iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Nick @deepdark.games · 21/08/2026

Thanks for playing Leylines, @zigorously.bsky.social! Two things I especially appreciate about this:

An itch.io review for the game Leylines from Ziggy Fox. They left a 5-star review saying: Ran this tonight for a library RPG program, and we made one of the most unique fantasy worlds I've ever seen that I'd 100% run a whole campaign in. Absolutely stellar game, can't wait to try a sci-fi run with it!

Nick @deepdark.games · 18/08/2026

3. The Quiet Year by @lackingceremony.bsky.social. This kinda feels like a fantasy author citing LOTR as an inspiration, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Single-session, efficient on-boarding, and creative map-making: there is a reason TQY is a classic and inspired Leylines (and every game I make).

A map for the game Leylines. The map shows a large main continent with a number of smaller islands, all in a beige/cream/brown colour tone. Drawn on top of the map in orange are leylines and circle (which represent places of power). At the bottom of the map are symbols for 5 dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12. The d6 and d8 are crossed out, representing the found relics in this example playthrough.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 18/08/2026

Gameplay wise, Tunic is a game about finding secrets. But how do secrets work in a GM-less worldbuilding game? Leylines is collaborative so players make the secrets, but there still needs to be "surprise" when they are found. I think the dice progression system delivers that surprise really well.

The bottom half of page 2 of Leylines, showing two map-making moves from the game: "Add a Place of Power" and "Find a Relic". Each move has an example in text and in a map, showing how relics are found through play. The layout is in a soft-retro/hand-drawn style with beige, olive, and brown colours.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 18/08/2026

1. Tunic by Andrew Shouldice / @finjico.bsky.social. The layout of Leylines was hugely inspired by the graphic design of Tunic's manual. I love Tunic's soft retro style, hand-drawn elements, and playful instructional vibe, and tried to bring that forward in Leylines' layout.

The top half of Leylines page 2, showing the Explore the Map rules. The layout includes three map-making mechanics, each with a map, instructions, and example. There are 5 small illustrated relics at the top (a mask, knife, doll, key, and ring). Everything is designed in a beige/olive/brown palette, and in a soft/retro + hand-drawn style.

An example page from Tunic's in-game manual. It shows The Quarry area and a number of callouts with illustrations and a soft-retro style that inspired Leylines.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 18/08/2026

Leylines, my one-page map-making + relic-hunting TTRPG, is out now! Want to see what inspired it? Read on below. (and please grab your own free copy at drawleylines.com!)

The title cover for Leylines. It includes 5 illustrated relics at the top (a mask, a knife, a doll, a key, and a ring), with the title "Leylines" below, and the subtitle "a relic hunting game" at the bottom. Behind it all is a subtle map outline with three leylines running through it.

The first page layout of Leylines. It includes sections on How to Play (with a flow chart), Important Terms, Always do This, and Building with Aspects. It is designed in a beige/olive/brown color palette in a soft-retro/hand-drawn style.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 22/05/2026

Hey! You should draw some constellations this weekend.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 02/05/2026

I had a launch party for A Perfect Rock last night, and we made so many planets!

A table with a bunch of "Explore a Planet" sheets spread over it, each with a rock or mineral on top of it (like amethyst, obsidian, garnet, and lots more). Each sheet has colourful notes of what the player explored on that planet.

A display showing the TTRPG book A Perfect Rock, The Rock Oracle Deck, and a framed poster of 50 different illustrated rocks. Two copies of the book are open to spreads, one showing example illustrations of different keepsakes you can collect from different planets, and the other showing a drawing of a red supergiant star. The Rock Oracle Deck has 6 cards spread in front, each showing an illustration of a mineral: Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Septarian, Kamacite, Astrophyllite, and Iolite. The poster shows 50 colourful illustrated minerals.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 09/04/2026

Just drawin' sapphires.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 13/03/2026

Uneasy is the game I'm most excited to get to the table. @adambell.games did such an amazing job with the production!

The box and contents of Uneasy Lies the Head Royal Edition, including two books, cards, and dice.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 28/11/2025

We've got the first copy of A Perfect Rock off the press! Really happy with how this turned out (and shout-out to @peregrinecoast.press for the swiss-bound, french flap suggestion).

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Nick @deepdark.games · 25/09/2025

The core game loop involves navigating to distant stars and exploring planets that could be your new home. I wanted each star spread to feel like you were there, looking at your potential new sun. Mixing the stellar landscapes with "old scientific book" took a few attempts to get right!

A page spread from A Perfect Rock showing Pelos, a red dwarf star nestled in a magic nebula. There are a number of details about the star including it's theme, how many candidate planets it has, and connected stars.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 25/09/2025

It's also important to me that my books are really useable, and never a barrier to actually playing the game. This means having a good flow, letting the layout breathe, and making it really easy for the facilitating player to run the game.

