Nick
@deepdark.games
TTRPG creator, miniature artist, and mech pilot. (he/him)
A Perfect Rock is accepting late pledges on Kickstarter! - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deepdarkgames/a-perfect-rock?ref=1811s1
Web: deepdark.games
Insta: @deepdarkgames
A Perfect Rock is accepting late pledges on Kickstarter! - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/deepdarkgames/a-perfect-rock?ref=1811s1
Web: deepdark.games
Insta: @deepdarkgames
The core game loop involves navigating to distant stars and exploring planets that could be your new home.
I wanted each star spread to feel like you were there, looking at your potential new sun.
Mixing the stellar landscapes with "old scientific book" took a few attempts to get right!
I wanted each star spread to feel like you were there, looking at your potential new sun.
Mixing the stellar landscapes with "old scientific book" took a few attempts to get right!
September 25, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The core game loop involves navigating to distant stars and exploring planets that could be your new home.
I wanted each star spread to feel like you were there, looking at your potential new sun.
Mixing the stellar landscapes with "old scientific book" took a few attempts to get right!
I wanted each star spread to feel like you were there, looking at your potential new sun.
Mixing the stellar landscapes with "old scientific book" took a few attempts to get right!
It's also important to me that my books are really useable, and never a barrier to actually playing the game.
This means having a good flow, letting the layout breathe, and making it really easy for the facilitating player to run the game.
This means having a good flow, letting the layout breathe, and making it really easy for the facilitating player to run the game.
September 25, 2025 at 3:42 PM
It's also important to me that my books are really useable, and never a barrier to actually playing the game.
This means having a good flow, letting the layout breathe, and making it really easy for the facilitating player to run the game.
This means having a good flow, letting the layout breathe, and making it really easy for the facilitating player to run the game.
A huge inspiration was old scientific books with rock illustrations.
I found this style helped emphasize the "you are an explorer, what do you find?" aspect of the game.
(plus: I want to encourage creativity at a variety of scales, from planets down to rocks.)
I found this style helped emphasize the "you are an explorer, what do you find?" aspect of the game.
(plus: I want to encourage creativity at a variety of scales, from planets down to rocks.)
September 25, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A huge inspiration was old scientific books with rock illustrations.
I found this style helped emphasize the "you are an explorer, what do you find?" aspect of the game.
(plus: I want to encourage creativity at a variety of scales, from planets down to rocks.)
I found this style helped emphasize the "you are an explorer, what do you find?" aspect of the game.
(plus: I want to encourage creativity at a variety of scales, from planets down to rocks.)
Almost finished the layout of A Perfect Rock!
Here are some sneak peeks and my thoughts on the design:
Here are some sneak peeks and my thoughts on the design:
September 25, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Almost finished the layout of A Perfect Rock!
Here are some sneak peeks and my thoughts on the design:
Here are some sneak peeks and my thoughts on the design:
Played @possibleworlds.bsky.social's Tacklebox this evening, and it was excellent! Super easy setup, the "two people fishing on a boat" premise was really strong, and the prompts were very clever.
Highly recommended if you want a 2-player story game!
Highly recommended if you want a 2-player story game!
September 25, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Played @possibleworlds.bsky.social's Tacklebox this evening, and it was excellent! Super easy setup, the "two people fishing on a boat" premise was really strong, and the prompts were very clever.
Highly recommended if you want a 2-player story game!
Highly recommended if you want a 2-player story game!
A Perfect Rock is a finalist for the CRIT award's Best 1-page TTRPG!
I'm seriously honoured to be nominated.
Please help recognize these amazing indie creators by voting for your favourite games and creators here:
forms.gle/HJLARSHa3FYz...
I'm seriously honoured to be nominated.
Please help recognize these amazing indie creators by voting for your favourite games and creators here:
forms.gle/HJLARSHa3FYz...
June 24, 2025 at 7:52 PM
A Perfect Rock is a finalist for the CRIT award's Best 1-page TTRPG!
I'm seriously honoured to be nominated.
Please help recognize these amazing indie creators by voting for your favourite games and creators here:
forms.gle/HJLARSHa3FYz...
I'm seriously honoured to be nominated.
Please help recognize these amazing indie creators by voting for your favourite games and creators here:
forms.gle/HJLARSHa3FYz...
And I was Timothy, who wore a mini-bear skull mask and made a mess everywhere with the leaves from his nest.
February 3, 2025 at 9:28 PM
And I was Timothy, who wore a mini-bear skull mask and made a mess everywhere with the leaves from his nest.
@bmars.bsky.social was StarsBane, the serious, clean, tech-y kangaroo rat who eventually learned to just chill.
February 3, 2025 at 9:28 PM
@bmars.bsky.social was StarsBane, the serious, clean, tech-y kangaroo rat who eventually learned to just chill.
@strautmaskreplica.bsky.social was Cheddar, an average rat who loved food, spices, and their missing bestie.
February 3, 2025 at 9:28 PM
@strautmaskreplica.bsky.social was Cheddar, an average rat who loved food, spices, and their missing bestie.
