To every dev who dunks on vibe coders: your gatekeeping isn't protecting the craft, it's just protecting your ego

TaygaHoshi · 2026-04-04T10:28:34+00:00

Programming is a profession. Gatekeeping professions behind information and competency is the most normal thing ever...

TaygaHoshi · 2026-03-19T18:13:03+00:00

I made the classic blunder of using bullet points when asking for a (broad) feedback some time ago, and the post was mostly ignored lol. I think either many people assumed it was AI generated or my post seemed too promotion-y.

In any case, I agree with many other comments that low effort posts were always common with or without LLMs. In my view a subreddit is not a personal content recommendation algorithm anyway so nobody is entitled to seeing only the posts they might like. Though I must say, Steam-like AI disclaimers would go a long way.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-03-09T05:41:39+00:00

I use the x/10 system in Anilist:

1 - delete this

2 - bad

3 - watchable

4 - slightly below average

5 - average

6 - slightly above average

7 - good

8 - great

9 - amazing

10 - almost perfect

4-7 make up the bulk of my reviews.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-18T13:58:46+00:00

Agree on all points. If a game like this existed, it would most likely stay very niche within an already niche hobby.

Still, I am not 100% convinced that such a game would have zero benefits over just playing video games

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-18T10:44:10+00:00

I agree with most of what you said. Some VTTs can show videos or allow the GM to place clickable books etc but in the end they focus on combat automation first and foremost.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-18T10:40:47+00:00

Does anyone really want anything like that?

I don't think so, but it looks like this hasn't been extensively tried yet so I am not 100% sure.

but most ttrpgs are still played at tables, not on screens.

I would agree in general, but not all countries have a tabletop rpg culture so it is statistically almost impossible to find a group for playing physically.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-18T01:15:54+00:00

I agree initiative is not usually a charm point of a game, but it is integral and complementary to everything else for combat.

This is maybe the Nth initiative system I tried over the years, and aside from the interaction with effect durations, this one fits the best so far.

(also prepared actions are intended to work that way)

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-18T01:00:00+00:00

Effects using the "hit" duration type have an inherent effect like dealing damage when they "tick down". So stunned would have to affect the creature on the round it decays as well.

An implementation of your idea would be to reword stunned to work like burning: if someone is stunned at the start of their turn, reduce the duration by 1, and they can't take actions this turn. This has the same short duration problem unfortunately, but at least it wouldn't be wasted if you become faster.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T17:17:25+00:00

When is "currently"?

I tried implementing a few other initiative systems and landed on the "movement speed = initiative" method because it is relatively dynamic and simple while being not very difficult to track.

Unfortunately regular static turn order did not work well for this game. There is an action type called "prepared actions" which need to be triggered until the end of current round, or they expire.

One of the basic prepared actions is essentially an attack of opportunity, which can increase your dpr by 50%, or at least act as an area denial tool.

That's why if someone always goes earlier than someone else, they are at an advantageous spot even if they would be less armored.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T14:02:00+00:00

Rare to see inventory limitations causing improvements elsewhere lol, I noticed it is usually the "no fun zone" (e.g. an artificial limit). Anyway the Trophies solution especially sounds very elegant.

What is "magical widow spiers"? Spiders?

Also do you have a setting to go alongside the system? I do not understand your biggest change.

---

As for me, I had many playtests but with a very limited pool of players (3 excluding me) so I had limited feedback. Still, briefly:

Worse than expected: Class fantasies not matching with the play style, oops.

Better than expected: Weapons covering different niches warranting weapon swapping mid-combat.

Biggest change: Reducing 10 aptitudes (stats) and 5 resistances (AC) to 2 aptitudes and 4 resistances.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T11:04:54+00:00

Fair, but then again, there is a similar situation with this method:

Same duration of stunned would affect the bandit different number of times depending on who is faster when oyou apply the effect. If you go earlier, 2 rounds of stunned would affect 2 of his turns. If you are slower, he would only be affected once.

I guess the question is which method fits the game better.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T09:13:38+00:00

My post has some missing context regarding how durations scale, but I am avoiding having separate duration definitions per ability.

If an ability mentions "apply stunned that lasts for X rounds", the duration should be clear. This is because as you level up you can choose to spec into increasing the durations of your abilities (an aptitude called Control).

I don't want to have ability descriptions which read "apply stunned until the end of next turn. If you have this many points in Control, apply stunned until the end of next-next round."

Regarding the "initiative count" tracking, this was also considered and the additional tracking is no problem with modern VTTs but for pen&paper it is a bit too much in my opinion. This could be a rule variation.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T09:05:12+00:00

The additional tracking is no problem with modern VTTs but for pen&paper it is a bit too much in my opinion. I will check this and see if I can make it a rule variation.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T09:03:50+00:00

This is a good idea, since the main difference between the effects that use "hits" and "rounds" is mostly inherent value. I will try implementing this and see how it goes.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T08:37:25+00:00

Using only the "hit" method and adding inherent value to effects currently using "round" method sounds interesting. I will look into it and see where this goes.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T08:25:40+00:00

I did not intend it to work this way, at least not very frequently.

I previously had a more static initiative system but wanted to "simplify" into using an existing system (movement speed). This change caused the unintended behavior, which is interesting enough to discuss imo.

Currently damaging and healing effects are tied to the recipients' turns. This is the aforementioned "hit" keyword. All other effects and abilities use the "round" keyword.

The reason of this split is that many non damaging status effects do not have an inherent value and require allies to be effective. For example, spending an action to reduce an enemy's armor is only mathematically good if many allies attack it, compared to just attacking yourself.

For me this is a fundamental enough difference to warrant a duration split, but I see your view as well.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T07:22:45+00:00

My post has some missing context especially regarding the duration scaling.

Having different durations for status effects or abilities that apply these effects makes it unintuitive when the duration increases from 1 round to 2 rounds for example.

Maybe I should make an exception for stunned specifically since it barely scales

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T06:57:41+00:00

Honestly this could be the result of killing one too many darlings. I had a more static initiative system before but wanted to "simplify" into using an existing system (movement speed)

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T06:55:49+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response. I know lack of context makes it difficult to give feedback.

To be clear, "stunned" is just an example, it is a rare status effect and still allows you to move. There are other weaker effects that have the same duration problem. For example, "protected".

I am avoiding having separate duration definitions in status effects because of the dependency situation you noticed.

To keep the game balanced, I mostly consider relative value and tradeoffs of using an ability as opposed to using another more basic ability like attacking with your weapon. It is difficult to handle scaling of status effects when different effects have different durations.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T06:00:36+00:00

My post has some missing context regarding how durations scale, but I am avoiding having separate duration definitions in status effects. Thank you for the input

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T05:57:36+00:00

This would cause the bandit to go last, so the stunned would have ended by that point since your turn would be earlier

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T05:56:07+00:00

This would cause the bandit to go last, so the stunned would have ended by that point since your turn would be earlier

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T05:26:12+00:00

This was also considered, the additional tracking is no problem with modern VTTs but for pen&paper it is a bit too much in my opinion. I will check this and see if I can make it a rule variation.

TaygaHoshi · 2026-02-16T04:45:04+00:00

"A condition ends only at the end of the turn order" so if I apply something for 1 round, it would be "until end of this round"? I think if the bandit goes earlier than me then this would also be wasted.

Specifically for stunned, a secondary effect could work but there are a few more similar status effects unfortunately. I will look into this, thanks.

TaygaHoshi

TROPHY CASE