I’m thrilled about today’s interview. I’ve known the subject almost as long as the Puerto Rico Role Players group has existed. I’m sure we had many friends in common before that, and I’m sure we had crossed paths, but he is someone who came to the Geeknics, with whom I stayed in contact online, and with whom I have become friends thanks to gaming.
And I always love that his presence at Geeknics was a family affair, his wife, their kids. I remember running a game at a Geeknic (can’t remember which one) where he and his children played. Seeing Enrique and talking to him is always a pleasure. Getting a copy of his zine last February was a thrill. I love seeing Puerto Rican creators and game designers share their creations with the gaming community.
Here is the interview.
Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you create?
Hey, I’m Enrique Vélez. I like games and like to tinker with game mechanics. Maybe one day I’ll be an accomplished game designer!
How would you describe your art or creative endeavor?
30% daydreaming, 30% brainstorming, 40% neglecting my day job.
Like most game designers, I started with some house rules for my campaign, then reverse-engineered the core rules of my favorite game at the time, and so on. For some time, I was building up to what would be a “Fantasy Heartbreaker,” but I’ve tempered my expectations and am currently aiming to publish a few zines and then see where that takes me.
How did you discover TTRPGs?
In my early 20s, I learned a lot about TTRPGs from internet forums. Back then, there were no VTTs, but we played a few sessions of D&D and West End Games’ Star Wars over IRC.
I didn’t have an opportunity to play in person until my early 30s.
Do you actively play TTRPG? What are you playing?
I’m currently playing an Eberron campaign on D&D 5.5. I recently started a Final Fantasy XIV TTRPG game, but scheduling it is going to be super tricky. Fingers crossed!
What do you want to play next?
I really want to GM some Daggerheart! I’m definitely going to, once the current D&D campaign is canceled, we all know those never actually end.
What projects are available, and what are you working on next?
I published Escalations & Commitments: a 5e-compatible TTRPG, 2nd Edition, by Enrique Vélez almost two years ago. A silly game about being stuck with D&D. It’s free to download on Itch! A quick read too, probably shorter than this blog post!
I wrote that game in a day using ideas I had been working on for years, basically as a way to get some ideas and frustrations off my chest.
I’m currently working on RadioPunk 20XX. It’s cyberpunk, but less edgy, with an intuitive and tactile dice pool system I made from scratch.
Right now, I could really use some feedback on the manuscript before I move on to playtesting. Stargazer’s World readers interested in lending a hand can reach out through Discord or Bluesky.
Where can people get your project?
Any closing thoughts?
Ask your game designer friend about their game. You’ll make their day.
Thank you, Enrique! So that you know, I am not a poser. Let me share some pictures of the zine he mentioned above.
And I have the signed copy, and no, I’m not posting it on eBay.
Last but definitely not least, let me thank Miguel Velez (Brightcandle), another dear friend, amazing person, and a great GM who is actively supporting the local gaming community, doing demo games and spreading the love of TTRPGS, including his participation yesterday May 23rd, 2026, where he was one of the GMs for Titan Games Daggerheart one-year-anniversary event, where he was one of the GMs. His pictures of Enrique are the ones I used in this post. Thank you for the pictures and the work you do, Miguel.
