Just Passing Through v2.0 is now out!

I am so proud to share that v2.0 of Just Passing Through is out now! This includes the following updates: 

New layout, format & illustrations. 

• Beautiful ink illustrations by A. Valencia for cover and interior section headers. 
• Redesigned layout with a table of contents and re-organized structure for clean informational design and easier reading. 
• Formatted for a physical print run. Currently only available at Side Quest Books & Games in Somerville, MA. 

Revised Mechanics

• New Interlude mechanic re-works the Joker to move away from randomly timed game endings, instead allowing players to run mini scenes when the card is drawn, then carry on with gameplay. 
• New Push Token mechanic alters game-end mechanics,  and gives pacing control to the players, creating a more predictable and cozy vibe. It also allows players to introduce complications into the game in 
• Revised character creation system, including a simple character sheet.
• Increase clarity around the stages of gameplay. 
• Updated world-building, town-building, and friendship mechanics. 

Updated Question Prompts

• All 52 question prompts from the deck of cards have been revised to more directly evoke a creative, open-ended response. 
• Question Prompts to ask both the Villager and the Voyager have been rephrased into the 2nd person, so you can ask them directly from the page. 

Putting Together an Illustrated Edition

I knew pretty early on that I wanted to release an illustrated version of this game. Paired alongside this edition is a very small print run, to try out selling some copies at my local ttrpg store, and I had always imagined a printed edition having line art style illustrations. 

My friend A. Valencia is not only an incredibly talented artist, but is also the person who helped inspire this game with our catch-up chats whenever she’s in town. These illustrations are outside of her “usual” style, but she agreed to give this a try because she felt connected to the project. We swapped reference photos, we discussed style, and she set to work - and delivered exceptional results in the process. As two creatives trying to make our way in the world, it was so magical to be able to commission and invest in her work. 

Revisions, Or Something Like That

The most daunting part of creating an illustrated edition for me was sitting down to revise the text. Even more than designing layout (which I foolishly decided to do on my own) and figuring out printing logistics, there’s something so vulnerable about sitting with a game and trying to figure out what the core is. What needs to stay, and what can go? What needs to be polished a little further so it really catches the light? 

This revision process took me a long time, and I’m glad that I set some external deadlines - notably, an event my local ttrpg store was going to run. I am not the sort who thrives in a nebulous sea of “someday,” not when it comes to my creative projects. Deadlines help me focus. And give me something to procrastinate on. 

I may talk more about the specifics revision in a yet-to-come post mortem, but for now I just want to share that I read a very timely article by Thought Punks about simplicity and succinctness in worldbuilding. While I won’t claim to have perfectly nailed the simplicity Rev builds a case for in this piece, I found great comfort in letting go of how narratively prescriptive Version 1 of this game wanted to be. In this Version 2, I have tried to instill in future players a sense of trust: You know how to tell this story, you know what you want to bring to the table. You might not realize it yet, but you do, and I am so excited about that. 

I am so grateful to the folks who helped me with this revision. Through playtesting, I found what mechanics did what I wanted them to do, and which were better in theory. I love the thrill of creating games for jams, and I am so grateful for the creative inspirations jams give me. 

Increasing the Price

I slightly increased the price of the digital copy of the game. I have increased the amount of mechanics, added artwork and layout, and spent a significant amount of time revising the existing content. I will continue to make community copies available as purchases of the game are made, and to offset the price increase initially, I will do an Update Sale for now so it will still cost less than the original price.