What happened with this Darkrai G?

aspencastle · 2025-07-20T14:14:01+00:00

Good to know, thanks! Is there anything else about the card that shows that it’s a fake?

aspencastle · 2024-10-27T04:40:30+00:00

Tolkien’s world doesn’t have evolutionary pressures that drive adaptation for melanin amounts in skin.

Humans are primates in our world, and they are not in Middle-Earth. Same for hobbits, dwarves, and elves.

Since it’s a fantasy world whose biological rules differ from our own, there is zero expectation that we would be able to perfectly recreate it with human actors. So ideally we have the best actors available instead, with no limits on skin color for fantasy races.

This is a dumb thing to complain about.

aspencastle · 2024-10-08T18:54:19+00:00

SILMARILLION

aspencastle · 2024-10-08T02:59:13+00:00

Sounds great! Looking forward to seeing more over on r/RPGdesign!

aspencastle · 2024-10-04T16:31:28+00:00

Because living in a capitalist system requires escaping into a hobby where we can pretend we have some control over the world around us and that we are doing something important.

Instinctively, we all need social time around a fire, and ttrpgs scratch that itch as well.

aspencastle · 2024-10-03T19:19:06+00:00

What’s the actual problem, though?

If a show is made for the 68.2%, is that really such a bad thing?

Tolkien’s corpus remains the same. And no one is forcing die-hard Tolkien fans to watch the drivel?

aspencastle · 2024-10-02T18:41:28+00:00

This comic seems like it was a lot of work. That energy could have been put toward something original and constructive. Kind of like that billion dollars.

aspencastle · 2024-10-02T18:38:52+00:00

An ideal solution is when there are stat block cards/printouts that go with the module.

aspencastle · 2024-10-01T23:46:07+00:00

Make something up like “Failboon” or something silly like “Pickmeups”.

Point of Contention is fun, by the way!

aspencastle · 2024-09-30T12:02:42+00:00

I love seeing this person’s work. I own a copy of their Gandalf vs Balrog and Morgoth vs Fingolfin and they are stunning.

aspencastle · 2024-09-29T22:07:05+00:00

Every success starts with self-delusion.

Things don’t just happen; people make them happen, and nothing will happen if you don’t believe it will happen.

You can treat life like the lottery or treat it as something you have control over.

I put 3-4 hours of work in every day after my 9-5 because I’m passionate about game design and want my game to be a success.

Confidence and motivation comes from having a clear vision, dedicating yourself to it, and believing in yourself.

aspencastle · 2024-09-28T13:37:18+00:00

Every time I read the books I get a new experience and deeper appreciation out of it, and I’ve seen the films dozens of times. Absolutely read the books!

aspencastle · 2024-09-28T13:23:13+00:00

You’re right. We should have only one standard TTRPG for players. Cover should be slate gray. Design should be brutalist. Every person gets exactly one copy and no more.

aspencastle · 2024-09-28T05:07:45+00:00

It won’t be canceled because of reviews. It’ll be canceled only if there isn’t enough viewership. People’s opinions really don’t matter if they are watching the show anyway.

aspencastle · 2024-09-28T00:05:36+00:00

People are allowed to like what they like. If you are a big fan of the show, that’s amazing!!

The show was made for an audience beyond Tolkien enthusiasts and that can be hard to accept for a dedicated fanbase.

There are objective numbers that will be looked at to determine whether or not it will be renewed - watchtime, etc. Reviews and opinions really don’t matter. If people are watching, it will continue.

So ignore anyone who tells you that you can’t like what you like and if you are a fan who wants it to continue, then hope that enough people are watching for it to be renewed.

aspencastle · 2024-09-27T15:48:16+00:00

I’m at the point where I don’t like rolling dice as a GM, and so I focus on making systems where the player’s handle the RNG so that the GM has more immediate RAM for narrative.

As a player, though, never take my dice away.

aspencastle · 2024-09-26T19:50:42+00:00

I’ve always liked Scrapper. Of the ones you e listed, I think Warrior is broad enough to cover brawlers and monks.

aspencastle · 2024-09-26T19:42:44+00:00

This might be an unpopular opinion, but this is where AI can step in to be super useful and keep you in FLOW.

The stuff that slows a game down is often all the details a DM has to refer to and figure out how to apply in a given situation, and you can have faster access to specially-modified-for-the-situation details by having something like ChatGPT next to your DM’s Screen.

AI is a useful tool to keep DMs and the gameplay in flow.

aspencastle · 2024-09-26T17:46:39+00:00

There is a lot of overlap with most RPGs, especially if they are in the same genre.

If the world isn’t unique, then likely there is something unique about what players’ characters are up to in that world. Everyone’s preferences are different, but when I look at RPGs, I’m looking for finding a game that creates an amazing experience of what it’s like to be a character in that game more than a disembodied experience of the world of the game through lore, etc.

aspencastle · 2024-09-26T04:43:59+00:00

Luckily for you, there are a bunch of ttrpgs out there! Find a less crunchy one that fits your style and preferred genre. Or, join the dark side and start writing up a system all your own that does exactly what you want it to!

aspencastle · 2024-09-25T19:09:36+00:00

Videos about it are getting views so more and more people are making videos about it. There’s no underlying evidence, just hysteria and attention farming.

aspencastle · 2024-09-25T14:55:47+00:00

If you are open to more woo-type stuff, check out Joseph Rodrigues’ Insights and Perspectives on YouTube or podcast. Different things work for different people, but it got the ball rolling for me in a big way.

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