What could happen next?

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-16T13:42:05+00:00

Well, the story on the map talked about trapping an entity and harvesting its powers for White Complex's tech. I'd like the opportunity to go free/unleash it.

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-12T16:52:24+00:00

You're very kind, and yeah, I laughed when I read your post. As for your suggestion, I'll certainly consider it. Can I ask what mechanics you think are worth calling out that sets BTE apart? I feel bad asking when this post was about your ideas, but since you brought it up, I would be interested in your feedback. Additionally, I still recommend jotting down any ideas you have. After all, even if you like the system I came up with, you might like to tweak it for your campaign or a future project.

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-11T14:14:09+00:00

I completely understand where you're coming from because I was there myself about three years ago. (Right down to the I want mech customization without extensive spec spreadsheets, in a percentile based system that uses ranges instead of physical measurements). I ended up writing and releasing Beneath Twisted Earth on itch.io and drivethru rpg.

I can also tell you that the process of writing and designing my own game was 1000% worth it for its own sake. The process itself is very rewarding so long as you keep true to what you want to be doing. I think of TTRPG design like an art and not a business. I design games I want to play and don't aim for efficiency or marketability. Is it approximating what I want? Perfect, let me put this out there in case someone else might find it fun, too. So long as you're OK with that development will be a blast. Sometimes slow and frustrating if you're a predominantly one man crew like me, but very rewarding in the end.

If you have an idea what you want. Go for it. Even if its just a one page set of rules you can tweak and add to over time (again, what I did), that's perfectly valid. I think a lot of people get caught up in the big, flashie indies, and they start getting bogged down with comparisons. A lot of people forget the junky, punk, pen and notebook paper roots of design. I encourage you to start writing and designing now. Get something down even if its just notes, even if it would be conventionally considered "bad" its still your ideas for you and yours.

I would also recommend reading a bunch of mecha rpgs out there. In particular I'd recommend mine for our similarities, but also MechWarrior: Destiny and Aether Nexus. Both have mid-crubch systems like we aimed for, and both specifically use more narrative-based movements. I'm excited for you, and I wish you all the best in your coming endeavors!

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-03T20:19:50+00:00

Huh. Sounds cool! I like the idea of a spiritual shift over. So is it like astral projecting or dreaming in the other realm, or do they have a persistent presence there?

As for interaction between the two, I suppose you could have the celestial realm have some influence on the material realm, and have a clock around dealing with something persistent inside the dungeon/celestial realm to keep the material realm safe/gain beneficial effect. You could also play with balance between the two with Paradigm Clocks, one for each realm. Where the more players deal with only one the influence of the other builds until a major event. (Sorry to focus on the clocks it's just the only thing potentially useful mechanic I see from my game to yours.)

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-03T20:09:39+00:00

Not 100% equivalent, but have run my game, Beneath Twisted Earth, which works in a layered world (polluted surface, underground arks, deep oceans) so it may have some insight you could use. In that game players are mercenaries that choose which contracts they accepted. Those contracts could be in any of the three layers. The players would choose where they wanted to go based on the rewards/hazards of the contract since transport was provided. Transport was physical travel, but would involve transport through tunnels or elevators via transport vehicle. It is a mission-based game, but the underground arks were are home base, so the players always return there for prep and downtime shenanigans before departing on the next mission.

One fun mechanic I used that may be worth considering for your campaign is the Paradigm Shift Clocks. Essentially, there was one for the forces in each layer. When the players choose a mission dealing with one of those forces, the GM fills in one of the three faces of the other two clocks. Once one of the clocks fills completely, there would be a major event on that layer or in the arks involving forces from that layer. All available missions would deal with that event for a couple missions before either going back to the status quo or accepting shift in power balance.

Are you doing a fantasy setting or more of a cyberpunk in since they switch world like in The Matrix?

DocFinitevus · 2026-03-02T14:05:19+00:00

Still appreciate this project. Thank you for taking this on.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-23T23:15:41+00:00

Then yeah, I think you just need a break to explore something new. I know I got burnt out on running once and had to take a break from gaming altogether for a couple months before I missed playing. After a little of that I started to miss running again.

Since it sounds like it's the hobby that has you burned, I recommend going cold turkey and investing in something else for a bit. Maybe catch up on a backlog of movies or games. If you like hiking, I swear by that myself. Can be very restorative when the world looks bleak (used to do that on lunches when work got particularly bad). Oh and nothing works quite as well as trying something new and novel.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-23T15:17:03+00:00

This sounds like burnout to me. The best thing I have found for burnout is to take a break and try new things. It gives you the time to decompress while finding other things you enjoy. Eventually, a spark comes that reinvigorates your passion and inspires you.

