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(+1)
  • Immaculate vibes! Art, font, maps, all right on theme.
  • Megaman inspiration shines through really well. I didn't see any mention of the other two games you were given though.
  • Usability: I think I would have a tough time running this as is.
    • Wish recommended # of PC's/PC level was prominently included.
    • Map and dungeon rooms descriptions should probably be numbered. At first, I didn't even know I was reading room descriptions (Ancient Weapon section, page 6).
    • Encounter table is varied and thematic, but how often do I need to roll for an encounter?
    • Creatures are cool but are lacking several of the typical Shadowdark stats. Most don't have interesting abilities/traits or aren't well explained (e.g., constrict limb).
    • Character sheets are gorgeous (not sure how functional though).

Gorgeous looking entry that would probably benefit from a revision to increase usability. Very cool!

I think this is an incredibly fair assessment and really appreciate the time and thought put into this. I still consider myself pretty new at game design and always find myself struggling when considering usability. Do you tend to favor things that are more generic and by definition universal or rules specific? When you run modules or one-shots at your table, do you prefer everything to be spelled out in detail or rounded to give you the ability to bend things to your table's preferences?

Hey! Glad you found my feedback useful.

To answer your questions, yes I do tend to prefer generic fantasy (though I'd use the word classic), and I think there's a balance to be struck between aesthetics/flavor and mechanics. My preference is slightly more spelled out mechanics than what you see in core Shadowdark, but it's definitely a hard thing to balance, and a lot of it is personal preference.