This is a post about being a geek parent, losing weight and making a game out of it all… it’s closer to Jane MacGonical’s gaming theory than anything RPG related. But if you are a gamer parent and face (potential) obesity problems, this may be of interest to you. Last fall I was faced with a […]
Archives for 2011
Junk Punch
You have been sucker punched. As a gamer, you’ve been categorized and used as a negative stereotype to illustrate points about terrible movies. Video games and gamers get a bum rap in film criticism. Film critics seem to like to use video games and the people who play them as a culturally understood idiom. This practice makes the critics look as bad as what they might be criticizing.
The Architect DM: On Dungeons
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the iconic “Dungeon” concept that many of us think of when we think of it in the context of Dungeons & Dragons. Also because only a month or two ago Dave wrapped up his 4E run through the Temple of Elemental Evil with custom mechanics to add to the “large dungeon crawl” feel of the adventures. Now I find my own campaign on the verge of the epic tier (the characters are currently level 19/20), and I am beginning to brainstorm a series of elemental dungeons that they will have to go through as a form of the Temple of Elemental Evil now fractured and embodied in five separate temples. Yes, I loved The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and I plan on stealing liberally from it.
Why KmartGamer Needs To Send Me to E3: A Love Story
In which Vanir pleads his case to KmartGamer to send him to E3 this year. Please send them emails telling them how great of an idea this is. Better yet, bake them cookies. What kind of cookies do you like, KMartGamer? I have people ready to bake here.
Week 4: I Have Lost Six Dungeon Pounds
This week will be my D&D group’s fourth session. I’m starting to get the lay of the land a little better. I’ve learned that a plot won’t burst into flames if not kept on the rails the entire session. I’ve also learned that tacking it down in a couple of spots sure won’t hurt, and […]
Battletech Introductory Box Set Preview & Review
I have been a die hard fan of Battletech since I first picked up a Technical Readout book and wondered what all of the information about awesome looking giant mechs was really used for. Three years ago when Catalyst Game Labs acquired the Battletech license and put out the Classic Battletech boxed set, I was excited but didn’t get a chance to pick one up before the print run completely sold out. That’s why I flipped out when I saw the new Battletech Introductory Boxed Set in a vendor’s stand at PAX East and quickly picked up a copy.
Critical Bits for the week ending 2011-03-27
The Heart is Dark No More: Authentic Ghosts. – So I talk about a ‘Mythic Africa’ and it is all light and… http://tumblr.com/xcu1ug7jq8 # Announced today by @gnomestew: "Masks: 1,000 Characters to Populate Your Worlds", a book of 1000 system-neutral NPCs. http://bit.ly/hG9SX0 # RT @SlyFlourish: Looks like the new #dnd Monster Builder is up and […]
Dealing the Wildcards
Anything adventure designers can do to help DMs run their games will mean a better experience for players. In this column, I explore the concept of the wildcards, elements adventure designers can add to encounters that provide DMs with choices.
Interview with PAX East Champion Dungeon Master, Matt Brenner
In early March of 2011, at the PAX East gaming conference, Wizards of the Coast sponsored the second annual PAX East Dungeon Master’s Challenge. In the end Matt Brenner took away the prize and title as Champion Dungeon Master.
Danny’s PAX East 2011 Recap
Just over a week ago we returned from Boston and from my first PAX ever, which I’m very happy to say was incredibly fun for both myself and my wife from start to finish. Without a doubt the highlight of PAX East for me is much the same as other conventions like GenCon, and that’s meeting great people and getting to play games with people that I don’t normally have the opportunity to game with. However there are a few big differences that I noticed which really made PAX East stand out from the other conventions that I’ve been to.
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