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start [2025/06/22 15:18] – Ron Helwigstart [2025/07/06 17:49] (current) – Ron Helwig
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-# Site Home+# Welcome to My RPG Design Project
  
-Hello and welcome to my exploration into designing a new way to **create, manage, curate, and play** tabletop RPGs like *Dungeons & Dragons*.+This site explores a new way to **create, manage, curate, and play** tabletop RPGs like *Dungeons & Dragons*—but without the baggage of legacy systems.
  
-This site documents my evolving vision. The general idea has been percolating for years, but only recently has it become clear enough to write down and refine. Eventually, this content will form the basis of a full system specification.+I’ve spent years imagining something more flexible, modular, and digital-native. Here, I document that evolving vision.
  
-## Todo Lists+---
  
-- [Research Tasks](research_todo) +## 🔥 What’s the Big Idea?
-- [Other Tasks](other_todo) +
-- [Configuration Tasks](config_todo)+
  
-## Sections+**D&D encourages homebrewing—but only within narrow limits.**   
 +What if we tore down those limits entirely?
  
-- [Rules](rules:start) — The core rules of the system I’m designing (akin to the Player’s Handbook). +- **No fixed classes** — Players build archetypes organically from a modular skill tree.   
-- [System](system:start) — Reserved for documentation on how the **digital curation system** works.+- **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.
  
----+With modern tools, even radical flexibility becomes manageable.
  
-## Why?+ > _Think “GitHub for RPGs”—but simpler._
  
-Dungeons & Dragons has always encouraged homebrewing. The idea is simple: Dungeon Masters should shape the game to suit their worlds—modifying not just lore and stories, but even the **rules**.+---
  
-The original D&D system was built on a **class and level framework**, giving players a narrow selection of archetypes. As time passed, players imagined new archetypes and races that weren’t officially supported—so they made their own. Some of these eventually made it into the core books, but even today, players continue to push boundaries.+## 🧠 Guiding Principles
  
-A great example is the *Ranger*. It’s a beloved concept but has always felt awkward in practice. Despite multiple revisions, many players find the official class unsatisfying—so homebrew variants abound.+The system I’m building is shaped by some key beliefs:
  
-The same is true of races. Dozens now exist, but many are deeply tied to specific worlds and lore. That makes them incompatible with other campaign settings. DMs must often invent or adapt races to fit their needs.+- **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.
  
-When GURPS came along, I was excited by its modular approach—but the execution was clunky. In contrast, the **D20 Check** system is elegant and widely understood. Any new system needs to either adopt this standard or present something **dramatically superior**. For instance, *Daggerheart’s* dual-d12 system is clever and worth watching—but probably too unfamiliar to achieve widespread adoption.+See the full list of [Design Principles →](principles)
  
-After years of thinking, I’ve come to believe that **classes are the wrong model**. A **skill tree** system would allow players to define their own archetypes organically. Likewise, official race lists should be replaced by a framework for *creating* races collaboratively with the DM.+---
  
-Without classes, **class levels** also lose their purpose. Should we remove proficiency bonuses too? Maybe. An alternative is to assign proficiency tiers like:+## 🧰 Current Goals & Resources
  
-- Trained +### 🔧 Active Design Areas
-- Proficient +
-- Expert +
-- Master+
  
-Each could grant +2 per tier, or maybe +1d4 per tier, depending on how granular we want it.+- [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
  
-Another key design choice: **Separate lore from rules**. Things like languages should not be hard-coded into the core system—they belong to the campaign setting, not the engine.+### ✅ Todo Lists
  
-This modularity sounds overwhelming—but with modern **digital tools**, it becomes manageable.+- [Other Tasks](other_todo)   
 +- [Configuration/Website Tasks](config_todo)  
  
 --- ---
  
-## Overall Vision+## 📄 Paper-Friendly Tools
  
-*[More to be written — see: [Principles](principles)]*+- **Character Sheet:** A5 (landscape) – universal layout, no per-character clutter   
 +- **Feature/Spell Cards:** A6 (portrait) – modular abilities and traits
  
-The system I envision revolves around **curation**.+This layout supports both digital and printed play, empowering players to only carry what they use.
  
-Game Masters should be empowered to choose only the rules and content they want. They should be able to:+---
  
-- Add their own content easily +## 📌 Why Ditch Classes?
-- Share it with others +
-- Override default rules with custom alternatives+
  
-Even simple mechanics—like how rests work—should be configurable. There will be a minimal, streamlined **core ruleset**, but everything else should be *default-overrideable*.+D&D’s class system was elegant in the 1970s. But today?
  
-I imagine something like **GitHub for RPGs**—but much easier to use.+- 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*).
  
-A Game Master would: +Other systems (like GURPS or Daggerheart) explore alternatives—but none have nailed it *and* stayed accessible. That’s what I aim to fix.
-- Browse rule modules as a **skill tree** +
-- Prune or graft branches +
-- Add new modules +
-- Publish their curated ruleset+
  
-Once complete, they could publish this ruleset for players in multiple formats: +---
-- Web view +
-- Printable PDF +
-- Other formats as needed+
  
-### Tools for Players+## 🚧 What’s Next?
  
-There should also be an online **character builder**, aligned with each GM’s curated rules. Eventually, a **player interface** akin to *D&D Beyond* would be ideal—but players who prefer paper sheets should feel equally welcome.+This site is a work in progress. As I continue to define the system, the following will grow:
  
-For paper-based players, I currently envision:+- A complete curated example ruleset   
 +- Printable materials for tables   
 +- A prototype of the digital curation interface   
 +- Example curated worlds and modules
  
-- **Main character sheet**: A5 size (210mm × 148mm, landscape) +---
-- **Features/spells**: A6 size (148mm × 105mm, portrait) cards+
  
-The A5 sheet would contain **only universal elements**—everything character-specific would live on modular cards.+## 🌱 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)