cavegirl
@cavegirl.bsky.social
Emily F Allen.
Indie RPGs. Horror & Whimsy. Owner of one Ennie Award. She/Her. Sapphic trans girl, Quaker, hard left, spider-lover.
Indie RPGs. Horror & Whimsy. Owner of one Ennie Award. She/Her. Sapphic trans girl, Quaker, hard left, spider-lover.
oh yeah for sure, it's *far* from a new medium.
I've been doing this stuff for, like, decades at this point. Back on IRC and mushclient and stuff.
I've seen a few names for it floating around. "living community" and "live text" and "digital larp" all get used a lot.
I've been doing this stuff for, like, decades at this point. Back on IRC and mushclient and stuff.
I've seen a few names for it floating around. "living community" and "live text" and "digital larp" all get used a lot.
November 19, 2025 at 1:13 AM
oh yeah for sure, it's *far* from a new medium.
I've been doing this stuff for, like, decades at this point. Back on IRC and mushclient and stuff.
I've seen a few names for it floating around. "living community" and "live text" and "digital larp" all get used a lot.
I've been doing this stuff for, like, decades at this point. Back on IRC and mushclient and stuff.
I've seen a few names for it floating around. "living community" and "live text" and "digital larp" all get used a lot.
but you need to get that initial first wave of players for that to happen.
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
but you need to get that initial first wave of players for that to happen.
D&D 5e remains popular, so that's doubtful
certainly, if you can get a critical mass of players to actually experience the game, then word of mouth about a good experience can result in more people coming in. this is, imho, how most larps get successful.
certainly, if you can get a critical mass of players to actually experience the game, then word of mouth about a good experience can result in more people coming in. this is, imho, how most larps get successful.
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
D&D 5e remains popular, so that's doubtful
certainly, if you can get a critical mass of players to actually experience the game, then word of mouth about a good experience can result in more people coming in. this is, imho, how most larps get successful.
certainly, if you can get a critical mass of players to actually experience the game, then word of mouth about a good experience can result in more people coming in. this is, imho, how most larps get successful.
In the end, what sells games isn't good design, its marketing.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
In the end, what sells games isn't good design, its marketing.
Once you've got that investment from players, a well designed game will absolutely hook existing players.
But good mechanical design on its own won't get you to the point where you can hook players.
But good mechanical design on its own won't get you to the point where you can hook players.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Once you've got that investment from players, a well designed game will absolutely hook existing players.
But good mechanical design on its own won't get you to the point where you can hook players.
But good mechanical design on its own won't get you to the point where you can hook players.
Now, this isn't to say that the actual experience of playing a game isn't hugely impacted by thing's mechanical design. Realistically, once you've sat down at the table to play, it's the *most important* factor.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Now, this isn't to say that the actual experience of playing a game isn't hugely impacted by thing's mechanical design. Realistically, once you've sat down at the table to play, it's the *most important* factor.
I dunno. I think the people who get excited over game mechanics and systems design and such are a comparatively small section of the market for ttrpgs, and mechanics are much harder to actually impress people with because you need to actually play the damn thing to experience them
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I dunno. I think the people who get excited over game mechanics and systems design and such are a comparatively small section of the market for ttrpgs, and mechanics are much harder to actually impress people with because you need to actually play the damn thing to experience them
I can think of plenty of indie darlings that are, let's be fair, Just Kinda Fine in terms of mechanical design, but absolutely stormed their way to success off a distinctive visual style or the work of a really talented artist.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I can think of plenty of indie darlings that are, let's be fair, Just Kinda Fine in terms of mechanical design, but absolutely stormed their way to success off a distinctive visual style or the work of a really talented artist.
So how does an indie game make itself stand out? In the words of megamind, ~presentation~
be a good artist and graphic designer already (or be friends with someone who is). Make your game visually striking and full of lovely art. Wow the prospective audience with how good your game looks, and voila
be a good artist and graphic designer already (or be friends with someone who is). Make your game visually striking and full of lovely art. Wow the prospective audience with how good your game looks, and voila
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
So how does an indie game make itself stand out? In the words of megamind, ~presentation~
be a good artist and graphic designer already (or be friends with someone who is). Make your game visually striking and full of lovely art. Wow the prospective audience with how good your game looks, and voila
be a good artist and graphic designer already (or be friends with someone who is). Make your game visually striking and full of lovely art. Wow the prospective audience with how good your game looks, and voila
The Avatar ttrpg didn't succeed because it was a *good game*. It was thoroughly mediocre, but it *was* a game based on avatar the last airbender, which got its foot in the door.
