David FoxFire
Adventurer
- Xy$
- 0.00
I'd like to share a design tip that has really helped me out. I call it a 4D Notebook, and it's a variation of a technique founded by one of the greats of RPG design; someone I put up alongside Gary Gyrax:
Richard Garriot is a game designer very near to my heart, as well as a sign as to my age. He is known as Lord British, who created the Ultima series of Western Role Playing Games that were very innovative for the late 80s-early 90s era that they're released (Back when the Commodore and the Apple ][ were the top machines in the computer world). They were in all accounts America's Final Fantasy. He's even bringing Ultima back for the modern gaming world with "Shroud of the Avatar"
Included in this One Note is an article on where Richard talks about how he designs video games, which I myself incorporated in my own design process. He calls it a "Four Dimensional Spreadsheet," where he "he records every character, location, and item in a game and blends them into the whole."
My personal twist on that is the 4D Notebook, and this system works great on One Note (Probably why I have this available as an online One Note document. Everything in one place and oh look, you can make hypertext links, try that on a paper binder.) You can see on the above four Section Groups: People, Places, Things, and Modules. Like Richard's spreadsheets, these groups will refer to each other.
"People" is where all the NPCs will have their character sheets, be they allied NPCs in the party, rival parties, more important characters that you'll meet and assist, and plenty of other important beings you run into. Each character will have their own character sheet included.
"Places" is where the maps will go. As well as city and location details, various stores and which sells what, and important points of interest that the story--or a subplot--takes the player.
"Things" are for the many devices, magical items, artifacts, and other things that the party will or may encounter along the way, these may also include additional options, features, classes, and spells for the characters to learn and add to their own campaign.
And finally, "Story" is a ongoing record of the major events of the campaign, both with the main discovery and exploration of the region, as well as all the side quests and subplots that go with it.
I do this to every camapgian and game idea I come up with, and it's here where One Note really shines for me ( You can get it for free at https://www.onenote.com/Download, and it's included in any Microsoft Office or even Windows 10 purchase ) I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with notes organization with your game design.
Richard Garriot is a game designer very near to my heart, as well as a sign as to my age. He is known as Lord British, who created the Ultima series of Western Role Playing Games that were very innovative for the late 80s-early 90s era that they're released (Back when the Commodore and the Apple ][ were the top machines in the computer world). They were in all accounts America's Final Fantasy. He's even bringing Ultima back for the modern gaming world with "Shroud of the Avatar"
Included in this One Note is an article on where Richard talks about how he designs video games, which I myself incorporated in my own design process. He calls it a "Four Dimensional Spreadsheet," where he "he records every character, location, and item in a game and blends them into the whole."
My personal twist on that is the 4D Notebook, and this system works great on One Note (Probably why I have this available as an online One Note document. Everything in one place and oh look, you can make hypertext links, try that on a paper binder.) You can see on the above four Section Groups: People, Places, Things, and Modules. Like Richard's spreadsheets, these groups will refer to each other.
"People" is where all the NPCs will have their character sheets, be they allied NPCs in the party, rival parties, more important characters that you'll meet and assist, and plenty of other important beings you run into. Each character will have their own character sheet included.
"Places" is where the maps will go. As well as city and location details, various stores and which sells what, and important points of interest that the story--or a subplot--takes the player.
"Things" are for the many devices, magical items, artifacts, and other things that the party will or may encounter along the way, these may also include additional options, features, classes, and spells for the characters to learn and add to their own campaign.
And finally, "Story" is a ongoing record of the major events of the campaign, both with the main discovery and exploration of the region, as well as all the side quests and subplots that go with it.
I do this to every camapgian and game idea I come up with, and it's here where One Note really shines for me ( You can get it for free at https://www.onenote.com/Download, and it's included in any Microsoft Office or even Windows 10 purchase ) I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with notes organization with your game design.
Last edited:
