG:
1. Publish it by mistake days earlier.
2. Forget about it for days.
3. Half-assedly fill a couple of forms for a mention in newsletters you don’t read.
4. Get drunk with four bottles of Chianti in three.
5. Rinse and repeat.
1. Publish it by mistake days earlier.
2. Forget about it for days.
3. Half-assedly fill a couple of forms for a mention in newsletters you don’t read.
4. Get drunk with four bottles of Chianti in three.
5. Rinse and repeat.
October 2, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Let us introduce you to our bulletproof strategy for marketing a new TTRPG:
1. Publish it by mistake days earlier.
2. Forget about it for days.
3. Half-assedly fill a couple of forms for a mention in newsletters you don’t read.
4. Get drunk with four bottles of Chianti in three.
5. Rinse and repeat.
1. Publish it by mistake days earlier.
2. Forget about it for days.
3. Half-assedly fill a couple of forms for a mention in newsletters you don’t read.
4. Get drunk with four bottles of Chianti in three.
5. Rinse and repeat.
Our psychological horror setting is now available on itch.io. It’s pay-what-you-want, which means you can download it for free and forget it on your hard drive for a couple of years.
Mala Yerba by Oddplan!
A Horror setting for Epigoni
oddplan.itch.io
October 1, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Our psychological horror setting is now available on itch.io. It’s pay-what-you-want, which means you can download it for free and forget it on your hard drive for a couple of years.
To the chuds reading, we assure you that our next game is not political, not at all. It neither tries to pass off shamefully subversive concepts, such as the fact that work is a right and workers should be treated with dignity. It’s just a red manual with a lot of raised fists—nothing to see here.
Rise Up! by Oddplan!
A Journaling TTRPG of Insurrection, Resistance and Change
oddplan.itch.io
September 30, 2025 at 1:48 PM
To the chuds reading, we assure you that our next game is not political, not at all. It neither tries to pass off shamefully subversive concepts, such as the fact that work is a right and workers should be treated with dignity. It’s just a red manual with a lot of raised fists—nothing to see here.
We’ve just published a horror setting, while here in Italy it is still summer-y. In October, when all products are spooky experiences, we’ll release a journaling game about a factory occupation. Terrifying in its own way, but not creepy.
It’s not like we want to be different; we’re just idiots.
It’s not like we want to be different; we’re just idiots.
September 29, 2025 at 9:50 AM
We’ve just published a horror setting, while here in Italy it is still summer-y. In October, when all products are spooky experiences, we’ll release a journaling game about a factory occupation. Terrifying in its own way, but not creepy.
It’s not like we want to be different; we’re just idiots.
It’s not like we want to be different; we’re just idiots.
“You were clever to release a product so similar shortly after an original Silent Hill came out,” a friend stated, glancing at Mala Yerba.
“Well, of course, we’re extremely clever,” we lied, utterly unaware of Silent Hill f.
oddplan.substack.com/p/mala-yerba
“Well, of course, we’re extremely clever,” we lied, utterly unaware of Silent Hill f.
oddplan.substack.com/p/mala-yerba
Mala Yerba
A chilling setting for Epigoni Essential that combines Silent Hill with the worst fears born from the Eighties’ hypocrisies.
oddplan.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
“You were clever to release a product so similar shortly after an original Silent Hill came out,” a friend stated, glancing at Mala Yerba.
“Well, of course, we’re extremely clever,” we lied, utterly unaware of Silent Hill f.
oddplan.substack.com/p/mala-yerba
“Well, of course, we’re extremely clever,” we lied, utterly unaware of Silent Hill f.
oddplan.substack.com/p/mala-yerba
Is it easy being relevant in the indie #TTRPG space? No. Is it economically convenient? Nope. Is it time-intensive? Well, Yes.
Still interested?
We wrote a ludicrous strategy to be the top dog in a very tiny kennel.
Still interested?
We wrote a ludicrous strategy to be the top dog in a very tiny kennel.
A modest strategy for small TTRPG fries
How to invest a ludicrous amount of time to be relevant in the smallest pond of all
oddplan.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Is it easy being relevant in the indie #TTRPG space? No. Is it economically convenient? Nope. Is it time-intensive? Well, Yes.
Still interested?
We wrote a ludicrous strategy to be the top dog in a very tiny kennel.
Still interested?
We wrote a ludicrous strategy to be the top dog in a very tiny kennel.
The feeling of serendipity when you’re wrapping up your journaling game about a factory’s resistance to closure, and, through the window, you hear "Bella Ciao" being played and sung at the multicultural festival in the nearby park. It’s good to be in one of the most socialist regions of Europe.
September 18, 2025 at 8:55 PM
The feeling of serendipity when you’re wrapping up your journaling game about a factory’s resistance to closure, and, through the window, you hear "Bella Ciao" being played and sung at the multicultural festival in the nearby park. It’s good to be in one of the most socialist regions of Europe.
