Now that Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic has been out for a few days, I want to write a quick thread about the design philosophy behind it! So grab your wand and a cup of coffee as we dive into it!
Obviously, the game was influenced by my love of Magical Girl media. One of the biggest influences on the game was the Madoka spin-off Magia Record. I love how it featured a city of Magical Girls, all of whom have their own personal stuff going on in the background.
It was also inspired by my recent ttrpg play style. Due to the pandemic, I’ve mostly been playing solo games. As it means I can play without having to organize a group.
And, while solo games are fun, I miss being able to share stories with other people.
So I wanted a game that combined solo and group elements. Letting you have the ease and accessibility of a solo ttrpg while also giving you a group framework that allows you to work and share stories with other players.
How I built the mechanics
Making the solo and group elements join together was something I spent a lot of time fiddling with, leading to the Revelation and Parfait mechanics.
Revelations are plot beats that you collect during solo segments and then share with everyone during group segments. This means that while each girl gets to do her own solo stuff, everyone is continuously contributing to the group’s narrative in their own way.
Parfaits allow players to include other characters in their solo sessions while also encouraging roleplay during group segments. Players gain Parfaits by interacting during the group segments. In solo segments, you can spend parfaits to get help from another girl.
When you get this help, you literally contact the other player and write a journal entry together that details your epic team-up!
This means that as the game progresses, player characters will interact and become part of each other’s stories more and more often, helping the group form a unified narrative. So, when players reach the final battle, their characters will have befriended and bonded with the other magical girls. Making the final moments of the game even more dramatic!
If you want to check out Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic, you can find it here:
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, artist, and tabletop roleplaying game designer who has written for CBR, Polygon, Nintendo Life, Gayley Dreadful, Enbylife, and many other publications. They have also published several popular and highly-praised tabletop roleplaying games including “You Have One Ability….The Ability To Fuck This Up,” “Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic,” and “Wander Wizards.”
Jonathon has always been fascinated by media, from the big hitters to the small, obscure, and often overlooked titles that linger on the sidelines, capturing both the on and off-camera stories that make these shows so fascinating.
Jonathon is also a major anime fan, having been exposed to the medium through shows like Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Since then, Jonathon has maintained a passion for anime, watching most new shows each season and hunting down overlooked gems from previous ones.