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You are here: Home / Archives for game design

Interview: Mike Mearls on the Playtesting Process of D&D Next

June 29, 2012 by Dave

On June 15th, we conducted an interview over Skype with Mike Mearls, head of Research & Design of D&D at Wizards of the Coast. Also during that day, Mike was participating in an “Ask Me Anything” thread on Reddit, so some of the answers make reference to that. This interview has been transcribed, paraphrased, and edited by us from the call. We chose to mainly focus on the process of playtesting and design for D&D Next for this interview.

Filed Under: Featured, Interviews, News, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 5e, D&D, D&D next, game design, mike mearls, open playtest, playtesting

Playtest “D&D Next” Like A Pro

May 23, 2012 by Dave

With the open playtest of the new iteration of D&D coming tomorrow, I wanted to offer some of my advice on playtesting and giving feedback.

Filed Under: Critical Threats, Editorial, Featured, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: D&D, D&D next, Feedback, game design, playtesting

More Than Openness: Designing in Public

February 24, 2012 by guest

One of the distinctions that I missed in my last article is that openness doesn’t necessarily have to be inviting. It just leave the door open. Doing something in public combines openness with a call to the public to look at what you’re doing.

Filed Under: Editorial, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: designing in public, game design, Kickstarter, school daze

The Road Not Taken: Alternative Directions For A Post 4e D&D

January 16, 2012 by Dave

In the context of a new edition, there are any number of ways that an edition after 4th edition could go, while still building on the foundation of the game.

Filed Under: Critical Threats, Game Hacks & Content, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4e, game design, hacks

Chatty’s Dream Design Project: An Interactive Primer-RPG

November 23, 2011 by The Chatty DM

In which Chatty posts something that’s less than 500 words about what his dream game design project would be like. Hop right in and discuss!

Filed Under: Geek Stuff, Musings of the Chatty DM, Newest Critical Hits, Roleplaying Games, Video Games Tagged With: game design, gaming with children, Gaming with Kids, iPad, lady blackbird, Tablet PCs

Piledriver: The Most Popular Game Ever Played

September 26, 2011 by The Main Event

Piledriver. You’ve all played it, sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident, but you play it more than you expect.

Filed Under: Board, Card, and Miniature Games, Editorial, Featured, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: game design

Preference is Puzzling

September 2, 2011 by Shawn Merwin

It is not terribly hard to write a typical dungeon-delve adventure with 3 encounters, a skill challenge, and the PCs rushing in at the last moment to stop the ritual before the evil creature of great power is unleashed. Many DMs and players are happy with that. Thank goodness! However, not every DM or player is happy with the standard fare.

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Know Your Roll, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4e, design, game design, puzzles, Writing

Chatty DM, Freelancer, Part 5: OMG! I Made it!

August 26, 2011 by The Chatty DM

In which Chatty comes full circle and ends up being a freelance designer of the games that brought him up into the hobby in the first place.

Filed Under: blogging, Featured, Freelance Writing, Musings of the Chatty DM, Newest Critical Hits Tagged With: freelance, game design, roleplaying games, Writing

There’s No Crying in Design

July 8, 2011 by Shawn Merwin

Whether you’re talking RPG design or other creative works, anything presented to the public is going to garner reaction. Criticism can be devastating, but there are ways to deal with it.

Filed Under: Editorial, Know Your Roll, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: criticism, Feedback, game design, game writing

Playing Leverage with Just the FAQs

May 9, 2011 by Logan Bonner

Leverage: the Roleplaying Game does so many things right. It’s quick, collaborative, easy to prep, iconic, and tethered to a great back-and-forth mechanic and play style. But still, every plan has room for improvement.

Filed Under: Game Hacks & Content, Minor Quests, Roleplaying Games, Television Tagged With: game design, leverage, Leverage RPG

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  • Dave

    Dave "The Game" Chalker is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Critical Hits. Since 2005, he has been bringing readers game news and advice, as well as editing nearly everything published here. He is the designer of the Origins Award-winning Get Bit!, a freelance designer and developer, son of a science fiction author, and a Master of Arts. He lives in MD with e and at least three dogs.

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