capacle - Tumblr blog

[capacle]

Where do backers come from?

For this last crowdfunding campaign, I was able to generate separate referral links to share on different platforms, so that I could track where my backers come from.

Here are the results. Can you guess the top performers?

Let's do a countdown:

Bluesky (0%)

Effort: 6 posts to 466 followers. Zero conversions.

Substack (0.46%)

Effort: 3 notes to 475 followers. (I wasn't able to write a newsletter in time, might have influenced it)

Zine month website (0.46%)

Effort: simply submitted my project via their form.

Instagram (0.84%)

Effort: A single post on launch to 662 followers

Threads (0.84%)

Effort: 8 posts to 374 followers

Discord (1.27%)

Effort: a single post on 21 servers that have a dedicated self-promo channel.

That was the second most underwhelming performance of all platforms. I usually get more traction from Discord.

Mastodon (1.69%)

Effort: 4 posts to 471 followers

Press kit (2.95%)

Effort: it was an afterthought and I only sent it to Rascal News (thanks, Lin!). I believe it is the only place where it was featured.

Tumblr (5.06%)

Effort: 1 post to 366 followers. Surprising!

Facebook (5.49%)

Effort: 1 post in 8 groups for a total of ~51k members

Reddit (6.33%)

Effort: A single post in 1 sub with 35k members. Pretty good.

Twitter (13.5%)

Effort: 55 posts to 3,400 followers. The most underwhelming effort/result ratio.

Itch e-mails (29.96%)

Effort: A single e-mail to 11,560 recipients.

Note: I use this tool very sparingly, and I am very transparent on the "it's ok to unsubscribe if you don't want to receive these". Be considerate of your recipients. DO NOT spam.

No data (31.22%)

Anti-climactic finish, I know.

Most of the backers came from non-referral links, so I am assuming Crowdfundr's launch e-mail (-200 recipients), other backers' and peers' organic sharing, and perhaps the Tabletop Non-Stop event spotlight by Crowdfundr.

Conclusions?

Hard to tell. My product (and platform) is very niche, and my avenues of reaching people are peculiar to me.

But from what I can tell, e-mail is still king. And (all the) Twitter(s) is (are) hardly worth the effort.

Tumblr and Reddit surprised me.

Again, that is a very particular result to this kind of product, my kind of strategy (or lack thereof), my audience and so on. YMMV.

Just thought I would share because I believe the indie space thrives with transparency and shared experiences. :)

By the way, this is the project in question:

[capacle]

Spring sale 2024

Hello, my dear friends!

I'm running a very special  ❀ 𝓢𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓢𝓪𝓵𝓮 ❀

All my games are 30% off for a very limited time!

Support an indie creator today! 🪷🏵️

Share it freely! 😊

[capacle]

An oracle zine with 60+ results per page for any solo RPG

My Zine Month project is up! 🎲🎲

Introducing 'Random Realities', an oracle zine for all your solo RPG needs!

Roll a d66, flip a page, or roll the dice inside the PDF (yup, that's right) and get 60+ oracle results on every page!

Here's a sample page of the zine.

Envision worlds, quests, people, scenes, creatures, items, and more on a glance!

If you're familiar with oracle decks, it's the same principle, but in a convenient zine format.

The PDF comes with a function that allows you to click on the dice (or on the title of any category) and it takes you to another random page!

It's pretty magical!

If you are using the physical version, you can simply flip to a random page, or roll d66 and go to the corresponding page, following the dice results in the bottom right corner.

And it's all there, no need to flip through to find the right table for the right scenario.

The results vary from more abstract words and terms open to interpretation, to more direct and guided results, combined with evocative icons to spark your imagination.

I drew from the 30+ games I've made to collect the most practical and evocative oracles I could devise.

My hope is that you can grab this zine and your favorite system, and jump to an adventure in no time.

If that's your jam, check out the campaign and spread the word! 💗

[capacle]

I keep thinking of the double-edged sword of partial success.

On one hand, they do help move the story forward. On the other hand, coming up with complications every time can be taxing.

That got me thinking: what if we reversed the way we look at partial success?

See, a partial success is usually seen as taking away from a full success. It is a ‘success, but…’.

You start with the assumption that you did the thing, but then you take a step back and inject a cost, a complication, or a choice.

I love it, but it can be overwhelming.After the 6th partial success in a row, you're like: “You convince the prince, but… I don’t know, you twist your ankle or something, I don’t care. Let’s move on.”

I've tackled this problem in different ways. Mechanizing it, hand-waving it, offering prompts and tables… They work, but I kept exploring. And that led me to the idea of looking at partial success from the other end.

What if we did the opposite? What if we started from a failure, and built up towards success with costs? Would it help with narrating partial success if we could pick and choose a few costs to work our way towards success?

