Lux Adversaria FAQ
Lux Adversaria is a series of informal essays where I delve into different aspects of roleplaying. "Adversaria" refers to "miscellaneous writings" in Latin, representing my personal collections of notes and reflections. The term "lux adversaria" roughly translates to "light of adversity," reflecting my exploration of challenges and difficult topics.
FAQ: Why are you sidelining DoubleZero?
DoubleZero is not selling as well as other material. This is not a recent trend, so obviously, hitting pause to regroup and rethink the future of the line is the best thing to do. The final two titles in this iteration of the line will be released next week.
Lessons Learned Writing Lux Adversaria
The purpose of the Lux Adversaria series is to share insights I’ve gathered over [cough] decades. While revisiting old notes, articles, and blog posts, as well as perusing binders filled with ideas, I stumbled upon some new epiphanies, or perhaps rediscovered truths I had previously overlooked.
Lux Adversaria Influences
Having to write a million papers during my academic journey gave me the tools to organize my thoughts and evaluate ideas. My roleplaying notes honestly look like these papers, and a lot of the Lux Adversaria essays are almost verbatim, but cleaned up for public consumption. Go study theology, become a technical writer, and then get a business degree and see how your writing style turns out.
Lux Adversaria Design Principles
When I sat down to figure out what I wanted to achieve with this series, my first thought was that I wanted an umbrella line to write about roleplaying from a meta-position. There are bits of analysis, observations I’ve made, tools, and processes I’ve put together. In my mind, it’s a replacement for / improvement on the system-neutral toolkit idea that’s been the backbone of Lightspress since Day One.
Announcing Lux Adversaria
Last week, I quietly put out the first piece in a series I'm calling Lux Adversaria. These are informal essays / zines where I'll be dishing out tips, tricks, and tales from my many years in roleplaying. The debut essay, "Adapting non-roleplaying material for use with fantasy roleplaying scenarios," is already out there, quietly waiting for you to give it a read. It was a low-key launch, giving me the chance to tweak things and get into the groove of this new venture. It’s available at Lightspress.com and DriveThruRPG in PDF format. You can also find it on Amazon, both as a Kindle ebook and in print.
No More System Refinements
I won't be making any further refinements to the DoubleZero or Fantasy Manifesto systems. You’re welcome. I aim to progress forward, rather than endlessly circling back.
Defending Creative Choices
As evidenced in the saga of the logo, I haven’t always made creative choices that align with my values. Sometimes, those decisions were concessions to the "community," under the assumption that no one would buy the book unless certain things were included, even if they compromised the integrity of the work. Consequently, the book falls short of its potential because I lack faith in the broader audience's ability to appreciate its uniqueness.
Campaign Design Principles
When I dissect campaign design, you'll find it boils down to two key components: a setting that provides characters with things to do and motivations to do them. That's it. Whether you opt for a sandbox approach or prefer the structured framework of a three-act storyline, the fundamentals remain the same.
This Week’s New Releases
Here’s what’s new in the Lightspress shop this week!
DoubleZero: Analyst
DoubleZero: Athlete
DoubleZero: Celebrity
DoubleZero: Driver
DoubleZero: Engineer
My Approach to Mechanics
In my view, the essence of roleplaying mechanics lies in their ability to prevent disagreements among players. Without a solid framework or guidelines, storytelling can quickly devolve into chaos, with players contradicting and challenging each other's actions and outcomes. That's why we rely on tools like dice or playing cards to clearly indicate success, failure, and sometimes the degree of each. This structured approach helps maintain harmony and fairness.
I Did It, and I'm Not Sorry
If it were just my feelings at play, I might have let it slide. Oh, and the blog is now called The Light of Day, rather than The Day-To-Day. It’s been right there all along, I have no idea how I missed something so obvious
My Approach to Character Creation
This is my revised list of design principles for character creation going forward. Some of it has already existed unspoken, and has been inconsistently followed, but I’m here to codify it.
My Approach to Setting and Lore
Today I want to discuss my restructured and mildly revised approach to setting and lore. This will impact all roleplaying projects I create going forward, although it's been an unspoken and inconsistently followed design principle for a while.
The Painful Evolution of the Logo
Let’s keep this short and sweet. As tired as I am of revising the logo, it had to be done. Hopefully, this is the final pass.
This Week’s New Releases!
Here’s what’s new in the Lightspress shop this week!
Religious Orders: A Foragers Guild Guide
Shamanic Circles: A Foragers Guild Guide
Warrior Temples: A Foragers Guild Guide
Wilderness Lodges: A Foragers Guild Guide
Witch Covens: A Foragers Guild Guide
My Overarching Design Principles
Going forward, when designing a new roleplaying project, I will consider these principles to ensure accessibility and engagement, particularly addressing the hobby’s common barriers to entry. Some of these are practices I already engage in, a few have simply been codified or reworded, but all of them form a minimum standard for a Lightspress release.
The Continuing Evolution of Lightspress
This week marks a pivotal moment for Lightspress as I announce a temporary hiatus for the Foragers Guild product line. After tomorrow’s final Faction releases, I’ll be taking a break. In the coming weeks, DoubleZero will follow suit, after the Professions series is complete, allowing me to dedicate my focus to new projects, both large and small.