Designer Diary #7: Designer Voices & Debatable Actions
Hey everyone! Anne here! So, what’s been occupying the vast landscape of Sig’s mind this week? Well, mostly it’s been this thing called “Debatable Actions.” Now, when he first mentioned it, I had to raise an eyebrow. Debate? In a shoot-’em-up, fist-flying RPG? My initial thought was, “Sweetie, are you sure you aren’t having hardcore nostalgia from your college debate days?”
But then he started explaining it, and honestly, it’s kind of brilliant in a Sig-like way. He’s figured out how to turn arguing – something I occasionally have strong opinions about, especially when two players in our home games get into it – into an actual game mechanic. He was all excited about how it could make those social encounters, like convincing a stubborn mayor or even just two characters disagreeing on what to do, more engaging and strategic.
And you know what? We even playtested it, and I actually really enjoyed it! Which surprised me because sometimes all the rules and mechanics can make my eyes glaze over a bit. But this felt different. It was like turning a tense discussion into a mini-battle, complete with strategic “arguments” and “rebuttals.” We had this hilarious scenario about whether or not to open a mutant animal museum thing (spoiler: bad idea!), and it actually made the whole thing really fun and engaging. So, if even I liked it, I think it might be something special for you gamers out there. He’s been working hard to give it his “usual spin and massage,” whatever that entails!
Of course, it’s not all new shiny things. There was also the saga of the Hero Sheets bug. Apparently, some gremlin in the code decided that companion melee attacks should overwrite the player’s. Classic! But thankfully, we jumped on it, and it’s all fixed now. If you’re a Hero Sheets user, make sure you’ve got the latest version! If you want to buy the Hero Sheets and support Sig’s game design efforts, you can do so here:
And then there’s the ongoing wrestling – I mean, project – Everything Awesome Wrestling. This week, he’s been deep in thought about how the in-ring combat will work. Apparently, it’s not just about beating the other wrestler; it’s about working the crowd, being a good guy (“face,” apparently) or a bad guy (“heel”), and building up “pop” and “heat.” Honestly, sometimes I feel like I need a wrestling dictionary just to keep up! But it sounds like he’s trying to create a really unique system that blends the action of wrestling with the roleplaying aspect of building a character and a persona.
He also talked game design shop and introduced the “Designer’s Voice.” Apparently, it’s about game designers talking directly to the players in the rulebooks, explaining their intentions and giving advice. He does this a lot in his work, and it was interesting to hear his thoughts on why he does it and the potential pitfalls. It definitely gives you a sense of his personality when you read his stuff.
Beyond the game design vortex, he actually managed to play some video games this week! He tried out this Shadow Veil: Legend of the Five Rings game, which he was excited about because he loves that setting. He seemed a bit on the fence about it, though – something about auto-battles and the voice acting not quite matching his internal head-canon. He’s still diligently trying to breed the perfect flying Pal in Palworld, and his DDO Paladin tank is inching closer to level 29 and that “epic gear.”
Life-wise, he’s settling into his new part-time job, which is a huge relief. The first week left him completely drained, but he seems to be adjusting and even sent me a selfie of him wearing a mascot head! It’s good to see him finding a rhythm and having more energy.
So, that’s a little peek into the world of SigTrent Games from my side of the couch. It’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure! If you have any questions for Sig, make sure to leave them in the comments on his video – he actually likes answering them! And if you want to join the chaos and chat with other gamers (and maybe even Sig himself) just join in on the SigTrent Games Discord server!
Thanks for listening to my ramblings! Back to my own adventures now. 😉
Anne
SigTrent games is an independent TTRPG publisher specializing in supplements for Everyday Heroes, the modern action RPG. Sigfried Trent’s game designer diaries detail the companies progress, discuss game design, and whatever game’s Sig has been playing.
