The Loose Playbook Jam retrospective

So this is going to be a bit different from the usual post mortems I do, however this project was a bit of a unusual one for me so I think the change is warranted.

I'm going to be 100% honest this is the project I'm least happy with, and quite frankly I could have done MUCH better. When it comes down to it the major issue was time management. Granted, it actually started very well; I had the text done in a reasonable amount of time, then I had a holiday... then I tried to do the old two jams at the same time trick... then there was a heatwave (I do not function well when it is over 20C). As a result I wasn't able to refine this into something less slap dash.

But despite this it did get me thinking and, as much as I feel I could have presented something that wasn't an extremely rough prototype, I do feel like I'm onto something worth pursuing at a later date. For starters I love settings which are a blend of high, dark, and urban fantasy. The titular Spire from the TRPG of the same name is a good example, as is the City Beneath featured in its spinoff, Heart. I feel like these settings can accommodate a range of adventures despite their smaller scope while still being unique and memorable.

However what I'm most interested in is implementing a sort of 'push your luck' style mechanic where players can alter the odds of the roll, at the risk of incurring some sort of cost. I enjoy games such as Heat, or Quacks of Quailingburg where you have to manage your luck. In TRPG, these sorts of mechanics are welcome, after all, most TRPG games revolve around characters in risky situations that, more often than not, are one misfortune away from escalating. The Year Zero Engine, which is used in many of Free League's games, has a mechanic which allows a player to reroll, the cost of this being that there is an increased risk of penalties such as damage to any gear a character is using, and a similar mechanic is used in Salvage Union, with the risk this time being the danger of overheating your mech. Its something I very much want to explore more.

As for the game that this playbook would be apart of? Its going on the backburner at the very most. I've got three more Jams I want to do this year, plus my two projects, Wyrd Nomads and Blade and Laser. However, its something I can see myself returning to. The themes and ideas, to me at least, are interesting and warrant futher development, I just want to focus on the stuff I've got going on here and now.

Anyway, whoever you are, please, take care, and I'll see you soon.

-Tableplant