End-of-Week What the Hell Happened to 2016?

"Whew, last year was ROUGH, man..."

Uh, hi folks.

Yeah, the end of 2016 got away from me...

Well, like an undead sorcerer-king, I'm rising from the dead and awakening to a new year...

How can I sum up the last bit of 2016 in terms of gaming?

Two words: unruly newbs.

Yeah, the newb campaign I started back in October...well, it fell apart.

Not really surprised by that development, actually. But what did surprise me is how quickly they seemed to become antsy about the pace at which the game was progressing.

Chalk it up to the accelerating pace of our society, maybe, but as of the second session most of the players were complaining about how slow the game seemed. I told them this was how table top roleplaying went, and it was being made even slower because two of the players were going full-on tactical planning and second-guessing over every decision point in the game.

Try as I might to encourage the players to not worry so much over every decision, things did slow down a lot.

By the end of the second session, it was clear from the "temperature" of the players' attitudes that the "magic" of roleplaying was wearing a bit thin.

Sheesh, guess it wasn't high-speed enough for them.

I was very patient with them, but have to admit to a bit of frustration. The group became somewhat combative and suspicious of my methods. I chalk that up to my attempts to be sinister and inscrutable. They took the bait, and were unnerved by it.

Mission accomplished, as far as I'm concerned. However, my players were all adults in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, and unused to encountering a sly and wily DM. I don't think they liked it. For people who don't have experience with the good old fashioned DM-player relationship, it can be off-putting, I suppose.

Ah well, it was an experiment. And not all experiments are successful, right?

So, not sure if we'll be roleplaying again any time soon. C'est la vie.

In the meantime, I'm sorta bummed about things falling apart, so much so that I can't muster the energy or interest to finish my recap of what went down.

I know, you're devastated by the news...

There might be some roleplaying in my future with some veteran gamers this year. I might be putting myself back into the DM's chair again.

Stay tuned. Until then, happy 2017 and happy gaming!

The Year Without a Free RPG Day

Well, there was a Free RPG Day today, but just not for me. 

Maybe it's because my favorite FLGS (All Things Fun) closed its West Berlin, NJ location. I have to admit to feeling a bit of nostalgic despair at the thought of looking for a new game store to celebrate the day. There are a few within easy travelling distance, but my heart just wasn't in it. 

I also didn't want to remind myself that I'm not actually gaming right now. Got a lot of irons in the fire these days, but regular roleplaying isn't one of them. I've been tinkering with the idea of running some good old Basic D&D and a dungeon crawl using...well, one of the many resources I have on hand, namely Stonehell Dungeon. 

Meh, just wallowing in self pity due to lack of gaming and general disconnection from the roleplaying blogosphere. 

So, time to stop wallowing! I'm thinking that I've invested a lot of cash in Goodman Games and Dungeon Crawl Classics, so instead of running Stonehell with Basic D&D or Labyrinth Lord, I should be brushing up on DCC instead and using those rules.

Speaking of DCC, I'm a bit disheartened by the long wait for the new rule book for the 4th printing Kickstarter but I'm sure it will be worth the wait. Here's what I'm getting:

Nice and unholy, eh? 

So, hope springs eternal for the future of my personal gaming situation! 

Speaking of Goodman Games taking my money, I hear tell there's a little something called "Mutant Crawl Classics" that's about to hit Kickstarter! Obviously, it's going to be their version of Gamma World, just like Goblinoid Games came out with Mutant Future a few years ago.

Yeah, I keep telling myself I won't get in on this Kickstarter, but you never know what might happen. It's a crazy old world! 

Aaaand speaking of post-apocalyptic futures, I've been entranced by previews for a PS4 game called Horizon Zero Dawn (kind of a daft name, sounds like they randomly chose three words out of a dictionary). Here's the trailer for the game:

I don't have (and don't plan to get) a PS4 anytime soon, but OF COURSE my sick and fevered brain immediately started to think I could mimic the setting of the game using Mutant Future. I'm a wackjob and a glutton for punishment. 

Anyway, that's all for now. Have a great Father's Day tomorrow, all you male Dad gamers out there!

Happy Holidays to All the Gaming Fools Out There!

Happy holidays to all you fellow gaming enthusiasts around the world! I hope the holiday spirits were kind to you! I was just reflecting on my own yuletide experience, both this year and years past...

The last few solar cycles I've received some gaming goodness during the Christmas holiday. Last year, it was the Dungeon Crawl Classics Chained Coffin box set and the Lamentations of the Flame Princess Rules & Magic hardcover. The year before that, it was the Lords of Gossamer and Shadow RPG.

This year, I don't have anything in my hands...yet. I'm looking forward to receiving the 4th printing (and associated stretch goal goodies) of Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG next Spring. Also, I'm hoping that the massive Conan board game Kickstarter will come to fruition soon, considering they've missed their October 2015 deadline. 

So what about YOU? Have you received a gaming product you're particularly psyched about, either this year or in the past?

End-of-an-Era Elmore (6/5/15)

I started this here blog on June 30, 2010 (damn, almost FIVE YEARS ago!), and at the time I was working in Center City Philadelphia. I had been missing roleplaying for years, and in my despair had started surfing the web looking for a sign, seeking a glimpse of the current state of the hobby I'd left behind years before.

