Sinful Games
@sinful-games.bsky.social
TTRPG designer | they/them
A worldbuilder and tinkerer designing systems to help players find the fun in places they never thought to look
A worldbuilder and tinkerer designing systems to help players find the fun in places they never thought to look
Thinking about how to get nervous #ttrpg players more comfortable using the author voice:
- remember it's an option (cognitive load)
- take initiative (mechanical rewards)
- know when to speak up (spotlight)
- what to say (prompts)
- fear of judgement (encouragement)
- buy-in (ownership)
- remember it's an option (cognitive load)
- take initiative (mechanical rewards)
- know when to speak up (spotlight)
- what to say (prompts)
- fear of judgement (encouragement)
- buy-in (ownership)
December 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Thinking about how to get nervous #ttrpg players more comfortable using the author voice:
- remember it's an option (cognitive load)
- take initiative (mechanical rewards)
- know when to speak up (spotlight)
- what to say (prompts)
- fear of judgement (encouragement)
- buy-in (ownership)
- remember it's an option (cognitive load)
- take initiative (mechanical rewards)
- know when to speak up (spotlight)
- what to say (prompts)
- fear of judgement (encouragement)
- buy-in (ownership)
Check out my submissions to the ttrpg bookmark jam!
The first is a tool for running combat encounters on the battle line between clashing armies: The Battle Line
sinfulgames.itch.io/battle-line
#indierpg #ttrpg #gamedev
The first is a tool for running combat encounters on the battle line between clashing armies: The Battle Line
sinfulgames.itch.io/battle-line
#indierpg #ttrpg #gamedev
Battle Line by Sinful Games
A bookmark-sized battle aid
sinfulgames.itch.io
December 13, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Check out my submissions to the ttrpg bookmark jam!
The first is a tool for running combat encounters on the battle line between clashing armies: The Battle Line
sinfulgames.itch.io/battle-line
#indierpg #ttrpg #gamedev
The first is a tool for running combat encounters on the battle line between clashing armies: The Battle Line
sinfulgames.itch.io/battle-line
#indierpg #ttrpg #gamedev
I feel like the pile of books I'm actively reading has gotten out of control in a way that is easily explainable by the book on top (full list in alt text)
December 10, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I feel like the pile of books I'm actively reading has gotten out of control in a way that is easily explainable by the book on top (full list in alt text)
Reading Hillfolk by @robindlaws.bsky.social has me unstuck on a game idea that I've had percolating for years. Excited to finally fill in the gaps and give it a playtest!
December 8, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Reading Hillfolk by @robindlaws.bsky.social has me unstuck on a game idea that I've had percolating for years. Excited to finally fill in the gaps and give it a playtest!
@lingthusiasm.bsky.social a friend pointed out that when you ask about interest in an activity, it implies "right now" vs "at an unspecified time." ("Can you get pasta from the store?" "do you want to see pictures of my dog?" etc.)
Where does that come from? Is it different between culture/language?
Where does that come from? Is it different between culture/language?
December 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM
@lingthusiasm.bsky.social a friend pointed out that when you ask about interest in an activity, it implies "right now" vs "at an unspecified time." ("Can you get pasta from the store?" "do you want to see pictures of my dog?" etc.)
Where does that come from? Is it different between culture/language?
Where does that come from? Is it different between culture/language?
I'd always thought of "get extra build points by having a nemesis/dependent" as bad bcos they give you points for something good (more spotlight), but just realized it also creates an incentive for players to make round characters that give the GM more to work with #ttrpg
December 7, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I'd always thought of "get extra build points by having a nemesis/dependent" as bad bcos they give you points for something good (more spotlight), but just realized it also creates an incentive for players to make round characters that give the GM more to work with #ttrpg
Too many board games top out at 4 players... Where's the love for my group of 5?
December 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Too many board games top out at 4 players... Where's the love for my group of 5?
