Progress Continues to Progress

Hello.

It's been an incredible journey building the Shattered World. Progress continues on this passion project, and your input is appreciated. We are starting to dip into playtesting here and there, and that will continue. The journey is an emotional ride, that bounces between excitement, and feeling that the game isn’t good, or at least isn’t right. Among other gooey stuff.

Shattered World Discord Channel

This channel was envisioned as a central hub to connect with all of you with two primary purposes. One was to explore the vast possibilities of our world together. The other idea was to play other games, including bringing on other talented Game Masters to run games within the Discord. Life, as it often does, had other plans. However, the spirit of community and shared adventure remains strong, and the channel continues to be a fantastic place to discuss lore, brainstorm ideas, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. We've also dipped our toes into trying out some different game systems within the Discord, which has been a blast and opened up some fascinating new perspectives! I still welcome other Game Masters to run games on the Shattered World server.

Oh and by the way, GOOD NEWS! By which I mean BAD news! I read recently that Discord is gearing up to go public, which most likely means bring on the enshittification. It will probably be a slow process, but I'll be keeping an eye out for alternatives to take my group to, if it comes to that. Just something to be aware of. I'll give plenty of heads up that the time has come to jump if the ship seems to be catching fire.

Shattered World TTRPG Design Progress

This has been an incredibly rewarding and, yes, deeply passionate experience! There's nothing quite like the thrill of bringing a new game to life, and I've poured my heart into crafting a system that truly breaks the mold.

My vision has always been to create a granular design that empowers the players to forge truly unique characters. Imagine tearing down those traditional class barriers and building heroes with unexpected and potent combinations of abilities—that's the magic I'm striving for!

The invaluable feedback we've received through playtesting has been illuminating. It's clear that while the depth of possibility is exciting, we need to make the entry point a bit smoother. Think of it as carefully calibrating the complexity to ensure everyone can jump in and start crafting their dream characters. Guided character creation is definitely on the horizon to make this process even more intuitive and enjoyable.

I have a wonderfully extensive skill list... a bit too extensive. Currently boasting a fantastic array of nearly two hundred options! While I recognize that some streamlining will enhance the overall experience, I remain steadfast in my core philosophy: reimagining access points and making a wider range of abilities available to a broader spectrum of characters. This is what makes Shattered World truly unique, and it's a design principle I'm deeply committed to. But uhhh, yeah... skills are getting pared down some. 😁

Plan B

If I decide this core design philosophy is untenable, and that's a big if, then plan B is to push the dial in the direction of For Gold & Glory. In fact, I'm already going there in bits and pieces. 

Looking ahead, I'm also keeping an open mind and exploring different avenues to bring the best possible game to you. This includes drawing inspiration from other fantastic systems, like Traveller. In fact, you might already see some subtle Traveller and FG&G influence subtly weaving its way into the Shattered World design as we continue to evolve!

Ultimately, the journey of creating the Shattered World TTRPG is a collaborative one, and your enthusiasm and feedback are invaluable. We're building something truly special here—a world where your imagination is the only limit. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being a part of the adventure!