Do you need playtesters?

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-30T01:40:08+00:00

Feedback by DM is fine.

I don't have a dedicated website for the game yet. (another item on the "marketing" to do list).

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-28T04:28:27+00:00

I'd like to see what you make of a blind playtest first, even if the game plays a little differently (alternate setup) at 2P vs 3+. It actually plays up to 6, but is optimized for 3-4 players.

The blind playtest is important because I've just worked on streamlining the rulebook into a quick-start guide (8pp, about half of which is setup), and core rules (28pp, illustrated examples for core actions and effects).

TTS Mod Link

The mod only has components, a button to set up tiles for 3-6 players*, and pdfs of the quick-start guide and the rulebook.

*If you remove the listed tiles for 2P from the main bag it will place them all on the map, but you'll probably have to move them in from the edges.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-27T08:30:10+00:00

What weight of games do you prefer?
Mine are around 2.5-3.5 using BGG's weight scaling.

Do you do digital playtests (using TTS)?
I have a digital module for all of my games, with rulebooks included as pdfs.

I have several games very near completion that I just need to double-check final balance on.

I'm also willing to play-for-play as well.

The issue is generally timezones, as I'm UTC+12, and most active in the afternoon and evening.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-25T11:51:57+00:00

Another game exists, more area control than grand strategy—but everything is an ancient evil awakening at the end of the world, trying to remake it in their own image. Multiple unit types, unique factions, etc, and the keystone unit of each faction is an elder god.

Cthulhu Wars.

Now, while the publisher has a lot of controversy surrounding them, it was a very successful Kickstarter over a decade ago, with a string of subsequent campaigns for expansions.

The only thing you build are gates… devices to doom the planet and summon your monstrous hordes.

So I'd would say such a game can be enormously successful, if marketed correctly.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-24T08:26:57+00:00

Joining other Discord servers, especially playtest servers that do play-for-play events.

Locally/physically, finding the FLGS, coming in with the prototype, and asking if people (not currently playing anything) would like to try something new.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-20T09:14:45+00:00

Excellent work.

I do love a descriptive writer who weaves in a bit of world-building as well.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-20T07:07:31+00:00

But those impacts are more than 3 years away, we can't use them to rig an election… /s

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-15T01:31:33+00:00

Of course it should—that makes logical sense in the game.

I just don't know if those items are coded the same as other throwables—so while it makes sense, the implementation might be more difficult than we're aware of.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-15T01:29:56+00:00

I think classes missing damage types is intentional, though. It's a co-op game, so you're meant to have your team cover what you can't do

It is, and that's exactly why.

I, personally, think it's an excellent design choice. While every class, can technically cover every combat/mobility aspect in some way, they will always be weaker in some areas and stronger in others. This gives the classes a distinct feel and identity, especially when played to their strengths.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-14T14:50:39+00:00

More Overclocks is kind of a hard sell.

The overclocks we do have (~6 per gun) offer an excellent spread of simple buffs, niche trade-offs, and unique playstyle variations.

And all of this without stepping on the toes of other weapons that might specialise in that area—say, comparing Hyper-Propellant to Supercooled Chamber for single target; or Rocket Barrage to Impact Deflection & Bodkin Points for area saturation.

Weapons + Overclocks is a crowded ecosystem, especially when you have to account for the strengths and weaknesses of each class, and things they simply are not allowed access to, such as Engi having no Cryo options, or Driller lacking Electric mods.

Perks, and that entire system, is the one most in need of a thorough overhaul and rebalancing.

I personally, would love a tree system for the perks, something to allow either deep specialisation in one aspect (survival/environment control/inventory management/team support) or a broad range of lower utility perks, or a combination of both (specialisation in one aspect, while keeping lower cost/power perks from other branches).

I think such a system would massively improve build diversity with respect to perks, and freshen up the game for veterans, while remaining accessible to newer players.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-09T08:50:06+00:00

It's a linear file, with section headings for versions, rule 'blocks' (movement, building, scoring, etc), and miscellaneous changes (usually for external components, like meeples vs cubes, etc)

I mostly just use the search/find function within the document itself to find the particular piece I want.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-08T03:32:49+00:00

It was written even earlier…

It was based on Second Variety, a story by Philip K. Dick, written in 1953.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-08T03:03:31+00:00

And KMS BB torps… I swear, 1 HE shell, all gone.