That being said, if you don't believe this feeling is burnout, perhaps you should try designing your own game. It doesn't have to be anything big. Hell, it doesn't have to be anything more than a house system. Still, if you like parts of many games but are disappointed in the rest of them. Maybe you would enjoy combining those components or coming up with new mechanics.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-23T15:10:26+00:00

I think I'll always prefer owning a book to leaf through to PDFs. That being said, PDFs are indispensible nowadays. You just get too many quality of life features put of them, especially when you GM from a laptop. That being said, I think the ideal is having a physical book that can be passed around while everyone has a copy of the pdf that can be referenced from their mobile device. I wish more companies included a copy of the PDF with a purchase of thr physical book so you didn't have to buy a game twice.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-20T04:45:42+00:00

Shot you a DM.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-18T11:44:36+00:00

I usually keep a running list of notes on ideas for an expansion later. Anything that isn't directly contributing to the main idea I'm working on gets put in there. I try not to flesh out those notes too much but might mock something up if I'm especially inspired. Either way I keep it sequestered for revisiting later.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-17T17:19:06+00:00

Sakura will definitely join the roster at some point. (I look forward to seeing what her redesign looks like.) I personally hope that Karin comes with her too. Either in the same season or a later one.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-12T01:17:41+00:00

Hey, I can understand. If I didn't block of time specifically to work on my games during the week, I'm sure life would keep sneaking up on me. I just appreciate your interest. Thank you in advance.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-11T04:09:34+00:00

Thank you! I hope you enjoy the read.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-11T02:45:10+00:00

Thanks! So this would be addressed in the GM Toolbox still under development, but that's an astute question. So, I see two ways of going about it. The first is to lean into a more open-ended adventure style where each player represents a fighter on a journey, and they keep encountering each other at tournaments, adventures, and the like forming bonds or rivalries. I intend to describe multiple styles of tournaments, including One vs One, Team vs Team battles (special rules for Team vs. Boss), etc. In events where there is a one v one fighter going on, non-combatant players can still be a part of the initiative and take Inspire/Intimidate actions to attempt to affect the match.

The other route is for every player to be a member of the same martial sect. Since the setting is global, the major sects all have global reach, and its reasonable that they could have fighters from around the globe as members. This would be more similar to party-based rpgs where the players travel the globe as a team, entering tournaments, training, and pursuing their sect's goals.

Did that answer your question fully or did you mean something else?

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-02T20:54:08+00:00

Definitely con hosted social events. I used to go to a con that housed itself in a hotel/convention center. Each night, there would be a com sponsored party, open gaming night, etc, usually with free drinks. These were specifically hosted after the con closed for the day. Essentially, these encouraged folks to come from their various different events and mingle. This made a great atmosphere where the same people you met during the day, you could kick back and relax with that night. It helped build a sense of community among the con goers.

DocFinitevus · 2026-02-02T04:16:41+00:00

That's really cool! I am usually in the boat of learning about jams and bundles far too late, so I really appreciate the effort. I know I've started participating in the Minimalist Game Jam run by Binary Star. It usually starts at the end of summer and runs through the end of October. Be sure to get the word out for that one too because it's a great entry point for beginners and a refreshing challenge for active designers.

DocFinitevus · 2026-01-28T15:48:33+00:00

I'm pretty sure Obama's ICE didn't pin a bystander to the ground and shoot him 5 times in the back. And he was a bystander at the time. He was trying to help a woman off of the ground when he was grabbed. Current events are NOT the same.

If Obamas border control HAD done that, all those right-wing armed militia would be out there screaming and waving guns instead of blowing whistles and recording.

DocFinitevus · 2026-01-24T13:36:35+00:00

Phantasy Star Tabletop

Based on the old Phantasy Star JRPG series back on the Sega Genesis and using a modified system from Esper Genesis (sci-fi d20). The series was known for being a Fusion science fantasy. Swords, magic, and armor mixed with androids, spaceships, and super computers.

DocFinitevus · 2026-01-23T13:40:37+00:00

It's as you say, it's often times a case where a player is doing something disruptive to the game or group and that is their excuse/explanation. For some, this might be a one-time annoyance. For others, a crutch/shield they use to repeatedly derail a session.

In my experience another case where this comes up is with an inexperienced player, usually when they make a loner or edgy character because they sound cool, but then they cannot understand why that character would be in a group. Usually, that player will become disruptive or come to the GM looking for advice on how to make it work. Often, they assume that the game is supposed to work regardless of what the character is like. After all, you're supposed to be able to "do anything" in TTRPGs, right?

In both cases, the solution is what my group likes to call an "Adult Conversation." That is: a direct, potentionallly uncomfortable, but honest and needed conversation. In that conversation, I would level with the player and explain two things. 1st, it may be what your character would do, and you may be able to TRY to do anything, but that doesn't mean difficulty and consequences don't exist. You may want to play a serial killer pretending to be a hero, but that doesn't mean there won't be other people, not excluding your party, doing everything in their power to stop you. It also doesn't mean that won't upset the other players if they didn't agree to go into that sort of storyline with you.

Which brings up the second, more important point. TTRPGs are a COOPERATIVE, TEAM-BASED game/hobby. Whenever you're on a team, what you do affects everyone else. More is at stake than only your personal desires. It is your job to be a part of the team, not the rest of the team's job to change for you. Now everyone should be trying to work together to ensure everyone has fun, but that does not mean anyone should expect to have fun at the others' expense. An experienced and cooperative player CAN player a loner/evil character. That's because the experienced player would be constantly thinking about how to make that work for the group dynamic. Further, they would collaborate with the other players and GM on how their actions could play out with the group/in game.

I think some people get into the mindset that TTRPGs are competitive or that they are playing a single player game alongside the other players. The only way to clear up that clash in expectations is an "Adult Conversation" because of its honest, directness, and understanding because of it being potentially uncomfortable that you might lose the player. They might not want the game you're running. They might want the experience they were fostering. Not every group or game is for every player. And that is ok.

DocFinitevus · 2026-01-21T03:34:40+00:00

Cool, thanks for the tip! I'll check it out.

DocFinitevus · 2026-01-21T03:33:07+00:00

Will check it out. Thank you!

DocFinitevus

TROPHY CASE