by allismom3

An item RPG Item: Memorabilia, Programs, Catalogs and Other Material has been added to the geeklist Look What I Got! RPG Geek 2025 Holiday Gift Exchange

by Inkwan

Related Item: RPGG News

On a note about AI, Google's NotebookLLM is one that I really appreciate with very few negatives in its use. It only uses the references you include so it doesn't hallucinate like nearly all the others and can't steal anything more than you steal to put into it.

by Rachel

Happy 50th Friday of 2025, everyone!! And as always on Friday, here are the current Friday links: 2025 Friday on Friday: Play Friday EVERY Friday of 2025 and Friday on Friday, December 2025.

Because yes, it's Friday and no matter what, that means Friday here on Herald's Call :D.

Hello again, Level 5! I wonder how my trip will go this week :whistle:...

Well phooey, that didn't go well at all!

Here's a closer look.

My final score was -25 pts: 26 points from Fighting Cards, -15 points from Aging Cards, 0 points from lifepoints, 0 points for defeating neither pirate, and -36 points from Unbeaten Hazards. Definitely not one of my better performances. I just couldn't get the Destroy draws right to take out the Aging Cards and then they all showed up at once. Gah!

---------------------------

Weekly Updates:


Challenge Updates:
:d10-1: 2023 Extreme Numerology Challenge / 2024 Extreme Numerology Challenge : Wrapping up. Microbadges for 2022, 2023, and 2024 will be awarded, please stay tuned! 2025 is live: 2025 Extreme Numerology Challenge
:d10-2: 2023 Challenge: 23 unplayed in 23: Done.
:d10-3: Fire in the Library- Summer/Fall 2023 Solo Challenge- Extended!!: Done! Stay tuned for a new series of mini challenges that include some more Weird Giraffe-themed fan promos.
:d10-4: 2024 Challenge: 24 unplayed in 24: is Wrapped! If you spot errors or make updates, please geekmail me.
:d10-5: 2025 Challenge: 25 un(der)played in 25: Active
:d10-5: A special note on the Friday on Friday challenges: ALL owed microbadges should be system-awarded soon-ish. ALL microbadge reimbursements complete! Update: Stay tuned for progress on microbadges!


Designer's Corner:
:d10-1: The 7th Seal : A bit of world-building and connecting on to Charge the Circle, Read the Runes, and 10 Minutes to Midnight :whistle:...
:d10-2: Finders Keepers: No new progress.
:d10-3: Charge the Circle: Ready for Pitching! & Currently re-working for self-publication via The Game Crafter in early 2026! Here's the sitch: the game is fine to pitch in its current form BUT needs quite a bit of work if I'm going to put this up on The Game Crafter and get the game noticed that way. The current art.. probably isn't enough to catch attention. I've got ideas... but I'm also open to ideas, so, if you've got anything you'd like to share or anything you'd like to see, please let me know! In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at my latest experiments:

Option #1: Blue Glow Magic


Front (Element Side)


Back (Circle Side)


Logo


Option #2: White Glow Magic, Darker Stone Background


Front (Element Side)


Back (Circle Side)


Logo

Additional ideas/options:


Another possible logo, a compromise

I'd also like to try out a gold glow and a silvery glow. I'm partial to the darker stone background, but would welcome your thoughts! :D

