Update

Update for 2027

(Done during 2026, published late 2026.)

Last year was a larger update. This year's update was smaller.

I'm now aiming to remove and condense as much material as I add.

Some things can be said more simply. Some articles can just be one paragraph in another article.

The site is overall 3% bigger this year, with a word count of around 80k.

The site now receives around 50 visitors per day.

I added the playtesting signup link to this site during the year, and I'm getting lots of new playtesters from it. I was still getting a few playtesters from the Radlands forums, but the game wanes each year.

I've added new concepts and stories, usually within existing articles, based on my year's work.

If you've been here before, I'm not easily going to be able to identify the changes.

The site is closer to completion now. Each revision gets smaller. Each of these polishing revisions improves the site significantly.

2026 update

(Done during 2025, published late 2025.)

I like to do an update of this site before the start of each year.

The site is getting popular, with around 30 visitors per day. Fans of the site have been promoting it. As such, I've taken the time to put some work into this year's update.

During the year, I've collected a lot of notes. Whenever I think of anything, at any time, I make a note of it. These thoughts are inspired by games I've worked on or played that year, and things I've read/listened to. At the end of the year, those notes are integrated into the site, or deleted. I read through the whole site, editing as I go.

I've added a few new pages, but most of the work has been within the articles: adding content, and and improving the quality of the article. I've removed and consolidated a lot of marginal content, but there's probably more to be done in future updates.

The site is now 34% bigger, with a word count around 78k.

Breaking down my advice into discrete articles has always been extremely difficult, as so many things overlap. Drawing the borders between subjects is a huge puzzle. On a large subject, how many articles should I break it down into, and what are the identities of each of those articles? Which two articles should really be merged?

I always like to update the design. This year, I decided I want to make the site look more official, and less fun, like a manual or document. The content is the design, and I don't think any design is necessary.

Legendary industrial designer Dieter Rams says that the best design is the least design possible.

Future updates will likely be much smaller. Eventually, of course, there will be no updates. The site will never be perfect, but it is always complete.

If you're a fan of the site, please take this opportunity to share the site again, wherever you talk about game design.

2025 update

(Done during 2025, published late 2025.)

Word count around 58k.

Original site

(Done from 2018-2022, published 1 Jan 2023.)

Word count around 55k.