I have a problem. It’s a problem with fantasy, storytelling, and by extension, RPGs. I like consequences. This problem takes on a lot of forms. Character continuity, status quo issues, debates about agency and authority… and I’m sure more that I can’t even think of just now. But I’ve been playing some games, watching some …
Tag: gaming
Deanna Troi – Most Important Star Trek Character?
I watched a video the other day about Barclay and how he might actually be the greatest hero of Star Trek. The video starts with this line, “You ever notice how emotionally stable most characters on Star Trek shows are?” Now, I don’t know that I think that Barclay or Troi are actually the most …
Continue reading Deanna Troi – Most Important Star Trek Character?
Magic (is stupid)
Magic, in most role playing games, is stupid. I don't really know how else to put it. Magic is a very complex subject and as it tends to be a power that allows its wielders to exert control over reality; it creates significant hurdles to achieve a balance between fun and fairness, play-ability and wonder. …
Shadowrun Sixth World, Part Three
Magic! I want to clarify something. Shadowrun is a complex game. Personally, I think that a certain level of complexity is vital to the experience, considering that you have a game that wants to encompass near-future mercenaries and criminals with advanced technology while also maintaining the trappings of a full-fledged fantasy game. It's a balancing …
The Highest Paid GM in the Land
I was going to write about something else this week, but I came across another topic that caught my interest. This essay on Facebook compared sports as "played for fun" and "played for money" and then went on to discuss the idea of paying Game Masters for their time. I'll start by saying that I …
Phase Two: The Rise of DM Determinism
In my last post (sorry for the delay), I wrote about how D&D – played as intended – is a very specific kind of game. I touched on the idea that D&D expects the DM to be the ultimate, but neutral, arbiter of the game. The DM breathes life into the spaces the PCs explore …
Design is Serious, A Ramble
Strap in, I ran my first playtest last night… Design. It’s a simple word. These days, it’s a serious word. Put any other word together with design and it becomes serious business. Learning is fun. But use the term “instructional design” and watch people cringe. Visuals are fun, but Graphic Design evokes images of serious …
Molly Grue
So, I wanted to write more about mechanical failure and storytelling today. Then I heard a song I had to share. No Happy Endings https://fawm.org/songs/90857/ by Mikey Mason The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle is one of the best fantasy novels ever. It's also an amazing movie (though be careful not to watch the …
I Love Charity Auctions
I've written before about the joy of going to a convention and finding that booth in the vendor room selling old stuff - AD&D modules from the basement collection, weird games that only like three people ever played, and, you know, stuff like that. I've also written about my nostalgic sadness over how this 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 …
