I like games that use hero/fate/plot/benny/luck points. These points work differently in different games, of course, but they generally tend towards giving the players small amounts of narrative control as a reward for doing cool things. In some game sessions, … Continue reading
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Every time I’ve been to WisCon, I think, I’ve been to the “Let’s Build a World” panel. In it, the panel and the audience build a very well-functioning and detailed world from first principles, all within an hour. (Those first … Continue reading
In the marketplace, or sometimes in other areas of town, there’s a man of indeterminate age who carries a great wooden box on his back. When someone asks him what he sells, he will take the box down off his … Continue reading
Fairly often, people will complain that RPGs are getting more expensive. That it’s impossible to keep up. That we can no longer afford this hobby. It’s certainly possible to spend a lot on RPGs. If you buy all the new … Continue reading
Con of the North is the Twin Cities’ biggest, best gaming convention. Next year’s CotN will be Presidents’ Day Weekend, Feb. 15-17, 2013. Event registration has recently gone live. I just sent in mine. I was surprised by the number … Continue reading
One of my favorite GM aids is from the black book version of the Traveller RPG. It is Supplement 6: 76 Patrons. It presents 76 different patron encounters, each with a variety of different possible twists. The patrons are organized … Continue reading
Today, I received a final black & white proof from Lulu. It was good, so the game is now for sale there. Go buy a copy! … Continue reading
At last WisCon, there were several great panels about worldbuilding. One, in particular, brought up the concept of using different standard blocks, like “elves who are immortal and hate dwarves”, “the monotheistic religion is on a crusade to destroy the … Continue reading
Keeping combat straight can be tricky. When everyone at the table agrees to keep things loose, it’s possible to forego maps and rely on oral description of what’s going on. And, of course, the system can help this; I can … Continue reading
One question I’ve often gotten at “Beginning GM” panels is, how do you write an RPG scenario? For a lot of beginning GMs, this can be a daunting task; it feels like you have to write a novel from scratch, … Continue reading