After analyzing crowdfunding for TTRPGs from an economic perspective (spoiler: it’s not pretty), let’s take a look together at why some of the system’s perks, such as stretch goals, are also one of the reasons for the market failure of the games that use it.
Why we don’t like crowdfunding - Part 2
Sometimes you play the game well. Sometimes the game plays you.
oddplan.substack.com
August 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
After analyzing crowdfunding for TTRPGs from an economic perspective (spoiler: it’s not pretty), let’s take a look together at why some of the system’s perks, such as stretch goals, are also one of the reasons for the market failure of the games that use it.
So, we’re still having a nazi problem on Substack. Monetized nazis, nonetheless! As grandsons of Italian partisans and nazi POWs, we can’t possibly stay on a platform that gives these scums of the Earth a place to spew their brain-dead hatred.
Substack sent a push alert promoting a Nazi blog
The newsletter's logo is a swastika and it has pushed Holocaust denialism along with news and opinion content for the 'White Nationalist Community.'
www.usermag.co
July 31, 2025 at 10:07 AM
So, we’re still having a nazi problem on Substack. Monetized nazis, nonetheless! As grandsons of Italian partisans and nazi POWs, we can’t possibly stay on a platform that gives these scums of the Earth a place to spew their brain-dead hatred.
We’re not particularly fond of crowdfunding as the primary revenue generator for TTRPGs. There are several reasons, but we’ll start by discussing the economics of it.
Why we don’t like crowdfunding - Part 1
Some uncomfortable truths about one of the most beloved fundraising methods in RPGs.
oddplan.substack.com
July 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM
We’re not particularly fond of crowdfunding as the primary revenue generator for TTRPGs. There are several reasons, but we’ll start by discussing the economics of it.
Me: “Mom can we have Mario Kart?”
Mom: “No, we have Mario Kart at home”
Mario Kart at home:
Mom: “No, we have Mario Kart at home”
Mario Kart at home:
Candies’ Crash
A GM-less game of wild races, ruthless sweets, and crumbled friendships for 2+ players
oddplan.substack.com
July 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Me: “Mom can we have Mario Kart?”
Mom: “No, we have Mario Kart at home”
Mario Kart at home:
Mom: “No, we have Mario Kart at home”
Mario Kart at home:
Aztlan is a Mexican #rpg setting that mixes Mesoamerican mythology with pop culture. If you haven't tried Epigoni yet, this is a good opportunity to do so.
Aztlan
A Vision for Epigoni Essential set in the lands of the Mesoamerica
oddplan.substack.com
June 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Aztlan is a Mexican #rpg setting that mixes Mesoamerican mythology with pop culture. If you haven't tried Epigoni yet, this is a good opportunity to do so.
They made a Jam for our silly engine! We're still processing this.
Pressure12 SRD Jam
A game jam from 2025-05-12 to 2025-08-02 hosted by mountainfoot. This is not an official Oddplan! Jam, just a celebration of the release of the Pressure12 SRD . This jam is a chance to get involved in...
itch.io
May 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
They made a Jam for our silly engine! We're still processing this.
As an RPG designer, you should be proud and happy of being no more than an artisan. Leave all the "Artist" posturing to other creative endeavors.
You produce tools, not art.
How RPG designers are more craftsmen than artists, and why that’s ok.
oddplan.substack.com
May 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
As an RPG designer, you should be proud and happy of being no more than an artisan. Leave all the "Artist" posturing to other creative endeavors.
To get our bearings as game #ttrpg authors and producers in this post-tariff environment, we sought the advice of an industry expert. After all, as much as we might be right to complain, it sadly doesn't achieve anything.
Not-so-reciprocal tariffs in the tabletop gaming industry
How the tariffs will shape the TTG and TTRPG space, and what we can do about them.
oddplan.substack.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:26 AM
To get our bearings as game #ttrpg authors and producers in this post-tariff environment, we sought the advice of an industry expert. After all, as much as we might be right to complain, it sadly doesn't achieve anything.
Reposted by Oddplan!
Somehow @rascalnews.bsky.social thought it was a good idea to let me ramble about The Soloist Substack, solo RPGs, and why SOLO BORG isn’t just one more way to die alone in a pit. By @chasecarter.bsky.social.
Read it here: www.rascal.news/solo-borg-se...
Read it here: www.rascal.news/solo-borg-se...
SOLO BORG sells the dream of dying in a pit, all alone
Patrick Buechner, one of solo play’s biggest advocates, puts on his designer hat.
www.rascal.news
April 23, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Somehow @rascalnews.bsky.social thought it was a good idea to let me ramble about The Soloist Substack, solo RPGs, and why SOLO BORG isn’t just one more way to die alone in a pit. By @chasecarter.bsky.social.
Read it here: www.rascal.news/solo-borg-se...
Read it here: www.rascal.news/solo-borg-se...