RPG Design Panelcast

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Dr. Jessica Hammer, Christopher Hall. What does it mean to design games from a Jewish perspective? We have recently seen several games that center on the Jewish experience, like Rosenstrasse, Keeping The Candles Lit, Dream Apart and Mud. In this session, we'll look at key Jewish texts to see how themes and ideas from Jewish culture can inform your design. All texts will be provided in English; please come prepared for a vigorous conversation.

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Charles Simon, Justin Ford, Pamela Punzalan, Erik Bernhardt, Nychelle Schneider. Forged in the Dark designers share their secrets! A diverse panel of up-and-coming indie designers inspired to create by Blades in the Dark who have variously playtested, engaged with fellow Forged in The Dark fans, and kickstarted projects comes together to discuss their inspirations, design challenges, and successes.

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Tam Myaing, Doug Levandowski, Roberta Taylor, Jessica Creane.   As designers we strive to make games "fun", but they can also be a vehicle for other emotions, such as fear, sadness, disgust, shame, etc. From Brenda Romero's Train to Marc Gertz's Imperial, we will explore several games that intentionally or unintentionally make you feel bad

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Jason Pitre, Rob Donoghue, Emily Dresner, Kenneth Hite The 100 GP Pearl: Economics and Trade as Design Elements. Economics and trade have long been foundational elements of game design, from the hyperinflation of dungeon pillaging to the free traders of Traveller. In this panel, we discuss how these aspects can be used as the foundation for game mechanics and procedures. Don't make me quote the rules of acquisition at you

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Russell Collins, Brennan Taylor, Meguey Baker, Greg Stolze. Was your game imperfect when it was released? Has it changed over time? Have you? We'll explore why (and how) you can update your game for the 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th, edition

Recorded at Metatopia 2020 Presented by Jason Pitre, Spencer Campbell, Sasha Moros, Ben Robbins, Caroline Hobbs. Role playing games have a long history of asymmetrical rules, beginning with the establishment of the Dungeon Master in the very beginning and continuing to games such as Kingdom. Role playing games have explored countless different ways of allocating authority, and modern asymmetrical boardgames (Root, Vast, etc) have showed some new approaches worth considering. In this panel, we will dig into potential ways to approach asymmetrical design.

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Jason Walters, Moe Poplar, Darren Watts, April Walsh, Jonathan Lavallee. Publishing your first RPG can be difficult, how do you know when enough play testing is enough? What feedback should you listen to? How do you get your game ready for print? All these questions, and more, will be answered in this comprehensive advice panel. 

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Curt Covert, Julie Ahern. Games Are Art: Designing Through An Artist's Lens. When you think of art, you think of music, theater, painting, sculpting, writing, film. And at the heart of each is an artist, who uses their talents, creativity, skill and intelligence to craft something that never existed before, with the intent of sharing a vision, a feeling, a message, a sense of discovery or connection. The games we create are no less an art form, and we designers no less than artists. What we craft brings people together for a shared experience and has the ability to do more than challenge us mentally, pass the time or entertain, but to connect emotionally with people. Let us view game design through an artistic lens, to look past the mathematical underpinnings, and dive into what makes games a uniquely human endeavor.

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Eric Whalen, Rob Hebert, Steven Long, Debbie Moynihan. "Contract Literacy 101: Whereas & Therefore & Beyond" The majority of game designers will need to sign at least one contract prior to completing their game. This panel will improve your literacy and familiarity with the structure of contracts, as well as explain some of the standard contract terms you ought to be prepared to encounter. The information should be relevant to designers, artists, and publishers alike.

Recorded at Metatopia Online 2020 Presented by Jason Morningstar, Jabari Weathers, Brennen Reece.  Art Direction: From Designer to Director to Artist. A game designer, an art director, and an artist who recently worked on a project together will talk about the project (Bully Pulpit Games' "Dead House") from each of their perspectives - how they collaborated and communicated and perceived both the brief and the final output.