Such a fun playtest of A Perfect Rock: our high-tech, super-clean rats ended up on an ocean planet, living on top of a whale, worshipping a sacred tree.
Thank you @strautmaskreplica.bsky.social @bmars.bsky.social for being such good rat shipmates.
Thank you @strautmaskreplica.bsky.social @bmars.bsky.social for being such good rat shipmates.
February 3, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Such a fun playtest of A Perfect Rock: our high-tech, super-clean rats ended up on an ocean planet, living on top of a whale, worshipping a sacred tree.
Thank you @strautmaskreplica.bsky.social @bmars.bsky.social for being such good rat shipmates.
Thank you @strautmaskreplica.bsky.social @bmars.bsky.social for being such good rat shipmates.
Another playtest of A Perfect Rock, and unfortunately our lizard people decided to live on different planets.
I chose the planet with frozen acid oceans where the dead could be unthawed back to life, and @adambell.games lived in the center of a big egg with gigantic megalodons.
I chose the planet with frozen acid oceans where the dead could be unthawed back to life, and @adambell.games lived in the center of a big egg with gigantic megalodons.
January 23, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Another playtest of A Perfect Rock, and unfortunately our lizard people decided to live on different planets.
I chose the planet with frozen acid oceans where the dead could be unthawed back to life, and @adambell.games lived in the center of a big egg with gigantic megalodons.
I chose the planet with frozen acid oceans where the dead could be unthawed back to life, and @adambell.games lived in the center of a big egg with gigantic megalodons.
Volka loved to collect flowers, but also couldn't resist snatching a snake-teratops egg.
Vassili had a strange, alien doll mysteriously appear in his quarters and whisper things to him.
Very normal stuff.
Vassili had a strange, alien doll mysteriously appear in his quarters and whisper things to him.
Very normal stuff.
January 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Volka loved to collect flowers, but also couldn't resist snatching a snake-teratops egg.
Vassili had a strange, alien doll mysteriously appear in his quarters and whisper things to him.
Very normal stuff.
Vassili had a strange, alien doll mysteriously appear in his quarters and whisper things to him.
Very normal stuff.
Had a really fun playtest of A Perfect Rock last night!
Our cosmonaut-inspired explorers did not want to live on the planet that digested you, or the planet with ancient alien defence bots.
Instead, we settled for the hot, tropical planet teeming with deadly animals.
#zinemonth #zinequest
Our cosmonaut-inspired explorers did not want to live on the planet that digested you, or the planet with ancient alien defence bots.
Instead, we settled for the hot, tropical planet teeming with deadly animals.
#zinemonth #zinequest
January 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Had a really fun playtest of A Perfect Rock last night!
Our cosmonaut-inspired explorers did not want to live on the planet that digested you, or the planet with ancient alien defence bots.
Instead, we settled for the hot, tropical planet teeming with deadly animals.
#zinemonth #zinequest
Our cosmonaut-inspired explorers did not want to live on the planet that digested you, or the planet with ancient alien defence bots.
Instead, we settled for the hot, tropical planet teeming with deadly animals.
#zinemonth #zinequest
Each star holds secrets, will you find them all?
January 6, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Each star holds secrets, will you find them all?
What would you collect from each new planet?
Keepsakes give a unique opportunity to build both the galaxy and your explorer's interests.
Come embrace your inner collector in A Perfect Rock!
Keepsakes give a unique opportunity to build both the galaxy and your explorer's interests.
Come embrace your inner collector in A Perfect Rock!
January 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
What would you collect from each new planet?
Keepsakes give a unique opportunity to build both the galaxy and your explorer's interests.
Come embrace your inner collector in A Perfect Rock!
Keepsakes give a unique opportunity to build both the galaxy and your explorer's interests.
Come embrace your inner collector in A Perfect Rock!
Get your exploration gear out... we've got planets to survey.
January 4, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Get your exploration gear out... we've got planets to survey.
Working on spreads for A Perfect Rock. Come explore a black hole!
January 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Working on spreads for A Perfect Rock. Come explore a black hole!
For sure fine to live on a planet near here. No problems at all.
December 17, 2024 at 9:49 PM
For sure fine to live on a planet near here. No problems at all.
Second option: find a new home planet around a star forged from pure magic.
Nothing weird could happen there, right?
Nothing weird could happen there, right?
December 16, 2024 at 7:57 PM
Second option: find a new home planet around a star forged from pure magic.
Nothing weird could happen there, right?
Nothing weird could happen there, right?
Would you live on a ring-world?
I'm sure it'll turn out differently than Halo. Like, 80% positive.
I'm sure it'll turn out differently than Halo. Like, 80% positive.
December 15, 2024 at 9:13 PM
Would you live on a ring-world?
I'm sure it'll turn out differently than Halo. Like, 80% positive.
I'm sure it'll turn out differently than Halo. Like, 80% positive.
Zenithal highlight on the HOME Legendary Pilot kickstarter rewards. What theme song should be playing in the background here?
November 22, 2024 at 5:23 AM
Zenithal highlight on the HOME Legendary Pilot kickstarter rewards. What theme song should be playing in the background here?