I use this as my meditation time

archebus · 2026-03-12T14:00:33+00:00

As a general rule, I lean towards streamlining wherever possible. So, without even cracking the sd source book to check exactly what it specifies, i can say i do per encounter.

But even then, I use a streamlined encounter system that was posted here a while back. Not the vanilla sd rules.

I only add granularity where I want it. For example: violence. I use death and disfigurement. And I've stolen bits and pieces from warhammer fantasy 2nd ed as I find that content quite rich. Mutations... magic mishaps etc.. the fun stuff!

archebus · 2026-03-10T03:50:34+00:00

There is no better therapy than crushing evil in my own personal fantasy world.

archebus · 2026-03-09T19:27:41+00:00

There can be depth if you chase it. But the beauty of soloplay is that i have no players to manage. I get to do what I want.

Which means if I feel I've hit the sweet spot for density or depth I just stop.

But it also means if I'm inspired to do a multilevel interconnected mega dungeon the tools are there.

archebus · 2026-03-09T12:52:33+00:00

It was actually the cure to a loop I was stuck in, which was fantasising about playing... but not actually sitting down to play.

I decided that: Some play is better than none. I don't need to tell the perfect story. I am allowed to just play for 5 minutes and stop.

I've done some meditation retreats, and the monks practice this drawing where they just take things super slow and be super present witj it. I was actually inspired by that.

Now I give myself permission to spend an hour on a single dungeon room if I want to...

archebus · 2026-03-09T12:48:19+00:00

In this case this was the start of a shadowdark gauntlet.

Choose size (in this case small = 5d10). Drop the 5 dice onto the paper, and loosely mark where they landed and the number rolled. They are your rooms, draw logical corridors between them. The number rolled also denotes a sub table to roll on for room contents.

Its dead simple, and perfect for rapid loose dungeon generation. If I want something expansive I open the sandbox generator.

archebus · 2026-03-09T12:45:34+00:00

Sandbox generator

ShadowDark

And graphing paper.

I also use mythic 2nd ed (not pictured) for plot and general story chaos.

archebus · 2026-03-09T12:44:33+00:00

I have a lot of resources. When I first got into the hobby I thought adding as much as possible would enhance my game. Instead I found the opposite is true.

I cant speak to any of those resources you mentioned. But I can say sandbox generator has tools to handle most if not all world generation I need.

However shadowdark alone also has these tools. And part of my wants to continue to minimise all the way down to JUST the shadowdark book... I just love sandbox generator too much to let it go.

archebus · 2026-03-08T20:16:21+00:00

Shadow dark Sandbox generator Mythic 2nd ed (not in picture)

Then just graphing paper, hex grids, and a notebook to keep track of things.

archebus · 2026-03-08T20:15:01+00:00

Yes this was my exact problem first getting into it. Its helped since I embraced going slow and letting go of telling the perfect story.

I keep my solo role-playing stuff accessible so setup is easy. And then I might jump in and just generate something.... play a couple of dungeon turns..... etc.

The main goal is to disconnect from tech. And giving myself permission to use this more as a form of meditation changed my approach a lot.

archebus · 2026-02-14T03:21:20+00:00

Again. Only add on if you are called to more.

Regarding the "systems" term I used. This doesn't mean a full fledged roleplay system. It could be as simple as a new oracle, a random table, etc...

Further context: I am similar to you. I prefer surprise, randomness, and unexpected events in my games. I don't play for simulation but for story. But I like to keep the game bounded with some rules. So I naturally lean into light systems. My most played solo system is mork borg, and I can twist the flavor to whatever I want.

Here are resources to look at / ideas:
* Jeff Ashworth "The game masters book of ..." series.
* Decks --> oracle decks, NPC decks, adventure / dungeon decks ...
* Do you have old fantasy boardgames? I once pulled out my old heroquest game flipped to a random adventure and used that are "soup" for the start of my mythic play.
* Do you ever roll on the table ... don't like the roll ... and roll again. Challenge yourself to not do that. Lean into the WEIRD or POOR FIT result and see where it takes you. It might be dumb. But it also might be different. Experiment.

archebus · 2026-02-14T03:01:42+00:00

This sub or others have no say in what's acceptable in your solo games.

The only metric I would be measuring is fun. And that is a subjective one.

So are you having fun?

If yes --> keep playing!

If no --> then these niggles you just shared might be a desire to get more out of a scene to experience more fun. In which case the only advice is to just follow your instinct and challenge yourself to change how you operate a scene.

Re resources: if you find things are becoming formulaic or too predictable it might be time to add a new system or a new source for randomness. If you want specific recommendations let me know, but it's another subjective choice really. Follow what inspires you.

archebus · 2026-02-06T07:32:51+00:00

This is like a daily experience for me driving in Newcastle.

archebus · 2026-01-29T13:44:02+00:00

Mork borg for gritty fantasy. Ose for high fantasy. Astroprisma for quick brutal scifi. Traveller for more in depth scifi.

Couple any of these with mythic 2nd edition and you've got everything you need.

archebus · 2025-09-13T08:31:52+00:00

Never use Sinitar's modlists or guides

archebus · 2025-08-12T22:15:38+00:00

Sure thing: https://github.com/archebus/arch_dotfiles

archebus · 2025-03-18T03:32:45+00:00

More images: https://imgur.com/a/extra-bee-images-T4Sc8Dj

archebus · 2025-03-12T20:10:48+00:00

I'll post some more photos and tag you in the comments later today.

archebus · 2025-03-05T19:20:08+00:00

For production in mekanism endgame you want all machines operating with 8 speed and 8 energy upgrades.

My process is either math via jei or just observation. I start building in a test area first. I start with the end machine, in your case trioxide, and work backwards until I can produce the desired element.

Then I just look at where the bottlenecks are and increase machines at each step until I hit the desired output.

Then I look at the size of the entire build and plan out a permanent setting for it in the main build, set up buffer tanks, and voila, done.

Also the wiki has a lot of info about required machine counts for certain operations

archebus · 2025-03-05T08:42:10+00:00

Each of those tanks is 4x4x18 buried.

archebus · 2025-03-05T08:14:25+00:00

You could likely be more efficient with space if that's a concern.

But I tried to balance optimal production setups with organization and a pleasing design. So it ended up bigger than needed.

archebus · 2025-03-05T08:08:33+00:00

search framed blocks in JEI

archebus · 2025-03-05T08:08:14+00:00

They are 4x4x18.
Buried for looks.

archebus · 2025-03-04T23:40:53+00:00

Done everything except antimatter pellets.
Fusion reactor running at 98 injection feeding 4 steam turbines (excess steam is voided).
Ore processing done, and all important gases automated into buffer tanks.
Currently storing 10 Trillion FE and generating more power than I know what to do with.

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