I mean, fuck. D&D 5e is a fucking terribly designed game but its rampant success is strangling the medium like kudzu vine
I mean, fuck. D&D 5e is a fucking terribly designed game but its rampant success is strangling the medium like kudzu vine
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The Avatar ttrpg didn't succeed because it was a *good game*. It was thoroughly mediocre, but it *was* a game based on avatar the last airbender, which got its foot in the door.
I mean, fuck. D&D 5e is a fucking terribly designed game but its rampant success is strangling the medium like kudzu vine
I mean, fuck. D&D 5e is a fucking terribly designed game but its rampant success is strangling the medium like kudzu vine
This audience will likely bring that same disinterest to any new game they pick up. They will fail to engage with good and bad mechanical design with the same pointed disinterest. And if a game's design forces engagement, they will reject it as 'pushy' and 'restrictive'.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This audience will likely bring that same disinterest to any new game they pick up. They will fail to engage with good and bad mechanical design with the same pointed disinterest. And if a game's design forces engagement, they will reject it as 'pushy' and 'restrictive'.
we also have the problem that a pretty big section of the consumer-base for ttrpgs are not really interested in engaging with the game on a mechanical level, prefering to play a sort of freeform with homeopathic d20 rolls now and then.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
we also have the problem that a pretty big section of the consumer-base for ttrpgs are not really interested in engaging with the game on a mechanical level, prefering to play a sort of freeform with homeopathic d20 rolls now and then.
(In theory you can impress people with your mechanics by getting an AP to play it on stream. Now, things get a bit the-medium-is-the-message here with the different pressures and goals of a stream vs a home game. Some stuff just doesn't translate well to a stream for an audience, no matter how fun.)
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
(In theory you can impress people with your mechanics by getting an AP to play it on stream. Now, things get a bit the-medium-is-the-message here with the different pressures and goals of a stream vs a home game. Some stuff just doesn't translate well to a stream for an audience, no matter how fun.)
The thing is, mechanics only really get a chance to really wow a consumer once they've already invested. Once they've bought the game, got a group together, and sat down to play. Only *then* does actual gameplay become apparent.
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The thing is, mechanics only really get a chance to really wow a consumer once they've already invested. Once they've bought the game, got a group together, and sat down to play. Only *then* does actual gameplay become apparent.
these are the things that you can put in front of somebody on your kickstarter or webstore or whatever that will get people to buy your game.
Games-as-artbooks sells games.
Using IPs that people already like sells games.
(Both of these are largely out of the financial reach of new indie devs)
Games-as-artbooks sells games.
Using IPs that people already like sells games.
(Both of these are largely out of the financial reach of new indie devs)
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
these are the things that you can put in front of somebody on your kickstarter or webstore or whatever that will get people to buy your game.
Games-as-artbooks sells games.
Using IPs that people already like sells games.
(Both of these are largely out of the financial reach of new indie devs)
Games-as-artbooks sells games.
Using IPs that people already like sells games.
(Both of these are largely out of the financial reach of new indie devs)
The cynic in me thinks that mechanical design has little impact on the success of an rpg. The vast majority of consumers don't actually care about mechanics because they just arent very marketable. The things that sell games are:
- recognisable branding
- nice art
- social capital
- recognisable branding
- nice art
- social capital
November 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The cynic in me thinks that mechanical design has little impact on the success of an rpg. The vast majority of consumers don't actually care about mechanics because they just arent very marketable. The things that sell games are:
- recognisable branding
- nice art
- social capital
- recognisable branding
- nice art
- social capital
Trolls: George Michael - yes yes 'last christmas' is very cheesy but have you considered that a) Careless Whisper is a fucking banger and b) it was only when he died that we learned about the vast amounts of philanthropy he did.
November 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Trolls: George Michael - yes yes 'last christmas' is very cheesy but have you considered that a) Careless Whisper is a fucking banger and b) it was only when he died that we learned about the vast amounts of philanthropy he did.
Slaugh: The Cure - was it ever going to be anything else?
November 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Slaugh: The Cure - was it ever going to be anything else?
Sidhe (autumn): Liszt - basically the same as the above, but with slightly more tolerable and slightly less wildly out of touch, and with the capacity to form opinions of their own.
November 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Sidhe (autumn): Liszt - basically the same as the above, but with slightly more tolerable and slightly less wildly out of touch, and with the capacity to form opinions of their own.
Sidhe (arcadian): Beethoven - anybody who says their favourite music is beethoven has a 90% chance to be essentially an insufferable snob and is probably doing so as a class thing
November 15, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Sidhe (arcadian): Beethoven - anybody who says their favourite music is beethoven has a 90% chance to be essentially an insufferable snob and is probably doing so as a class thing