Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 11 hours ago
Dr. Ben discusses complexity and depth and how to design meaningful play. (Episode #163). #dnd #pathfinder #ttrpg #wfrp
Website rpgphd.com
Discord discord.gg/STFdne3PbU
RPG PHD swag!!! rpg-phd.myspreadshop.com
Facebook facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089593636905
Instagram instagram.com/rpg_phd
Bluesky @rpg-phd.bsky.social
Patreon patreon.com/user?u=87730462&view_as=patron
Special thanks to Evelina for the thumbnail template, much appreciated!! 😊
Is complexity the same thing as depth in tabletop RPGs? In this video, Dr. Ben from RPG PHD explores the difference between complexity and depth in TTRPG design, and why more rules, more mechanics, and more options do not always create a better game. This episode breaks down how depth comes from meaningful decisions, interesting tradeoffs, and player engagement, while complexity often comes from rules weight, exceptions, and cognitive load.
Whether you’re a Game Master, game designer, or tabletop RPG player, this video will help you think more clearly about RPG mechanics, design philosophy, and what actually makes a game engaging. If you’re interested in TTRPG design, game balance, rules-light vs crunchy systems, and smarter RPG analysis, this video is for you.
---------------------------------------------
00:00 Intro
00:55 Complexity & Depth
05:21 Complex but Shallow
07:27 Simple but Deep
10:07 Complexity & Depth Confusion
12:32 Cognitive Load & Decision Payoff
15:27 Design Guide
19:51 Homework
21:39 Thoughts?
--------------------------------------------
Costikyan, Greg. Uncertainty in Games. MIT Press, 2013.
Hunicke, Robin, Marc LeBlanc, and Robert Zubek. “MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research.” Proceedings of the AAAI Workshop on Challenges in Game AI, 2004.
Meier, Sid. Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games. W. W. Norton & Company, 2021.
Salen, Katie, and Eric Zimmerman. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press, 2003.
Sweller, John. “Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning.” Cognitive Science, vol. 12, no. 2, 1988, pp. 257–285.
Music and Sounds:
epidemicsound.com/track/Erdns8jA3D
epidemicsound.com/track/MRyCi54t7M
epidemicsound.com/track/AQBpWzOsID
epidemicsound.com/track/yCvSWOBYUe
Music: creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0
epidemicsound.com/track/c0X3Z8H8uZ
epidemicsound.com/track/yCvSWOBYUe
Music: creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0
epidemicsound.com/track/bWHPOsoaql
epidemicsound.com/track/uDAHxg3lIS
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/2dLRmfzdA5
epidemicsound.com/track/jrNZjxJQqZ
epidemicsound.com/track/c0X3Z8H8uZ
epidemicsound.com/sound-effects/tracks/8c51eca6-dbb5-4925-b4ec-7ee51630322e
Dr. Ben discusses complexity and depth and how to design meaningful play. (Episode #163). #dnd #pathfinder #ttrpg #wfrp
Website rpgphd.com
Discord discord.gg/STFdne3PbU
RPG PHD swag!!! rpg-phd.myspreadshop.com
Facebook facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089593636905
Instagram instagram.com/rpg_phd
Bluesky @rpg-phd.bsky.social
Patreon patreon.com/user?u=87730462&view_as=patron
Special thanks to Evelina for the thumbnail template, much appreciated!! 😊
Is complexity the same thing as depth in tabletop RPGs? In this video, Dr. Ben from RPG PHD explores the difference between complexity and depth in TTRPG design, and why more rules, more mechanics, and more options do not always create a better game. This episode breaks down how depth comes from meaningful decisions, interesting tradeoffs, and player engagement, while complexity often comes from rules weight, exceptions, and cognitive load.
Whether you’re a Game Master, game designer, or tabletop RPG player, this video will help you think more clearly about RPG mechanics, design philosophy, and what actually makes a game engaging. If you’re interested in TTRPG design, game balance, rules-light vs crunchy systems, and smarter RPG analysis, this video is for you.
---------------------------------------------
00:00 Intro
00:55 Complexity & Depth
05:21 Complex but Shallow
07:27 Simple but Deep
10:07 Complexity & Depth Confusion
12:32 Cognitive Load & Decision Payoff
15:27 Design Guide
19:51 Homework
21:39 Thoughts?
--------------------------------------------
Costikyan, Greg. Uncertainty in Games. MIT Press, 2013.
Hunicke, Robin, Marc LeBlanc, and Robert Zubek. “MDA: A Formal Approach to Game Design and Game Research.” Proceedings of the AAAI Workshop on Challenges in Game AI, 2004.
Meier, Sid. Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games. W. W. Norton & Company, 2021.
Salen, Katie, and Eric Zimmerman. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press, 2003.
Sweller, John. “Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning.” Cognitive Science, vol. 12, no. 2, 1988, pp. 257–285.
Music and Sounds:
epidemicsound.com/track/Erdns8jA3D
epidemicsound.com/track/MRyCi54t7M
epidemicsound.com/track/AQBpWzOsID
epidemicsound.com/track/yCvSWOBYUe
Music: creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0
epidemicsound.com/track/c0X3Z8H8uZ
epidemicsound.com/track/yCvSWOBYUe
Music: creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0
epidemicsound.com/track/bWHPOsoaql
epidemicsound.com/track/uDAHxg3lIS
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/e3mQvva1kZ
epidemicsound.com/track/2dLRmfzdA5
epidemicsound.com/track/jrNZjxJQqZ
epidemicsound.com/track/c0X3Z8H8uZ
epidemicsound.com/sound-effects/tracks/8c51eca6-dbb5-4925-b4ec-7ee51630322e
