itch.io

Sign up is now live for 2025! https://itch.io/jam/one-page-rpg-jam-2025

Below is the jam’s policy on using generative AI tools (Midjourney, ChatGPT, etc.) in submissions, as well as a longer-form explanation. This policy was decided on after surveying jam participants, the results of which can be found on the Unknown Dungeon blog.

Generative AI may not be used to create any images, elements of images, or text used in a submission or a submission’s Itch.io project page, except for limited modifications to a translation from another language.

Images
You may not use images generated using an AI tool in your game. 
You may not use images where part of the image (such as a character or object) was generated using an AI tool in your game.
You may not generate any asset (such as a texture or shape) and use that in your game or as part of an image in your game.
You may not use a photo or other image that has been put through a generative  AI filter in your game.
You may use content-aware fill tools to remove parts of images, as long as you’re not adding anything new.
All of the above applies equally to images you would make yourself from a prompt, and images generated by another - such as a stock image site.

All of the above also applies to the Itch.io page for your game - the page, cover image, banner, etc.

Text
You may not use text generated from a prompt in your game.
You may not use text re-written by a generative AI tool in your game.
You may not use text that has had spelling or grammar errors fixed by a generative AI tool in your game.
You may use a generative AI tool to help identify errors in text, as long as you rewrite the text yourself to fix those errors.
You may not use a generative AI tool to translate an entire game into a different language, nor translate paragraphs of text in your fgame
You may use a generative AI tool to check a translation you've done yourself or done with a non-generative AI tool.
You may use an generative AI tool to help bounce ideas off or source information, as long as none of the text generated by the tool end up in your finished submission.

All of the above also applies to the Itch.io page for your game.

If you're using a tool or app that isn't a dedicated generative-AI-based tool, but that uses generative AI within it, you can use that tool or app but not those generative AI functions.

The One-Page RPG Jam has always been about making game design accessible in scope, and the jam has always aimed to give people a chance to explore their creativity in a small, low-stakes environment; to enjoy working on something new, push their boundaries, and take themselves, at least a little, out of their comfort zone. If you don’t have experience writing, write something. If you don’t think you can draw, draw something anyway. 

What is a one-page RPG?

For the purposes of this jam, a one-page RPG is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) where the rules fit onto a single sheet of paper sizes A4/Letter or smaller. A TTRPG could include everything from strategic, combat-oriented adventure games; to collaborative and GM-less story games. The aim of this jam is for people to experiment with different designs. 

Does it have to be a single page?

For the jam, your submission should fit onto one single sheet of paper. The sheet could be a flat sheet or folded into a pamphlet. The game can be spread across both sides, but keep the core rules onto a single side. Use the 'back page' for ancillary info such as GM tools, solo-prompts, or extra gameable elements, such as a map.

Ask yourself the question “Can a group of players pick up the front page, read it through, then start playing the game without additional info?”. If the answer is yes, you’re in good shape.

Can I include extra pages for character sheets or extra character options, adventures, bestiaries, tokens, etc.?

As long as the core rules fit onto a single sheet, and a player/group could pick up that page and happily run that game without the extra pages, then you're good to go. 

You could include optional rules on an extra page specific to using that extra content (e.g random encounter rules on a hex map adventure) however anything that is required to play the game should be available to the players on the main page.

The important thing is that your submission is not multiple pages of text that players (including a GM if the game requires one) have to read first in order to play your game.

Can I include extra information on a character sheet?

If your game has character sheets they can be separate, however they should not contain information not in the core rules. If you could take the main page and a blank notebook, and replicate all the information on the character by hand, then you'll be fine. 

If the character sheet has stats, abilities, equipment, etc. that can't be derived from the main page, then they shouldn't be included.

How necessary are character sheets?

It depends on the game you’re creating and the information you want the players to track, but 90% of one-page RPGs don't have, or need, character sheets. Often just expecting players to keep track on paper is enough.

What size paper should I use?

