Ghostlight Design Principles

In creating Ghostlight, my aim has not just been to create a game, but to release a setting that supports storytelling, intrigue, and mystery within the hallowed halls of a secluded New England performing arts college. My overarching design principles stand, guiding every aspect of development. Today I want to revisit those principles and talk about how they apply to this project.

Simplify the Rules

Ghostlight will mark the debut of a new rules system. While it will remain simple and incorporate favorite elements of both DoubleZero and Fantasy Manifesto, it will have a bit more depth to it. The goal, as always, is to strike a balance between accessibility for new players and enough nuance for veterans. I'll soon publish a post dedicated entirely to this topic.

Minimize Costs

I haven’t decided on a price point yet because I don’t know the final page count of the book. While I aim to keep it concise, I also want it to be comprehensive. Printing costs will influence the price of the physical book, which in turn will affect the cost of the digital version. It will be priced as a standalone item, without impacting the prices of current or future titles. One thing is certain: I'll strive to set the price as low as possible without operating at a loss.

Combat Social Stigma

While I don’t believe setting this in a Shakespeare-influenced performing arts school will erase the nerd stigma of roleplaying, I do think it will embrace a different, more sophisticated type of nerdiness. I envision the game to be intelligent, dramatic, and emotionally engaging. While I won’t claim that the influences are necessarily more mainstream, they do lie outside the typical niche genres found in roleplaying. At the very least, I believe it contributes to the idea that the hobby encompasses more than just Dungeons & Dragons and other iterations of fantasy inspired by it.

Accommodate Busy Schedules

In addition to keeping the rules simple, Ghostlight will be the first Lightspress game to include a journaling game for solo play that can also serve as an adventure generator. There will also be pregenerated player characters, so ideally, you can pick up the book and play with minimal preparation. Having everything in one book also means less to carry around. While I can't promise it will be a "start playing in five minutes" experience, I'm mindful of reducing barriers to entry.

Promote Diversity and Inclusion

I won’t lean into the whole “monsters as a metaphor for marginalized people” trope, but it's inescapable and there if you want to work with it. The same applies to the concept of the "performing arts college as a safe space". Yes, it's true (aside from the ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves, etc.), but I won’t attach overt allegory to any of it. My goal is to leave it open for you to inject the commentary you desire. If you want to depict the college as accepting and the townspeople less so, go for it. Perhaps the townspeople feign tolerance because they enjoy tourist money. Hopefully, there will be a balance of everything, with individuals possessing unique beliefs, values, and personalities rather than conforming to stereotypes. Reflecting more of the real world, rather than forcing metaphors, might offer a better way to explore issues of diversity and inclusion.