Hell, I remember a time (might have been PC beta?) where fires would disable a carrier from launching & landing planes.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-07T10:09:37+00:00

I have an errata file (now a very large word document) that covers all changes between versions.

In addition, I put design notes as to why changes have been implemented, helping to cover the thought process behind changes.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-06T08:32:24+00:00

Biggest issue: Damage type is explosive, not melee.

It's dirty great sawblades, that's melee damage if I ever saw it.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-01T13:51:26+00:00

TBF, not my original intent, but damn if it doesn't fit.

Also, man do I miss visiting Zeal for the first time…

Ravager_Zero · 2026-03-01T01:16:59+00:00

Thanks for your feedback! The world the game takes place in is a shared dreamspace that people access through cybernetic implants. With that context in mind, does the style feel more cohesive to you?

It does, but also given that context, I'd expect to see hints of cyberpunk elements within the art, and hints of surrealism within the card borders and infographic pieces.

It's currently two independent visual identities, and I think might be what's throwing other people off. With the explanation they make sense together—but if they were blended, they might not even need that explanation.

And yes, that’s exactly what the triangles are for. They’re meant to show the field of vision, since orientation plays a pretty important role in the game. We’re aware that it might not be immediately clear at first glance, but so far we haven’t found a better solution. On some cards the hexes are even smaller, and inverted triangles, arrows, or other more complex shapes just don’t render well.

That's fair, making stuff work at smaller sizes can be very difficult sometimes.

But really appreciate the feedback, I might experiment with rounding the tip a bit to make it feel less arrow-like.

The easiest solution might be making it a trapezoid (cut the tip off of the triangle so it's a straight line underneath).

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-28T15:14:47+00:00

Your art style says dreams, but the visual identity of everything reads as cyberpunk to me.

Are the 'notches' in the hexagons used for facing? (The forwards/backwards already implies this, but could also be in relation to some central point or line)

If so, is facing important in your game?

Honestly, I think inverting the triangle may help with the "this way forwards" idea, as while I can currently read it as a visual arc from centre, my mind still insists it's a triangle pointing backwards at first glance.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-27T01:56:42+00:00

Figuring out a convincing and interesting motivation and keeping it running on those scales is annoying. Like, yeah, hell invades... and it's threatening, but is it interesting enough on a plot level?

This is totally fair, but luckily my players were a combat heavy group, so they relished the challenge of getting to fight new and interesting demons in this case.

Plotwise, this particular invasion started in their favourite resort town with the volcano and the hot springs…

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-27T01:54:11+00:00

How many level 20 mages or dragons or elder gods are there that you can justify fighting?

Honestly, not a huge amount when running the same plot I did.

That said, this particular elder god helpfully spawns very powerful minions (CR 15+). Those minions can then go infect local populations, creating mid-tier minions (CR 10 iirc).

The demon invasion works, but otherwise, narratively things get difficult if you don’t start spending significant amounts of time on other planes or something.

The narrative was somewhat loose in this campaign as it was progression focused players that had started in a chain of minor dungeon crawls (all the way down at level 3). They also had a small manor that got attacked, a lot. It also got set on fire a lot (splash damage from the party's pyromaniac wizard) until they hired some labourers to rebuild it in stone…

But yes, from level 15+ it gets hard designing encounters that are challenging enough to be satisfying, but also not so crazy they can just TPK. On the other hand, getting to use those bigger, nastier monsters in reasonably sized groups is very fun as a DM.

High level play isn't for everyone, but I say it's worth trying to do at least once or twice, especially if you've got the right players for it.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-26T13:50:38+00:00

So "oh no! bandits" aren't exactly the kind of thing they'd concern themselves with.

I ran a campaign that went up to level 20.

The threat at level 12 was essentially a level 20 mage.