So in my current project, I adopted this.

You roll 2d6 and need to get a 10+ (which is hard). If you don't, you can buy your success by spending different resources.

Let's see an example:

With a determined yell, I lunge forward, my blade slicing through the air towards the guard. I roll a 7, not enough for a successful strike. I spend one Vigor, representing the sharp sting of the guard's counterattack grazing my side. I also spend one Gear, as my sword hums with a magical energy. Lastly, I spend 1 Resolve. The guard's strength has caught me off guard, a flicker of fear igniting in my chest. With vigor, gear, and resolve combined, I reach the threshold, turning my near miss into a solid hit.

You see what I see?

It feels like you conquered a hit, instead of having your success tainted by costs, although it is technically the same thing.

Is it just me?

Looking at my resources and spending them as a little puzzle to get to my success threshold made the act of incorporating these costs into the narrative more natural to me.

Perhaps the feeling that you are investing into a success is a more powerful incentive to do so?

Anyway, I thought it was pretty exciting to explore this concept. So much so that it ended up being the core of a new game. And I’m itchfunding it right now!

If you want to see this mechanic (and some of its cool variations) in action, check it out!

[capacle]

Solo sandbox fairytale winterland!

'Against the Wind' is a solo/coop fantasy-adventure sandbox game in a land ravaged by fierce winds and biting cold, all infused with a subtle pinch of fairy tale ambiance.

Inspired by the brilliant art of Kay Nielsen, in this game you:

• Craft your own world • Create a unique character with 19+ tables • Discover the land as you play with 60+ tables to aid you

The game mixes classic themes such as wilderness exploration and dungeon delving with narrative-focused mechanics.

A single resolution mechanic abstracts your skills, equipment and assets into resources you use to get what you want.

There are procedures to create and explore the winterland, to interact with the folk you meet, to craft potions and more!

Characters are defined by their resources and a series of traits.

Look at how unique they can turn out (I didn't even use all of the tables):

I'm starting itchfunding today (I thought the winter solstice was thematically appropriate), and to celebrate, I'm putting all my other games on sale as well for two weeks! ❄️❄️❄️

I appreciate your support and your sharing the news 💗

[capacle]

Here's a tip:

Тоdау іѕ Сrеаtоr Dау аnd Вlасk Frіdау оn іtсh

Тhаt mеаnѕ аll рrосееdѕ gо tо thе dеѕіgnеrѕ аnd thеrе'ѕ а ѕаlе gоіng оn

A great opportunity to support Global South creators!

Don't know where to start?

How about this collection with 400+ games? 😊👇

[capacle]

I know that coming up with complications and advantages in systems that have partial success/major success can get a little... overwhelming.

That's why I created this handy table to help inspire your mixed/superior results in 'Midnight Melodies'.

I really enjoy this keyword approach, and I believe it is easily portable to other systems as well! Check out the game here:

[capacle]

A jazz pianist turned occult detective

You're a jazz pianist that the Reaper couldn't take.

Instead, you're recruited for the Department of Unauthorized Deaths, investigating untimely demises.

You use your perfect pitch to trace the frequencies left by the transgressing entities.

Each night, after your performance at the club, you find a scrap of paper in your tip jar—the name of someone taken without consent.

You must unravel this mystery using your newfound supernatural talents, and perform an eerie harmony to report your findings to the Reaper before sunrise.

The game uses a single d6 for conflict resolution.

Choose your Action: Talk, Move, Force, Handle or Discern.

Roll a d6 (+1/-1 if the Action is Dominant or Diminished)

Check your result. That's it.

You craft your mystery as you go.

When you feel like you made progress, you discover a musical Tone. 3 Tones make a Chord.

With 3 Chords, you perform them on an abandoned or neglected piano, and send the harmony away to the Reaper.

Your job is done for the night.

The game is available right now, just in time for Halloween!

Grab it for a discount price today (and spread the word, if you like it ^^)

[capacle]

A sale for my dog

Hey, friends

My dog had to go through eye surgery and that kinda broke my legs financially this month

I'm running a sale with all my games to help cover some expenses.

Appreciate your support. Every bit counts! 🐶💓

[capacle]

New Episode: Ironsworn with Aram Vartian

Part 1 of our two-part crossover with @kempodcast!

There sits, in the center of a massive blighted field, the site of a great magical disaster. The explosion of a wizardly conduit the multiverse has never seen before. And somewhere in that blast zone, there is a book. This is the story of the poor soul sent to retrieve it.

