I've always thought that I love games. I built a heck of a collection of them. I specifically gravitated toward roleplaying games. I started a blog about gaming. But looking back, I'm not sure that it's accurate to say that I like games. Let's go way back to when I was a little kid. My …
Tag: D&D
Arguing About Rules
There is a certain big-name game designer who seems to hate D&D. Doesn’t seem to matter what edition – he just seems to hate D&D. One of his oft-repeated points against D&D is that it is a combat game. And you know it is a combat game because the only thing it has rules for …
Experience is the Point
I saw a post the other day that mentioned a D&D game where the DM awarded experience points, not for doing stuff, but for playing in line with your alignment. It was touted as a good idea. A comment pointed out the issue that alignment is often subjective. The OP replied with, "Make it Objective." …
Approaching the Gaming Table
I’ve been away from the gaming table for three months now. Even though I’ve been following the development of Shadowrun Sixth Edition and working on a few design projects, this is the first time since I was eight years old that I’ve really been an outsider to tabletop gaming. Those three months – and my …
The Agency of Resources
I hope this doesn't come off as, "get off my lawn, you whippersnappers." I'm a middle-aged gamer who cut my teeth on the D&D box sets of the 80s. I also love a lot of modern games. But I've noticed something of a trend that - while not necessarily a bad thing - tends to …
A Few Thoughts on Failure
RPGs are abstract. Sure, some are more “simulationist” than others but there is always an abstract quality to a game that involves mechanics alongside, “tell a cooperative story.” Because RPGs are abstract, you end up with a lot of discussions (and arguments) over things like, “What do Hit Points actually represent?” One area that has …
Finite Worlds & the Escalation Mentality
I recently made the mistake of reading the Batman: Metal storyline. My review is straightforward; it was awful. But it got me further thinking about a problem that I have with storytelling in general. Mainly, I suppose, it would be fair to say – Serial Storytelling. Look at D&D. From the time of BECMI, the …
The Rhetorical Gamer 