Bluesky CENSORED me yesterday by just fucking up and not working, but here is a new blog post where I propose a procedural method for generating hexcrawl terrain, inspired by both Mausritter and the original DMG #osr #ttrpg

It is #PortfolioDay once again and I am still here and looking for my first big mainstream client! I do illustration and cartography. And of course this is a reminder that I have some things to update my website with.

Aaron is amazing and I want to see more of his work in more people's stuff. Also he was a great art director for our game!!

The idea for this game came to me back in 2023 after watching season 2 of the Wheel of Time. This is a game about connection, and vulnerability, and the responsibility of power. I can’t wait to get it in y’all’s hands. Make sure you follow to help us get there!! ttrpg.link/soothwardens

It's Playtest Zero time again! Jump in, the (pike) water's fine! For our US-friendly session, join us next Thursday, 23 April from 6 pm (PT) / 9 pm (ET) to late over at the Session Zero Discord server to do some 1-hour playtests of TTRPGs/game bits and chat with other designers! (Image unrelated)

The (nüt nüt) wonderland of Playtest Zero is coming up again! For our SEA-friendly session, join us next Tuesday, 21 April at 8 pm (GMT+8) over at the Session Zero Discord server to do some 1-hour playtests of TTRPGs/game bits and chat with other designers! (Image unrelated)

Making the most of my last few weeks in the Bay by taking as many book arts classes as I can, including tonight’s on making art postage

Just putting this idea out there.... Would any AP creators be down for me sitting in on recording sessions or listening to raw recordings for study purposes? I've been working on writing down the theory of Actual Play artistry and it would be incredibly helpful for the process!

Hey surprise it's me, Nova, here to get sappy on main for a sec! Dragon Reactor: Embers, Ashes, Moments, and Stars. D.R.E.A.M.S. That's exactly what this game has been for me, and it's the combined dreams of our team that brought this work of art to life.

I was homeless a year ago. I don't wanna repeat that, so... If you want to help me keep my distance for another year, buy my games: incaseofgrace.itch.io Or tip me: ko-fi.com/incaseofgrace Or become a patreon supporter: www.patreon.com/incaseofgrace

Mechs and Aliens, my friends:

In case you missed it.... MECHS AND ALIENS!

Remember SKILL CHALLENGES? They're back! In blog form! Check out my latest post where I lay out an easy and fun way to handle a complex, tense situation. It works in every TTRPG ever made up until this point and all future TTRPGs (disclaimer: this is a lie) www.mindstormpress.com/quick-stakes...

Resurrected an old draft of mine to prove that I'm still blogging about ttrpgs. I tried my best to explain it, so you don't have to be a software sicko like me! elmc.at/fullstack-re...

Buried the lede here, but I added a preface to this piece with my hot take on how solo RPGs are never truly solo. Hope you enjoy!

NULL_SPACE physicals are here! The basic rules are a square-bound stapled booklet, while GIG_WORK; is a little folio containing four Jobs. (links downthread)

Buried the lede here, but I added a preface to this piece with my hot take on how solo RPGs are never truly solo. Hope you enjoy!

RPG Zine Club 2027 Story Games Pitch form is open! We are looking for small games with rich narrative choices using systems like Belonging Outside Belonging, PBTA, CFB, or other more bespoke mechanics. Solo, duet, GMful, or GMed #TTRPGs are welcome. Games from diverse voices are desired. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ 1/3

Heck yes:

Great article about @navaarsnp.bsky.social 's Neighborhood Robot in the latest Skeleton Code Machine from @exeunt.press : www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/neighborho...

We've updated to a metered paywall. Readers without an account can read any two stories per month, and free members can read another two. Details here: (Nothing is changing for paying members!)

if you have even a smithereen of interest in solo ttrpgs, read this. it'll take 6 minutes #solottrpg

Looking for commissions to cover my rent this month!

