I published a little essay a few weeks ago entitled the D.I.O. Manifesto. Brian at Deathtrap Games asked me about it the other day. I hadn't thought about the post much since I hit "publish." It had been sitting in my drafts folder for a while before I decided to put it up on the …
Category: musings
The Best Thing LotFP Did for RPG’s
Like it or not. LotFP changed the role-playing game business forever.
The D.I.O. Manifesto
Do It Ourselves
The Internal Story Problem
Story is what happens inside the character. Any good editor or writer will tell you the following: There are two lines of narrative inside of a good novel. Short stories, particularly pulp sword and sorcery type stories, often only have one of these lines. The two lines are the external story and the internal story. …
Five “Off Label” Tools for Game Masters
Pharmacists call certain applications of drugs "off label" when a drug is prescribed for a condition it has no approval for. Here are some "off label" tools for game masters.
Superficial Heroism
Most tabletop role-playing games feature heroic characters. In many, if not most of those games, the heroism is superficial. In the best stories, (remember stories are not games) characters are revealed by their words and deeds as the storyteller unravels the story. At the climax of the story, the protagonist has to make a choice. …
“They” are Not Trying To Ruin Gaming
There are people who believe that "they" are trying to ruin gaming. The people who believe this cite various examples of tweets, blog posts, message board forums, videos and games where "they" are trying ruin games and gaming. Is it true? Are "they" consciously, actively trying to ruin gaming? "They" want games and the gaming …
