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JM's avatar

I just found this blog...love it! I agree with much of what you say, but I'd like to bring a slightly different perspective on originality: it's overrated!! I think too many games are obsessed with novelty for novelty's sake. But those weird dice you thought were cool when you bought the game quickly lose their luster after a few sessions. Give me a game that draws the best, time-tested elements from 40 years of game design. To me the goal isn't to bring something new, it's to bring a great experience at the table, and this can be achieved by combining existing elements in a new way, rather than by bringing something new that ultimately proves gimmicky.

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dan's avatar

Great!

Every TTRPG author also have a lot to learn from boardgames (rulebooks, icons, diagrams, learning by playing...) I should say thats a better inspiration for me for years as writing/designing a game than most of TTRPGs, even indie ones.

Anyway, I love your text here! I only disagree on the 40-years-old-hobby, imo it's either way older (think about Brontë sisters or even storytelling older stuff), either younger (because 70s were about wargames, not TTRPGs)

Thanks for your newsletters!!

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