How much backstory and history do I make for my sandbox campaigns?
Category: game mastering advice
The Basic Structures That Role-Playing Games and Stories Have In Common
There are some basic elements of story that are helpful for a game master to know. This post is about those elements and why games and stories share them.
How Do I Create Random Generation Tables for a Sandbox Campaign?
In last week's post I wrote about how random generation tables have some uses but they also have some drawbacks. The biggest drawback I find is that the tables created by other GMs or designers often have assumptions and contexts that don't fit whatever campaign setting I'm running. The major drawback of random generation tables. …
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The Benefits and Tradeoffs of Random Generation Tables
One of the common tools used by referees who run classic fantasy adventure games is random generation tables. These are useful tools that have many applications but they also have tradeoffs that I find undesirable at times. The Benefits One of the major and perhaps primary uses of random generators is they can be great …
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How I Make Rulings About Basic Adventuring Skills
Classic adventure games don't have a lot of skills that are included in the rules. Some skills and knowledge are assumed. I tend to give a lot of leeway when it comes to common tasks.
How Do I Keep Players From Ignoring Adventures In My Sandbox Campaigns?
One of the biggest challenges for a sandbox campaign is getting players to engage with adventure locations. Set up and run the campaign correctly, and this challenge goes away.
Evoking Emotion in Classic Fantasy Adventure Games
My number one priority as a game master is to create a gaming experience that produces strong bonds of fellowship in the game group. This essay is about how I tap into a variety of emotions in an effort to build deeper relationships between the players.
Grumpy Wizard 
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