Designer Diary #21 – Style Guides with Style!
A Week of Art, Contracts, and Controlled Chaos!
Sig just put out his latest YouTube update, and as usual, he’s packed it full of insights. From my vantage point (which is usually the kitchen table, where he often works!), this past week felt like a balancing act for him.
He was incredibly excited about the Shotgun Fantasy character art that just came in. I’ve seen some of the pieces, and they really are fantastic! He’s already buzzing about getting that new landing page up for Shotgun Fantasy and thinking about pre-sales. It’s always inspiring to see his vision come to life.
One thing I deeply admire about Sig is his unwavering commitment to artist contracts and ensuring that creatives truly retain ownership of their work. He talked about it in his video, and it’s something he feels very strongly about. He’s been on the other side where work gets “lost to time” because of bad contracts, and he’s determined to make sure that doesn’t happen with Sig Trent Games. It speaks volumes about his integrity.
The “Style Guide” Saga (and Why It Matters!)
If you heard him talk about style guides this week, you might think, “Oh, that sounds a bit dry.” But from my perspective, I see how crucial these documents are for his work, especially with indie game development. He’s always stressing the importance of professionalism, consistency, and clarity in game rules, and the style guide is the unsung hero behind that. It really helps keep everyone on the same page, making the whole process – from writing to editing – so much more efficient. He even mentioned how Evil Genius Games and we at Sig Trent Games use the Chicago Manual of Style – who knew game design had so much in common with publishing?
Gaming (and Life!) in Motion
Even with everything else going on, Sig always finds time for gaming. I often hear him strategizing in Phasmophobia (sometimes a bit too loudly for early mornings!), or laughing at his Baldur’s Gate 3 characters – especially that ridiculous naked dwarf druid. He’s now trying out a new restriction where everyone in his BG3 party has to cast spells, which sounds like classic Sig! And his new obsession? Mech Warrior 5 Mercenaries. Big stompy robots, apparently less about fast reflexes and more about strategy, which fits him perfectly.
This week also involved a lovely visit from our friend Luis (who Sig discussed a potential solo play RPG project with – I was part of those conversations, and it’s a fascinating idea!). Plus, he had jury duty, which cut into his work time, and then jumped straight into busy summer hours at the gift shop. It’s a lot to juggle, but seeing him push through and keep Sig Trent Games moving forward is truly impressive.
It’s never a dull moment around here! If you want to hear all the details directly from Sig (and see his progress!), definitely check out his latest video.
Thanks for reading!
– Anne, the “behind-the-scenes” support for Sig Trent Games
Also More links for today:
- Follow on Sigfried Plays Games on Facebook
- Grab your Hero Sheets!
- Anne’s Twitch Channel
- Click here to hop into our Discord!