 

I discovered the OSR, and the rest is, of course, history destiny! At the time, I didn't know how I was going to start actively roleplaying again, but I knew it was going to happen! I assumed it would be by gathering up some old friends who I used to roleplay with, back in my youth. And indeed, I ran a few sessions with some willing friends. But my old pals weren't as interested in gaming as I was, so it was back to the drawing board...

 

For the first time in my life, I tried gaming with strangers. Yes, in my youth I'd only gamed with friends, but now that was no longer a sufficient option. So, I found a group online and met with them for a basement Pathfinder session or two...which didn't end well. No harm, no foul, I was an old-school guy looking for a different experience than what they were offering.

 

There were no game stores in my home area at the time, so I began to despair of finding an outlet for my gaming desires. Then, serendipity struck: in early 2011 I was laid off from my Philly-based job. Little did I know the wonderful silver lining to that unhappy event. The Gaming Gods, it seems, work in benevolent ways. Because the next job I found was not far from a New Jersey game store I'd admired for years but which had always seemed too far away: All Things Fun in West Berlin, New Jersey. Now, I was able to easily get to the store after work!

 

All Things Fun was where I met the Troll Lords, first of all! Secondly, it is also where I met an incredible group of people with which I gamed, and ran my first fantasy RPG campaign in well over a decade. I had, after so long, finally achieved my goal of returning to a consistent schedule of roleplaying! For several years, I gamed on Wednesday nights and it was glorious!

 

But my close proximity to All Things Fun came with a big price: two jobs that I really haven't enjoyed all that much. Indeed, there have been numerous times over the last several years when the only bright spot in my work circumstances was being able to game on Wednesday nights.

 

But after a while, even roleplaying couldn't cure the fact that I was unhappy with my career trajectory. The line of work I semi-stumbled into after college (proposal writing) is definitely one of those jobs where burnout is an ever-present threat. Add to that a succession of horrible managers and boring subject matter, and I was beaten down by the whole experience.

 

So, I finally had enough of the work-misery, and decided I needed to rally and take conscious control of my career. Thus, in addition to working my day job, I've been working on the side to change my work-path. It's been a helluva journey, and I'm making slow but steady progress in chasing a more fulfilling career.

 

But, as I've lamented here, this effort has taken me away from active roleplaying. I haven't seen my old Wednesday night group for probably about a year...honestly, I can't remember the last time I gamed with them. And that makes me very sad indeed. But ultimately, my suffering under two less-than-inspiring/fulfilling work environments has been the much more pressing problem.

 

So, I've recently made a move to escape the misery: I've taken a new job that seems to be a much better and, more importantly, a happier fit for me. I'll still be writing proposals, but it will be for a much more interesting industry. And in the meantime, I'll still have time to work on my "side hustle" and keep getting closer to an entirely new career.

 

However, the new gig is another job in Philadelphia. Which means, no more close proximity to All Things Fun.

 

Ugh. It's the end of an era. A truly bitter-sweet end. I've had so many great nights gaming in this area, it's going to be so strange not to be close by anymore. But again, my general happiness is a better thing to have, when it comes down to it.

 

So, I'm writing this post on my last day at my old job. I think I'm going to make a pilgrimage to All Things Fun today, to tell them it's once again going to be harder for me to get to the store.

 

However, in the last year or so, a game store has opened up not far from my house. And, I've gamed now and then with a few new local friends. So I have local options now that I didn't have when I was last working in Philadelphia.

 

In the end, I know the Gaming Gods are always looking out for me, and they'll get me back to the table somehow. I'm looking forward to the adventure ahead, at the table and beyond!

 

P.S. Sorry if this seemed like one of those posts where a blogger tells you he's not going to be blogging anymore! I'm not quitting, though I know my output is so minimal these days it may seem like I've already quit the scene!

The Flame Princess Cometh Again!

Way back in August 2010 I obtained a copy of the Deluxe Edition box set of Lamentations of the Flame Princess. I loved that little box, the first version of the game to hit the streets, and all its contents.

 

But, it was a tumultuous time for me that year, with some significant financial hits thanks to the suffering economy. So, later that year I had to offer up the LotFP box set, among other RPG books, for sale. I wound up holding onto the box until early 2012, around which time I traded it in to Noble Knight Games and used the credit to get material for other game systems.

 

I look back with some regret when it comes to giving away the LotFP box set. However, I realized there is a solution to soothe that regret, in the form of the LotFP Rules & Magic hardcover! I just ordered that puppy and it is on its way to my hot little hands! Can't wait to see how the LotFP rules now stand. I know they haven't changed significantly since I had the Deluxe set, but I'm curious to see how the layout and artwork has been improved.

 

In all, I'm looking forward to a glorious reunion with the Flame Princess!

 

Now, Mr. Raggi, when will that Referee book come out in hardcover?!

 

Wherefore Art Thou, Oh RPG Blogger?

Well, I've finally gone and done it. I became one of those RPG bloggers who drops off the face of the earth one day, and just stops posting with no explanation.

 

I apologize to one and all...or at least, to those who may actually care!

 

I could make a joke about how everyone's been SO devastated about my absence. But perhaps some of you miss me?

