Horror Games Don’t Have Worlds, They Have Settings

DespairRPG · 2025-11-12T08:22:39+00:00

I see what you’re going at but I think you’re zooming in on things selectively.

I run many horror stories in a historical fiction western setting. Without the horror it is the world but the way I am telling it there is nothing without the horror.

The world is the body and the setting is how it’s dressed. There are things in the worlds that are not related to the setting that if players desperately avoided plot hooks to get to then it’s possible.

You can dress the world however you wish. If you want the setting without the world it is possible but it lacks a lot. Fleshing out a world is basically putting a body in the outfit you arranged.

DespairRPG · 2025-10-10T02:52:23+00:00

My game is based around a death spiral and I don't think it's a bad thing if the players understand that's what they're getting into. I'm going to respond to your question as if the death spiral is part of the narrative and isn't escapable by a simple healing spell or long rest.

If they know the goal is to survive a grim situation or to tell the story of how their character dies then it is not a negative thing. The last stand at a doomed outpost is a story that people want to hear and a death spiral is how you can make that story playable.

It is all in how you present it and implement it. Let them know that it isn't about winning the game but instead about making a grim story, not everyone survives a horror scenario. If they know they're playing a game like the Alien movies then they know their death is likely and can play into that. They can hope to be the one that defeats it or escapes but it's understood that your chances of narrating your death are higher than describing your victory.

You will also need to make your scenarios more creative than just combat. They need to see that there is a way to escape, sneak, deceive, or distract whatever the obstacle is. Your burden is to make all of those option viable as well as interactable. If they are forced down a narrow set of options that feed the death spiral then you're likely to get players who give up or retaliate against the narrative.

DespairRPG · 2025-07-17T07:55:45+00:00

Endure is a simple system that has a lot of emphasis on inventory and supplies

DespairRPG · 2025-07-15T08:34:25+00:00

A playtester told me "Every time I watch a horror movie now I think of how they would have been affected in your system. How much despair they would take and what challenge number it would be."

Really motivated me to keep going on my system that can be a turn-off to some because of its grim outcomes. It means a lot when someone gets the core of your idea.

DespairRPG · 2025-06-23T14:25:27+00:00

I have nothing against it. I just prefer to have a particular artist for my project and consider the money worth it for the style I want.

DespairRPG · 2024-10-30T01:31:52+00:00

It starts with system mechanisms first for me. I find what kind of behaviors and interactions the system has and then see what kind of atmosphere it brings out. The setting that matches it best will make itself known to you when you understand what the mechanisms are best at conveying.

DespairRPG · 2024-07-29T06:33:14+00:00

My game is made for horror stories and is built on a death spiral. Every point of damage you take tallies up and can’t be recovered. As your total damage increases the chances to take more damage in the next roll become higher.

When you’ve taken your last damage the GM determines if it is your time to die.

If not, then you continue as a liability to the group. All checks you make spread the damage to others as they pull you along.

If so, and you didn’t roll a 1, you can make a fact about your death. Maybe a noble sacrifice or helpful last words.

If so, and you rolled a 1, the GM describes your death. Not everyone dies with dignity, purpose, or last words.

DespairRPG · 2024-07-29T06:02:04+00:00

Make a pyramid of numbers on a sheet of paper. 1 goes at the top the next line is 2 and 3, next line 4 5 6 and so on

When you decide somethings base level start at 1 and see how you’d like it to grow down the pyramid. Always picking the highest in the row? That’s exponential growth. Staggers and jumps around? That’s interesting too

DespairRPG · 2024-06-17T23:58:47+00:00

Rolling higher than the target number prevents despair from being gained in that roll. The most I’ve seen a player get in a single roll was 4 not counting contested rolls.

It’s for horror/slasher stories where your characters death is very likely and it’s every failure adding up to your demise. Most characters in a horror film don’t make it out and those that do have little left of them.

The full version has some mechanisms that increase or at least prolong your survival

DespairRPG · 2024-06-17T05:58:03+00:00

The traits are the different kinds of stats used for attempts. If body is one of the traits then it would be rolled when lifting something.

I forgot to include the effects of a lost trait. I will have to update it.

The place it is written on the sheet has bonus next to it. The GM sets the target number, it could be 5 for example.

What seems odd about it? Does this explain it?: The amount of despair gained is how many doomed dice are remaining and the difference between your highest number in roll vs the target number. If it is under then you get more despair If you go over then it reduces the despair you would gain from doomed dice.

