Fabrication: A game that makes games

Fabrication is currently in Alpha.

You can purchase the Alpha Playkit through our Marketplace in PDF or POD.

You read and discuss it on the forum. Feedback is most welcome there, or through our dedicated feeback page.

Fabrication is for those who like to tinker. Those who love weird and wacky mechanics. Those who want to collaboratively innovate.

Fabrication is a game of game design. It can be played together, or used as a design tool.

It is played in multiple phases.

• PHASE ONE: Playstyle and Fundamentals, Goals and Concept
• PHASE TWO: Procedure Creation
• PHASE THREE: Evaluation and debrief

Make Games where the System Matters

From the assumptions of play to the widgets used to resolve actions, Fabrication has guidance on making your game truly it's own.

Here's a photo of some of the playsheets from a playthrough at Breakout 2025!

Inspirations

The inspirations for Fabrication are numerous, legion even. For now suffice to say that without the privilege of operating an RPG Marketplace, it would not have come to pass.

What's the Print Version look like?

Fabrication Alpha Playkit is:

• 3 double-sided tri-fold brochures used to build your game
• 1 double-sided appendix
• 1 summary play-sheet
• 5 play-sheets that you use with tokens
• A slightly overstuffed letter-sized envelop to contain it.

Here is the back cover, which uses terminology from the game to help explain it.

Rendered with Fabrication

Why use the Rendered with Fabrication logo?

It provides standard terminology to describe your game. It supplies identification of playtest level. And it indicates games that are aiming to push the design space in interesting and creative directions.

Requirements
You can use the mark if you meet the following criteria:

• A) You used Fabrication to inspire your game.
• B) You layout some of the explanation of your game in the sequence and language that Fabrication uses. (Often this is most effectively done in a summary page near the beginning or end of your work. Sharing it publicly is encouraged.)
• C) You include reference to the QAT level of the work (see below).
• D) Your work is not primarily derived from a single other game or family of games (i.e. game engine). Systems that inspired some element should be cited noting the title, designer, publisher and when possible year of release.

QAT: Quality Assurance Testing
You must indicate the QA level of your work. Some subsystems may have different levels of QAT, and it is advised that you note if a significant subsystem is at a different level of testing. Different levels of QAT are all desirable to different kinds of players.

QAT Levels:

• Untested: It's an idea and this is the very first playtest, generally not for sale or close to at cost if printed.
• Experimental: You've tried it, and have made tweaks. It's raw, it's exciting and you'd love feedback.
• Tempered: You've had feedback from multiple groups and revised. It does what you intend, and you believe your documents clearly convey that intention.
• Refined: Extended playtesting has occurred. Hundreds of game sessions, across dozens of groups. Others have certainly run the game from the documents.
• Reforged: This is an anniversary edition. The game incorporates changes from years of being played and had a prior publication.
• Frankenstein: Combines elements from prior designs that you worked on and tested, with some new ideas.
• Construct: The more refined version of Frankenstein.

Example QAT
Simple Superheroes #0 (2016), Joshua Kitz, Compose Dream Games, is Refined: a few exceptions could be noted, the Horde and strikeforce rules were a little passed experimental, so we’ll call them tempered.

Supervillains Unleashed (in alpha) will be Frankenstein: the base system is Simple Superheroes but it uses a new major “scheme” subsytem using dominos.

If you have questions about using the Rendered with Fabrication mark, you are very welcome to contact us!

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