 

Hey, someone emailed me to ask if I can add a print function to my blog! To that emailer I say "please be patient, I'm working on it"!

 

Anyway, without boring you, here's the short story: I've finally reached a critical mass of insanity in life that, as scary as it sounds, I lost complete track of the blogosphere and in particular my own blog. For once, I was totally unable to think about the blog for a few weeks.

 

As I said, scary. It's scary because I don't like the implications. In other words, my life circumstances finally pushed thoughts of roleplaying (which are usually on my mind at some point during the day) to totally subconscious levels.

 

I just don't like that idea.

 

But I've made my life this busy, and I really have no regrets. I'm happy with what I've been doing in life other than roleplaying. But there's still something that pains me about the whole thing.

 

Okay, enough self pity. What's my point, eh? Well, here it is: I'm officially stating that I'm going on an indefinite hiatus. It really sucks to write that, but there you have it.

 

Alright, I've got to run, but for the time being know that I may not be writing here for the time being, but I'm indeed reading what all you wonderful folks are writing.

 

Until we cross paths again, happy gaming to all!

Reflections on the Occasion of my 500th Post

Well, here I am at 500 posts.

 

Hmm, I'm feeling rather underwhelmed with myself. I mean, my blog's been around for nearly four years now (my first post was on June 30, 2010) and I've just now hit 500 posts? Is that...well, not so great? I'm not sure where my output falls among all RPG blogosphere offerings, but from what I've seen out there I'm more prolific than some and less prolific than most. At least, that's my estimation.

 

I'm definitely nowhere near the 4,000-plus posts that Erik Tenkar has under his belt! He's been posting for about a year longer than me (May 31, 2009), but his output has been growing exponentially ever since. The man is a machine!

Now, I'm not sure about what Tenkar's plans were from the start of his blogging career, but mine were never all that gonzo. My intention has always been that blogging about my return to roleplaying after a long hiatus was always going to be secondary to actual roleplaying. And I've pretty much stuck to that formula. I created this blog to reach out to like-minded folks, in order to read their stories and share my own.

 

Still, there have definitely been times when I've felt a desire to be a more active contributor to the blogosphere in terms of reviews of products/fiction, new monsters/spells/magic items, discussion of rules variants, generating conversations topics, etc. I've done a wee tiny bit of all the aforementioned, but nowhere near as much as some of the other bloggers out there.

 

Oh well. Once again, I've been more concerned with gaming than blogging. Over the last few years, I've definitely roleplayed a good amount. Except as of late, with my current return to a near-hiatus from roleplaying. With the exception of the occasional "pick-up game" here and there, I'm no longer playing on a regular basis. I've discussed the reasons for my current situation.

 

But I'm still feeling the RPG itch. I feel like I still need an outlet. Thus my continued use of the blog...and, as I said, the occasional pick-up game. But these days, of necessity, I'm a player and not a GM. Which is always strange to me, because I've mostly been a GM over the years. But I'll take what I can get!

 

To me, how I'm feeling confirms once again that gaming is in my blood. It's a part of my make-up, my psyche. It was ingrained in me during my formative years, bound into my heart and soul. Stepping away from the table years ago was a denial of a part of myself, in many ways.

 

 

These days, I'm trying to trumpet the virtues of roleplaying whenever I can. I'm going more and more public with my love of the hobby, and trying to incorporate it into my new endeavors in the realm of personal development coaching. I'm still searching for my niche, so to speak. But I'm getting closer all the time.

 

Bottom line: I don't think I'll ever truly step away from gaming again, at least not for the span of a decade (as I've done in the past). When I look back, I was definitely not as happy as I could have been during those years I wasn't roleplaying. Trust me on that one. All that pent-up imagination didn't do me any good at all. I don't want to do that ever again, to myself or others around me. Sure, I have other creative outlets. But none so fulfilling as being at the roleplaying table.

 

So, anyway, here's to my next 500 posts. I hope you've enjoyed my presence here on the blogosphere so far. I know I've enjoyed yours, from the friendly to the cantankerous. It's my hope that you'll keep reading, and that I'll keep being worthy of your time.

In Defense of Dungeons & Dragons

 

Last month, I wrote a post that gave a hint as to what I've been doing instead of roleplaying these days: I'm working on my burgeoning life as a personal development coach. It's something I've already been doing for most of my life. I've just decided to make it "official."

 

And I've been giving props to my roleplaying career for shaping the well-rounded, responsible adult I am today. Here's my most direct reference yet (on my personal development blog) to D&D and its influence on me and the world beyond the gaming table:

 

In Defense of Dungeons & Dragons

 

That post actually started as a speech I gave at my Toastmasters club. I hope to give this speech in other venues in the future. I feel honored to add my voice to the chorus of folks who have put D&D in the spotlight this year, the 40th anniversary of the grand old game.

 

I welcome your feedback, and your continued readership, of both my blogs. If you like my other blog, please consider following me there, and keep checking in on me!

Me and Roleplaying: 2014 and Beyond...

Hail and well met, fellow adventurers! Here we are, on the threshold of a new year of crisis and opportunity! May we all rise to the blessed challenges that the universe lays before us, for challenges are blessings, and they help make us more than we were before!

