Markdown Jam

Let's use Markdown and other tools to make ttrpgs and larps in new ways. Whether it's to improve a document's accessibility, or simply to try out different aesthetics and forms, people are exploring Markdown and other digital tools in the creation of their "analog" games. With this jam, we're shining a light on those efforts and inviting others to participate. 

The Jam Deadline has been extended to Nov.  14!

Markdown lets you create and format text in a way that is easy to pick up and fast to use. Then, using various tools such as Pandoc, you can turn Markdown text into something cool! See below for three tutorials and a bunch of other tools that can help you learn, use, and implement Markdown.

Nate Treme (@NateTreme) and John R. Harness (@cartweel) are the hosts of this jam. Direct questions to @cartweel or use the jam's community hub to communicate with the hosts and other participants.

A word to the weary and wary:

There are a lot of links to a lot of resources on this page! If you are feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by all of this, like I (@cartweel) was feeling recently, take heart! The point of this jam is to help people learn to use these tools. Poke around a little bit and see what you can find; but remember that you don't have to understand or master everything presented here, especially not right away! Feel free to message questions to the jam hosts or to post questions on the jam's community hub.  Don't worry if you don't know anything about computers or computer programing (I sure don't!). Let's just have fun together and see what we can create!

What is Markdown, and how do I use it?

There's been buzz recently (and not so recently) about exploring a wider range of electronic formats for ttrpgs and larps. This jam highlights Markdown, a particular markup  language, which is used for making text that is readable and useable by many electronic tools. Using Markdown is the beginning of a process that can lead to different outputs: a website, an ePub document, an easily editable and collaborative text file, and more.

Tutorials: Markdown & RPGs

Recently, several tutorials have been published that show Markdown in use in making ttrpgs and larps. Generally, these tutorials describe processes in which a creator writes using Markdown, then uses a conversion tool (like Pandoc) to convert Markdown into output in HTML or ePub formats.

• Nate Treme's Making an HTML Dungeon - This shows you how to embed an HTML file (a website!) directly into an itch.io page. The process starts with Markdown.
• James Chip's HTML and ePub for TTRPG Creators - This tutorial will give you a prompt and then guide you through using Markdown to create both HTML and ePub outputs.
• Luke Gearing's Using Markdown and Pandoc to Make RPG Documents for Free - A blogpost tutorial!
• (We are looking to add more resources! Let us know if you know of any--or if you've made something yourself!)

More On Markdown

• Improving the Accessibility of Your Markdown
• Introductory Guide to Markdown for Documentation Writers

Other Helpful Tools

Ghostwriter is a great and light-weight Markdown editor. Looking for somewhere to host a simple website made for this jam? txti can create a super simple free website using just Markdown, and Neocities hosts HTML for free. Zonelets is a simple to use Neocities template that can make your site look snazzy without getting in the way of text. Convert Word (or Google) documents to markdown with word2md.com. If Pandoc is being a hassle, you can use it online. Wanna mess with the HTML on your itch page? Check out this guide.

This jam doesn't require you to use the tools, templates, or workflows presented here. We simply list them here to inspire and inform you!

Rules

The final form of your project can be many things: a .md file, a working website, something imbedded into an itch page, an ePub--hell, maybe even something we haven't thunk up yet! ...but it needs to start as Markdown (or, if you must, another, similar Markup language). 

The jam begins Wednesday, Oct. 20th 2021 and ends Sunday, Nov. 7th, 2021. Our preference is that you start and finish new projects during the period of the jam; however, if you'd like to take this as an opportunity to work on or finish an already-started Markdown project, we're not going to stop you! Just remember that the point is to try new things, so, no matter the state of your project, consider giving a new tool or format or strategy a go.

Feel free to price, publicize, and distribute the games or supplements you make as part of this jam in any way you see fit.

And, most importantly: No cops no bosses no nazis no terfs.

Send rules questions or comments to @cartweel via itch or on twitter.

(Banner Image by Nate Treme 2021)