I’ll admit it: I’d been dreading running last week’s D&D game. It had been over a month since we played, and my trepidation was as much laziness as it was not wanting to dungeon crawl. I’d imagine it was much more my fault than the dungeon module we were running, but I’d somehow managed to suck all the fun out of the game for me. That’s the last thing you want running through the DM’s mind in any group — sooner or later things start to suck for everybody else. A few months later, the group breaks up and one of your roleplayers goes to prison for stabbing a minmaxer. I knew I had to do something. But what?
Critical Bits for the week ending 2011-11-13
Wrap your presents with unspeakable horror with Cthulhu wrapping paper from @GamingPaper (Kickstarter) http://t.co/UKb3M5uY # RT @fredhicks: New on Deadly Fredly: Kickstarter Bulletpoints http://t.co/P5NGd4R8 # RT @brendensparks: You guys always link to the best GM gear. My turn to share: Turn your laptop into a whiteboard: http://t.co/fcDLzY05 # We now have a Google+ page: http://t.co/gQAys4Yn […]
The Architect DM: On Modern and Futuristic Settings
I’ve talked quite a lot about worldbuilding and running roleplaying games in fantasy settings, but I’ve been planning on addressing modern and futuristic RPGs for a long time as well. One of the big hurdles that I have to overcome when thinking and writing about modern/future settings is that they seem inherently more difficult to deal with than their fantasy counterparts. For a modern or even a historic RPG I believe the difficulties come from the game being based in a real world that brings with it a vast amount of expectations from the players. If you’re running a game in these settings and a player at your table knows more about history than you, it can become very intimidating to even try to plan or run the game. Science fiction and futuristic games are a little bit better, but you’re still dealing with a lot of heavy science and realistic elements that can lead to issues where they might not have arisen in your typical elves and magic infused setting.
The Harsh Lessons Of The Starfish Man
Once upon a time, back in high school, I had one of the most epic dreams of my career. In it, an evil man wearing a starfish mask and his army of dwarves had invaded my grandmother’s back yard and were kidnapping my best friend’s dad. A decade later, I based a campaign on this idea, and discovered the true meaning of Christmas. And by Christmas, I mean PAIN. Read on to know how my discovery can make your campaign better. Or something.
Critical Bits for the week ending 2011-11-06
RT @PaperTigerCards: I make accessories for dungeon masters! Check out this ultimate gift pack! http://t.co/qxbvu3oG # RT @deadgentlemen: A new web series from Jen Page and Monte Cook? This Monday just improved 100%. http://t.co/X7GCgvMM # RT @4eBlogs: Save Versus Death: Fourthcore Contest Winner and Honorable Mentions: http://t.co/VtVIc7UK #dnd # RPG Golden Geek Finalists Announced, Winners […]
Review and Giveway: Dungeon Mapp for iPad
Dungeon Mapp (iTunes link) fills in a missing piece of that equation for those who play RPGs on a grid, most notably the past few editions of Dungeons & Dragons and its spinoffs. Dungeon Mapp is an app for the iPad that lets a DM build dungeon maps (or wilderness, or several other terrain types), as well as populating the maps with extra features. You can then use it to entirely run your combats from within the app, placing party members, monsters, and managing initiative all from within the program.
The Architect DM: Worldbuilding Diary
For well over a year now I’ve kept an eye on the material that our friend Dennis has been producing over at his blog The Spirits of Eden for his RPG setting, the World of Adel. I’ve talked to him a few times about his worldbuilding and the setting that he’s created, and every time we talk I marvel more and more at what he is creating. Today he has started a series of posts he is calling a Worldbuilding Diary and I was instantly impressed and inspired by it.
Infinite Possibilities, Itty-Bitty Comfort Zone
My nerdcation to Washington DC last month opened my eyes to a lot of things. These included crab chips and secret ginger candies that stop motion sickness. Mostly, it was the exposure to open-form roleplaying games that has been taking up most of my free processor cycles. Despite being the guy in our group that would cheerfully handwave every combat in favor of having an all-roleplay session, I find myself flummoxed when faced with the infinite possibilities of a game like Fiasco. I have a lot of fun when it works, and nobody has fun when it doesn’t.
Critical Bits for the week ending 2011-10-30
RT @SlyFlourish: In case you missed it, Random Loot Tables for Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium: http://t.co/OBc8d5JO #dnd #
D&D Zombie Apocalypse, Part 1: Genesis
In which Chatty tells the story of a great 100% made up on the spot D&D 4e game he ran for new players at the New York ComicCon. Be careful, it contains zombies and wolves.
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