I love the RPG blogosphere, the whole cacophonous lot of you! Every single one of your blogs are a light that keeps the flame of roleplaying alive! Whether you have a regular game (be it face-to-face or virtual), or are dreaming of gaming days past or future, you are keeping the spirit alive. And I salute you for your efforts, however humble or grand. Thanks to all of you for your continuing inspiration. For that's what you have been, are, and will be for me.

No, this isn't a farewell post from me. I'm just changing my focus for my free time in 2014. I'm working on a dream, folks. Wish me all the best you can spare. I'm bound and determined to change the career aspect of my life. I'm going to focus all the will, energy, determination, and ambition I have in this body into the effort.

So my available time for the hobby will be limited, but it will burn no less brighter for it. Indeed, I expect the inner fire for roleplaying will only burn hotter. I'm looking forward to my return to roleplaying when the time is right, just as it was right about three years ago. I always have believed that hope springs eternal. It is this faith that has driven me most of my life. Without it, I'm not sure where I'd be today.

At any rate, this is an RPG blog, eh? So, what do I foresee for me in the way of gaming in the new year?

Well, there will be no doubt some evenings where I will actually find myself at the game table once more. I've laid the foundations for several good groups of gamers that have promised to have chairs open for me. Most likely I will be a player, as I probably won't have the time to prep to be a GM.

I see the coming year as a time of much-needed reflection on my roleplaying career. This reflection will include some much-needed delvings into the old rule sets that have been calling out to me. I'm feeling like I have a lot of assumptions when it comes to my gaming past. Assumptions scare me. To me, they reek of hubris. You assume you know all there is to know about something, and that's when bad things happen.

Yes, I need to do some long-overdue exploration of my roleplaying past. Since I jumped head-first back into roleplaying in 2010, I've pretty much never looked back. But that neglect of my RPG past has most likely given birth to this burning desire to read and use some of the old books.

One of the big assumptions I've harbored is that I know all I need to know about the older versions of D&D and AD&D. But I'm really feeling drawn to, of all things, 2nd Edition AD&D at the moment. At the very least, I think I need to do a good read of this version of the game over the next year. If only to exorcise the demanding, nagging feeling that I need to explore it again. But actually, I expect to see that old game with my older man's eyes, and see what I get out of it this time around. That's a reunion I've foolishly avoided. I think it's going to be a good thing, for me to revisit the version of the game that took up much of my early roleplaying life.

Heck, if I have time, I might just go back and revisit St. Gygax's masterwork, 1st Edition AD&D...the version that I played the most back in the day. I expect to be rewarded by that journey as well.

As I do my re-exploration of the above, I hope to have time for posting some musings here.

As I've said before on this blog, I love Castles & Crusades, and it really is my preferred version of AD&D, but nostalgia DEMANDS that I go back and take a look at the real deal again. Whether this becomes good nostalgia or bad, limiting nostalgia is really up to me, and what I do with the feeling.

 

I also hope to do some reviews of new games and such as I read them, and perhaps contribute some gaming material here and there. We'll see. 

 

The X factor of 2014 is the 40th anniversary of D&D and the release of the next iteration. From what I've seen of D&D Next via the playtest materials, I'm not really interested in using those rules. But what a milestone! I'm excited to see what comes...er, next!

So, this is not goodbye. I will be reading all of your words, contributing when I can, and enjoying every minute of it! I wish you all a wonderful new year of roleplaying goodness! Please have much happy gaming, as well as general happiness and prosperity (both of the wallet and the soul!) Until we meet again on the road to adventure, I wish you all the best!

The Call of a New Adventure in 2014

 

Yes, I’m a fool for nostalgia. I just try not to let it drag me down. 

 

So, I’m full of nostalgia when it comes to roleplaying. Overflowing with it, bursting at the seams, etcetera. And over the last few years of my personal roleplaying renaissance, I’ve let my nostalgia fuel a return to the hobby that I thought I’d left behind for good. You see, as the years of my last hiatus rolled by, the urge to game swelled like a rising tide. Until I could deny the urge to roleplay no longer.

So round about 2010, I answered the call to adventure. I went out into the wilds of the internet and then the real world to roleplay once more. And I’ve had a lot of fun in the last few years, met some really cool fellow gamers, and have delved back into roleplaying with abandon.

And I’ve come to a new conclusion in the last week or so: perhaps my current desire to set actual play aside again for the time being is actually a result of the roleplaying I’ve done over the last few years.

Sounds paradoxical, eh? Well, perhaps not. Because there's a new call to adventure that has come over me.

You see, since early in 2013 I’ve felt another urge welling up within: to change my career path forever, to finally find work that is infinitely more fulfilling. I’ve been ramping up in anticipation of massive action in 2014 to change my career.

And I think that my successful return to roleplaying has given me faith that I can delve back into other aspirations I had as a younger man, and give life to them as well. So, this urge to change careers, to do something that helps my fellow human beings more directly rather than just slave to make some executives rich, is a dream from my past that is demanding to be brought forth into fruition. And I aim to unleash it.

I am going to become my own boss. I’m going to become an entrepreneur. I’m not sure yet what form that will take exactly, but I have some plans. All I know is, roleplaying has taught me how to dream again. It has reminded me that I need to let my dreams run free, and to not wallow in the rampant negativity that modern global society worships.

