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start [2025/06/18 17:38] – Ron Helwigstart [2025/07/06 17:49] (current) – Ron Helwig
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-Hello and welcome to my exploration into the creation of a new way to create, manage, curate, and play RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons.+# Welcome to My RPG Design Project
  
-This is where I will be documenting my vision. I've had the general idea for several years now, but it is finally becoming clear enough to be worth writing down and refining. Eventually this site should become able to be turned into a specification document for the creation of the system.+This site explores a new way to **create, manage, curate, and play** tabletop RPGs like *Dungeons & Dragons*—but without the baggage of legacy systems.
  
-I will be adding inline explanations using the 'hidden' plugin. It uses syntax similar to an HTML element "hidden" whose content is hidden by default. Example: +I’ve spent years imagining something more flexible, modular, and digital-native. Here, I document that evolving vision.
-<hidden>This is hidden by default</hidden>+
  
-[[research_todo]]+---
  
-[[other_todo]]+## 🔥 What’s the Big Idea?
  
-[[config_todo]]+**D&D encourages homebrewing—but only within narrow limits.**   
 +What if we tore down those limits entirely?
  
-[[rules]] - the rules of the system I'm designing. Basically the Player's Handbook etc.+- **No fixed classes** — Players build archetypes organically from a modular skill tree.   
 +- **No rigid race lists** — Create species collaboratively with your DM.   
 +- **No baked-in lore** — Languages, gods, and factions belong to the *setting*, not the *system*.   
 +- **No one-size-fits-all ruleset** — GMs curate what works for *their* table.
  
-[[system]] - reserved sub-pages for how the digital curation system works.+With modern tools, even radical flexibility becomes manageable.
  
-====== Why? ====== + > _Think “GitHub for RPGs”—but simpler._
-Dungeons and Dragons has always had a base rule that it is intended to be home-brewed. That is, individual Dungeon Masters are encouraged to make the game their own by creating or modifying not only the lore and story, but even the rules.+
  
-The original rules had a class & level system, where a player could select one of a limited number of archetypes to base their character on. Over time, as players wanted to play archetypes (and races) that weren't in the official rules created their own. Many of these eventually got integrated into the official rules. But players are never satisfied and the most creative push the boundaries past even the most expansive set of choices.+---
  
-A great example of this is the Ranger. It is one of the most loved archetypes while being one of the least satisfying to actually play. The official rules never quite got the feel of a ranger that players wanted, so homebrewing the class is very common.+## 🧠 Guiding Principles
  
-So too with races. There are now dozens of races available, but there can always be more. Some of the races are tied into the lore and worlds, making them unsuitable for many worlds simply due to their being tied to lore that many Dungeon Masters don't include.+The system I’m building is shaped by some key beliefs:
  
-Not long after GURPS came around I got excited. I checked it out and while I loved the basic idea the implementation was pretty bad. What we now call D20 Checks is a way better system, and one that almost all RPGers are familiar with. Any new system that wants to catch on needs to either use that or fight an uphill battle to prove their new system is vastly superior. For example, the Daggerheart dual-D12 system is pretty cool and worth checking out but it will never become a mass-market success.+- **Modularity First** – Core rules are minimal. Everything else is optional and overrideable.   
 +- **Lore-Free Core** – Mechanics are cleanly separated from setting.   
 +- **Digital + Physical** – Great tools for online play *and* for print-at-table.   
 +- **Curated Systems** – GMs craft their own rulesets by picking, pruning, and extending modules.   
 +- **Player-Friendly** – Visual cards, simple mechanics, and a smooth learning curve.
  
