The Tabletop Dirt Sheet

My first ever TTRPG, created for the first TTRPG Practice Jam.

Theme: Rumors

In the game, one of the players takes the role of a dirtsheet editor, who chooses news and rumors (created by other players, or by the solo player) to include in the latest publication.

Reflection on the Process

This was quite a learning process.  I think the biggest thing for me was leaving the game open-ended.  As a video game developer, it is usually up to me to provide precise mechanics that can be automated in a game to provide the outcome.  I am not as used to leaving space for the story to be left with infinite possibilities for the players.  I was really tempted to add a lot more structure and rules to the game, and I might do that as optional play in future editions.

About the Game

You are the writer and editor of a gossip and news rag sheet about your favorite segment of the entertainment industry (this can be music, a sport, television, whatever you want...it's your choice). You have a limited budget, and you must gather material for your paper, print it, and get a good return on your investment.

Your goal is to gather stories, release your newspaper, and get enough money from your subscribers to remain in publication for as long as possible

What you will need: These are the recommended tools for the game. - A journal, notebook, or paper and pencil to write down the story as the game progresses. This can include your characters, the backstories and happenings for each character, your current subscribers and funds, and other interesting points in the game. - A coin for yes/no and true/false questions. - Some sort of random number generator (dice, online random number generator, like at https://www.calculator.net/random-number-generator.html?slower=1&supper=100&ctype=1&s=1860&x=Gen