DAN WOODWARD

Once the document layout was settled using placeholder space for images, I noted down in my sketchbook what illustrations I would likely need, alongside a little indication of their size (without being precious this time about specific dimensions) I then started to sketch out some rough thumbnails with some broad ideas which I could then scan and develop more digitally. The Seaborne Adventurers One of the first images I started to develop was a group setting of adventurers fr

As I had managed to get the Campaign Frame's setting out into the world through a public Daggerheart campaign that I would facilitate, it also gave me the opportunity to build the style and sense of the world through game-specific content. I offered my players the option of having their character portraits created by me, rather than finding a random image off of the internet to use. Some of the players happily took me up on the offer. I was juggling a lot - getting the game s

The design of the Campaign Frame document has gone through many different iterations as I have tested and tweak the content and layout. I started by creating some 'Masters' in Affinity. I had watched a useful video [1] that gave me the idea to use a Master page not as a template, but as a place to store different stylised page elements (different headings, quote boxes and the like). So I created one of these along with a generic master. As I would need to add the official Dag

I started to explore ideas for the document's design system based on the map, using my sketchbook to thumbnail different cover ideas. I also wanted to have a limited palette of colours, so tried out a few combinations based on what I had seen during my research. I then chose a few of the thumbnails to develop further. The first idea was based around Terry Gilliam's Monty Python animations. I used publicly available images from the British Library to photo collage a background

Trying to merge the elements of my layout research on paper proved a difficult exercise. So rather than getting bogged down trying to conceptualise the overall aesthetic, I decided to try and sculpt it like clay by making a start making things. To me the best way to get a feel for this new world would be to create the map first again. That way I could transfer what I learned into a design system for the document I needed to create for the PDF. Rather than emulate a simple top

My new direction is taking me to something I call "Mostly Harmless Adventures ". Inspired by the absurd and satirical, it channels the wit and humour of writers like Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. I still plan on creating a Daggerheart Campaign Frame document that I can put out into the world as a PDF. Instinctively, I knew what this new setting felt like. However, pulling that apart to assemble the ingredients was easier said than done! I did my best to break down some k

Having given myself permission to not replicate an existing 'house style', I set about exploring what felt like 'me' in the tabletop roleplaying space. The logical starting point for my research was to explore what the industry itself had acknowledged. I wondered if I would find examples of trends and style-chasing as in other areas of illustration and design. Would it be a celebration of executing a dominant aesthetic, or would it award art design that pushed the genre in ne

I received feedback from my conversation with my tutor, so I am taking a breath to assimilate the feedback, look back on where I am and plan ahead. Rivenhall on Ice My initial direction was initially fun, but I started to struggle trying to emulate approaches and stylistic choices that did not suit me. My tutor noted that there was a breadth of work demonstrated in the tutorial that wasn't necessarily reflected in my learning log write-ups. As I move forward, I will try and b

I started the colour illustrations on such a high note. Buoyed by my progress with the pencil drawings, I was excited to bring this world in my head to life. The first thing I did was to add in placeholder images to the spaces left in the document, so that I could get a sense of the overall finished article. As much as I dislike the ethics behind a lot of it, this was a useful job to use generative AI for. The quality of what was produced was never going to fit with what I wa

Writing and Layout The first thing that needed to be created was the text itself. Using the existing campaign frames as guides, I went to work on creating my setting, iterating and getting feedback from friends. Some parts come easier than others, so rather than getting too bogged down, for areas that needed more thought, I added placeholder ' lorem ipsum ' text that roughly equated the word count of the same sections in other frames. I first worked in a Google Doc, but once

An example to follow In the rulebook, each of the campaign frames came with its own map. I studied these frames to look for common elements that made them all fit the overall style of the book. An example map from the Witherwild Campaign Frame. © Darrington Press [2] I noticed that each of the maps had a graphic quality. Some used an oblique isometric-esque angle to present geographic landmarks more illustratively. Only essential landmark names were placed on the map itself,

Introduction I had a vague idea for my Campaign Frame. Many fantasy roleplaying games set themselves in a world that is analogous to medieval Europe. I wanted to do something different and wanted a world that had early signs of technology, perhaps something I could tie in with magic as part of the worldbuilding. I thought it would be an intriguing idea to create a setting that invoked an area of fantasy literature that had not been mined in any great depth. Europe in the 18th

Introduction Each of the Campaign Frames in the Daggerheart rulebook follows a specific structure [1]. This would give me guidance on how to structure my own frame and a consistent approach to break down and understand the visual language. Example of a Campaign Frame front page. © Darrington Press Researching the House Style I had the rulebook in both printed and electronic formats, so I was able to take a good look at the structure of the campaign frame chapter. The font pag

Project Overview Tabletop games have become a great source of enjoyment and inspiration for me over the past few years. Whether boardgames or roleplaying games, they seem to hit a sweet spot between rules, imagination, improvisation and creativity. In May, a new roleplaying game named "Daggerheart" hit the shelves, and has quickly captured the attention and imagination of many in the roleplaying community. I have enjoyed it as well, and found one of its most innovative and he