Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1h

Part 1, my intro to The Awards Debrief, is here: www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

Part 2, my hands-on tour of the process from A to Z, is here: www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/

Part 3 is my analysis of how the Ennie Awards are designed.
Part 4 will have my thoughts on future rpg awards.

The Awards Debrief 2025

An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

www.explorersdesign.com

5

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2h

Part 3 is here. The deep dive into the Ennies. If you're someone who doesn't know much about the Ennie Awards, you should read parts 1 and 2. But if you like a bit of inside baseball and are interested in award shows in general—this is the article for you.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/

How are the Ennies designed?

An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part three. How does the structure of the Ennies determine its outcomes? And what does it mean for others?

www.explorersdesign.com

4 20 35

Reposted by Clayton

arcane jelly cult @arcanejellycult.itch.io · 2h

Go read @explorersdesign.bsky.social's 3rd entry in his ENNIES debrief.

The awards have always felt arcane to me in a way that I never really understood why certain games sank and swam or were nominated for categories that didn't make sense.

Well worth your time!

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-3/

How are the Ennies designed?

An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part three. How does the structure of the Ennies determine its outcomes? And what does it mean for others?

www.explorersdesign.com

4 4

Reposted by Clayton

Zedeck Siew @zedecksiew.bsky.social · 11h

Landmark postmortem of the Ennies by @explorersdesign.bsky.social continues:

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Alright, the first in-depth article of my awards debrief is live. "How do the Ennies work?" A top-down look at my judging experience from A to Z.

Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/

How do the Ennies work?

An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part two. What is the award process like behind closed doors, and how do the judges select nominees?

www.explorersdesign.com

1 12

Reposted by Clayton

𝖂.𝕯. @icastlight.bsky.social · 20h

Now we are getting to the 🍖 of Clayton's ENNIES debrief. This post provides a boots-on-the-ground view of judging and offers general tips for applicants. 🏆Gold, people, gold!🥇

1 8 26

Reposted by Clayton

Plus One Exp | Staying Home For PAXU (cause we live in Philly) @plusoneexp.bsky.social · 1d

Peel back the curtain!!!!

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Alright, the first in-depth article of my awards debrief is live. "How do the Ennies work?" A top-down look at my judging experience from A to Z.

Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/

How do the Ennies work?

An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part two. What is the award process like behind closed doors, and how do the judges select nominees?

www.explorersdesign.com

1 7

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

It's a ton of fun and incredibly rewarding. You get to read, talk about, and play so many games with people who are just as into it as you are.

At the very least, I highly recommend starting an rpg book club.

2

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks! I'm glad it's not just a retread for everyone. My goal is to make it feel anything other than esoteric.

1 1

Reposted by Clayton

Lone Archivist @lonearchivist.bsky.social · 1d

Hey! I'm Lone Archivist. A games and graphic designer.

Looking for help on your next project? My commissions are open for all of the following services and more!

Logo Design
Brand/Visual Identity Design
Manuscript/Editorial Layout
Sci-Fi Cartography
Crowdfunding Graphics
Interface/Terminal Design

2 19 46

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Here's part 1 of The Awards Debrief 2025 for anyone who missed it yesterday.

bsky.app/profile/expl...

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d

I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.

It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

The Awards Debrief 2025

An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

www.explorersdesign.com

1 11

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Alright, the first in-depth article of my awards debrief is live. "How do the Ennies work?" A top-down look at my judging experience from A to Z.

Please share, leave comments, and ask questions. And don't forget to read part 1 if you haven't already.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-2/

How do the Ennies work?

An insider's look into the 2025 Ennie Awards. Part two. What is the award process like behind closed doors, and how do the judges select nominees?

www.explorersdesign.com

5 38 66

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 1d

Tomorrow! I hope people like it.

1

Reposted by Clayton

𝖂.𝕯. @icastlight.bsky.social · 2d

Always fantastic to have someone take the time, blood, sweat, and tears to explain a process. Wonderful to get this four-part insight!

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d

I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.

It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

The Awards Debrief 2025

An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

www.explorersdesign.com

1 7

Reposted by Clayton

The Weekly Scroll @theweeklyscroll.com · 2d

Yesssss. I have been waiting for this.

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d

I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.

It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

The Awards Debrief 2025

An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

www.explorersdesign.com

1 4

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d

The challenge with writing about awards is that it's complicated and contentious. Even if it weren't the Ennies and instead was Origins, Crit, etc.

My goal for this series is to illuminate what's already out there. Inform the discourse. Award shows are here to stay, so what do we want out of them?