I will definitely not be leaving roleplaying for good this year, the 40^th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. Hells no! But it just so happens that I can no longer deny another incessant call from deep within me. I’m just going to be focusing a tremendous amount of energy and focus on attaining my new career goal.

This isn’t to say that I’m leaving this blog to sit stagnant either. Rather, I will work to keep it alive, with worthwhile posts. And I am sure I will also get some roleplaying in here and there, but just not on as consistent a basis as I have for the last few years.

Anyway, folks, that’s where I am for now. I’m probably going to post one more time (tomorrow) before the year is over. Until then, please send me positive vibes (as I will be doing for you), and I look forward to continue to participate in our little RPG blogosphere community in 2014! Happy gaming, one and all!

Early-Morning Clarity, Personal Growth, and Roleplaying - Part 2

That horizon looks ever so inviting, does it not?

 

So, following on from my first post in this two-parter...

 

Last post, I spewed some stream-of-consciousness stuff about wanting an RPG for busy adults...didn't really get any advice from the community, so...just wondering if there's any advice out there...

 

Anyway, onto this here current post. I'm ramping things up in my life, folks. I'm increasing my participation in extracurriculars that I hope will open new opportunities for my career as well as me as an individual soul. Suffice to say I'm seeking greater success and peace of mind/soul in my life. I won't get into all the particulars, but I'm increasing my opportunities to educate myself and broaden my opportunities and horizons.

 

So, therefore, something has to give, and unfortunately I think that has to be some aspect of my roleplaying life. I think it means I need to put my very-young, recently-started Dragon Age campaign on hold. I think it means I need to shift back to being a player when I can make it to Wednesday nights at the FLGS. Hey, any roleplaying is good roleplaying, I say!

 

Look, I'm not crying over here. It's my choice to participate in activities in my spare time that take away from my RPG time, especially my ability to be a GM. If I can't GM up to my own standards, I won't do it. I think my group will understand. I miss my fellow gamers very much, I haven't seen them in over a month!

 

Ironically, despite all of my stuff going on, I think I'm going to have time to make this here blog into a "pro-Dragonlance" blog of sorts. You'll see what I mean...stay tuned.

Early-Morning Clarity, Personal Growth, and Roleplaying - Part 1

Have you ever experienced the phenomenon where, in the moments after you wake up in the morning, the first thoughts that come to your mind seem so pure and clear? In addition, do you suspect that those thoughts are manifestations of your truest, deepest desires? In other words, these thoughts may be what you truly want with regard to some aspect of your life, but most of the time they are buried under all of the other thoughts, feelings, and various mental distractions of your daily life.

I believe I woke up on a recent morning with one of those moments of clarity. At least, I think that's what happened. I want to farm this whole thought process out to you, my fellow RPG bloggers in the great virtual hive-mind that is the Internet. I want your thoughts, advice, feedback, ridicule, whatever. This is going to be a bit long, so I'm breaking it up into two posts. Here goes:

For some reason, I just haven't been feeling fully satisfied of late when it comes to the rule systems I've been considering or actually using. OF COURSE, I am entertaining the possibility that this lack of satisfaction with any of the rule systems that I've been reading/using of late is due to some lack of vision on my part, some lack of thought-clarity.

Anyway, I've been feeling that there needs to be an RPG, and specifically a fantasy RPG similar to D&D, for busy adults. Perhaps this theoretical RPG would somehow facilitate play for those who can meet only infrequently, and who can't spend copious amounts of time on session prep.

Now, I do in fact believe that the continuity and cohesion of a particular campaign depends a lot on the GM's attention to detail, and not on the system being used. Does the GM take the right amount of notes during sessions so that he/she creates a firm bridge between sessions? For me, if I can't maintain this session cohesion, I don't feel like I'm doing right by my campaign and, most importantly, my players.
 

Back to this RPG for busy adults concept. Here's what I'm thinking currently, stream-of-consciousness style:

Perhaps the biggest concern I've had of late is the "damage" long breaks between game sessions can inflict upon a campaign. As a busy adult, I've come to believe that the sometimes long absenses from the table-top result in an increase in time needed for players to level up. Is there an RPG with an advancement system that doesn't suffer from long absenses from the campaign? Is there an RPG that will have just the right advancement system that will give satisfying goals for players and allow them to steadily advance despite the potential for long breaks between game sessions?

I don't want to keep track of arrows, torches, sling bullets, rations, etc. And as a matter of fact, I don't want my players to keep track of the usual "consumables." Yes, this is my heretical disdain for resource management. Heck, I want lack of resources to crop up unexpectedly.

I also don't want to keep track of time, miles traveled, etc.

I DO want to deal with plot hooks, player decisions, and subsequent consequences.

I'm a busy adult who believes (perhaps wrongly or rightly) that he doesn't have time to keep track of the resource management, but believes that the tension that stems from said management can still be created using the right system...or perhaps using a system right!

I want to focus on the complex results of the interplay between GM and players. I prefer to focus on fostering the cooperative story that the players and I are creating.