:d10-4: Bears love Bows: Merry Trashmas edition: Now pitching! Pitch still still ongoing? maybe no news is good news??? STILL STRESSING! Still working on a pitch video because at this point, it can't hurt...
:d10-5: Really Retail: No new progress.
:d10-6: Barricade Brigade: Playing catch-up! Please stay tuned!
:d10-7: The Boxcats of Meowazon : No new progress.
:d10-8: Contagion and Calamity: The Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793: formerly Philly Fever 1793: No new progress.
:d10-9: Read the Runes: Work on Inscriptions and Keystone Borders continues. 2.0 working rules and PNP files available. TTS is live! Sell sheet posted! Please stay tuned to Friday updates and the WIP thread for continuing developments :D.
:d10-1::d10-0: 10 Minutes to Midnight: I've still got feedback to address over in the WIP thread... *sigh* This has been lower on my priority list due to active contests...
:d10-1::d10-1: Eight Elephants: Ready for pitching! As much as I'd like this game to join Charge the Circle on The Game Crafter... the art pretty much disqualifies it. That said, I am looking into a re-skin/re-theme of either this or Eighteen Eggs. This may be an opportunity for Snow Storm/Snow Squall to evolve... Thoughts?
:d10-1::d10-2: Surfboard Stealin' Sea Otters: Officially my entry in this year's 54-Card Contest! Contest complete! #2 Best Family Gameand #8 Best Overall Game! Woot! Post-contest: expect some minor revisions in the next month or so, then I plan on pitching the otters and seeing if I can catch some waves...
:d10-1::d10-3: Rolling Runes Formerly Color(a)Cross and Number Lock. Formerly Roll the Runes. Rules/components still in-progress. Game delayed to 2026 Roll and Write Contest.
:d10-1::d10-4: Tricky Treats: Rules, Scorepad, Solo Mode Player Aid, and Sell Sheet all new/updated! PNP remains the same! TTS unchanged. Video still in-progress. Game now considered complete and officially Ready for Pitching!
:d10-1::d10-5: Defend your Dreams: (formerly Dreamcatcher Duty): No new progress.
:d10-1::d10-6: Squirrelly (formerly Woodland Warriors) : Contest complete! #3 for Best Art! 2 mini expansions available! Ready for pitching!
:d10-1::d10-7: Trick or Treat : No new progress.
:d10-1::d10-8: Last Leaves : Didn't get to work on the pinecone this week either...
:d10-1::d10-9: Fireworks for the Fourth: Ready for pitching! And still crunching the numbers/weighing my options... it would be nice to get this on The Game Crafter before July 4th...
:d10-2::d10-0: Composer's Cat: New Year's Eve Concert: Lyricist reborn! 2024 In-Hand Game Design Contest: 5th Best Multiplayer Game; 6th Best Innovative Mechanic; 7th Best Use of Theme; and 4th Best Low-Ink Printing! Major revision in-progress ahead of possible entry into 2026 Cardboard Edison!
:d10-2::d10-1: Unnamed design: Involves the Titanic and Jenny the ship cat... No new progress.
:d10-2::d10-2: Nine Nopes: No new progress.
:d10-2::d10-3: Book it!: No new progress.
:d10-2::d10-4: Librarian's Cat: formerly Palm Library. formerly Littlest Library. 2025 In-Hand Game Design Contest: contest is complete... but I've got plenty of unfinished business to see to and I intend to see it all through! Please stay tuned! Sell sheet available.
:d10-2::d10-5: Elements: Ready for pitching! Still crunching the numbers/weighing my options
:d10-2::d10-6: Knick Knacks: Shaker Showdown : Contest complete! #3 Best Solo Game, #3 Best 2 Player Game, and #4 Best Family Game! Not bad, not bad at all, especially since I fell woefully behind on the comments... I do plan on addressing all of the feedback. And I do want to continue to refine and improve the game. There's a decent little game here and it's worth pursuing. Still working on additional revisions, including some interesting new twists to the gameplay.
:d10-2::d10-7: History Heist: On hold.
:d10-2::d10-8: Lost in the Labyrinth. No new progress.
:d10-2::d10-9: Critter Calls: Ready for pitching! And TTS is live! Video in-progress!
:d10-3::d10-0: Dragon's Draw: No new progress.
:d10-3::d10-1: Push to the Peak: No new progress.
:d10-3::d10-2: Cardshop Caretaker: No new progress.
:d10-3::d10-3: Unlucky Spirits: formerly Lucky 13: 2025 2-Player Print and Play Game Design Contest now complete. Game did not place. That said, I'm not giving up. New call for playtesters thread posted. New photos. Sizzle reel and ahort pitch video in-progress. Solo and Three-Player modes available! PNP available! TTS available! Come on folks, help me make this ouija-meets-jumanji game shine!
:d10-3::d10-4: Water always wins: Still ON HOLD.
:d10-3::d10-5: Sniper, take the shot!: No new progress.
:d10-3::d10-6: Abydos: Contest complete, game did not place... I'm disappointed, but I'm still committed to getting this game out there. Crunching the numbers and weighing my options, potentially coming to The Game Crafter in 2026...
:d10-3::d10-7: Nine Tails: Ready for pitching! And this is another game that might be a good fit for The Game Crafter...
:d10-3::d10-8: Puppy Pile: (formerly Dogpile). No new progress.
:d10-3::d10-9: Compound It!: No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-0: My Little Fish Tank: No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-1: Knick Knacks: Lovely Lamps : Sequel to Knick Knacks: Shaker Showdown. No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-2: Put a bow on it! No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-3: Gator Glory! No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-4: Eighteen Eggs: Contest complete, game did not place. *sigh*. I'm still planning on releasing the Rain, Rain Mini Expansion and Player Aids this coming week! I mean it this time! Really! Pinkie swear... :p
:d10-4::d10-5: Triskell (or maybe Triskellion): name not final: No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-6: Snow Squall: See Eight Elephants above.
:d10-4::d10-7: So, you want to be a mage...: No new progress.
:d10-4::d10-8: Cursed Cards: No new progress. Delayed until the 2026 contest. Again, I like this little game, but I need to concentrate my efforts elsewhere.
:d10-4::d10-9: Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice: My entry in Button Shy's 18-Card Cozy Contest! Contest-Ready & Submitted! Rules, components, sell sheet, and pitch video available!
:d10-5::d10-0: Monk's Cat: The Book of [Pawprints]: The third game in the Cat Companion Card Game series, sequel to Composer's Cat and Librarian's Cat. My forthcoming entry in the 2026 In-Hand Game Design Contest! Exciting! Some more progress this past week, but I really need to get the card functions sorted and the art started... Needs a WIP, rules, and components ready by January 1st.
:d10-5::d10-1: War of the Wilds : This is what happens when I revisit Barricade Brigade's files while thinking about Squirrelly :p. Looks like Squirrelly's original name of Woodland Warriors might be making a bit of a comeback in the language for this game. Some progress this week, but still not playable. Definitely a potential entry in the 2026 Wargame Contest...

