When designing Fenestra, I noticed it had no magical universities. I really mean 'noticed', rather than 'stipulated', or 'invented'. People think that if anything's possible at the start, then it'll all be possible later. Options 'A', 'B', and 'C' are each possible, so perhaps we might select option 'A', and later 'B'. …

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Your last three sessions have felt like a mini-campaign, bursting with mystery and possibilities. Now that we've captured the baron, how did he get all those goblins into the basement? Did we miss some hidden door to the underdark? Or was the smuggler we got that magic scroll from involved? 1 "No, it was …

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RPG dungeons often presume a lot of separation between rooms. Anyone starting a fight in this dungeon would immediately tip off all creatures. We can excuse our way around it with oozes, deaf goblins, et c., but it's a heavy restriction that seems to receive less attention than it should. It also seems odd to find …

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When making things, once in a while you spot a pit-trap laden with spikes, and screech to a halt to think about the route ahead carefully. When making chairs, I guess people test by sitting in the chair. Writers and RPG designers can't get this kind of snappy feedback, so I guess we're all a bit fumbly when testing …

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I've decided against having online printing available for BIND. This may change, but here's the thinking so far: Printing means I need to have the book mailed to me, but posting to Serbia means a whole bunch of faff. Of course, a voice in my head reminds me I could always find a way. Send the book to a friend, and have …

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I've rather gone off the notion of 'collectibles'. Collectible RPG books are special because they can't meet the demand. We can't all have a copy of those original D&D books, or whatever swanky thing White Wolf brought out with the expensive full-page art. In this vein, I've been making the campaign book - …

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Minimalism rocks. Looking at these minimalist systems like Cairne and Mörk Borg, I felt they were onto something. 3-pages of rules, and 'on with the game!'. I've yet to play one, but the more I read these systems, the more I feel something's simply missing. Specifically, 'everything except combat'. In the old D&D …

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This chronological rundown of how I approach RPG design will go over the most universal principles I've learned or copied from others. Attitude All rules are bad, but some rules are worth it. The rest of the ideas here will talk about technical implementation, but the core thought, riding alongside every notion, is …

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The roll-only-once rule saves a lot of real-world time. Nobody rolls again. Every roll means something. Multiple Rolls Guarantee Success Let's say the PCs want to pick a lock. The first one fails the roll, but they have plenty of time. Another rolls the dice and fails. A third sighs, knowing they will make it out of …

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Referring to elves as a 'race' makes perfect sense. They're clearly different from the other humanoids, have their own features, and biological properties and oddities.1 But 'sylvan elves'? The elves who live in forests, but generally act like any other elf? They're clearly just elves living in a different climate. …

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