DANGER CLOSE just released a new version – out now on Itch – and some other general updates!
I somehow feel an urge to start with “Hi, I’m back!”.
No one was necessarily waiting for a new blog post from me, but it still feels good to write one. As someone who makes things, and likes making things, and sharing those things, I do think I sometimes feel a pressure to stay in the loop – to read everyone’s blogs, check out exciting new releases, keep track of The Discourse. As if, by not keeping up, my ideas start aging and losing their value. And what if everything has moved on, and I can’t find my place anymore? It’s not a big pressure, mind you, but it is sometimes a thought.
Anyways: I’m back, from being, what felt like, gone. In early July, I had to say goodbye to my cat, Pond.
It’s been very intense and, for lack of a better word, ‘interesting’ to explore how grief affects everything – including making things. For me, writing adventures or rules or worldbuilding or etc. always feels like an outlet – an urge that feels quite hard to suppress. When I have an idea, it wants OUT. And to work on things, feels really nice.
With saying goodbye to my beloved furry roommate, however, also came the realization that yes, making things is an outlet, but it definitely requires some juice to get the engine going – and that juice was just… lacking. Just like how, “normally”, the internal machine just works, now it just… didn’t.
And that’s natural, and okay, and part of the process – but also strangely alienating. It’s not that I wanted to make things but couldn’t – it’s that I didn’t want to make things. And that was… weird.
Anyway. It’s so over, we’re so back.
DANGER CLOSE
One of the things that slowly got me out of that slump was tinkering again with DANGER CLOSE.
I’m still working on Block Dodge Parry – it’s still my flagship project, and I love it dearly – but I’ve always been the kind of creator who jumps between genres and hyperfixations.
DANGER CLOSE has been quietly making progress in the background, and at some point I realized: hey, this is starting to feel good again.
Shockingly, I also finally learned how to use Affinity Publisher 2. And it’s been a game-changer. Danger Close is the kind of RPG that really benefits from being a bit more visual – graphs, diagrams, charts. A lot of my earlier releases were straight exports from Typora, basically markdown with some CSS sprinkled on top, because the text could speak for itself.
But with this one, especially after playtest feedback, it became clear that the layout and diagrams matter. So I’ve been rebuilding everything from the ground up, and learning as I go.
And now, I can actually say this: Danger Close Version 0.5 is here.
This is a milestone release: the complete base rules of the game. You’ll find everything you need to run full missions: squad creation, advancing through sectors, managing injuries, building momentum, and facing off against enemy forces.
All the images are still placeholders, and some diagrams are straight from my design canvas. But the bones are solid: the core system is ready, refined, and fun to play.
If you’re new here: DANGER CLOSE is a tactical military skirmish TTRPG for one or more players. It’s built to create tense tactical decisions, stories of bravery and camaraderie, and those moments of perseverance against overwhelming odds. It’s setting-agnostic: you can drop it into pretty much any sci-fi or military context you like. Star Wars clones, grimdark guardsmen, space marines, Helldivers – take your pick. The engine is there to give you that cinematic, boots-on-the-ground feeling without all the bookkeeping of a full wargame.
What’s next?
The next big phase of development is something I’m calling The Toolkit: a companion section that expands the core rules with mission types, campaign structures, environmental effects, and narrative hooks. It’s where I get to go a bit wild: adapting the system to different tones, theaters, and scales of play.
I’ve also been in touch with an illustrator to create a proper cover, something that really captures the energy of the game. Maybe it’s just for me. I don’t know if anyone will want to spend money on it when it’s done. But right now, I’m just making stuff I think is cool. That’s how Block Dodge Parry started, too. It feels right.
The plan is that the core text will remain free, so anyone can play. Once the illustrated PDF edition is ready (with The Toolkit and all the extra flavor bits), it’ll probably be a small paid release (something like $5) to support ongoing development and art. If it grows beyond that, we’ll see.
Anyway, all of that being said: this update feels like a small flywheel spinning again. I’m making things. I’m excited. And that feels really good.
Enjoy Version 0.5, and as always, I’d love to hear what you think. For more updates, check out my Bluesky or pop by my Discord!