What Do I Need to Start Making a TTRPG

What do you need to make a Table Top Role Playing Game? While everybody has a different style and starting point, I will show you what I did for POWERS, and what I'll do for other games.

I want to make something very clear, right from the start: This is what I use and you might differ.  I am not making this list and article to say that it must be done this way, just that this is one way to do the job.  As such, this is a very good list of suggestions to get you going on the journey of making a game.
Inspiration:
I take inspiration from anywhere.  Watching TV, listening to the radio, playing other games, the ideas on what to do next will hit you wherever you are.  But you might need to write this down.  Not all the time will you remember some random thought you had while in the shopping market.  So that's why I suggest anybody who is going to do some writing to carry around some form of small notebook.  Many writers will do this, and they can quickly jot down ideas when the inspiration hits.  You could easily do the same with a voice-recorder, or even a voice app.  Just have something ready to take notes while the brain is still hot.
Character Sheet:
I can learn plenty about a game's broad strokes from a character sheet.When I started on POWERS, I created a character sheet because I had an idea of how the game was going to operate and feel.  Once the sheet was made, I could go through and ask myself, how will I use this stat I created here?  How will I use the strength and make the specific power have it's own rating?
Index Cards:
How you organize your ideas is going to be up to you, but this is what I used.  I stole this idea from how screenwriters keep their ideas organized.  I took every rule that I had and put them on index cards.  One rule per card.  I initially tried to just write a chapter as it all came to my head, and edit as things changed, but it became cumbersome and confusing trying to keep track of all the rules.  Putting them to index cards meant I was able to spread them all out and see everything at once.  I was able to move them around into an order that made sense, see where things were not consistent, and where I needed to add or remove parts.  And once I had everything where I wanted, I was able to move on to writing each chapter.
Google Docs:
You can use any word processor you want, but I think Google Docs is great for price and collaboration.  If you have more than one person working on a project, you can then use Docs to keep everyone on the same page, almost literally.  And mixed with Drive, you can keep all files together and share everything with your fellow writers and designers.  I believe Microsoft365 also has collaborative features on a subscription, but Google Docs is free to use.  That, I feel, is the most important reason to use Docs.
Testing and Rewrites:
This is going to be the hardest and most time consuming part of making your game.  Find friends to go over your initial ideas, find some people who will be objective and unbiased to go over what you have written.  Get feedback.  I use a form on Google Docs to make it a bit uniform, or you could just ask in person and take notes.  But get that feedback.  It's going to inform on how you will move the design in your rewrites.  A first round of testing should show where there are inconsistencies in your rules, places where new rules should be added, or darlings to be cut.  And then you can go back to your files and rewrite where these things need repair.  But then you will need to take your writings to another round of testing.  Get new people, get the same people, but always get the new feedback and keep making rewrites.  How many rounds of testing and rewrites you will need will vary based on how much work the game will need.  You will know when a game is ready for release.  I will be releasing an article on testing in the future, so keep an eye on the site for that to come out.
Printing:
This isn't the final stage and taking this to book form.  This is part of the testing and notes stage.  I have a really good relationship with the print department of an office supply store, so I just send them the files, get it printed and three-hole punched, I can add it to my binder and take it to testing events.  And when I'm ready to start working on layouts, I can use their services to print proofs and such as that.  But if you don't have a print department near-by like I do, don't be afraid to get yourself a printer an plenty of printer paper.  When you have your work printed out, give yourself space in the margins so you can take notes, as this will be the first test you go through.

Consider this a good list of what you will need to get a start in writing a game.  Some of it will differ according to your needs, and I would like to hear all about what you do differently in the comments.  Who knows, maybe something you do will be better than what I have and it will be come pat of my process.  Comment below your processes, and I hope to hear all about your game soon!

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