Armor Class, Hit Points and other strange words of RPGs: between real history and tabletop legends
When naval wargames shaped role-playing games Many of the concepts we now consider fundamental to role-playing games were not born around a fantasy table, but have their roots in military wargames, especially the naval and strategic ones of the twentieth century. This is not a nostalgic suggestion or a community legend, but a documented fact supported by original rulebooks, authors’ […]
![Complete guide to Borg of Pripyat – Everything you need to know [For Beginners]](https://www.collettivoantracite.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/collettivo-antracite-dawn-of-pripyat-gioco-di-ruolo-post-apocalittico-ucronia-miglior-kickstarter-italiano-2-750x500.webp "Complete guide to Borg of Pripyat – Everything you need to know [For Beginners]")
Complete guide to Borg of Pripyat – Everything you need to know [For Beginners]
But what is Borg of Pripyat? Borg of Pripyat is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game set in an alternate Soviet Union where: 1986: fragments of the asteroid Eridu crash down to Earth Consequence: a new alien material is discovered, called Eridite The twist: the USSR uses it as nuclear fuel, becoming a superpower The price: mutants, paranormal phenomena, and strange weather […]
What is a role-playing game really?
What is a role-playing game really? A role-playing game (RPG) is a structured system for making decisions in someone else’s shoes within a shared imaginary world. It is not “acting”. It is not “pretending”. It is not “rolling dice randomly”. It is rule-guided narrative simulation. The three fundamental pillars A role-playing game exists only if all three of these elements […]
What Does Cinematic RPG Mean in Tabletop Gaming?
In recent years, the term cinematic RPG has become a key concept in the world of tabletop role playing games. The debate among players and designers is heated: what really makes a tabletop RPG cinematic? The answer stems from exploring mechanics, narrative pacing, and table management style. The characteristics of a cinematic RPG A “cinematic” RPG organizes action into scenes […]
Why RPG Manual Layout Matters: How Bad Design Ruins Great Games
How many times have you flipped through an RPG rulebook looking for a crucial rule you know you read, but can’t find? Or worse, discovering that an important mechanic was hidden in a box on page three, while the main chapter was dedicated only to narrative flavor? Good RPG manual layout is essential—it’s the difference between a game master reaching […]
Dawn of Pripyat: Innovation in Post-apocalyptic tabletop RPGs
Dawn of Pripyat is a post-apocalyptic tabletop RPG that renews the Year Zero Engine with an original alternate history setting and mechanics centered on risk, contamination, and mutation, making every choice at the table a genuine gamble with your character’s humanity. A setting that leaves its mark The innovation of Dawn of Pripyat begins with its narrative premise: it doesn’t […]
Replayability vs innovation: how we really measure RPG quality
There’s a widespread belief in today’s tabletop RPG landscape: simulationist RPGs are in decline. Less hype, fewer releases, less online presence compared to their narrativist counterparts. But this conclusion stems from measuring the phenomenon wrong. It’s not about decline—it’s about different metrics. When we look at the independent tabletop game market, we tend to use the same indicators: how many […]
Not everyone wants the spotlight: managing backseat players in TTRPGs
Managing the spotlight at the gaming table is one of the most delicate challenges any Game Master faces. We’re used to talking about players who take up too much space, but the opposite situation also exists. There are players who participate less, often remaining at the margins of the scene, yet at the end of the session tell you they […]
D&D Dominates the TTRPG Market: A Blessing or a Curse for the Industry?
When a tabletop game becomes the unchallenged leader in a market, it’s usually good news for the entire industry. In competitive video games like Street Fighter in fighting games, the success of a major title lifts the entire category. But in the world of tabletop role-playing games, the situation is completely different: D&D’s dominance is seen as potentially harmful to […]
The most anticipated TTRPGs of 2025 according to online communities
In the tabletop role-playing game world, 2025 is shaping up to be a year full of new releases that are sparking the curiosity of online communities such as Reddit and other discussion platforms for fans. Various threads highlight high expectations for new titles and innovative systems, with some productions already dividing players and generating trends and lively debates. Starfinder 2.0: […]