When I talk about a story game, my definition is one that doesn't involve me creating the RPG equivalent of a "novel" through which I will railroad my players. I am not a frustrated novelist. I'm a GM running roleplaying games. Story comes from me presenting a world and events in that world, and giving players knowledge of the events in that world (or at least some of those events). This knowledge will come in a variety of ways: rumors in the tavern, intelligence from thieves, braggadocio of mercenaries, whispers of courtiers, declarations from enemies, scribblings on scrolls and in tomes, and on and on and on. Then, the players will decide which of these sounds appealing to them, and they will head off in search of adventure. And part of the joy of this is that I will have to adapt, as best I can, to their whims. I will do my best to react and give them consequences, both "good" and "bad," that will interest, intrigue, engage, titillate, horrify, bedevil, ensnare, and reward them.

As I said above, I don't want my players to have to do bookkeeping. I know there can be joy in the bookkeeping, but that's a different style of play than I am currently interested in. I was interested in the past, but right now I am not. Why? Well, again, I feel sometimes overwhelmed when dealing in-session with I feel like a nanny when I ask players to "mark off that arrow you just fired" or "reduce your mana for that spell." I don't want to be bothered.

I suppose I can get this from any RPG system if necessary, I just need to change my perception. Or is there a system out there that facilitates the plot focus that I'm seeking, but somehow brings the tension of resource management to the table? Is this system called Torchbearer or Dungeon World?

Ok, I'm not all that happy about how coherent this post is...but I think I got the gist across. I feel like I've had a cronic lack of clarity in my writings of late...but that's for the next post. In the meantime, your comments are welcome.

End-of-Week Elmore (5/24/13)

Greetings, folks. I know, I know, it seems that all I've been doing of late is posting these End-of-Week things. I apologize profusely for my lack of blogging fecundity (not that I've ever been all that fecund).

 

Like the handsome fellow in the illo above, I hope to return from the "dead" soon, when it comes to roleplaying and blogging. Getting acclimated to the new job is taking up most of my time these days. So, I've been missing game nights as well as posting my Elmore-worshipping blog filler.

 

Please believe me when I say that I want to turn things around ASAP!

 

With regard to the blog, I've been looking back over things and I realized that I haven't done a lot of product reviews on this blog. I would really like to do some of those, especially for products that haven't been reviewed to death already (such as the OOP D&D stuff or the more high-profile OSR stuff). For example, I'd really like to give a detailed review of what is probably a hidden gem at the moment: Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures by Flatland Games. Do yourself a favor and google that, when you get a moment. I'd also like to review some fiction and maybe some film (again, perhaps the more obscure offerings).

 

As for roleplaying itself, I think I'm almost ready to sit back down in the GM's chair (I really, really miss it). Once that happens, I would definitely like to start blogging about what happens at my sessions, both in terms of play reports as well as thoughts that occur to me pertaining to the GMing craft.

 

That's all for now, good people! I hope you have a relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

May Day and Renewal

I've heard of the May pole...but what are these guys doing? Happy bludgeoning?

So here we are and it's May 1st already! For the last few months (since about February) I've missed my Wednesday night games at the FLGS, due to the fact that I was taking a class and had other work and family commitments.

 

And, I had a new job opportunity drop into my lap (I'm here to tell you that LinkedIn is awesome, folks). I'm happy to report that opportunity has panned out quite nicely, and I'm going to start my next career adventure in a couple weeks! One of the best parts of the new gig: it's still within driving distance of my FLGS, so Wednesday game night shall live on!

 

Even though I've missed some Wednesday night roleplaying, I've managed to keep getting together with a group of guys (who were originally friends of friends) with whom I'm playing Pathfinder (I'm a half-orc rogue). Let me tell you, the game gives me a headache and causes frustration. There seems to be way too much dice rolling and time spent on all sorts of feats and other junk. And don't get me started on the friggin' attacks of opportunity! Oy vey!

 

Yes, I knew going into it that Pathfinder was more crunchy than, say, Castles & Crusades and the "OSR-approved" rules. But I thought I could get over the crunch. But I don't think I can. It's not that I couldn't learn and grasp them. I just find myself resisting the learning process. There's a very vocal part of my mind that bluntly states "Not interested!" And I guess I'm okay with that. It really leaves me yearning for the older rules, you know?

 

But hey, the way I see it, it's still roleplaying! You know those old sayings about pizza and sex, right? Even when they're bad they're good?

 

Anyway, have a great May Day kids!

The GMing Never Stops

As you probably know by now, I'm taking a hiatus from GMing for an indefinite amount of time this year. I discussed my reasons in detail in my 2013 reflection post, but it boils down to this: I needed to take a break because I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by my constant, all-or-nothing, full-speed-ahead approach to GMing. Basically, I'm GMing all the time. It never stops.

 

What do I mean? Well, when I'm not at the table actually running a session, I'm usually doing something pertaining to GMing in my head. All the time.

 

This can be great...a real joy to have my imagination churning...the creative spark aflame! Or, it can burn the hell out of your brain, and exhaust you utterly, because (at least for me) it's hard to shut off. And the line between awesome-ness and crispiness is razor-thin most of the time.

 

If I'm reading a novel or even non-fiction, I'm mining for plot hooks, ideas for NPCs, etc. I've been doing this for decades, even during the very long periods of time I wasn't roleplaying...as if my subconscious mind knew that someday I would return to the table-top, even if my conscious mind wasn't even considering a return to roleplaying.