Last week, @the-soloist.itch.io published my essay "Playing Alone Together" about my experience running solo rpgs for groups at Breakout Con. With permission, I'm reposting it in my own newsletter plus a little nugget of my own, where I give my "nutshell" take on how solo RPGs are never truly solo.

Thanks again to folks who are checking out my "Elric x Earthsea" game Mortal Skein. I'm using an itchfunding model to support playtesting, aiming to find folks who dig it and get feedback over time as I work towards a Known Future: "you will publish a fantasy game"! ndpdesign.itch.io/mortal-skein

May I, briefly, brag about the very good mechanics I have made for this game? Okay good I would like to brag for a moment

The art of game design: the spark of creation, to find play between the confines of rules and the expression of agency, to marry the beauty of systems and aesthetic expression, The discipline of game design: fucking finish the thing

We're 12 hours in, already 30% funded and HALF the Gender Wizard pledges are gone! Super chuffed folks are taking it up and feeling buoyed as I wind down for the night 😊 Thanks for all the reposts and shares, see you tomorrow morning... ✨

It is now present. shop.binarystar.games/products/dea...

I will keep this sale running until my new glasses are in

I don't have time this week to do a full repeat of an old post... but I can shout out four games I found last week while I was cycling through the Newly Released on Itch! #mintrecommends: Games of the Week, April 2026.

For all the little TTRPG designers I've worked with or reviewed... I'm putting together some business-facing material for publishers (which I'm very bad at). If you have a minute to spare, I'd be super grateful if you'd send me a little testimonial. Thank you so much! <3

It's also just nice to talk about them.

It’s the weekend, maybe a good time to check out my new game?!

Become a starfighter pilot on a mission of destruction in the upcoming solo rpg Shadow in the Stars. Featuring starship combat, journaling, tough choices, and wild discoveries. www.kickstarter.com/projects/tab...

It's LUMEN's 5th birthday today! It's been pretty cool creating and tinkering with a system for that long. Even cooler that other people are making things with it. If you have a favorite LUMEN game, let me know! gilarpgs.itch.io/lumen

I'm running a game jam for my semi-cooperative, dungeon-defying RPG, Chain×Link! Expand the world, write adventures, create character options, or design your very own game! Join here:

Guess who's back and reviewing games!! If you've got something new for me to look at, read over, or dive into send me an email at [email protected]!!!

Time to meet Pyre, one of the many Sparks of NOVA 2, coming later this year. open.substack.com/pub/gilarpgs...

I love combat systems with hit locations. The only thing better than kicking someone off a ledge is taking off their arm. BUT they're always so fiddly! I'd love to use hit locations in an OSR game. So here's a little system with a new combat resolution scheme. #osr #ttrpg

In the 5th session of our AD&D 2e B1 campaign, we had our first player character death, & the players returned to town & confronted the grim reality of taxes in AD&D. #D&D #AD&D #OSR

I said I’m not writing a dungeon — and I would never lie to you. But I never said I wasn’t a stretch goal… www.backerkit.com/c/projects/r...

I put out two pieces this week. Here are my thoughts on how the GMless model works in Firebrands, if you missed it:

For those who may have missed it yesterday:

And it's name-your-own-price, too

A revised version, more refined and complete with layout, is now available. binary-star-games.itch.io/death-has-co...

Band-Aids & Bullet Holes, and also my argument for why I love pregens, condensed into one jpg.

I've been enjoying editing this season's @diceexploder.com and am considering taking on more audio work. Feel free to reach out if you need someone for editing and such 👋

Nice to get a little shoutout from @backwardsttrpg.bsky.social in this week's Soloist! Breakout Con was my first time playing in that "collaborative solo" style, but seeing my solo games come to life around a table full of enthusiastic players was incredibly exciting and satisfying!

@backwardsttrpg.bsky.social's article about how he facilitated his solo game Spine at Breakout Con is inspiring. Solo RPGs and duet RPGs are some of my favorite ways to slowly introduce people into the hobby and now I want to try this at our local game shops! soloist.substack.com/p/playing-so...