The RPG Design Resource Thread

[One Horse Town]

Given that there's a lot of chat about chat about design here and not a great deal else, i thought it was time that we had a resource thread here to help people out in the stlye of Kyle's RPG links thread in the main forum. There will be some overlap with that thread, i'm sure, but the focus here is on designing games, and if possible giving tips and the benifit of experience (for those who have it and are willing to share it) to help people out.

I'm listing catagories to begin with. Each catagory has a number of subsections and all will be numbered. So if you have a pearl of wisdom to share, or a link, or anything relevant, it would be cool if you started your post with the relevant details.

Example: 2.4 Cartography - blah, blah, blah, linky.

I've also included a section for details on artists & freelancers to leave their details or for people to recommend others to work with. I don't think we should give out e-mail addresses (spam bots get 'em don't they?). But if you list someone, or youself, it's there for people to PM you for details if they are interested.

I'm not sure on how to organise this yet, or if we just leave it to grow organically. Anyhow, it might be cool if we can get this stickied at the top of the page. It might turn out to be a great resource for the site and those people who are actually designing or working in the industry, or want to in the future.

If there's any catagory you think i missed and should be added, send me a PM, so as not to clutter the thread and i'll add it.

We'll see how it goes!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Writing Tips

1.1 Writing Rules

http://www.costik.com/nowords.html  

I Have No Words & I Must Design by Geg Costikyan. Old, but still one of the best resources about game design.

RPG Design Patterns by John Kirk. Despite coming from the Forge, it is a pretty neutral collection and evaluation of a load of design patterns. Beware - it's a long and dry PDF, but if you manage to deal with this it's a pretty versatile resource.

1.2 Writing Background
1.3 Writing Fiction
1.4 Writing Techniques
1.5 Genre Writing

2 Art

2.1 Finding Artists
2.2 Cartography
2.3 Genre Art
2.4 Charts

3 Mechanics

3.1 Dice Mechanics
3.2 Character Generation
3.3 Matching Genre to Mechanics
3.4 Combat
3.5 Social Mechanics
3.6 Random Mechanics/Generators
3.7 Designing Monsters

4 Resources

4.1 Writing Sites
4.2 Art Sites
4.3 Freelancer Details
4.4 Research Material
4.5 Genre Sites

Historical Timelines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timline_of_invention

http://www.warscholar.com/Timeline.html

http://www.timelineindex.com
4.6 Books

- Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering

4.7 Films
4.8 Computer Programs

5 Business

5.1 NDAs
5.2 Layout
5.3 Proofing & Playtesting
5.4 Copyright
5.5 Marketing
5.6 Retailers & Brick and Mortar shops
5.7 Business Tips
5.8 Becoming a Freelancer

[Warthur]

Can I nominate Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering for the "Books" section? It's not explicitly about game design, but it's an excellent rundown of the sort of factors which gamers who are actually going to use your game are going to have to think about, and does discuss (to an extent) what impact system has on that.

[Skyrock]

1.1 Writing rules
- I Have No Words & I Must Design by Geg Costikyan. Old, but still one of the best resources about game design.
- RPG Design Patterns by John Kirk. Despite coming from the Forge, it is a pretty neutral collection and evaluation of a load of design patterns. Beware - it's a long and dry PDF, but if you manage to deal with this it's a pretty versatile resource.

[One Horse Town]

4.5 Genre Sites - Historical Timelines

A timeline of inventions can be found here to avoid those embarrasing technological anachronisms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_invention

A timeline of historical wars and battles for authenticity

http://www.warscholar.com/Timeline.html

Lots of timelines for all kinds of stuff

http://www.timelineindex.com

[One Horse Town]

Come on. I know there's plenty of freelancers, designers and aspiring designers that frequent these forums. I'm gonna be away for a few days, but i'd love to come back and see a new slew of links, advice, and tips, on this thread. I'll be back in a few days with some more links.

You know you want to.

[James J Skach]

RPG Design Patterns by John Kirk. Despite coming from the Forge, it is a pretty neutral collection and evaluation of a load of design patterns. Beware - it's a long and dry PDF, but if you manage to deal with this it's a pretty versatile resource.

Has this really been fully release?  I mean, he was here a while back and it was discussed, but he seemed still in writing mode.

Stupid me, I should just check the link...

[James J Skach]

Well, the design patterns is from 2005, so it's still the old version.  It's not that neutral, whcih was one of the issues I'd hoped he'd addressed.  IMHO, if done in a truly neutral fashion, it could be a great resource.

The other link, Skyrock, didn't work for me.

[Kyle Aaron]

I think this is a great idea! From my own list, I can point to this list of articles; the top half is all about playing and GMing, but there are a bunch of articles about writing rpgs, life in the industry and so on. I also wrote an article on Publishing a pdf rpg, perhaps you might find that useful, I don't know.

[Skyrock]

Well, the design patterns is from 2005, so it's still the old version.

Is there a new version around? I can't find one on the homepage, and the long proposed revised version seems to me like a Duke-Nukem-"It's done when it's done" affair.

The other link, Skyrock, didn't work for me.

I can access the Costikyan article fine. You could also try to navigate to it over the homepage: http://www.costik.com/ => Writing => "I Have No Words & I Must Design"

The neutrality of the RPG Design Patterns should be discussed in a new topic, as this could take some time... I'll just open one.

[James J Skach]

I go the same impression IIRC; which is why I let me hopes get elevated- I thought there was a new version.  I've joined the other discussion; thanks for starting the new thread.

Something strange was going on with my computer last night.  Alas, the inability to reach the proposed detination was a fault of that (I could only get to google, TheRPGSite, and a couple of others) and not your link.  My apologies.

[Skyrock]

1.1 Writing rules
- Elements of Gaming by Brian Gleichman. Focuses on strategy and tactics in games, with some minor bits of general advice.

[One Horse Town]

Cool guys, keep 'em coming. When i get back home tomorrow, i'll see about organising stuff posted into the first post.

[VBWyrde]

This looks extremely cool.  For another shameless plug of the LRPGSW we do have a collaborative database on "Recommended Readings for GMs" and another one on "Recommended Films for GMs".   You would have to join the LRPGSW Yahoo Group to access them, but they can be downloaded into excel or flat file and used however you wish.  

The reason we have manditory signup is to keep the Spam Monsters at bay.  Otherwise Yahoo Groups tend to get destroyed by SpamBots.  Sorry.

To get to the LRPGSW please click the link Literary Role Playing Game Society of Westchester

- Mark

[David R]

.... one on "Recommended Films for GMs".  

Some examples would be appreciated.

Regards,
David R

[VBWyrde]

Some examples would be appreciated.

Regards,
David R

Sure, David.  Here's a random sample of the "Recommended Viewing for GMs" table.

----------------------------------------------

Category, Genre, Name, Link, Comment
------------------------------------

Film, Medieval, Flesh & Blood (Rutger Hauer), http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089153/

Film, Renaisance/Early Modern, All the Sharpe Film (Sean Bean)

Film, Renaisance/Early Modern, Horatio Hornblower, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043379/,

Film, Monster, King Kong (1933), http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024216/

Film, Wild West, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/

Film, Wild West, The good the bad and the ugly (Clint Eastwood) , http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/

TV Series, Samauri, Shogun (Richard Chamberlain), http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080274/

TV Series, Action, Kurier der Kaiserin (German), http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0221758/

----------------------------------------------

That Films table is not all that full at the moment with 33 entries.  We could probably stand to keep adding to it.  Nevertheless you may find some good suggestions on there anyway.   The 'Recommended Readings' table is more complete.  The actual name of the table is "Recommended_Viewing", by the way.  

- Mark