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Tridodranial (Quarterly) Update #1

Illustration for Tridodranial (Quarterly) Update #1

Introduction

Welcome to the first ever tridodranial (quarterly) update from me. I figured I’d kick it off by giving you a brief history of my experience with TTRPGs, and then launch into what happened this quarter and what my goals are for the next. Before that though, a quick discussion of expectations. I’m writing this in hopes that it brings some accountability for my projects. It will also give me a benchmark to hit or at least attempt with the goal setting. Finally it will help me keep track of how long projects take to complete (because I think the current timeframe is a bit sad).

My History with TTRPGs

I started playing in 2014 in the summer of my second year of college (in a weird game called Dark Conspiracy) and started running games in the winter of that year. That first game I ran was a horror? Investigative? Savage Worlds campaign. I have played more games than I have run, but I’ve done a good bit of both. In total I’ve played around 22 systems and run 6 systems.

My Favorites

  • Stars, Worlds, Cities Without Number - The system gets out of the way for our stories, easy to teach fun to play

  • Savage Worlds - Easy to teach, fast to run, great for oneshots of most genres

  • Dungeons and Dragons 5e - Everyone knows it and lets the play shine through without much friction as long as your play fits the high fantasy genre

  • Star Trek Adventures - My favorite session ever happened in this game, but I also had some problems with it, what can I say, I’m biased

My Pet Peeves

  • Rules getting in the way of the game, see the entanglements and reputation rolls in Blades in the Dark, I felt they forced us into directions that we were disinterested in

  • Too high lethality, see the high lethality in Five Torches Deep, I found that style of play to be unrewarding for me, at least with that group at that time

  • Uneven character dynamics that are explicit to the system or mechanical, see the crew rank mechanics in Star Trek Adventures, the difference in character ranks lead to interplayer problems that were absent in other systems

I started writing in 2021 with adventures for Dungeons and Dragons before moving on to writing my own design ideas and to adventures for other systems. I am currently trying to focus on items I and the other game masters I know would use. Things such as generation and inspiration tools and adventure sandboxes and seeds.

Last Quarter

I finished the rough draft for a new Worlds Without Number adventure called Pretender To The Flame. I’m hoping that my more sandbox approach to the adventure will be appreciated, as its much closer to how I actually prepare for game night. The adventure is centered around a volcano about to erupt, the fledgeling god that controls that eruption and the creature that is puppetting the god to do its will. I will primarily be presenting a set of locations, situations, and a cast of characters to use instead of a set plot or storyline. Currently Pretender To The Flame has been on hold while I dealt with real life stuff, but will begin to move again soon. The roadmap to finishing Pretender To The Flame looks something like: Playtest>Edit>Layout>Art>Market?>Release

My last Worlds Without Number based adventure, A Opossum’s Hat was added to DriveThruRPG. I attempted to do a print on demand option as well, but two failed proofs in and with little interest overall, I’ve decided to leave it as just a pdf for now.

There was a wonderful review of my products Dungeon Trappings and Station Trappings done by Ithaquas Bane on youtube. He does a full walkthrough and discussion of both of the tools and paints me in a very good light. This one review brought in 15 new followers on Itch.io and netted $33 dollars for me there.

My group wound down a Dungeons and Dragons game and began a new Cities Without Number game set in future LA. So far in that game we have stolen data, acted as bodyguards, participated in an assassination, and partied hard(ish). All in all, CWN has been a good time so far.

I received and read through my copy of the Old Gods of Appalachia pdf. It reads well, has good interior and cover art. I love the setting as a woman from the south, while its explicitly appalachia, I feel a link with it having grown up in small country towns in Mississippi and Louisiana. I also appreciate the seeming focus on investigation and mystery, always a favorite of mine. I am worried that I won’t like the way the Cypher System runs, but I’m going to give it a good shake before I complain.

Goals for Next Quarter

  • Finish and Release Pretender to the Flame

    • Complete and send out press kits to as many outlets as I can convince myself to, I find this terrifying but I’m going to try it

    • Reach 50 downloads (roughly double the amount of A Opossum’s Hat)

  • Run a Halloween Spooktacular in the Old Gods of Appalachia system

  • Run a Christmas Special of some description

  • Complete entries for the Tabletop Game Tool Jam and the Solo Game Chef Jam

  • Contemplate/Plan a investigative horror genre game, perhaps with the Old Gods of Appalachia system

    • I’m debating and open table

    • I’m hoping to prep a ton of situations and characters beforehand to minimize prep as I go to allow me minimal stress week to week

  • Read more TTRPG games and adventures