UMBRA

UMBRA

UMBRA is a TTRPG designed using LUMEN's SRD. UMBRA features the same quick, exciting, and accessible combat but adds in a Dungeon RPG (DRPG) aspect that enhances what makes LUMEN work so well. The DRPG aspect makes for an interesting tile based movement system where the GM can craft an experience anyone can pick up and play immediately. 

Players will choose predetermined classes and undertake 'purges' (missions) that the GM lays out in a physical dungeon that they can explore. 

Design Intent

We wanted to create a game where players play as the villain. For this we based our TTRPG off of LUMEN's SRD. As a group, we were unfamiliar with TTRPGs so our number one design goal was to create something that was more approachable for newcomers. We were designing around our own interests and experiences when looking into the TTRPG genre. In summary, we designed with the intent to create a unique twist on LUMEN that maintained or was more approachable to players. 

Thoughts & Reflections

Umbra was made by 3 students and it was our first time creating a game of any sort. We had a deadline of 2 weeks to finalize our TTRPG. Throughout this process, we had to cut a lot of ideas that we initially wanted to have . Some of our cut ideas were things like 4 additional classes, an item system, stairs for different floors, and specific traits in the dungeons that requires stat checks (like breakable walls require 'STR'). Trying to find what ideas to cut and what ideas to polish for a clean playing experience was definitely a large hurdle. To see a more comprehensive and in-depth look at the previous iterations, there is a devlog post that includes all three previous iterations of this final rulebook. Additionally, our key feature was not the 'dungeon crawling' aspect that it is now. We started with a competitive feature where players compete to try and take power/resources from each other. It was only in the middle of our project that we proposed a dungeon crawling aspect using tiles that we unanimously got excited to implement. We had watched the design videos for LUMEN and LIGHT and felt that a tile system would complement the combat system while adding a different flavor and more accessibility options for newcomers. Our final thoughts going into the submission process for this project was wishing for more time. If we had more time, we could have implemented more features that sounded exciting to play with, but ultimately were cut. However, overall we're happy at the place we ended at.

Sources

This game is Illuminated by LUMEN, based on the LUMEN RPG system designed by Spencer Campbell, Gila RPGs. This game is in no way affiliated with Spencer Campbell or Gila RPGs.

COVER ART BY KVCAM