What are some good resources for hacking PbtA games? I know there’s a chapter in Dungeon World that touches on the subject, but I feel like I’m still not grasping the design elements quite right. I can create moves, but I’m at a loss as to how to make good moves. I’d love to read some sort of resource on this.
What are some good resources for hacking PbtA games?
What are some good resources for hacking PbtA games?
Brainstorm a list of all the things you’d like to see happen in the game. Rearrange the list according to how often you expect those things to happen. Look for redundancies, prune mercilessly.
Worth reading (i reread it about once a year).mightyatom.blogspot.com – Apocalypse World: Crossing the Line
Listening
Biggest pitfall with custom moves is when they don’t snowball. PBTA dice aren’t for randomized task resolution – they’re really just an excuse to direct snowballing complications. They can fail in any other way but that – it’s the beating heart of PBTA.
My own custom moves fail in this way often. It’s less easy to guard against than one would think, since you imagine your move in an ideal context.
“Simple World” is a streamlined, generic take on the PbtA system. Each game is different because it is preceded by GM Prep. A GM Prep sheet is included.
fictioneers.net – Simple World | FICTIONEERS.net
Urban Shadows has great advice on creating moves.
I didn’t know Simple World was still available, else I’d have recommended it. So, I’ll second it!
I found it via the wayback machine and snarfed a copy 🙂
Nathan V dunno if you’ve seen this side project of mine, but I’ve been trying to include design notes on the moves therein. Maybe helpful?
docs.google.com – Drowning and Falling: Custom Moves for DW
Well Apocalypse World’s own hacking chapter is pretty informative, I think DW repeats a lot of stuff from there.
This is also essential reading if you’re planing on hacking: lumpley.com – anyway: Concentric Game Design
Jeremy Strandberg I noticed that your rules for starving were not done. Submitted for your approval is this post I made a few years ago at BFA…
apocalypse-world.com – Dying of Thirst
Marshall Miller I was going to recommend this too. Simply the best.
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