You’ll Dig This If You Like: The Witcher, Weird Monsters, Crows, Cool Crossovers

[capacle]

Hey, hey! Sorry to bother, but see, I noticed your Sleepy September event going on, and I just had an idea jam (hehe) itself into my brain I might want to poke around with? But time's a little tight, I've never done anything of the sort, definitely don't have any design sensibilities developed, and don't even really know what the pdf's ought to look like at the end... Should I hold off from associating with your project? Totally alright if so, obviously! Wouldn't want to get in the way of your lovely event or anything of the sort.

Absolutely not!!! If you have a game (it could be literally two words of a TTRPG, of 5 seconds of a digital game), submit that bad boy!

I have made the most silly and not-functional games in the past, and it's all part of the learning process. Get weird and silly with it!!!

That being said, if you don't feel comfy submitting, don't! I don't wanna force anything on anyone. I hold a jam every month with a specific theme, so try to join those if you're not comfy joining this one!

Also, pls follow me on itch.io and join my discord in my linktree to stay on top of these monthly jams! I'm gonna make an effort to be more active in those areas so people are reminded daily of the jams!

Best of luck on your creation! Whether it be released tomorrow or 50 years from now, I hope ya make it and put it out into the world! ☺️

[capacle]

How narrow is the Venn diagram of NFL fans and solo RPG players?

Well, I guess I'm about to find out!

For almost two years now, I’ve had this idea of making a football game. I had only the title in mind. I wanted to capture the thrill of the final moments of a football match. I put it aside because… honestly, didn’t know what to do with it.

But now, here it is!

Introducing Two-Minute Warning, my narrative card game about the thrilling final moments of a championship football match!

I spent months carving it into a sports magazine-like layout—on Canva, no less (I’ve even made some rules look like a nutrition supplement ad inside the magazine).

There are dozens of football games out there, but I wanted to give it my spin.

With a standard deck of cards, you can delve into the drama of these last two minutes, combining relevant tactical choices with storytelling elements.

I also made a custom deck of cards with narrative prompts included, if you prefer a more unique experience.

And I went ahead and crafted a custom VTT, so you can play online, solo or with your friends (yup, you can play it in coop or versus mode as well).

It's a huge departure from the games I normally make, but it's my hope it can resonate and reach some folks out there.

If you are intrigued by this premise, go give it a look. It would mean the world to me.

And it is on sale for two weeks!

If by any chance this game makes you think of a person that could possibly enjoy it, it would mean the world to me if you shared it around. I could use some new eyes on it, that’s for sure.

Find it here:

[capacle]

How narrow is the Venn diagram of NFL fans and solo RPG players?

Well, I guess I'm about to find out!

For almost two years now, I’ve had this idea of making a football game. I had only the title in mind. I wanted to capture the thrill of the final moments of a football match. I put it aside because… honestly, didn’t know what to do with it.

But now, here it is!

Introducing Two-Minute Warning, my narrative card game about the thrilling final moments of a championship football match!

I spent months carving it into a sports magazine-like layout—on Canva, no less (I’ve even made some rules look like a nutrition supplement ad inside the magazine).

There are dozens of football games out there, but I wanted to give it my spin.

With a standard deck of cards, you can delve into the drama of these last two minutes, combining relevant tactical choices with storytelling elements.

I also made a custom deck of cards with narrative prompts included, if you prefer a more unique experience.

And I went ahead and crafted a custom VTT, so you can play online, solo or with your friends (yup, you can play it in coop or versus mode as well).

It's a huge departure from the games I normally make, but it's my hope it can resonate and reach some folks out there.

If you are intrigued by this premise, go give it a look. It would mean the world to me.

And it is on sale for two weeks!

If by any chance this game makes you think of a person that could possibly enjoy it, it would mean the world to me if you shared it around. I could use some new eyes on it, that’s for sure.

Find it here:

[capacle]

Today is Creator Day on itch

Hey, everyone!

Today is Creator Day on itch!

Creators get 100% of the proceeds!

It means now is the best time to pick up those Indie RPGs your heart has always desired!

I'm hosting a sale, with all my games 30% off! 🎲🎲

[capacle]

OC Incubators: TTRPG Design for Making Cool Little Guys

I've been thinking a lot about why some people like to play Certain Games and how that intersects with action figure style play and the desire to make your own little blorbos.

What is it about Certain Games (which will not be named so I don't go down a rabbit-hole of breaking apart that game's design lmao) that really gets people's sitting down and just making a whole bunch of cool OCs? You know, your zany wizards, sexy demony bards, and all of that.

So, I've talked a lot about this with some people (shoutout to @temporalhiccup), and I'm not the only person to be thinking on similar wavelengths (check out this fun read by @sprintingowl), and in those discussions and in that reading, I've put together a few what I think are Key Ingredients for making ttrpg that is also an OC incubator. At least, in the sense of how I would want to do it.

