The Loreshapers Tabletop Game Design Contest is about making fun tabletop roleplaying games for the masses. The contest […]
Better Gameplay?
(Digital?) Storytelling: Lessons from Interactive Fiction and Tabletop Gaming
Only a year or two after I started GM’ing seriously, I got involved in Interactive Fiction (often abbreviated […]
Steal this Background
Gunston Croan, the Ex-Hellknight Scrapper – Steal this Background
As a young lad, Gunston Croan couldn’t wait to join the Order of the Pike. In fact, he AND his brother trained like fiends to become Hellknights. When the order came looking for “volunteers,” the paralictor nearly choked on his own spit as he saw the two brothers eagerly step forward. Soon after training began, Gunston started having second thoughts – sparring against a summoned devil was not his idea of how a lawful order should operate. Regardless, there was no way out – he would just have to deal with it…
Steal this Encounter
The Friendly Bar Room Brawl, Revised!
So, I wrote up an encounter a while back that was pretty fun for our group. As a post here at Stuffer Shack, it was also generally well-received by our readers. However, I won’t post a link to that Brawl encounter, because I’ve revised it – so it’s a million times better!
3D Terrain
GET THIS NOW… E-Z Dungeons (pay what you want)
I am all about making the game more fun, and Fat Dragon Games / E-Z Dungeons do just that. I have been a fan of these products for years, and will probably always continue to be. Their printable terrain is just awesome!
Reviews
Three Reasons Why Dragon Age 2 is my Favorite Game in the Series
There’s a lot of hate for Dragon Age 2. Some claim it’s a step backward from the first game, with less variation in endings, fewer character choices, “lazy” level design – and some of that is true. But none of it is enough to make the game bad, by any stretch…
World-Building
Flaws in the Universe: How Interesting Settings Push the Boundaries of Disbelief
The “concept of cool” does not necessarily have to cheapen our game worlds, but enrich them…
Editorial
How RPGs Helped Me Land My New Job
Job interviews are tough, but thanks to some transferable GMing skills I was able to land my new job…
Editorial
Fourth Edition, and Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
While every version of every roleplaying game has its detractors, it’s hard to avoid the perception that in the case of the Fourth Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, the detractors have effectively won…
Editorial
Conventionally Speaking, Part 2
As I mentioned in Part 1, I had never really played any of these games, and I loved them all. I say “never really played” because I had already dipped my toe into the D&D Next waters, and had, along with countless other gamers, submitted one or two opinions on the whole endeavor…