Splat 5: Golden is a zine about how the TTRPG world has grown and where it’s going next. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons, and more excitingly, 50 years of TTRPGs as we know them! To celebrate, we spoke with seven designers from throughout the industry to take a look back at some recent developments in tabletop roleplaying.

What's Inside

Meguey & Vincent Baker in conversation with Rae Nedjadi about Apolcalypse World, the Powered by the Apolcalypse school of design it launched, and how games like Apocalypse Keys are redefining that system.

Filipino designers momatoes and Waks Saavedra discuss the TTRPG industry and culture in Southeast Asia, the rise of #RPGSEA and other regional tabletop movements, and how to support their continued growth.

Industry icons Orion D Black and Jay Dragon give an inside look at the life of an indie designer: how indies fought for better pay and won, how they built new communities online, and where the scene will go from here

Meet the Contributors

Sol Badguy (they/he) is a queer latine artist and writer working on making queer art and joy. You can find him at badguysol.carrd.co.

D. Vincent Baker (he/him | @lumpley) has been creating and publishing ttrpgs for two decades and more. He's the co-creator of Apocalypse World, Under Hollow Hills, Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands, The Wizard's Grimoire series, and maybe 20 other games. He lives with his family and co-creators in Western Massachusetts.

Meguey Baker (she/her | @NightSkyGames) co-designed the award-winning ttrpg Apocalypse World and helped launch the Powered by the Apocalypse game design engine. Her work centers on the idea that everyone has a story worth telling, and roleplaying provides a good framework for those stories. When not doing game design, she works in museums, focusing on non-dominant voices in local history and community in western New England. Meg is very fond of tea, rocks, birds, and socks, and can tell you a story about each.

Orion D Black (they/them) is a free writer and narrative designer. They worked in the TTRPG industry as a game designer, narrative designer, and creative director for various independents and companies

Jay Dragon (no pronouns| @jdragsky) is a queer, disabled game designer and editorial director of Possum Creek Games. Jay is best known as author of the award-winning Wanderhome and co-creator of Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast. Jay also likes painting very small robots, collecting odd books, and malingering across Philadelphia.

Jesse Gazic (he/they | @jessethebard) is an artist and designer from Toronto, Canada. He works in game and puzzle design, RPG writing, illustration, and podcasts.

Sam Hotchkiss (he/they | @Hotchmoney) is a zine editor and game designer from Philadelphia, PA. His zines focus on advice and ideas from around the games industry. In his spare time, he volunteers with his Scout troop, plays games, and walks to his local café. 

momatoes (she/her | @momatoes) is a Diana Jones Emerging Designer and visual artist from Southeast Asia. At some point she was supposed to be a mainframe programmer, yet soon found herself designing, illustrating, and developing tabletop games and even community websites. Her game ARC:Doom swiftly surpassed its crowdfunding goals in June 2021, and was subsequently hailed as one of the best indie tabletop RPGs that year. She also created and maintains Across RPGSEA, a comprehensive database of Southeast Asian RPGs. The website has been nominated for both the ENNIEs and the Diana Jones award.

Rae Nedjadi (he/they| @temporalhiccup) is a queer creator from the Philippines best known for his game design work that explores the narrative mechanics of emotions, relationships, and the earnest journey of self discovery. His work includes Apocalypse Keys, BALIKBAYAN: Returning Home, Our Haunt, Once More Into the Void, and Cozy Town. You can find Rae on tumblr and at swordqueengames.com

Eli Pineda (she/her | @dvangeli_) is a Fil-Can creator. By day, she edits videos, by afternoon she is a cast member on a TTRPG podcast (check out Many Realms!) and by night, she edits this zine. She also makes a mean milk tea!

Waks Saavedra (he/they |@makapatag) is a writer and game designer with a background in Philosophy and Southeast Asian histories. His writing focuses on ruminations on violence, colonial experience, martial arts, differing cultures, and dialectic introspection of the structures of the modern day, as well as the many religions and folklores of Southeast Asian cultures. He is a lover of web serials, poetry books, novels, skirmish wargames and martial arts. When not writing he reads obscure southeast asian journals or tries to create a communist realm in Crusader Kings. Find them on tumblr.

Jillian Wakarchuk (she/they | @OrbWitch) is a game designer and pro-GM based in Toronto, Canada. They are a lover of all things queer & indie, and you can find their work on itch.io. She’s currently working on Mobile Frame: ROYAL (a Descended From the Queen game about a mech pilot’s support team) which received the Luminary Grant from Hit Point Press in 2023.