In love with this little game I grabbed from @molomoot.bsky.social at pax unplugged- exactly the sort of worldbuilding game I love! Uses the form factor in a really clever way, beautifully laid out, and really makes me think. #indierpg #ttrpg
November 27, 2025 at 2:11 PM
In love with this little game I grabbed from @molomoot.bsky.social at pax unplugged- exactly the sort of worldbuilding game I love! Uses the form factor in a really clever way, beautifully laid out, and really makes me think. #indierpg #ttrpg
Sometimes ya just get the itch to make a paper prototype. I think this siege defense game might have some legs... But will definitely need a lot of testing! #gamedesign #indiegame
November 26, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Sometimes ya just get the itch to make a paper prototype. I think this siege defense game might have some legs... But will definitely need a lot of testing! #gamedesign #indiegame
Very glad I grabbed this at #paxunplugged this year! Absolutely full of great advice, structure, and inspiration for #ttrpg design.
November 25, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Very glad I grabbed this at #paxunplugged this year! Absolutely full of great advice, structure, and inspiration for #ttrpg design.
So excited to read all the cool #indierpg books I grabbed at Unplugged! I always come out of a con so reinvigorated to work on random ideas I've set aside.
November 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
So excited to read all the cool #indierpg books I grabbed at Unplugged! I always come out of a con so reinvigorated to work on random ideas I've set aside.
I broke my first rule of conventions at #paxunplugged and bought something immediately on the first day. In my defense I didn't know there was a new Cosmic Encounter expansion!
November 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I broke my first rule of conventions at #paxunplugged and bought something immediately on the first day. In my defense I didn't know there was a new Cosmic Encounter expansion!
As much as I love tarot for symbolism the deck really shows its age. I think the distribution of themes is too rooted in its original cultural context and doesn't apply to the stories I want to tell in TTRPGs. But I do love interpretation... What oracle decks exist that could work better? #ttrpgs
November 20, 2025 at 2:19 PM
As much as I love tarot for symbolism the deck really shows its age. I think the distribution of themes is too rooted in its original cultural context and doesn't apply to the stories I want to tell in TTRPGs. But I do love interpretation... What oracle decks exist that could work better? #ttrpgs
Decided to build 6-7 unique worlds for a world-hopping Armour Astir game I'm planning, and man it is fun to just worldbuild from scratch with Spindlewheel and the world tables I wrote for Far Lands. I'm trying to pull from different media touchstones for each and I'm really proud of some of em.
November 12, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Decided to build 6-7 unique worlds for a world-hopping Armour Astir game I'm planning, and man it is fun to just worldbuild from scratch with Spindlewheel and the world tables I wrote for Far Lands. I'm trying to pull from different media touchstones for each and I'm really proud of some of em.
Doing a pass on Far Lands to cut down on how often I say "you may choose to" ...because it was 40+ times.
Players can always choose not to follow the rules! The whole game is optional. It's much more succinct to have one reminder at the top and let the rules be rules.
#indierpg #ttrpgs
Players can always choose not to follow the rules! The whole game is optional. It's much more succinct to have one reminder at the top and let the rules be rules.
#indierpg #ttrpgs
November 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Thinking about how to mechanically support anxious players in taking initiative to interject, to take bigger risks.
Bcos I think a lot of games create the right feelings in the players but don't create the right kind of story.
Maybe player and character motives have to diverge more to get both.
Bcos I think a lot of games create the right feelings in the players but don't create the right kind of story.
Maybe player and character motives have to diverge more to get both.
November 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Thinking about how to mechanically support anxious players in taking initiative to interject, to take bigger risks.
Bcos I think a lot of games create the right feelings in the players but don't create the right kind of story.
Maybe player and character motives have to diverge more to get both.
Bcos I think a lot of games create the right feelings in the players but don't create the right kind of story.
Maybe player and character motives have to diverge more to get both.
Just got my copy of Menagerie of Unbearable Things by @thebreadwyrm.bsky.social and wow, this is such an incredible source of inspiration and art for TTRPGs. Just an absolutely inspired piece of work.
