Utopia game in progress. Sgt Fender’s attack dog Baton posing.
We’ve been playing a science fiction miniatures campaign with heavy roleplaying game elements for half a dozen games now. I’ve always liked the idea of having a handful of characters to run at the same time and this game is the first instance where I’ve got to really [...]
Posts in category roleplaying
Troupe play
Utopia game in progress. Sgt Fender’s attack dog Baton posing.
We’ve been playing a science fiction miniatures campaign with heavy roleplaying game elements for half a dozen games now. I’ve always liked the idea of having a handful of characters to run at the same time and this game is the first instance where I’ve got to really [...]
Dungeon World
Dungeon World cover. It looks like what I felt like as a kid playing D&D!
Dungeon World is a modern repackaging of the way you remember D&D/AD&D being, back in the day. If you never played those games, it’s supposed to deliver a straight-up, no-nonsense dungeon crawl.
It does this with rare wit.
Initially reading the game, there i [...]
The power of mechanics
The insect store
When discussing roleplaying games with gamers you don’t know all that well, you often run into a cliche. You get the people who say they don’t like the games, they like the storytelling. A common variation is “in my group we practically don’t roll the dice at all”. It’s like rules are filth [...]
Actual play: Fiasco
Fiasco, here seen with Wil Wheaton. He digs it.
We played our first game of Fiasco with four players. Three of us had played together before, but one of the players was new to the group and not too experienced with roleplaying in general, if familiar with the concept. I was initially worried because we had a hard time coming up with a good re [...]
Actual play: Flying Lead
Space marines kicking ass, taking names.
A friend of mine started running a hybrid roleplaying and miniatures campaign based on a freeform mashup of Starship Troopers, Aliens and whatever else “space marine” and scifi cliches you care to mention. It’s doing something I’ve thought about for years yet never acted on: adding some characte [...]
Mechwarrior Online (PC)
Mechwarrior Online. There is no third person view.
For years I’ve had Saitek Cyborg 3D USB Gold sitting right above me on the shelf, next to the desktop computer. It’s pretty hardcore. It comes with a hex key. It makes me feel somewhat superior to today’s kids. Who has joysticks these days?
Not that I’ve used it in yea [...]
Actual play: Deathwatch
Warhammer 40’000: Deathwatch
Ever since I first encountered Warhammer 40 000 in the guise of the original Rogue Trader rulebook, I’ve been imagining what it would be like to play as a Space Marine. For some reason this was never realized, not before Relic’s recent action take on the theme, Space Marine. Deathwatch RPG finall [...]
How to run D&D 4E with minimum t...
Adorable picture of Japanese kids playing RPGs. I tried to find the artist so I could link, but couldn't
I have a background in running and playing (mostly running) tabletop roleplaying games for over twenty years. I consider myself highly skilled in gamemastering. My library of games covers pretty much everything in terms of style, mec [...]
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials af...
T-shirt design by Penny Arcade
I’ve been running a lot of D&D Essentials lately. I think it’s interesting to see how my initial expectations have fared against nine games into a campaign and a couple of off-shoots.
I’ve ended up with a lot of stuff I have no use for.
The characters are created using the online Dungeons & [...]
What’s wrong with Bioware? (Mas...
Mass Effect 2
I used to think that Bioware was the coolest studio out there. They were putting out games I absolutely loved: mainly
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