On Creating Stuff
I’m an imposter in the space of game creation. I haven’t GM’d since high school (not counting GMing my kids currently…which is a subject for another post). But, that hasn’t even slightly dampened my urge/need to constantly create adventures/campaigns/rules/entire games. It’s a dedicated series of folders on my hard drive and I continue to pack them full of bullshit.
Now that that’s clear, this is what I’m working on…
I don’t know the first thing about writing or producing game content other than I read a lot of it. I don’t know if there are legal steps, copyright processes, or anything. And, that’s fine. I really don’t plan on selling anything. I just want to make stuff to make it, use it with friends, or if I have the balls, share it with the wider RPG community.
All of that being said (for my lack of ego’s benefit), I’ve been writing a few different modules. A friend said earlier today that it’s hard to come up with an original idea because it’s very likely not original. So, I go into every project presuming that my take is just a take on something that’s been done. I’ve found that out recently by seeing stuff similar to my own posted in Reddit and itchio. That’s fine. I’m not trying to be an inventor.
“Under Her Black Wings” is the first module I did. It’s not finished and will probably be in a constant state of editing even when/if I decide to send it out into the world. The writing portion of it was fun and easy. Creating a story, monsters, treasure, and adapting the chosen game mechanics to what I wanted to present were a lot of fun. Creating it visually is a different challenge. I’m not an artist, can’t afford an artist, and refuse to use AI. So, what’s left is sourcing public domain images that fit the narrative. It doesn’t do exactly what I want, but it works and is acceptable. And I’ve been working for years to accept “acceptable” as an option in life.
A nice chunk of my hesitance in releasing anything to a wider audience is the vitriolic, asshole nature of the TTRPG community. I will say that largely, the community is insanely supportive. But, the jerkwad voices can be really loud (check any RPG subreddit…I’ll wait). Plus, I’m doing this for fun, as previously said. I’m not going through rigorous playtests or marketing or ensuring that a viable product hits the market…I’m not even putting it on a market unless it’s free. So, I’m not making it a job or creating it like it’s a job. There’s no quality control here.
I always wanted to join my favorite albums and games together. A few years ago, a Faith No More RPG came out. At first, I couldn’t wrap my mind around how a whole game was made from one record. But, then I read it and it made sense. The amount of songs, albums, and bands whose material is perfect for RPGs is endless. So, I figured “why not?”
So, here are a couple sample pages. Just for fun. I guess.
I’ll continue to work on these and share them. Or share them then delete them. Or whatever.
Oh, and I'm using Mork Borg for this. I also can't figure out how to do umlauts, so pronounce at your own peril.
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