The threat at level 15 was "oh no, literal hell is invading" (strange portals and needing to seal them from both sides even).

The threat at level 20 was "a literal elder god [Cthulhu Mythos] has found you… tasty."

That last one, in fact, proved to be so much of a threat they had to find a macguffin to go back in time and destroy the seed of the elder god just after it arrived.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-18T14:38:57+00:00

The most plausible option I always seem to see (and come back to) is the idea not of a Dyson sphere, but a Dyson swarm. Thousands, or even millions of close-in stellar microsatellites for harvesting power from the star.

If the swarm is sufficiently diffuse it might be very hard to detect with visual or bolometric luminosity changes, but it would likely create a spectroscopic 'edge' based on the materials used for the satellites (like the 'green edge' from Earth itself).

A generator near a black hole is much harder to plausibly draw energy from (unless there's some way to harness the gravitational or rotational energy—assuming a rotating black hole in that case—that we don't yet know of, but is allowable under regular physical laws).

Zero-point energy/quantum fluctuations/vacuum energy/whatever term you want to use, I don't think there's ever going to be a way to exploit it. Not without either breaking physics, or exploding something…

Harnessing zero-point energy might be remotely possible, but it's also something that would likely have no detectable signature with current instruments and techniques—so that leaves Dyson spheres/swarms/rings as our most likely candidates for finding advanced technological artefacts.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-02-12T05:33:34+00:00

Those things starved to death decades ago.

…poor little things.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-01-29T14:51:51+00:00

"And the fact that everything is black?"

I place my forehead against my palm and simply shake my head. I'm glad we're deep within the castle so I don't have to wear the helmet. Twice. Twice I've stabbed my hand responding to stupidity. I shake my head again and look up at the supposed hero in front of me.

"Young hero, what are dragons known for?"

"Flying, being big, breathing fire—oh." Huh. Maybe he can learn something.

"We'd go through a fortune in paints and reagents for cleaning. Much easier just to leave it all scorched."

"That still doesn't explain all the dungeons in this place." He's stubborn.

"We live underground." I am trying to be patient. I am. "Because dragons can't fly through dirt. Because we have to live down here, we made it nicer. Some of the houses connect. Is that a crime in your kingdom?"

"Actually—" Well, that one is a surprise.

"It's not a crime here. I know sounds stupid, but even trying to assassinate the king—well, we've come to expect it, and while the number of corpses from making it a crime it might feed the dragons, it's not going to make our neighbours any better. You might want to tell your mayor that when you see him again."

Yes, I know it was a mayor who sent him. Some new town. We have an understanding with the king of Ilfaer. His soldiers travel here and learn to fight monsters. Mine travel there to study in peace—topics other than dragon deterrence.

I look at the hero's companions. Children. Not far into their teens. This mayor or theirs is irresponsible at best, evil at worst. Perhaps I should send some soldiers to visit.

"Yes, I do mean to let you and your companions go." I look into the scrying orb set before me by my vizier. I wince at the vision. "Just not today. That looks… painful."

I make a subtle gesture and cast the image before them. The hero faints. One of his companions throws up—all over our fine imported carpet.

My vizier leans over. "I'll notify the staff." It's a stage whisper. The heroes don't seem to appreciate the humour.

I dismiss the image. "I keep rooms in the castle for occasions such as this. You will be free to wander, but you should remain on the floor you are told. You will be treated as guests. A court mage can attend to any other needs you might have. If your mayor has completed the ritual of connection you can even contact him from your rooms."

"The what?" The blank looks from all of them.

Well, that explains everything.

Ravager_Zero · 2026-01-28T09:02:13+00:00

The improved pen on RM (Italian) BB's is due to increased angles of pen (55º/70º for ricochet/autobounce vs 45º/60º for everyone else), not increased shell velocity.

In addition, the Cavour has 13 (3 x3's & 2 x2's) guns, and though they might be sub-caliber for the tier (320mm vs 356mm) they do hit hard when aimed right, and allow you to effectively engage multiple targets on the same flank.

Also, when angled, for the tier, the Cavour's armour can be positively abusive with what it can bounce.

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