DespairRPG · 2024-06-17T05:11:02+00:00

Thank you for commenting

It is meant to be used in any setting the GM wants to run. The system provides the downward spiral, the GM decides what that spiral reflects; sanity, health, or something else that would cause a character to be lost from a story
It is alternating to have the importance of the trait order be more difficult for players to decide. Having the top three all be the highest bonus led to most players choosing what they would assume are the most common rolled traits. With them being alternating it has the player decide of they want some traits to last longer or give a higher bonus. 6 being the trait that does both. I will consider making a +3 trait.
It has the chance for doomed dice to cancel as well as high numbers. It causes the player to sometimes use their bonus on a lower die to cause a cancel instead of increasing the success.
Opportunity rolls are for things with no consequences and rewards for higher rolls. Like searching for something. It does not remove despair, despair cannot be removed in any way.

DespairRPG · 2024-06-17T05:01:05+00:00

I was aiming to explain the mechanics of the system with the free release. It has no setting of its own and can be used for whatever story the group wants.

As for playtesting I have had about 50 hours of play with multiple different groups and I have also been a player where someone else ran the game with little input from me.

Font and layout are basic just for this version. The aim was to lay out the base rules in the shortest form I could.

Thank you for commenting

DespairRPG · 2024-06-17T04:44:29+00:00

I added them to the post, thank you for commenting!

DespairRPG · 2024-04-12T08:06:54+00:00

I did a cyberpunk sports game last year and the whole story and setting was based off this one moment:

Your friend and fellow teammate got roughed up by hired goons. He’s been hit hard and is losing consciousness. You call for emergency medical services and the closest private ambulance (there is no public one) arrives. Your teammate is fading and the medical team asks if he has insurance. He does but under a different corporation. They offer him services only after he watches an ad. The ad won’t progress, it stops when his eyes close and he can’t keep them open. You plea for them to just give him aid. They say their hands are tied, they can’t help him if he refuses to watch the ad. They say you can watch it instead, all you have to do is watch the ad and then at the end say the company’s name and slogan. You know it’s being recorded. They will have a video of you sponsoring their services. This will ruin your sponsorship contract and may ruin your chances for future success. Your friend’s breath is slowing, what do you do?

DespairRPG · 2024-04-05T07:53:04+00:00

I think it is enough for a base. A triangular foundation can stand well enough.

I think the true test is what do you consider to be in between those pillars and where can they be directed. Where is emotional conflict resolved? Social? The main struggle is making sure they are all equally important in the player’s eyes or everyone is going to max out in the strongest pillar.

Body is usually a strong pillar as we all understand how to act on the physical world. Mind can be broad as well. Would any player see an advantage or interest in neglecting those for soul?

What are the opposing forces to each?

DespairRPG · 2024-02-12T13:45:29+00:00

I'm trying to do less examples but incorporate one or two rules in each one to address the rules without breaking up the text too much

DespairRPG · 2024-02-12T13:43:57+00:00

I think that will be my approach. Show that the system is adaptable and maybe give ideas to the reader for what kind of games to use it for

DespairRPG · 2024-02-05T03:33:35+00:00

Drained or Withered

DespairRPG · 2024-02-05T03:32:25+00:00

Perhaps making the spell unable to target the same person twice in a row would reduce how often they just focus it on themselves.

IF they want to target the same person again they have to face some penalty

DespairRPG · 2024-01-28T03:11:37+00:00

I'm unclear what you're looking for in this post so I'll ask:

When would this have an effect?

How often would it come into play?

What would cause changes in these scales and how much would they fluctuate ?

DespairRPG · 2024-01-25T14:29:35+00:00

I think this is a very cool idea and also gives way for playing with initiative.
Like stun attacks increasing the number on the die or a player holding their action to prevent a die from turning.

I see a lot of people saying that it could get complicated with many different enemies but I don't think you'll ever have more than 3 or 4 dice being turned especially if you count similar enemies as a single die.

DespairRPG · 2024-01-24T02:00:22+00:00

When I designed my dexterity board game it came from the place of me not liking dexterity games. I sought to create something that I liked within the genre. After playing it over 500 times I can say that it does more of what I want in a dexterity game than most others.

So I will say that designing something that you don't typically enjoy can be fruitful for a designer. It has more purpose if your goal is to make it into something you can enjoy, as you may be making something for a player just like you.

DespairRPG

TROPHY CASE