It’s been a while since I did a Chatty DM Presents post. It’s a series I started late last year to present a RPG blog that I think could be of interest to readers and I discuss three posts of that blog in a little more detail.
Today I want to give new Dungeonmasters some help by pointing them to the high quality blog of Enrique the Newbie DM. In his own words, here is what the blog is about.
So, about NewbieDM.com… I write the blog from the perspective of a new DM, and what sort of experiences I’ve encountered along the way.
I started DM’ing with 4th Ed., it’s been about a year now, and I’ve had plenty of time to think about how to make my DM’ing life easier, and how I can improve my game for both my players and myself.
I try to pass some of that knowledge on to other guys who may be in my position. I always try to assume that I’m writing to newbie DM’s like myself who might benefit from what I’ve picked up along the way. I’m humbled to say that in the small amount of time my blog’s been around
I’ve gotten a steady number of readers, I’ve been published in the Open Game Table Anthology, and have become an active member of the online D&D community. If I’ve helped out just one DM with any of my stuff, then I’ve done my job as a blogger for this awesome hobby.
Enrique is one very enthusiastic blogger who has spent a lot of effort being genuinely helpful to other new DMs. His posts are almost always focused on the reader and how they can learn from Newbie’s own experienced.
Here are 3 examples of Newbie’s work that will be of interest to potential readers:
NewbieDM Tutorial – Counters, Tokens, or Pogs
For gamers on a budget, Newbie provides a comprehensive tutorial about creating D&D tokens (or Pogs) using nothing more than paper, a copy of ‘Gimp’ (a free graphics application), a 1″ hole puncher and some metal washers (or other dime-a-dozen counter-shaped pieces).
The tutorial covers all the steps and provide hint and tricks to create tokens with normal and bloodied sides. This is absolutely brilliant. So much so that the article was selected in the Open Game Table anthology.
Using the tricks he taught in the token post discussed above, Newbie DM recently created a complete 4e starter kit (in PDF form) to help out new DMs. Focusing on Kobold Keep, the introductory adventure included in the Dungeon Master Guide, the PDF includes all monster/condition tokens, combat maps, an initiative/combat tracker.
This idea is pure genius. I find that Kobold Hall is the perfect little adventure to teach/learn the 4e mechanics. While very low on required roleplaying, the adventure showcases most of the basic adventure mechanics of the game : varied monster roles, traps, tricks and a Solo Boss fight.
Heck, I’ll probably make use of this when I’ll next teach the game.
After writing his blog (and DMing) for one year, Newbie shares his acquired wisdom in one condensed post. Going over it, I have to say that I agree with all of his tips, especially the one about asking players to be ‘condition keepers’ and ‘PHB experts’ to help the DM keep a good pace.
I don’t think I would add much more tips to those, the poor new DMs have enough on their plates as it is, except the following one, which reader will recognize:
- Be on the lookout of your player’s reactions and mood throughout the day. Quickly note (or memorize) what makes a player excited and thrilled and what makes them clam up in frustration. With time you’ll be able to find what motivates each player and plan your scenes to hit those motivations.
And that’s it for this edition o Chatty DM presents. Give Newbie DM a visit and tell him ‘Hi’ from me.
If you have any other good resources for new DMs to share, feel free to link them in the comments. If your HTML-fu sucks, use the following template:
<a href=”url”>Link text</a>
Also, if you have a RPG blog you would like to showcase please contact me at chattydm@chattydm.ne, I have a few ones in the queue (Wyatt, you’re next in line, I promise!), but there’s a good chance I’ll get to yours eventually, if I like your content… 🙂
Oh cool, you started these again.
Yeah, I found the tutorials for dungeon tiles, and the one for pogs and such, to be pretty helpful.
.-= Wyatt´s last blog ..A Punishment Ill Fit (II) =-.
Yes, as I start taking control of my life once more, I thought this was too good a feature not to re-instate.
Hopefully it will get Newbie DM some new readers.
Enrique deserves all the kudos and recognition he gets!
Thanks for shouting him out, CDM.
.-= greywulf´s last blog ..Superman versus Aliens! =-.
He represents everything I like in a Niche blogger. Nice, helpful, reader-focused and he seems to resist comment baiting, which even I succumb to every so often.
Thanks a lot for the write up Chatty. I hope someone out there gets some use out of it!
Wyatt and Greywulf, thanks for the kind words!
It was a pleasure man. When there’s good stuff on the net, people need to be made aware of it! I’m not a jealous blogger, I’m sure readers will come back here… eventually
🙂
Regarding the comment baiting, here’s the thing… what I have to say, I said on the top part of the screen… the bottom, I usually just let readers fill it in. That’s their space to talk, discuss, bitch and moan.
It’s not that I necessarily resist comment baiting, I purposely try not to comment at all!
Medieval Demographics
The Autorealm should fun to play around with.
@Newbie: By Comment baiting I meant posting an article with the sole reason of getting comments. For example, posting a scantily researched rant about 4e or writing yet another old/new school post.
However, if you avoid answering comment on your blog, I heartily suggest that you respond to most, if not all comments, as it creates a sense of discussion with your readers, which in turns encourages them to comment more. Comments are among the greatest motivator for blogging.
@Zzarchov: Your link is broken. 🙁
Yeah… so, um, ahh… my net lingo is a little off 🙂
I just wanted to say I stumbled across the NewbieDM site awhile ago and was very happy with it. I am glad to see it getting a shout out here.
Since I started DMing 4ED myself, I’ve been a frequent visitor of his site. Some good stuff there for new and old-timers alike.
@Newbie: All good my friend! It took me long enough to get it.
@Rob: Many people who trawl the RPGbloggers network have seen some of Newbie’s work. Here’s to finding him more readers! Thanks for the comment!
@Geek Ken: It will be interesting to see him go from Newbie to Wise master of DM-fu. It doesn’t take that long… I mean, I’ve only been at it for a quarter of a century 🙂
Nice shout out, Chatty. You and Newbie are bloggers I enjoy almost everytime you post. Very helpful, entertaining and interesting stuff, both of you. Thanks for all your hard work.