

Randall Harris
Founder of Backpack Universe Games
Hello, my name is Randall Harris, I created my company Backpack Universe because of my passion for Table Top roleplaying games. I started play TTRPG’s when I was in high school. The highlight of those dark times was playing D&D or VtM with my friends. Playing those games helped me discover my identity. I had a lot of trouble figuring out who I was back then. It’s natural for a kid to try out many different trends but with these different hats, came with different company. Also, the desire for other people to place you into a type of category is very strong. So often times because I was black, I was expected to like certain things. So when I told people that I liked video games, or Green Day, or D&D I was instantly labeled a nerd and made fun of, relentlessly. But, every Friday was an escape from, bullying, homework and forced stereotypes. I’d dawn my armor, mount my steed and ride off to some place warm, I’d ride to find the greatest part of me, for me.
My friends all played D&D, I would play sometimes but I couldn’t really get into it. But then my math teacher introduced us to Vampire the Masquerade and it was love at first dice. To me the game had everything. It had vampires and in the 90’s vamps were a huge deal! I mean, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Interview with a Vampire, Blade, The Lost Boys vampires were not only mainstream but they were legit cool. The system was great! The entire game operated on one type of die. All you needed was D10’s, granted you needed a lot of them, but that cut out so much confusion! But the clincher was when I found out that you can submit your character to White Wolf and it had a chance to be integrated into the World of Darkness! Mind Blown! This game was perfect! I soon started to create my own campaigns and quickly discovered a whole new side of TTRPG’s! I would tweak designs, to fit my story and slightly change mechanics to make it more suitable for some of my friends who were curious to try it but were intimidated. The whole thing came to a head when I finished up running a seven-month long campaign and I asked everyone for thoughts and feedback. And my girlfriend said that it was a lot of fun but very difficult to get into and a bit confusing to play. I took that to heart and got to work on creating something new, welcoming and universal.
So, after nine years, Backpack Universe was created. My goal is ambitious but simple, to expand the fanbase of TTRPGs by creating games that are inviting, easy to learn, fun to play, and engaging for everyone. My games will provide the tools needed to explore other games in the TTRPG genre. As a person who’s been playing these types of games for a while, I can tell you that, the rules and world-building can come off as intimidating, long-winded, and confusing. By creating simple mechanics, and easy character creation, with dynamic gameplay, the players will be able to enjoy playing the game and become more emerged within the world that surrounds their character. Hopefully, this will bridge the gap between, seasoned players and people who want to become players. With the Aalam starter pack, the player will have all the quality-of-life items needed to play any TTRPG. Giving them the ability to pack up their universe and take it with them wherever they want to go.