-So after several years of thinking about all this I have come around to the idea that classes are the wrong approach. Simply using something like a skill tree would allow players to create whatever archetype they have in mind. Similarly with races, and especially since the rules on race creation in Tasha's were published, there should be no "official" races. Dungeon Masters, in concert with their players and the design of their world, should be able to create whatever races their imaginations can come up with.+See the full list of [Design Principles →](principles)
  
-And with the elimination of classes it also makes sense to get rid of class levels. Does the elimination of class levels mean getting rid of proficiency bonuses? Perhaps they can be separated for each skill/weapon/spell, and have upgradeable tiers (such as Trained, Proficient, Expert, Master) with either +2 per tier or +1d4/tier. And as we have already mentioned, lore and other campaign specific information should be totally separate from the rules. That last part also means that languages should not be part of the core rules.+---
  
-But all this seems like it would place a ton of work onto a DM's shoulders. That is inherently unworkable - without modern digital tools that is.+## 🧰 Current Goals & Resources
  
-====== Overall Vision ====== +### 🔧 Active Design Areas
-lots more to write... +
-[[principles]]+
  
-I envision a system that has curation as a major part of its mission. That is, Game Masters should be able to freely pick and choose what parts of the game to include. They should be easily able to add their own creations, and share them easily. That should also include basic rules like what happens during short or long rests. Of course there should be a base set of core rules, but it should be as minimized as possible.  Other rules should be default, but override-able by the Game Master.+- [Research Tasks](research_todo) — Open questions and inspirations   
 +- [Design Archives](design_archive:start) — Notes on past decisions and iterations   
 +- [System Technical Vision](system:start) — Plans for a digital rule curation system
  
-I am imagining it working similarly to how modern source control systems like GitHub work, only a lot more user-friendly. The Game Master should be able to view the rules they have selected in a skill tree format, and prune the branches as they desire. If they add something into the tree, they should be able to publish it so that other Game Masters can add it.+### ✅ Todo Lists
  
-Then, when a Game Master has refined the rules for their campaign, they can publish it, making it freely available for their players. It should be available online as regular web pages, and it could also be available to download as a printable PDF or whatever other formats people find useful.+- [Other Tasks](other_todo)   
 +- [Configuration/Website Tasks](config_todo)  
  
-The system should also include a character generation tool that players can use to build their character online, which respects the GM's curated ruleset. There should also eventually be a tool for playing the character that works similarly to D&D Beyond. At the same time, those who want to play with paper characters should also feel welcome.+---
  
-If people use paper character sheets, I am currently envisioning the default format to be something where the main character sheet is an A5 size (210mm × 148mm - landscape) piece of paper or cardstock, and the features and spells are printed on A6 sized (148mm × 105mm - portrait) cardstock. I think the main character sheet should have everything you need for roleplay, and everything you need for combat should be on feature cards - that is, you should only need the A6 sized cards during combat.+## 📄 Paper-Friendly Tools 
 + 
 +- **Character Sheet:** A5 (landscape) – universal layout, no per-character clutter   
 +- **Feature/Spell Cards:** A6 (portrait) – modular abilities and traits 
 + 
 +This layout supports both digital and printed play, empowering players to only carry what they use. 
 + 
 +--- 
 + 
 +## 📌 Why Ditch Classes? 
 + 
 +D&D’s class system was elegant in the 1970s. But today? 
 + 
 +- It **locks players into archetypes** that often don’t fit modern playstyles.   
 +- It **requires endless subclasses** just to keep up with creative players.   
 +- It **struggles with edge cases** (like the infamous *Ranger*). 
 + 
 +Other systems (like GURPS or Daggerheart) explore alternatives—but none have nailed it *and* stayed accessible. That’s what I aim to fix. 
 + 
 +--- 
 + 
 +## 🚧 What’s Next? 
 + 
 +This site is a work in progress. As I continue to define the system, the following will grow: 
 + 
 +- A complete curated example ruleset   
 +- Printable materials for tables   
 +- A prototype of the digital curation interface   
 +- Example curated worlds and modules 
 + 
 +--- 
 + 
 +## 🌱 Want to Explore? 
 + 
 +Start here: 
 + 
 +- [Design Principles](principles)   
 +- [Design Archives](design_archive:start)   
 +- [Research Tasks](research_todo)   
 + 
 +Or dig into [System Technical Vision & Plans →](system:start)