Love the Gremlin post, my thanks for sharing it. I read "non-mandatory dice resolution" as referring something like Into the Odd: Saving Throws are a form of resolution that kick in when you have put yourself in harm's way. Ideally you should only be rolling Saves when you've exhausted other options or are willing to gamble.
Hey, Alex! You're in the article! Thanks for the comment. I think this is the broad trajectory of modern design (anything that isn't super trad, I guess). Stuff like "say yes or roll", "let it ride", "only roll when failure would be interesting", etc.
If you're referring to the podcast you linked, that's a different Alex. I do I get very excited when people talk about toys in the context of RPG design though!
Thank you for another great newsletter.
The article on IGN and systems thinking in game design is a gem.
Thank you! Always happy I was able to share something useful!
Love the Gremlin post, my thanks for sharing it. I read "non-mandatory dice resolution" as referring something like Into the Odd: Saving Throws are a form of resolution that kick in when you have put yourself in harm's way. Ideally you should only be rolling Saves when you've exhausted other options or are willing to gamble.
Hey, Alex! You're in the article! Thanks for the comment. I think this is the broad trajectory of modern design (anything that isn't super trad, I guess). Stuff like "say yes or roll", "let it ride", "only roll when failure would be interesting", etc.
If you're referring to the podcast you linked, that's a different Alex. I do I get very excited when people talk about toys in the context of RPG design though!
It was an Alex Chalk that talked to me about designers being coy about what their rules do! Hope you're the same Alex Chalk, otherwise, my apologies!
Lol oh my god, yeah, that was me. I just have a terrible memory. When I read the article I was like Thomas is so right about this coy thing.
Thanks for sharing Wait, Roll That Again! We've got a fun rest of the first season ahead, and plenty coming down the line!