So first, what is an OC Incubator? My definition is basically any sort of semi-sandbox/open ended game where you make your own cool character and then go do cool things. Along the way of doing those cool things, you come up with cool stories and have your OC evolve in even more cool ways. Cool, yeah?

Here are the key ingredients I've identified for the incubator stew (store bought is fine);

Character Options

Character Potential

An Inviting Sandbox

So let's break these down a bit more below;

Character Options

Character options is the most straightforward of the points. You need interesting and fun options - building blocks - for the players to craft their little guys from. Options that are exciting and easily communicate their core identity quickly.

A lot of this is walking a fine balance of providing enough options that making a choice is exciting, but not too many so as to be overwhelming.

But ultimately, these options are there to hit the dollmaker, picrew, character customization screen, itch. It should be fun to make all those decisions.

Aside: I gotta do more stuff with lifepath systems.

Of all the main ingredients to our incubator, character options are probably the easiest to come up.

Character Potential

This is where things start to get a little more complicated. Potential is all about aspiration. It's less about being able to get to that point, but more about "oh wow, look at all these extra things my cool OC could do".

These options are something to look forward to, something to think about. Neat cool extra doodads for making your cool little oc even cooler and expand on your cool little oc's story like milestones and growth.

In a lot of ways, these sorts of options are just an iteration of the initial character options you use when making your character. These are probably going to expand on core elements of the character options (class or playbook abilities, etc).

Again, the key point is potential and aspiration. To make you think about the future of the character.

I think, ideally, a game is intrinsically rewarding to play. You play it because its fun, not to get some sort of external reward. Play to play. But it also can be fun to put some carrots on the stick.\

As a treat.

Inviting Sandbox

The setting and premise of the game needs to invite players in. It's the big fancy dollhouse for all your cool toys. There needs to be space to play in it, but also there needs to be something to still play in! Some games are operating at an advantage: with well established settings that have been around for years and/or using a setting that utilizes tropes and ideas that also have been established for years. You know. Elves and stuff.

But! You absolutely do not need a well established setting or play with well established tropes to make an inviting sandbox! The main criteria is that it is inviting. Whatever that means to you, go for it. For me, an inviting setting, one that would make me want to play around in, needs;

Enough foundation to guide the play. What are the major players and assumptions of the settings? Give me the overview and broad strokes first!

Enough space for the table to add to while they play in. If every thing is set in stone, then what are we playing in this sandbox for? You need some sand to sculpt! Put some sand in your sandbox!

I could spend a lot more time talking about settings, sandboxes, and how it all circles back to anti-canon, but that's a story for another post.

Mixing It All Together

So, with those ingredients identified, how do you go about layering them all together? How should they interact with each other? And the easy answer is "I don't know, figure it out."

But also, I don't entirely know. You gotta figure that out for yourself. That's part of the design process. I don't think there's one singular way to "design" around getting people to have fun whipping together some cool OCs and then playing around with them together. In many senses, you can do that in practically any game. But for some of my current projects, I want to try keeping the three ingredients in mind as I write the games (particularly Furry Crime Game), and see what happens. Maybe it'll end up hitting the notes I want it to - crafting a game that makes the players constantly rotate their cool little guys in their mind - maybe it'll end up being something else. I dunno, real Ms. Frizzle hours: Get messy, make mistakes.

Also, as I'm writing this out now, I think a potential fourth ingredient to try mixing into the stew is Player Investment. Time, creativity, emotional. It all feeds into the character and different games expect different levels of investment. Something to probably keep in mind while you hone your game.

I don't know how else to end this, except to say that I'm excited to experiment in this space. Maybe you are too?

[capacle]

TTRPG Design For Evil

In my somehow unending quest to write the worst TTRPG, I have designed the following:

What Little The Flames Leave Us, a game where you light your character sheet on fire and put it out. Repeatedly. To pass basic checks.

Fear No Evil, where you throw a d4 into a room, turn the lights off, take your shoes off, and then stride fearlessly through.

Bottom Gun, where you can only take actions by texting emojis at the GM, who has to interpret them.

Sexyback, where there's one player and like an entire greek chorus of GMs who vote on the player's next actions.

And finally Hot In Here: A Game Of Antarctic Exploration, where you play as members of the Shackleton expedition and the mechanics consist of stripping, but there's also a counter mechanic where you can put clothes on other people.

[capacle]

Carved by Garden cover creation

Carved by the Garden is my single-player tabletop RPG that's live on Kickstarter until August 5!

It's a journaling game that uses a standard deck of playing cards, a tumbling block tower, a six-sided die, and tokens. There is a preview linked on the Kickstarter page.

This is a folk horror game! If you don't know what that means, it's a mix of media inspirations like The Ritual, The Witch, Midsommar and more. There's also a dash of corrupted folklore and of course cryptids. If you love spooky ghost stories set in the woods, please check it out!