Devlog 007 - Port Calls and Modular Chaos

Ahoy!
The tide has shifted. Version 1.5 of Tides of Madness brings two major changes to the game: Port Actions and a complete rework of the Event Tables, now using a modular system for deep narrative variety.
New: Port Actions
You don’t just drift anymore. When you dock, you act.
- Choose to Repair, Recruit, Rest, or Influence the port itself.
- Each port visit offers different choices, and risks.
- Rolls matter. A failed rest might bring nightmares instead of peace.
This adds structure, recovery, and risk to downtime... and gives ports mechanical teeth.
Updated: Modular Event Tables
The sea no longer repeats itself.
The old linear event tables have been replaced with modular triads:
- What Happens
- The Complication
- The Echo
Each event tier (Mundane, Supernatural, Major) now has three 2d6 tables. You roll once on each, building unique encounters every time.
That’s about 4,000 possible combinations, across three tiers of horror.
Bonus:
- Fast Mode: One roll gives you a quick, eerie combo.
- Triple Events: Matching all three dice unlocks special results (visions, ship quirks, or worse).
- Regional Effects: The sea still remembers where you are.
Examples? Glad you asked...
“A navigational tool vanishes from the locked Captain's quarters. Despite your certainty about who last used it, every crew member vehemently denies entering the room. Something about their unified denial feels rehearsed.”
Or…
“The sky tears open, revealing a vast awareness. As it gazes upon your ship, the wooden planks flow like water, crew members sink into the deck as though it were quicksand. In that moment, you see how this voyage ends—and every voyage after.”
What’s Next?
- More Captain log examples
- Woodcut art (check out Vlasic the Impaler if you haven’t, who is a memorable character in my last playthrough).
Kickstarter notify page is now live:
Files
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Tides of Madness
A solo nautical horror role-playing game.
Status | In development |
Category | Physical game |
Author | hezitant |
Tags | journaling, solo, Solo RPG, solorpg |
Languages | English |
More posts
- Devlog 006 – A Map You Can Hold10 days ago
- Giving Players the Wheel: Adding Port Actions to Tides of Madness12 days ago
- Devlog 005 - Clarity in the Chaos12 days ago
- Devlog 004 - We Found Our Bearings13 days ago
- Devlog 003 - Deeper Waters14 days ago
- Devlog 002 - Shaved Down to the Hull15 days ago
- Devlog 001 - Sail the Tides of Madness15 days ago
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