Different awards laid out on a colored background. The Awards Debrief 2025.

The Award Debrief Table of Contents.
Part 1: Why am I writing a debrief? We are here.
Part 2: How do the Ennies work? (Coming Oct 7th)
Part 3: How are the Ennies designed? (Coming Oct 8th)
Part 4: Where do rpg awards go next? (Coming Oct 9th)

14

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 2d

I love award shows. It's no secret. It's why I've spent months writing, refining, and trying to distill my Ennies judging experience.

It's a 4-part series (I know, I know). One article a day. Today's lays out my goals and puts the focus on awards in general.

www.explorersdesign.com/ennies-1/

The Awards Debrief 2025

An in-depth look at the Ennie Awards, its process, design, and role from the perspective of one former judge.

www.explorersdesign.com

5 39 68

Reposted by Clayton

Emiel Boven @emielboven.itch.io · 5d

DURF Expanded is now live on Kickstarter! 🔥

www.kickstarter.com/projects/emi...

6 79 160

Reposted by Clayton

Emily | Odds & Ents @oddsandents.bsky.social · 6d

My first ever blog post made it into the Explorateur! Its about making your own mockups with photos you take on your phone!

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 7d

It looks like the rpg designers are back from summer break, because this month's issue of The Explorateur is over-encumbered with designer reviews, advice, and resources.

What should I do for the anniversary issue next month?

www.explorersdesign.com/the-explorat...

The Explorateur: Issue #12

Monthly design discoveries for tabletop rpg designers including jams, critique, theory, and tools. Vetted. Looted. Curated.

www.explorersdesign.com

4 9

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 5d

Sometimes the rpg design scene is quiet. Too busy for interviews and writing. This month was loud. Dozens of great articles, podcasts, and videos.

7 game jams, 5 reviews, 4 interviews, 4 announcements, 5 shares, 12 theory posts, and 3 resources. All read and curated for rpg designers.

The Explorateur: Issue #12

Monthly design discoveries for tabletop rpg designers including jams, critique, theory, and tools. Vetted. Looted. Curated.

www.explorersdesign.com

1 15

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 5d

What I love most about rpgs is that it's hard, maybe impossible, to remove the sincerity.

Designers can keep one foot outside, hide behind sarcasm, or try to professionalize or optimize it as something else—but it will always be playing pretend.

And I like the work that knows that's a feature.

Preview image of The Explorateur: Issue #12

A preview image of the article's opening paragraph titled, "The importance of being earnest."

1 15

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 5d

This month's issue opens with a short essay about my love for earnest, personal, and vulnerable work.

In a way, art and design has never been smoother, easier, safer, or more transactional than it is now—rpgs included—but what I love most about tabletop...

www.explorersdesign.com/the-explorat...

The Explorateur: Issue #12

Monthly design discoveries for tabletop rpg designers including jams, critique, theory, and tools. Vetted. Looted. Curated.

www.explorersdesign.com

1 7 32

Reposted by Clayton

Dungeons & Possums @dungeonsandpossums.com · 6d

Another day, another reminder to support our friends instead of corporate jerks who bend the knee.

Use your former streaming subscription money to help out the artists & authors who make our hobbies so rich and wonderful!

Click here and then share it around:

dungeonsandpossums.com/2025/09/thin...

Things to Support With Your #$%* Disney Money - Dungeons & Possums

You recently told Disney to thaw the cryogenically-frozen cranium of Walt hisself so you could look him in his dead eyes and tell him to fuck off face to face. Congratulations! You've reclaimed $20som...

dungeonsandpossums.com

2 6

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 6d

I'm certain you're right. Sadly, any announcement that demands this kind of theater is likely bad. All I want out of Affinity are new tools and incremental changes. I'll be sad to see it adopt AI, a subscription model, or a browser-only product strategy—those aren't for creators, it's for investors.

1 4

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 7d

But Boxman, I do that with everything already.

1

Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 7d

I’m doing a new thing in Carouse where I write tiny 3 to 4 sentence rpg reviews like the movie ones you might find in the newspaper.

This month was Ave Nox and Isle of Hex.

John Bilodeau Illustrations @servsci.bsky.social · 7d

October 1st already and another installment of our collective newsletter just dropped! just in case you need something to read over your morning coffee:

www.carouse.blog/october-2025...

October 2025 - The Most Spookiful Time of the Year

The last vestiges of summer are leaving the northern hemisphere, and pumpkin season is starting to get going, so the Carousing Collective is once again here to bring you the best in RPG blogging for y...

www.carouse.blog

2 17