You can use up to US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) or A4 (297 x 210 mm) sized paper, and down to index card size. The paper can also be folded in half or in a pamphlet.

What font size should I use?

The important thing is that the design is easy to read, and the text is as efficient as possible at explaining the game. Depending on the font, 10pt is a good size, balancing space and readability; for most fonts 8.5pt is likely to be the minimum.

Is the jam ranked?

The jam is not ranked, and there are no judges. The spirit of the jam is to be as welcoming and experimental as possible, without worrying about being judged.

However if you see a game you like, be sure to rate it and leave a comment, and share the game with others you think would like it too.

Is it okay to submit the same game to this and to another jam at the same time?

Absolutely, as long as the game was made during the duration of this jam and fit the brief. Please do not submit older games or games that are not one-page RPGs.

Do submissions have to be in English?

All languages are welcome in submissions!

Can I use AI when creating my game?

Please refer to the jam's Generative AI policy.

This thread is specifically for the sharing of resources. Both One-Page-RPG-specific 

PREVIOUS JAMS

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2024

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2023

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2022

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2021

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2020

ASSETS

TTRPG Resource Jam - All submissions to the TTRPG Resources Jam with a wealth of templates and advice.

TTRPG Resource Masterpost by Starshine Scribbles

Game Icons and Flat Icon - Free icon graphics.

Unsplash and Pexels - Free stock photo.

TOOLS

Safety Tools - A description of various social and content tools for TTRPGs. 

Open License One Page RPG Systems - A list of one-page systems with open licenses allowing you to hack the rules for your own game. (Courtesy of Chaosmeister.)

Any Dice - Dice probability calculator.

Itch.io Image Templates - A set of templates to make images the correct size for various places on itch.io.

Resolution Mechanic List - A list of new resolution mechanics from readers of Prismatic Wasteland.

PLACES

/r/onepagerpgs - The one-page RPG subreddit

/r/RPGcreation - General subreddit about designing ttRPGs.

Hey, this year's jam will begin 14th July. There is a bit of detail on the blog: https://unknowndungeon.substack.com/p/one-page-rpg-jam-survey-results and you can join the Discord server to keep up to date.

Hi! The Spanish layout got buried under a ton of other projects but it's still technically on the to-do list! If you want to send me a French version I'll bump them up the list do my best to get both of them finished together.

Hey thanks for your question. The original L&F is currently under Creative Commons license CC-BY 4.0, however S&S is under a CC-BY-SA 4.0.

This means that if you use anything from S&S that was originally in L&F, you need to credit John Harper. If you use anything that wasn't, and was instead written by me, you have to both credit me and also share your hack under the same CC-BY-SA 4.0 license.

Both L&F and S&S allow derivative works and commercial use in their respective licenses. That means you can feel free to hack away, and then distribute your hack however you please (as long as the hack is shared under the CC-BY-SA 4.0 license if you've used text from S&S).

Essentially, if you copy/paste anything I've written that's fine, but you have to let others do the same to anything you write.

More info on the CC-BY-SA 4.0 license can be found here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Hey yeah Below is more focused on resource management, and so buying smaller gear and keeping track of coins is part of that. If you're mixing Below with another game, it's best to decide if you want to use the Below gear lists and silver pieces, or use the more abstract inventory/coins of the other games.

Hey glad you're all enjoying the game! Drop me an email and we can work something out. jlgordon.games@gmail.com

Hey glad you like them. If you want to buy a physical copy, drop me an email and I can sort it out. jlgordon.games@gmail.com

Hi, do you mean from the original one-pagers?

Hi! There are community copies for 1400 Quest on it's own product page, and you can get Golden Age for free by signing up to my newsletter (also linked on it's own page). I hope that helps.

If the GM could draw their own map but the included map is an optional aid then it would be fine.

Absolutely! As long at the entries follow the rules, they can be in any language.

Yeah I think that's a really interesting idea. Go for it!