A page spread from A Perfect Rock showing how you set up your home planet (which was recently destroyed). Spot art shows a lily of the valley in a sci-fi container, and there is a clear instructions section with steps to follow.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 25/09/2025

A huge inspiration was old scientific books with rock illustrations. I found this style helped emphasize the "you are an explorer, what do you find?" aspect of the game. (plus: I want to encourage creativity at a variety of scales, from planets down to rocks.)

A page spread from A Perfect Rock showing a variety of keepsakes you can collect, in the style of an old scientific book. One is a cat-like creature with antlers, another is a crystalline gem, and the third is a plant in a little robotic carrier.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 25/09/2025

Almost finished the layout of A Perfect Rock! Here are some sneak peeks and my thoughts on the design:

A page spread from A Perfect Rock showing a variety of illustrated rocks, in the style of an old scientific book.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 25/09/2025

Played @possibleworlds.bsky.social's Tacklebox this evening, and it was excellent! Super easy setup, the "two people fishing on a boat" premise was really strong, and the prompts were very clever. Highly recommended if you want a 2-player story game!

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Nick @deepdark.games · 24/06/2025

A Perfect Rock is a finalist for the CRIT award's Best 1-page TTRPG! I'm seriously honoured to be nominated. Please help recognize these amazing indie creators by voting for your favourite games and creators here: forms.gle/HJLARSHa3FYz...

An alternate version of A Perfect Rock's banner with 3 planets in orbit (each represented by a carnellian, agate, and vermarine rock) on a beige background. The fourth planet in orbit is the 2025 CRIT Award Nominee badge.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 03/02/2025

And I was Timothy, who wore a mini-bear skull mask and made a mess everywhere with the leaves from his nest.

Timothy's explorer notes with drawn keepsakes they collected.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 03/02/2025

@bmars.bsky.social was StarsBane, the serious, clean, tech-y kangaroo rat who eventually learned to just chill.

Explorer notes for StarsBane and their drawn keepsakes they collected.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 03/02/2025

@strautmaskreplica.bsky.social was Cheddar, an average rat who loved food, spices, and their missing bestie.

Explorer notes for Cheddar the average rat, with a variety of drawn keepsakes they collected.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 03/02/2025

Such a fun playtest of A Perfect Rock: our high-tech, super-clean rats ended up on an ocean planet, living on top of a whale, worshipping a sacred tree. Thank you @strautmaskreplica.bsky.social @bmars.bsky.social for being such good rat shipmates.

A green and pink star map with 3 planets made from rocks. A variety of sticky notes show the details of the ship and planets as we explored.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 23/01/2025

Another playtest of A Perfect Rock, and unfortunately our lizard people decided to live on different planets. I chose the planet with frozen acid oceans where the dead could be unthawed back to life, and @adambell.games lived in the center of a big egg with gigantic megalodons.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 08/01/2025

Volka loved to collect flowers, but also couldn't resist snatching a snake-teratops egg. Vassili had a strange, alien doll mysteriously appear in his quarters and whisper things to him. Very normal stuff.

A work-in-progress character sheet for A Perfect Rock, showing Volka's exploration notes. She uses a robotic suit for her gear, and has collected some flowers and a snake-teratops as her keepsakes.

A work-in-progress character sheet for A Perfect Rock, showing Vissili's exploration notes. He used a transforming mech suit for his gear, and his collected keepsakes range from an talking radio, to a mysterious alien doll, or maps and posters of strange places.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 08/01/2025

Had a really fun playtest of A Perfect Rock last night! Our cosmonaut-inspired explorers did not want to live on the planet that digested you, or the planet with ancient alien defence bots. Instead, we settled for the hot, tropical planet teeming with deadly animals. #zinemonth #zinequest

A star map centered on Forna, a red super giant. Two planets orbit Forna and are represented by illustrations of rocks, one a pink crystal, the other a black sharp slate. Two sticky notes show the exploration details of the planets.

A star map centered on Regenta, a yellow dwarf star. Two planets orbit Regenta and are represented by illustrations of rocks, one a teal crystal, the other a craggy blue/purple rock. Two sticky notes show the exploration details of the planets.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 06/01/2025

Each star holds secrets, will you find them all?

A page spread from A Perfect Rock showing a galaxy map with a variety of stars labeled on it. On the left, there is a teal green nebula, while on the right there is a magenta nebula. The title "Stars and candidate planets" is at the bottom.

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Nick @deepdark.games · 05/01/2025

What would you collect from each new planet? Keepsakes give a unique opportunity to build both the galaxy and your explorer's interests. Come embrace your inner collector in A Perfect Rock!