Building Tabletop Playgrounds: Two Approaches

Playgrounds are a popular metaphor to call upon when speaking about roleplaying games; often invoked as a symbol of collaborative play. Jay Dragon, author of Wanderhome, is joined by multi-hyphenate artist Ben Roswell to discuss what happens when we approach the playground on its own terms as both a place of learning and a site of free experimentation. Jay will present on the mechanics of playgrounds interwoven with lessons on game design — how our TTRPG texts can become twirly slides, monkey bars, and wide open fields. Then Ben will offer an alternate approach and speak on the philosophy of design behind the modern playground and how TTRPG design can make us better educators. It will conclude with a moderated Q&A.

Jay Dragon (no pronouns) is a queer disabled TTRPG game designer located in upstate New York. Jay writes games about community, liminality, and the magic of the mundane, and is an author of games like the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Wanderhome. Jay is also the editorial director at Possum Creek Games, which publishes games like Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast. These days Jay can often be found sitting on a dock by the creek, listening to music and watching the sun set.

Ben Auden Roswell (he/him) is a trans masculine poet and game dev working at the intersection of nuclear history, queer theory, and children's horror. He seeks to put the tools to write and rewrite history into the hands of his players. He also wants you to know that big bird wears nikes. You can find him on twitter @roswellwrites and support his work on itch at https://roswellian.itch.io/.