U-Sean K. Reynolds u-veteran ye-tablop RPG yobugcisa kunye ne-carrier ebandayo ebandakanya i-franchises ezininzi ze-iconic kunye ne-designs ezihlangeneyo. Uyaqala uhambo wakhe yobugcisa kwi-TSR kunye ne-Wizards of the Coast, ukuncedisa  during the transition into 3rd Edition. He later worked with Interplay on the original  iimveliso —i-infamous, inguqulelo elidlulileyo Zifumaneka phambi kokuba i-Bethesda iye yenza i-franchise. I-Dungeons kunye ne-Dragons Iingubo zeBaldur III Ukucinga I-Fallout 3 Kwiminyaka emininzi, uSean uye kwenziwa kwi-voice ye-RPG design, eyaziwayo ngenxa yayo yokubhalisa iinkqubo ezininzi kunye ne-narrative richness. Njengomdla ye-Monte Cook Games, uye ubonelela ubungakanani ekubunjweni kwe-RPG. Ukucinga , kunye ne-RPG ye-surreal kunye ne-deeply personal Ukusebenza kwayo kunceda ukukhuthaza i-envelope kwi-story storytelling kunye ne-community-driven game design. Iinkqubo yeCypher Ukucinga Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Q1: Why do you still use crowdfunding at this stage in Monte Cook’s development, when it’s usually used by small, indie teams that need funding to get projects off the ground? I-crowdfunding yintoni yinkqubo yethu njengoko kuthetha ukuba usebenzise ngqo kunye nabathengi bethu ukuze zibonise iingxoxo kunye nokunikezela imveliso efanelekileyo. Kwiinkampani ezincinane, sinokufumaneka njenge-juggernaut enkulu ye-TTRPG, kodwa kumazwe afana ne-Paizo okanye i-Wizards of the Coast, sinokufumaneka inkampani encinane. Kwaye kunzima ngenxa yokuxhomekeka kwe-crowdfunding ukuba sinokufumaneka ukuba abasebenzi bethu angama-14. Yinto engapheliyo xa usebenzise kwi-TTRPGs, ngenxa yokuba umnqweno we-RPG umnqweno umnqweno umnqweno umnqweno umnqweno ukuba Sean: Q2: How has your crowdfunding strategy evolved over time? Uyakwazi ukuqhagamshelane ngokufanelekileyo kunye neengxaki zeengxaki ezininzi. Uyakwazi ukufumana iincwadi ezininzi ezibonisa yonke into ekuqaleni kumgangatho kunye neengxaki zeengxaki, kwaye ngoko iingxaki zeengxaki zithunyelwe ngokukhawuleza ngenxa yokuba akukho nto yokufumana kwaye ukunceda i-community ukuqhagamshelane emva kwexesha lokuqala kunye neengxaki zeengxaki, kwaye xa izigxaki zeengxaki zeengxaki zeengxaki ziye zithunyelwe, kunceda abantu ukuba bafumane iiprojekthi yakho, oku kuholela kwi-more word of mouth and more money. Sean: Q3: What role does community engagement and feedback play in your campaigns? Ukusetyenziswa kunye ne-feedback kumazwe inqwelo elikhulu kwiinkampanye zethu ngenxa yokuba kufuneka ukhangele i-community yakho kunye nokufumana iimfuno zabo. Ngoko ke kunokuba kunceda ukuba sincoma izinto ngenxa yokuba i-community ayikho ngexabiso efanayo ngexabiso, okanye sinikezela izinto ezininzi, njengeephepha ezongezelelweyo kwi-book okanye iimveliso ze-physical ukuze bafumane abantu into yokuhamba. Ekupheleni kwexesha, sinikezela iintlobo zeemidlalo ezidlala, kodwa sinikezela nge-support ye-community yethu. Sean: Q4: Looking ahead, do you foresee a time when you’ll move away from Kickstarter—or is it now an essential part of your long-term model? Ukuphendula, ndingathanda. Ndingathanda ukuba akufutshane kwi-crowdfunding ngexesha elide njengoko inikeza umgangatho olufanelekileyo kwi-community yethu kwaye inokukwazi ukucacisa umdla kwiimveliso zethu. Ngoko ke sinokufuneka into yokwenza kunye nokufumana iindleko, nto leyo ekunciphise ukuchithwa