Absolutely, as long as anything NSFW follows Itchs rules/ToS for such things.

GM-only tables can be on the backside. It sounds like in your situation it'll be fine.

Im not sure I understand without more detail. In general, character sheets shouldn't have rules/info not available in the core rules. So, for example, having 4 classes/roles which are detailed in the core rules but then the information for each class is repeated on separate playbook-style character sheets is fine. But having class-specific info that isn't on the core rules would not fall within the bounds of the jam.

I wouldn't have thought so, but who knows with Itch. It'd be worth reaching out to Itch support as they might be able to help. They can take a while but the jam is on for a few more weeks yet so hopefully it'd be resolved before the jam ends.

Is your projects definitely published and public?

Tables of prompts are fine. Generally tables like that should be to make the GM's (or player's if it's a solo game) life easier, rather than being 100% required. But as long as they don't need to read two full sides of the sheet to get all the rules you'll be fine.

Yeah drawing from a regular deck of playing cards to reference against a table on the sheet is fine. Printable bespoke cards with additional info on them would be beyond the scope of this jam.

Hey good question. The core rules for harm are 'fiction first'; assign the injury that makes sense within the fiction according to the level of risk, and if it makes sense that one of your injuries would affect a die roll, it is hindered. There's no limit to how many injuries you can have of any severity, and you'll only die from sustaining multiple injuries if it make sense in the fiction. That said, if you're risking outright death and roll 1-2, then you die immediately regardless of how healthy or uninjured you are. The risk of death again depends on the fictional positioning.

1400 Below, on the other hand, has a fixed number of injuries you can have. They hinder in the same way as the core rules and you can still die outright when risking death, but if you sustain a second injury after already taking a minor wound, then it's 'upgraded' to moderate, and the fiction adjusts accordingly. This means that the most number of injuries a character can receive without healing is three (or four if you take the Brute spec.). Overall, this makes characters more likely to die, but gives the players a more concrete idea of their risks/closeness to death.

The intent is that 1400 Below is grittier and darker than the rest of the games (characters are numerically weaker) and characters are more likely to die through just normal play (as opposed to big, life-risking acts).

As long as the map doesn't have extra rules on it (for example, travel rules) that don't appear on the main page, then you'll be fine.

This thread is specifically for the sharing of resources. Both One-Page-RPG-specific  and general-RPG-design resources are welcome!

PREVIOUS JAMS

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2023

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2022

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2021

Submissions to the One-Page RPG Jam 2020

ASSETS

Jam-Specific Assets - Assets specifically for the One-Page RPG Jam, at the present only includes optional badges.

TTRPG Resource Jam - All submissions to the TTRPG Resources Jam with a wealth of templates and advice.

TTRPG Resource Masterpost by Starshine Scribbles

Game Icons and Flat Icon - Free icon graphics.

Unsplash and Pexels - Free stock photo.

TOOLS

Safety Tools - A description of various social and content tools for TTRPGs. 

Open License One Page RPG Systems - A list of one-page systems with open licenses allowing you to hack the rules for your own game. (Courtesy of Chaosmeister.)

Any Dice - Dice probability calculator.

Itch.io Image Templates - A set of templates to make images the correct size for various places on itch.io.

Resolution Mechanic List - A list of new resolution mechanics from readers of Prismatic Wasteland.

PLACES

/r/onepagerpgs - The one-page RPG subreddit

/r/RPGcreation - General subreddit about designing ttRPGs.

What is a one-page RPG?

For the purposes of this jam, a one-page RPG is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) where the rules fit onto a single page of letter/A4-sized paper. For the purposes of the jam, a TTRPG could include everything from strategic, combat-oriented adventure games; to collaborative and GM-less story games. The aim of this jam is for people to experiment with different designs. 

Does it have to be a single page?

For the jam, your submission should fit onto one single sheet of paper. The sheet could be a flat sheet or folded into a pamphlet. The game can be spread across both sides, but keep the core rules onto a single side. Use the 'back page' for ancillary info such as GM tools. 