 

If I'm watching a movie or a TV show, I'm doing the same thing as when I'm reading a book.

 

Then there's the reading of actual RPG materials, be it game systems, campaign settings, GMing advice, modules, etc. This often conflicts with novel/non-fiction reading time, which can be something of an internal dilemma. I've got a huge library of books that I own (some for years now) but I haven't yet read. But when I go to the library with my kids I can't seem to leave without a book or three, which distracts me from my own personal library. So, I'm way behind on reading, in general.

 

And don't even get me started about all the blogs I want to read...

 

But, it seems I'm not alone in my affliction. This here post was really inspired by a post at Gnome Stew the other day called "The Constant GM." I, of course, can relate in spades. Then there's the Rather Gamey post (from another GM on hiatus) about always having GMing on the brain. And then there's the great post on Not the Singularity that is basically an ode to GMing, and a pretty good read...an sort of pep talk for GMs. I needed that.

 

It's good to not be alone. This is one of the reasons I enjoy being part of the blogosphere: the reminders that there are like-minded souls out there with the same challenges.

 

So, I'm sure there are others of you out there who are constantly GMing, either at the actual table or in the table of the mind. Please, if you are also so afflicted, share with us!

 

In the meantime, I'm holding on to this hope: that this hiatus will culminate in a glorious return to the helm, and will result in one of my best campaigns yet!

Status: Dreaming of the World...

 

Hello, fellow adventurers! I've been less prolific than usual on my blog, and for that I apologize. I'm currently taking a class in philosophy, a philosophy that focuses on believing in yourself and the power of your will and using that to change your life. Sounds like mumbo jumbo? Well, let me put it this way: I've tried it the other way (i.e. not believing in myself) for most of my life, and much of my life has seemed like a struggle. So, what do I have to lose?

 

This new focus on positivity and the power of the will has opened my mind to some new opportunities for my life, as it pertains mostly to the future of my career. So I've been giving over much of my free time to some new endeavors to reshape the course of my working life. All of this has given me a new vigor for life that is incredible.

 

I'm still on hiatus from running RPG sessions at my FLGS, but I haven't been able to attend the sessions run by my group for some weeks now (due to the class I'm taking). I'm missing roleplaying like crazy, I have to tell you. But the class will soon be over and I know I'll return to game night.

 

In the meantime, as it always has (even over the years when I wasn't roleplaying), my mind is swirling with inspiration regarding gaming. So thus far, the break I'm taking seems to be clearing out the burnt parts of my brain.

 

As I stated in my 2013 resolutions post, I'm working on my own campaign world, for the first time in well over a decade. I've been intimidated at times, but I really want a campaign world that I feel is worthy of my time investment. And published settings weren't doing it for me anymore. But the act of creation, for me, adds that element of becoming invested in the setting...and serves to feed my need to do something creative (a need which roleplaying itself feeds as well).

 

Published worlds may have the advantage of providing ready-made setting details, but getting to know said worlds can sometimes become too much like studying a world history text. Who has the time or patience for that?!

 

So, what advantages of world-building are attractive to me, besides the sheer joy of creation? Well, I can make up setting details on the fly, via my own flashes of inspiration and the decisions that players make in-game, especially with regard to the encounters they...well, encounter. Also, I'm not too proud to admit that I'll be injecting ideas that I get from reading fiction and non-fiction, as well as watching films, documentaries, etc. That's very appealing to me, actually, and is something that's harder to do with a published setting.

 

Yeah, just knowing that I'll be truly collaborating with players to not only create the events of the game, but also the game world, is really exciting...an excitement I haven't felt in a long time.

 

So, I hope to start blogging about the setting details I'm creating before I start running my next campaign. I don't intend to flesh things out too much, because that's just too much work that doesn't need to be done before a campaign starts. That's something that you wonderful folks in the blogosphere have reminded me about again and again, and for that I'm grateful!

 

Until next time, kindred spirits, I wish you happy gaming!

Jury Duty...

I'm not talking about just going to jury duty for one day and coming home after not being selected to serve. I'm talking about being selected to serve on a trial. That's what happened to me late last week. So I'm in court three days a week this week and next week most likely (hopefully not longer). Court is only in session three days a week in my county, so I'm in work on Mondays and Fridays. It's all very weird, but I'm very happy to be performing a civic duty. I didn't go into it with the usual "I gotta get outta this!" mentality that I've had in the past. So, I'm finding my first stint as juror to be very interesting.

 

In the meantime I'm a bit off my game, no pun intended at all, and therefore my posting is going to be more sporadic than usual. Anyway, wish me luck and I'll try to find some time to post soon. I'd really like to get a moment to do a review of Gygax Magazine #1, among other things. Talk to you later, gators!

Status Update: I don't know how to quit you, Dungeons & Dragons!

 

Greetings and salutations, fellow RPG-philes. Thought I'd check in with a good-old status update.

 

I've almost managed to shake a lingering monster-cold. Still have a bit of a cough, but the most annoying thing is the sore throat that's still hanging on. Seriously, you don't know how effortless swallowing is until the time when it feels like you're trying to ingest sharp-edged Legos. And I just don't get the sheer "physics" of sore throats. In the space of a few minutes the soreness can move from one side of the throat to the other, while you're just sitting there and not even swallowing. And sometimes the pain extends into the tongue. Ah well, it's almost gone, so whatever.