November 2, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Just got my copy of Menagerie of Unbearable Things by @thebreadwyrm.bsky.social and wow, this is such an incredible source of inspiration and art for TTRPGs. Just an absolutely inspired piece of work.
Ran Dread for the first time today! Absolutely incredible experience. Setting up the players with rumors about other characters to get them to distrust one another right from the start was so fun!
Sometimes a house is a guy. And his wife is a killer robot.
Sometimes a house is a guy. And his wife is a killer robot.
October 26, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Ran Dread for the first time today! Absolutely incredible experience. Setting up the players with rumors about other characters to get them to distrust one another right from the start was so fun!
Sometimes a house is a guy. And his wife is a killer robot.
Sometimes a house is a guy. And his wife is a killer robot.
Cursed one-page RPG idea:
These are the pools you can spend dice from to do stuff. Spend "spoons" as wild.
Have a list of comfort activities that can refill pools or spoons.
Earn extra resources by doing embarrassing stuff when one of your pools is empty.
Would be tough to build respectfully...
These are the pools you can spend dice from to do stuff. Spend "spoons" as wild.
Have a list of comfort activities that can refill pools or spoons.
Earn extra resources by doing embarrassing stuff when one of your pools is empty.
Would be tough to build respectfully...
October 23, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Cursed one-page RPG idea:
These are the pools you can spend dice from to do stuff. Spend "spoons" as wild.
Have a list of comfort activities that can refill pools or spoons.
Earn extra resources by doing embarrassing stuff when one of your pools is empty.
Would be tough to build respectfully...
These are the pools you can spend dice from to do stuff. Spend "spoons" as wild.
Have a list of comfort activities that can refill pools or spoons.
Earn extra resources by doing embarrassing stuff when one of your pools is empty.
Would be tough to build respectfully...
Man, writing examples of play that demonstrate the relevant mechanics without feeling stilted is tough... I didn't expect to get so stuck on this part of the process! Really excited for the next round of playtests though!
October 4, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Man, writing examples of play that demonstrate the relevant mechanics without feeling stilted is tough... I didn't expect to get so stuck on this part of the process! Really excited for the next round of playtests though!
Thinking about the template "the world is X but the people are Y."
I've always enjoyed "the world is serious but the people are silly," but it can be co evocative with stuff like: "the world is torn but the people are stitched."
What other pairs of opposites work? What kind of world do they imply?
I've always enjoyed "the world is serious but the people are silly," but it can be co evocative with stuff like: "the world is torn but the people are stitched."
What other pairs of opposites work? What kind of world do they imply?
September 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Thinking about the template "the world is X but the people are Y."
I've always enjoyed "the world is serious but the people are silly," but it can be co evocative with stuff like: "the world is torn but the people are stitched."
What other pairs of opposites work? What kind of world do they imply?
I've always enjoyed "the world is serious but the people are silly," but it can be co evocative with stuff like: "the world is torn but the people are stitched."
What other pairs of opposites work? What kind of world do they imply?
So excited to share the cover art for Far Lands!
Far lands is a collaborative worldbuilding, map-making, and exploration game about a team of explorers venturing into an uncharted land. Let's see what lies beyond the edge of the map!
Art by @arthur.baron-clement.com
#indierpg #ttrpg #indie
Far lands is a collaborative worldbuilding, map-making, and exploration game about a team of explorers venturing into an uncharted land. Let's see what lies beyond the edge of the map!
Art by @arthur.baron-clement.com
#indierpg #ttrpg #indie
September 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
So excited to share the cover art for Far Lands!
Far lands is a collaborative worldbuilding, map-making, and exploration game about a team of explorers venturing into an uncharted land. Let's see what lies beyond the edge of the map!
Art by @arthur.baron-clement.com
#indierpg #ttrpg #indie
Far lands is a collaborative worldbuilding, map-making, and exploration game about a team of explorers venturing into an uncharted land. Let's see what lies beyond the edge of the map!
Art by @arthur.baron-clement.com
#indierpg #ttrpg #indie