Ask yourself the question “Can a group of players pick up the front page, read it through, then start playing the game without additional info?”. If the answer is yes, you’re in good shape.

Can I include extra pages for character sheets or extra character options, adventures, bestiaries, tokens, etc.?

As long as the core rules fit onto a single sheet, and a player/group could pick up that page and happily run that game without the extra pages, then you're good to go. 

You could include optional rules on an extra page specific to using that extra content (e.g random encounter rules on a hex map adventure) however anything that is required to play the game should be available to the players on the main page.

The important thing is that your submission is not multiple pages of text that players (including a GM if the game requires one) have to read first in order to play your game.

Can I include extra information on a character sheet?

If your game has character sheets they can be separate, however they should not contain information not in the core rules. If you could take the main page and a blank notebook, and replicate all the information on the character by hand, then you'll be fine. 

If the character sheet has stats, PbtA-style moves, equipment lists, etc. that can't be derived from the main page, then they shouldn't be included.

How necessary are character sheets?

It depends on the game you’re creating and the information you want the players to track, but 90% of one-page RPGs don't have, or need, character sheets. Often just expecting players to keep track on paper is enough.

What size paper should I use?

You can use either US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) or A4 (297 x 210 mm) sized paper. You can use smaller sized paper if you feel the need, such as an index or business card, but nothing larger. Additionally, it's okay for the design to be folded, but avoid more than a couple of folds (in-half or trifold is okay, mini-zine less so). 

What font size should I use?

The important thing is that the design is easy to read, and the text is as efficient as possible at explaining the game. Depending on the font, 10pt is a good size, balancing space and readability; for most fonts 8.5pt is likely to be the minimum.

Is the jam ranked?

The jam is not ranked, and there are no judges. The spirit of the jam is to be as welcoming and experimental as possible, without worrying about being judged.

However if you see a game you like, be sure to rate it and leave a comment, and share the game with others you think would like it too.

Is it okay to submit the same game  to this and to another jam at the same time?

Absolutely, as long as the game was made during the duration of this jam and fit the brief. Please do not submit older games or games that are not one-page RPGs.

Ah I always wanted on of those. I can still remember seeing the sequel on the shelf in my local game shop before it closed down. Wish I'd grabbed a copy back then.

Awesome! If you do I'd love to hear how it goes and what rulings you make/rules you introduce!

You absolutely can. It feels a little wonky I think, with the stapled pages, but I've uploaded a single-page version of the PDF. Maybe I need to get a new scanner and see if that helps!

Good question. Two reasons really; 1) I wanted this and another wip to be separate from the previous 1400 games so that I didn't feel beholden to making them completely compatible, and 2) so  people didn't buy the collected 1400 zine/bundle then be disappointed this wasn't included.

Yeah I want one key that can be put in a newsletter so that everyone can use that one key. The documentation seems to imply that by not having the download key claimable it can be used multiple times, but it doesn't explicitly say that so I'm not sure.

If I create a download key for a paid project, and untick "Download key can be claimed", will that one key be able to be used by multiple users to download the project for free?

It looks like that would be the case, but I couldn't see that mentioned explicitly in the documentation.

TIA

Awesome! You can message me jlgordon (dot) games (at) gmail (dot) com. Also let me know how you want to be credited. 

Hey glad you like it! If you want to send me a translated version I'll be happy to make a Spanish version in the proper layout of the book! 

Looks like it's already submitted!

Done!

Just submit the correct game, then let me know which one you want removed 👍

Yeah you pick two specialties and combine them. So Brute/Medic is a valid combo.

As long as a title page doesn't have anything needed to play, you're good. If it's just an image and the title of the game it's not an issue.

You might want to check out 2400 by Jason Tocci - each of the games in the collection are a single sheet folded in half to make 4 'pages'; a title page, two player pages (i.e. one side of the paper), then the fourth page is GM tables.