kwimali efanelekileyo emzimbeni elinye. Kodwa ungenza ukwazi - izinto ziyafumaneka, kwaye ukuba zibonise, siya kubangela. Sean: & I-Design Philosophy Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Q5: When I look at  , the first thing that comes to mind is it's weird. And I mean that in a good way. It's magic, and mysticism, and personal, deep, emotional journeys all rolled into one. It's very cyberpunk, in a way. The only real point of comparison I can find for it is  . So did   influence the development of the game? Invisible Sun Planescape: Torment Planescape Umlilo we-Invisible Sun I-Planescape: Ukucinga Ukucinga Ngoko ke, kubaluleke ukuba unamathele Njengoko i-Like , kuba Monte - umntu owenziwe —uye usebenza kwi-Wizards of the Coast kwi  supplements, like the original  izifundo kunye nezifundo ezisemthethweni ezisetyenziswa Ngoko ke, kukho izibambiso ezininzi kunye ne-DNA kunye nezinye izinto ezisebenzayo kwi-Wizards of the Coast eyenza Kwaye unayo kakuhle ngokupheleleyo ukuba i-cyberpunk-like kakhulu ngexesha ukuba unayo ukuxhaswa, kwaye unokufuneka ukuba uya kuba ngubani kwaye ngexabiso ukuba uya kuba, kwaye uqhagamshelane kwihlabathi enhle kakhulu apho uya kufumana. Sean: I-Planescape: Ukucinga Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun I-Dungeons kunye ne-Dragons Ukucinga I-Planescape: Ukucinga Ukucinga Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Q6: How did you balance abstract narrative elements like mystery and symbolism with structured gameplay? Ukubhalisa i-mystery kunye ne-narrative kunye ne-gameplay ayikho ngexesha elifanelekileyo njengoko ungathandayo, kuba nangona i-game that is played in a group setting, kwakhona ngokwenene umdla wakho omnye. Kwaye Yintoni ungayifumana ngokwenene ngexesha elidlala, ngenxa yokuba ngexesha xa uqhagamshelane kwi-table kwaye wonke umntu uqhagamshelane ngexesha yayo elizodwa yokufuneka kwihlabathi yayo kunye neeyiphi na ingxaki zokusebenza - ngoko ke, okanye ngoko ke, ukuba bafuna ukuba ziya kuba. Sean: Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Uya kufuneka uqhagamshelane ngokwenene kwaye uqhagamshelane ngokweneneyo ngaphambi kokuba unako ukufumana ukuba ngubani nawe kunye nenkcazo yakho kwihlabathi. Kodwa xa uqhagamshelane, uqhagamshelane. Kwaye abantu bangathanda ukuba bafuna ukudlala Ngaba uyazi, unayo i-orcs kunye ne-dwarves kunye nezinto ezininzi ezininzi kwiimidlalo ezininzi, njenge-fantasy okanye yintoni nawe, kodwa Ngaba uqhagamshelane neengxaki kunye ne-archetypes eziluncedo. Ukuba uqhagamshelane ukuba ufuna, ngoko ke, umngcali we-TV njengoko umngcali, wena ndiyabakhokela kwaye uyakwazi ukufumana umnxeba kwihlabathi kunye nomdla yakho. Kwaye ke into emangalisayo malunga nawe - nje ukuxhaswa yonke into efanayo ngokuvumela bonke ukuba bafumane izivakashi zabo ezahlukeneyo nangokunxibelelana kunye nokukhusela iqela elandelayo. Le ngqungquthela ibonelela i-GMs kunye nabasebenzi izixhobo ezihambisa i-mystery, ngaphandle kokuqinisekisa umxholo "umgangatho". Uyakwazi ukuxhaswa kwe-mystery, kodwa awukwazi ukux Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Q7: What was the creative process behind the Sooth Deck? I-Sooth deck ibonakalisa ngenxa yokusebenza njenge-gateway yemvelo kwiimeko ezininzi ze-gameplay. Kwaye kubalulekile kakhulu ngenxa yokuba, njenge-designers kunye ne-developer, asikwazi ukubona okanye ukhangela kwiimveliso