Professional Projects:
:d10-1: Explosion in the Laboratory/Fire in the Library (2nd edition): Weird Giraffe Games: Campaign wrapped! Campaign fulfilled! Campaign complete!
:d10-2: Dreams of Yesterday: Weird Giraffe Games: Campaign wrapped! Campaign fulfilled! Campaign complete!
:d10-3: In the Shadows: Resistance in France 1943 - 1944: GMT Games: Complete! I still haven't managed to get this back to my table. Gah! In the meantime... see A Solo Sunday Salute - First Impressions - In the Shadows for a preview.
:d10-4: Crumbs!: The Sandwich Filler Game: Minerva Tabletop Games: Initial feedback in. First impressions and some extra crumbs: Solo Sundays- First Impressions: Crumbs!: The Sandwich Filler Game and Solo Saturdays - Continuing to make Crumbs. More formal review posted: Rachel Reviews It- Crumbs!: The Sandwich Filler Game. Campaign funded! Campaign ongoing. Fingers-crossed that Minerva Tabletop Games comes through...
:d10-5: Crystallo expansions and miniature edition: Light Heart Games: Initial feedback in. Previews and additional adventures shared: A crystal cavern at the garage aka mini Crystallo is here!, First Impressions: Crystallo: Untold Fortune, Solo Saturdays- First Impressions: Crystallo: Den of Dragons, and Solo Stories- Playing with all of Crystallo. More formal review posted: Rachel Reviews It- Crystallo: Untold Fortune and Crystallo: Den of Dragons. Campaign funded! Campaign ongoing... Deep Water Games/Friendly Skeleton is a right mess! I feel so bad for Liberty and hope that everything works out in the end. Crystallo is still one of my favorite games and the expansions are great! I just wish that things had worked out differently and I hope that everyone gets their games and expansions in the end. Such a shame.
:d10-6: Lost Adventures: Belltower Games: First Impressions and continuing adventures shared: Two-Player Thursdays- First Impressions: Lost Adventures, Two-Player Tuesdays- Getting Lost with Mom, and Solo Stories - Lost Adventures. More formal review posted: Rachel Reviews It: Lost Adventures. Campaign wrapped! Campaign fulfilled. Campaign complete.
:d10-7: Quirky Bird Games: The zine campaign funded! That's a wrap! Congrats Beth and Angel! Fulfillment ongoing. Keep up the great work!
---------------------------------------

On my to-do for the weekend:
Check in on all of my active WIPs to address feedback, get the new rulebook and mini expansion up for Eighteen Eggs, get the last of my Christmas cards sent out, continue working on videos, continue prepping to release a few of my games via The Game Crafter in early 2026, get the next Mythic Monday sorted :whistle:, and get caught up on blog comments :D.

The more I learn, the more I think I'm on the right path. Releasing my games without boxes and having printable tuckboxes will available for free here on BGG (via individual game's WIP threads or potentially their BGG pages...) is weird, but it feels right.

Game Over On borrowed time...

Happy Friday and happy playing!
-Rachel

Thank you for reading my blog. If you liked it; then please click the green thumb [microbadge=23724] at the top of the page. If you really liked it; then please subscribe.

by allismom3

Related Item: Quartermaster's Guide to Gear

Great books. I've heard excellent things about GI Joe RPG.

by HiveGod

A SPIN OF THE WHEEL

by aramis

pdzoch wrote:

Given the large survivalist genre in tv, film, and literature, I wondered if role playing was capitalizing on construct well.

How do you make survival activities (hunt, forage, cook, prepare safe sleeping area, make camp, etc.) more interesting in a game? Or is it just simplified into a skill check?
Bonus: For those who just simplify survival activities to just a skill check, why the simplified process over the something more narrative or involved?

Camping as a playable is only interesting when it goes poorly. Long resolution isn't worth the effort; a short resolution with interesting failure results (tables helpful) that lead to encounters or challenges.

by Relax

Dragonbane for me, though I'm enjoying discovering D&D 4e for the first time. It really, really isn't as bad as its reputation suggests, and is actually quite fun for what it is. Still, Dragonbane is my favourite game of the past 30 years.

by FluidSpace

Related Item: Philip Reed Games

You know what, I'm in for this.

by aramis

pdzoch wrote:

A question inspired by [user=Inkwan][/user]

What was your favorite RPG played in 2025?

Hands down, Daggerheart.
Alien is a close but clear Second.

by aramis

pdzoch wrote:

A question suggested by [user=Pentaclebreaker][/user]:

Have you (as player) ever encountered a time-loop? Had it any consequences?

As a player, no.
As a GM, yes, at least 5 times. I don't, however, imposed repeating loops.

by VampireQueen

Choc Milk

by Steve Dubya

<div>Front Cover from PDF</div>