 

The good news is that I'm actually going to make it to my Wednesday night game at the FLGS tonight! I haven't run my current C&C campaign since the 24th of October (due to Superbitch Sandy and her crappy aftermath as well as my bout of plague). So I'm finally going to scratch the gaming itch!

 

Speaking of the itch, let me elaborate on the title of this post. As I lamented in a prior post, I'm still a victim of an unrelenting obsessive attachment to Dungeons & Dragons and its many clones. I'm still dreaming about running other systems and other genres besides fantasy (using Savage Worlds to run a cyberpunk or space opera game is still high on my RPG bucket list, and I'm reading through my copy of Heroes & Other Worlds and liking it a lot.) BUT there's always this rogue thought pattern that comes crashing back to the front of my mind, screaming "How dare you even THINK about running anything but D&D?!"

Yes, it does seem like my subconscious is totally fine with me being a player of other systems and other genres. It's me thinking of running something besides D&D that seems to induce an involuntary brain malfunction. Really strange. I'm trying to ruminate on this personal phenomenon but haven't made any headway. Might be time to head back to the shrink. Just need to find one willing to talk about Dungeons & Dragons. ;-)

All joking aside, I hope to return to some more substantial posting someday soon. As is the case with most folks this time of year, the holidays mess everything the hell up, so who knows when I can make good on that promise. I'll be in touch. Until then, happy gaming to all, and to all a good day!

Laid low by illness...

This is just a short post to apologize for my silence over the last few days. I've been afflicted with the mother of all colds, it seems. Right now I am experiencing the wonderful sensation of pain radiating through my cheeks and teeth, courtesy of some inflamed sinuses! Awesome-sauce, as the kids say these days.

Anyway, I hope to be able to post something of substance soon. I got my hands on a copy of Heroes & Other Worlds and would like to post something about it this week, health permitting. Stay tuned...

Thanksgiving Holiday RPG Musings

As I’m sure most of us do, I’m thinking deeply about my life during the Thanksgiving holiday. In particular, I’m thinking about my relationship with RPGs. Perhaps my mind is dwelling on this subject because for several weeks now I have not been able to meet with my usual RPG group. So it may be that I’m suffering from withdrawal, and this is making me pine for all things roleplaying. So, here’s what’s on my mind:

 

I believe that I am prone to fits of RPG assumptions. I think since I returned to table-top RPGs in July 2010, I’ve been focusing on retroclones and other modern recreations of out-of-print versions of Dungeons & Dragons, rather than a re-exploration of the actual Dungeons & Dragons games.

I’ve been assuming that retroclones are the direction I MUST go with regard to my return to gaming. I’ve also been assuming, perhaps in a mostly unconscious way, that retroclones are “superior” to the original D&D versions. This applies in particular to Castles & Crusades, which I’ve allowed myself to believe is “better” than Advanced D&D.

 

I think I’m moving away from this superiority belief and moving toward deeper and deeper desire to engage in an in-depth study of the Basic/Advanced D&D editions. I’ve been assuming that I know those systems already. I’ve overestimated my understanding of those original rules. I may know the general concepts pretty well, but my knowledge of the finer aspects of D&D is sorely lacking.

I now think my focus on retroclones has been purely a matter of expediency. They are what’s in print and readily available, and they are often more streamlined that the original versions. This, as I’ve mentioned on this blog before, is no doubt due to my current life as a busy adult. When it comes to C&C, there’s also the fact that it makes some changes I like to the Advanced D&D classes, as well as a unified modern mechanic.

 

Of late, I’ve had a growing urge to study, of all things, Second Edition D&D. In the epilogue to my gamer testimonial, I professed a disdain for that edition. I have to say that this supposed disdain is probably based on a tendency to turn away from a pastime after inundating myself with said pastime. This is especially true when it comes to me and RPGs. I think I just immerse myself so deeply in an activity that I burn myself out.

But this rejection of 2^nd Edition AD&D also comes from my weakness for novelty and perhaps a bit of attention deficit disorder. I’m not just talking about Gamer ADD, but just generalized ADD. I think my retroclone focus was based on a tendency I’ve always had to cling to a “newer is better” mentality/habit. I go through phases in life where I cannot focus well on things. But I also labored long under a tendency to assume that prior versions of D&D, or indeed D&D itself, is somehow “childish.” From reading other blogs, I don’t think I’m alone in this. There was a time when I left D&D behind and moved on to RPGs that I thought were more “adult,” such as Amber Diceless RPG and the White Wolf Storyteller games.

 

I know I’ve been rambling here, but this post is probably more for me to talk things out to myself rather than be a coherent read for others. However I would love to hear feedback from readers. To sum up: I’m going to stop assuming I have a deep understanding of the Basic and Advanced versions of D&D, and actually read up on them. I know I have limited time to do so, but I’m going to make the commitment. I’m also going to rethink my prejudice toward 2^nd Edition AD&D and give that system another chance. It is, after all, the version of D&D I played the most besides 1^st Edition AD&D.

Wish me luck as I delve into the depths of my RPG motivations!