ezininzi phambi kokuba iimveliso iye kwakhona emzimbeni yabasetyhini. Xa sisebenzise iimveliso ezininzi, sisebenzisa kuphela iingubo ezincinane ze-paper ezibonakalayo ezizayo kwi-office kwaye sinikezela kwakhona. Sean: We don't have actual art or cardstock or anything like that. You guys are getting the product because we're still in development, and things can be changing all the time—from art to writing to world design and what have you. But it's really interesting because Sooth cards are in a lot of ways kind of like tarot cards in the sense that they all have different meanings and different representations, and they're going to be unique to each individual character and the journey that character is going on. So having a physical Sooth card in your hand is just another tool for immersion—to really give you something to look at and look forward to experiencing in that world. Q8: A unique feature of the game is its emphasis on secrets and personal arcs. How did you ensure that character interiority stayed central and meaningful in a group play setting?   iye yenzelwe ngempumelelo yokwenza izivakashi ezimbini efana, ukuba akuyona, efanelekileyo kunokuba izivakashi yeqela – ngenxa yokuba uqhagamshelane nangoko. Kodwa xa uye uhambo yakho yobuchwepheshe yakho, yeah, uya kufumaneka ngakumbi kunokuba ukuba ushiye ukuba uqhagamshelane malunga nezivakashi nawe – nceda uqhagamshelane wakho okanye GM yakho okanye into yakho. Sean: Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Ngoko le mdlalo yenzelwe ukuba i-end-end efanelekileyo kakhulu ukuze ivumela umdlalo weqela kwinxalenye yehlabathi yehlabathi, kodwa nangona i-scale-scale kunye ne-objective ye-individual apho, uyazi, unako ukufikelela kwisiqingatha wakho. Njengoko ndinayo umbhali oyanzelayo kakhulu kwi-parenthood yayo ngenxa yokuzithwa, kwaye yonke i-course yayo yaye ndiza ukufumana ukuba i-family yayo, ngoko baye baye baye baye, ngoko i-parents yayo baye baye baye kwenziwe. Kwaye xa wabelane nabasebenzi bakhe kwaye baye baye baye baye kwaye ngoko baye baye baye baye baye baye baye baye baye bay Q9:   has a very deliberate aesthetic—box design, components, even the Black Cube. How important is physical design in communicating your games’ themes? Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Yinto enzima kakhulu. I-Black Cube ayikho kuphela ibhokisi – inqaku yehlabathi. I-Design ye-physical ibonisa ukuba umdlali: oku yinto olungapheliyo, into olungapheliyo. Kwixesha elidlulayo, unako ukufikelela kwindawo epheleleyo. Le nqaku kunye ne-visual inikezela ukuba uthathe i-narrative efana ne-game. Sean: Q10: The idea of “hidden truths” runs deep in the setting. Did you design   to be replayable or reinterpreted over time, almost like a puzzle box? Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Ndiya, kakhulu ngoko. iye yenzelwe ukuguqula umdlalo olutsha kunye ne-interpretation. Kukho iimeko emangalisayo, kwaye ngokuxhomekeke kwiphepha le-character yakho - okanye nawe njengomdlali - uya kufumana izinto ezahlukeneyo. Akukho malunga nokuphendula i-mystery elinye, kodwa malunga nokufumana kukho imibuzo ezininzi phantsi komhlaba. Yenziwe ngokwenene kunye neengxaki ezininzi kwi-minds. Sean: Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Kukho kwilwimi epheleleyo yehlabathi apho unakufutshane kwaye zithunyelwe kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zehlabathi - ukuba i-box kunye neengxaki zangaphakathi, iibhodi ezahlukahlukeneyo kunye ne-cards kunye ne-knick-knacks zangaphakathi. Abantu baye zithunyelwe kwiibhokisi zangaphakathi ngokufunda iingcebiso kunye neengxaki zangaphakathi ukuze zibonise kwaye ufumane iingcebiso ezininzi, iingcebiso ezininzi, kwaye iingcebiso ezininzi zehlabathi ngokugqithisileyo - ngenxa yokuba bafumana kakhulu. Kodwa kwakhona inikeza kakhulu kwimidlalo. Ngoko ke, i-packaging kunye nenkqubo jikelele ye-Black Cube kunye nezixhobo zayo I-TTRPGs kunye ne-Technology Q11: Tech is playing an increasing role in TTRPGs. What’s your take on integrating apps into the experience—do you feel anything is lost or gained in doing so? Kwakhona, ukuba iifowuni kunye ne-screens ebonakalayo kunokwenzeka ukuchithwa - abantu ziyafumaneka kwi-TikTok, i-YouTube, okanye i-texting ngaphandle kokufumana kwimeko - kwaye ke akayi. Kodwa asisebenzisa ubuchwepheshe ngokufanelekileyo. Thina usebenzisa ubuchwepheshe njenge-supplement ukunceda ukuvelisa i-experience kakhulu kunye ne-immersive. Sean: Ngoko ke ngaba ufumane i-background music. Ngaba ufumane i-voice-acted text kunye ne-dialogue. Ngaba ufumane into efana ne-Sooth cards ebonakalayo kwi-screen ukuba unayo i-copy ye-sooth- okanye ukuba uye uye wabelane ekhaya. I-component ye-digital ibonelela kwi-gameplay ngaphandle kokufumana kwakhona, nto leyo nto leyo yinkqubo lethu. Thina ufuna ukwenza oku kwimvavanyo ebonakalayo ebonakalayo ebonakalayo. Kwaye sisaziwa ukuba ukwenza oku, siya kufuneka uqhagamshelane nabantu apho baye. Abantu abaninzi ziquka yedijithali. Abanye bafumane abalandeli kunye neengcali abalandeli kwihlabathi, kwaye bafuna ukudlala imidlalo kunye kwabo. Ngoko ke, ngoko ke bafumana Roll20 okanye Discord okanye ezinye iiplatform apho bafumane kwaye bafumane. Le nqakraza elincinci ye-digital kuphela inqakraza le nkqubo - kwaye sinxibelelana ngokupheleleyo ukuba. Final Reflections Q12: Given your long, storied history of working on games, what would you say is the most impactful game you’ve worked on?   Yintoni iimidlalo ezininzi ezininzi ezininzi kwaye ezininzi ezinikezwayo ezidlulileyo – ngenxa yintoni yayo, yintoni yayo ibonisa, yintoni yintoni yintoni yintoni kuphela kum, yintoni kuphela iMonte, kodwa kumadlala ehlabathini lonke, abahlala kwi-universe kunye nokuba i-unique kunye ne-diverse. Sean: Umlilo we-Invisible Sun Emva kwiminyaka emininzi, ndiya kubasebenzi kwiinkalo ezininzi ezahlukahlukeneyo Ukucinga -Ukuvelisa into efanelekileyo, ezininzi, kunye ne-immersive. Yinto efanelekileyo, ngokwenene. Kwakhona ukuba ufumane into eyenziwe nguMonte kwaye uze uqhagamshelane ngoko, ukongeza i-spin yam - akukho nto. Ngoku, le nkqubo engapheliyo kakhulu kwaye ebalulekileyo ngexesha lokusebenza. I-Dungeons kunye ne-Dragons Ukucinga Ndava i-interview enhle kunye ne-Sean, kwaye ndingathanda ngoko wonke umntu oyaziqhelekanga ukufumana kunye nenkqubo yayo ye-TTRPGs efana ne-Magnus Archives, i-Old Gods of Apalacchia, i-Numenera, kwaye ngoko ke, . Iimidlalo zeMonte Cook Umlilo we-Invisible Sun

Read My Stories

Le audio iveliswe ngolwimi lokuqala lwebali!

I-Sean K. Reynolds ibonelela kwi-Career Spanning D&D, i-Fallout, kunye ne-Art of Tabletop Storytelling

About Author

IZIMVO

ZIJONGE IIMPAWU

ELI NQAKU LINIKEZELWE KU

Related Stories

Light-Mode

Classic

Newspaper

Dark-Mode

Neon Noir

Minty

HN StartUps