Designing Problems

Kristian and Tracy are joined by the creative director of Pinnacle Entertainment (Savage Worlds), Darrell Hayhurst, as we discuss the "precious" nature of ideas, and trying to break through the "logjam" in our minds that prevent us from coming up with more. We talk about ways to tap into a broader pool of solutions to problems, different concepts, and fresh perspectives as a creator. We also talk about how to identify the ideas we have that are worth pursuing, when to cut our losses, take breaks, and how sometimes pursuing something else entirely can bring passion and focus back to projects you thought were long dead.
Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/
Pinnacle Entertainmanet: https://peginc.com/

In this episode, Kristian and Tracy talk about both the need for, and the techniques surrounding creating a "quest engine" for your RPG game or setting--or the reasons the heroes are there in the first place. This includes discussion of "quest-giving" organizations and people, creating and utilizing meaningful elements that drive the story forward, and the effective creation of compelling NPCs to help guide the adventure. There's also a discussion about how to effectively integrate these elements in your game--creating immersion so the players don't even realize they're there.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

This week, Kristian and Tracy welcome back guest Brandon Verhalen of Star Anvil Studios to talk about the value of commissioning art for your project. Whether you use it to help visualize your world and inspire you in the concept phase, or to communicate the look, feel, actions, and even mechanics of your setting to your audience, art can play a valuable and fundamental role in the creative process. Check out our discord, Where Brandon and Tracy plan to share some art pieces (from rough to final) and discuss how they both inspired their creations and help communicate them to others.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/
Star Anvil Studios: https://staranvilstudios.com/

This week, Kristian and Tracy go on an in depth exploration of what compels us to create the things we do, why we share them, and how and why we keep going when things get difficult. For many, these are very personal questions. We talk about the sense of accomplishment, the compulsion to inspire others, craftsmanship, our vulnerability as creators, and how we handle failure when it inevitably crops up (including a discussion about the concept of "failing faster")! As our beloved Mister Rogers said, "You've got to do it!"

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/
Mister Rogers - "You've Got to Do it" - https://www.misterrogers.org/videos/youve-got-to-do-it/

This week, Tracy and Kristian welcome Brandon Verhalen of Star Anvil Studios to talk about the sticky wicket of licensing existing IPs for your role playing game. Brandon is the publisher of the Secret World RPG, based on the video game by Funcom, and he has a wealth of wisdom and advice, including the benefits of licensing, how to pursue license-holders, what kinds of things to ask for, and some of the  pitfalls and gotchas to avoid.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/
Star Anvil Studios: https://staranvilstudios.com/

This week Tracy and Kristian delve into the dense subject of RPG game systems, how a system can fundamentally affect the feeling of a setting, choosing one that's right for your game, and even touching on the challenges of creating your own. We also explore some of the ins and outs of licensing different game systems for your project. See the notes below for info on licensing some of the more popular systems.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ  The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com  Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

A FEW GAME LICENSE LINKS:

• Savage Worlds: https://savageuniverse.com/get_involved.html
• Powered by the Apocalypse: http://apocalypse-world.com/pbta/policy
• FATE system : https://fate-srd.com/official-licensing-fate
• Blades in the Dark: https://bladesinthedark.com/licensing
• Monte Cook Games - Cypher System Open License: https://csol.montecookgames.com/
• Free League - Year Zero Engine Licensing: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/community-content/free-tabletop-licenses/
• Modiphius World Builders: https://modiphius.net/en-us/pages/2d20worldbuilders?srsltid=AfmBOor7fHL59AA5DGP0SQ0wA4q-IbZQDjypSkT4hcRAXtlEN37TZY9L
• D&D 5E: https://www.dndbeyond.com/resources/1781-systems-reference-document-srd?srsltid=AfmBOoox_uIBrCZ5dp4kqkl4eYnV-TUjP-tk4WCFhhYVM56M1NEeZP_8
• DTRPG Community Content Programs: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/community_content.php

In this episode, Kristian and Tracy are joined by Jennifer Sutcliffe, Kristian's partner and the other half of the Immaterial Plane, to talk about a fascinating problem inherent to RPGs: the unlikely marriage of technical and creative writing. What are the differences? Why do we need both, and how can they compliment each other and meld together in the creation of your games, settings and adventures?

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

In this episode Kristian and Tracy talk about finding inspiration for your game, setting, adventures, characters and themes. More importantly though, where do you find inspiration for yourSELF? How do you get past the roadblocks and setbacks you encounter in the creative process and inspire yourself to keep trying and moving ahead? Finally, how do you pay that all forward and provide inspiration to others, both within and outside your game?

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

In this episode, Kristian and Tracy tackle one of the trickiest questions the designer of a new setting must answer: What do the PCs DO? Establishing what the "iconic adventure" is for your setting informs almost every choice you make in the world's development, and it can mean the difference between a game people are inspired to pick up and play and one that just sits on the shelf. Come join us to explore exactly why this is such a critical (and difficult) question.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
The Han Cluster® Role Playing Game Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

This week we talk about where to start with the creative process. The difference between writing for yourself or your group, writing for other people to run, and writing for established publishers. We relate our own experiences and challenges at all three levels, and hope to give some encouragement to people along the way.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ
DTRPG Community Content Hub: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/0/default
Han Cluster / Ede Sol Games Website: https://hancluster.com
Immaterial Plane: https://immaterialplane.com/

In this first episode of Designing Problems, we talk about who we are, what we've done, and what the Designing Problems podcast is all about. We also touch on some of the challenges of the creative and production process, especially in the RPG space.

Join our discord!: https://discord.gg/Bc9dvuzZYJ