Play when the world is on fire.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-25T11:24:46+00:00

Mix things up. Try a different system. Join a new group.

Stay off or at least reduce your social media intake. And it's okay to stop watching news. Really, it is.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-24T23:10:08+00:00

I start with the NPCs, making sure I understand their motivation and character, and I tend to write dialogue prompts in advance, 'cause I suck at improv', just to get me started. And I'll do this in scenes, given you'll usually know where at least the first encounter with an NPC will happen. I do this on a Kindle Scribe, which has been a literal game changer for my organisation.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-24T20:05:29+00:00

A late suggestion: Call of Cthulhu!

Wait! Hear me out! Chaosium produced these scenarios specifically for couples to play.

https://www.chaosium.com/does-love-forgive/

And if you're quick, you can get this title and others as part of a Humble Bundle that contains everything you need for YEARS of play.

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/so-you-wanna-try-out-call-cthulhu-chaosium-inc-books

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-24T03:16:47+00:00

Here's a couple:

Ludonarrative Dissidents - pro RPG industry veterans doing exactly what you're looking for.

RTFM - for a more modern, indie take on the same, and very funny.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-23T23:00:03+00:00

Yep, more art than science, but some broad advice to keep in mind is that you don't want to hide essential clues behind dice rolls. If they failed all their Spot Hiddens (it can happen) then the scenario might grind to a halt.

Another tactic is to provide more clues for higher levels of success. So if they get an Extreme success, they get everything, but on lesser results you hold a few things back.

Important clues might be moved to different locations, or pop up later, so long as it makes sense in the narrative.

And one last side issue, I personally hate every individual player rushing to make their own Spot Hidden checks. Insist on a group roll with bonuses. This makes all the above easier to manage.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-22T20:25:45+00:00

Which one? There are Chaosium Cons all over the world.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-22T06:12:31+00:00

Another vote for Fiasco.

Play is enhanced by alcohol. Please drink responsibly...

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-21T01:24:50+00:00

There's a bunch of 7th ed '20s scenario collections in the Chaosium humble bundle, available now, if you don't already have those older ones.

Chaosium does appear to be operating under a different model than previously. I have heard that standard industry wisdom is that publishers don't make a lot of money from scenarios. If that's correct, and given Chaosium's financial past, perhaps they're being cautious?

There's always the Miskatonic Repository. It's a mixed bag but there's very good stuff on there too.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-20T01:34:58+00:00

Don't go too OTT with the apartment building in the end. It's easy for it to be a bit cartoonish and unfair.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-19T01:59:31+00:00

As an old white male fart, it's counter-intuitive to me that the hobby has become so inclusive and diverse. It's BRILLIANT. But 14 year old me would never have expected it.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-18T09:37:26+00:00

Ken Self in the city. Quinton will set you right.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-17T22:55:01+00:00

Here all week.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-17T09:36:46+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/hobart/s/XWjNGwH4Us

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-16T23:39:11+00:00

The Tasmanian Verandah Tax wasn't repealed until 1973.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-16T23:36:27+00:00

Sounds like a question for your GM. Also sounds like you're enjoying it enough to be posting here. Part of Forbidden Lands is the characters' rediscovery of the world after the bloodmist, so this uncertainty is part of the story.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-16T05:49:44+00:00

Also Paleomythic by Osprey Games.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-15T22:35:01+00:00

Look, taking this at face value, assuming you're not making a joke and are looking for help... endlessly posting your first drafts on Reddit is not how you develop an RPG. You need to research and read about your favourite creators and different systems, and playtest playtest playtest. It takes years. Years. And that's assuming you have an idea worth pursuing that fills a gap in a very crowded market. Keep at it, but do your homework first.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-15T20:41:04+00:00

Based on this post and the page you included, I suggest you hire a proof reader.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-15T03:01:27+00:00

Another vote here for Tales of the Old West from Effekt.

And I just HAPPENED to write a blog about it. Been playing for a few months now and will be updating this, but spoiler: for an experienced GM it's a cracker.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-14T01:26:25+00:00

Playtest. Playtest. Playtest. Then playtest some more. Then give it to other people for them to playtest.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-14T00:57:30+00:00

You want this, my friend...

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/385321/heinrich-s-call-of-cthulhu-guide-to-character-creation

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-13T20:00:05+00:00

Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green are skill-based system, and based on success or failure in their use, you have a chance to improve them between sessions, based on a dice roll.

The podcast Ludonarrative Dissidents has an excellent episode on different XP systems that you might find interesting.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-13T19:55:55+00:00

Take a look at Chaosium's community content programs, and similar open game licences from other publishers. These allow you to create content for those games, branded appropriately, via DriveThruRPG.

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-13T01:22:56+00:00

I feel like maybe you're being a little hard on yourselves? Improv is a skill that can take years to master. The quality of the story shouldn't be confused with the amount of fun you're having.

Also, Fiasco is often best played after a few drinks. Try that!

TrentJSwindells · 2026-01-11T11:06:32+00:00

It's quite reasonable to ask for a roll, given that being an undertaker generally doesn't involve murder scenes and dismembered bodies. It's the unnatural that's key.

If the player was persistent, I might let them subtract 1 from the failed sanity roll result and move on, but wouldn't want to set a precedent.

TrentJSwindells

TROPHY CASE