In Which The Warlock Interviews a Dread Pirate...

Now that I've recovered from the "30 Days of GameMastering" challenging, it's time to get back to our normal routine of entries.  This time around, I had a chance to catch up with an old friend:  Tim Riley, who's currently running a GoFundMe campaign for his new endeavor--GamePAWN.  Tim's been a community member of the Wittenberg Roleplaying Guild for quite a while, so this is definitely exciting...

You've been in the games industry for a while – who have you worked with and in what capacity?

Since I owned a store a lot of my working relationships have been with other store owners, distributors and with company owners.  I've worked with several small game companies, stocking their product and offering critiques as requested.  I have relationships with other folks, from seeing them at conventions and chatting online.  I've also worked with some of the local printers both for advertising and for production.  A long time ago I produced a couple of game books and got to know the process.

Tell us a little bit about what GamePAWN's mission is:  Why this company and why now?

Well, the why now is easy – I have time.  I can spend time finding the right people to introduce and take time to make GamePAWN work.

As to why this company, because I've been studying Kickstarter projects that fail to meet their shipping dates and it seems to me that most of the problems come with creatives that don't have access to business infrastructure and they spend their time and capital trying to set up the business framework required to run a company and then lose track of actually creating the product. I want to see if I can help with that.

What benefits would a creator see by working with GamePAWN?

Access to introduced contacts and to each other.  Insight on projects and plans. Looking forward, access to services like bookkeeping, payroll, marketing, copy editing and anything else we can do to make life run smoother.

How does GamePAWN fit into the digital revolution in publishing?

Even with the digital revolution you still need framework and access to the people who make the publishing work.  GamePAWN will work with creatives to find the best prices and most advantageous delivery schedules.  Sometimes better prices can be arranged when several companies are planning to use the publishers services and GamePAWN can help negotiate that sort of thing.

You're currently running a funding drive via GoFundMe – what does this funding go towards?  What does a pledge net me, as a game creator?

I'm planning for the funding to be used to sponsor networking events at the major cons.  A pledge will get you an invite and the swag from your sponsorship level.

Is there anything else you'd like our audience to know?

This will grow and expand as our members need.  We want to make this a useful part of a free-lance or start-up experience.  There will be room for growth and improvements as we find our feet and get an even better idea of what the membership can use.

Thanks, Tim!  I'm sure we're all excited to see what's in store with GamePAWN!

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 30!

And this is it!  Our final entry in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge!  One last charge unto the breach, my friends!

How do we grow the hobby?

Seriously?!  How is there not an RPG of this yet?!

We live in a golden age of geekery.  The Marvel cinematic universe has brought together some of the classic comic-book icons together in a cohesive internal mythology.  Comic book movies are now among the most anticipated films each year.  The Walking Dead has become an international sensation, breaking records with each new season.  A local Halloween attraction just south of Dayton now features a "Zombie Sniper Patrol" where you can live out your wildest zombie apocalypse fantasies, to say nothing of 10K runs that have turned into zombie-survival runs.  San Diego ComicCon has become the new Mecca for all things pop-culture.

It's easier nowadays to be published than anytime in history.  Anyone with an internet connection can start a blog or put together an e-book for publication online.  Digital correspondence allows artists, designers, writers, and publishers to collaborate and create product from anywhere in the globe.  For Cold Steel Wardens?  My mapmaker is from Germany.  My publisher is British.  My artists and editors come from all over the United States.

The frustrating thing on my end right now?  For as easy as it is to be published, for as high as the general public is on nerd-culture, the role-playing games market just doesn't seem to capitalize on what's popular.  While there is a new edition of Mutants and Masterminds corresponding directly to DC universe comics characters, there was no crossover with the recent Batman or Superman movies.  There's still no true Walking Dead RPG (which I'd love to write, if I got that license).  There are so many opportunities to capitalize on already-existing properties to usher in new players that it consistently astounds me that there aren't more RPG players and that those opportunities lie fallow.

For now?  The best thing we can do is keep pushing.  Keep spreading tendrils out there amongst the 'norms' and keep one mantra in mind:  "Oh, you like comics?  How would you like to play as a superhero?  Like zombies?  How about we run a zombie-apocalypse scenario?  I've got some dice you can borrow..."

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 29!

Just two more entries to go in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge!  Let's dive right in!

Teaching the game:  how do you sell players on the system while running a demo or convention game?

While I don't run games online, I do run them at conventions, as you followers of this blog well know.   Even before starting Cold Steel Wardens, I demoed WEGS and Pittsburgh 68, to say nothing of my numerous convention games at Origins and the many local conventions here in the Miami Valley.

Everyone has a different schtick!
Keep your PCs unique!

Firstly, I make sure to play up the major themes and archetypes in any game that I'm running.  This helps provide your players a jumping-off point, as well as helps them to understand the setting better.  For CSW, my pre-generated characters all echo already-existing comics characters and I describe them as such.  Dusk, for instance, is an unabashed pastiche of Nightwing, while Veritas is a slightly less psychotic Rorschach.   In my Deadlands one-shots, I included very archetypal Old West characters:  a big-game hunter, a riverboat gambler, a 'lady of the night', and an Indian ambassador.

However, this emphasis shouldn't just extend to your pre-generated PCs.  Rather, you should ensure that your adventure itself emphasizes the core themes of the setting.  One of my most successful convention games--the Deadlands one-shot included over in my free gaming materials:  "Westbound on the San Juan Express"--played this angle up with emphasis.  "Westbound..." emphasized the alternate history angle of the setting, as the PCs were hired to escort Samuel Clemens to Denver to deliver a speech, but also touched on the occult/horror theme, as the game also featured a mysterious Harrowed and a batch of walkin' dead, hidden away in the cargo cars.

I also try to ensure that PCs all have interesting, unique things to do and don't step on one another's toes.  In my "Reno Six-Pack" of Hell on Earth adventurers, I do include three 'spellcasters', but all three use different powers:  the Templar focuses on healing and self-buff powers, the Doomsayer blasts things with radioactive energy, and the Junker has Tesla-based gadgetry.  Even though the mechanics of their spellcasting is nominally the same, their form and function differ greatly, providing niche protection and covering unique bases.  Further, the non-caster characters cover numerous unique skills.  The Road Warrior, obviously, is the best at driving and piloting checks, but is also a terror in melee, wielding a mini-chainsaw.  The Harrowed gunslinger makes for an expert marksman, but is also a capable tracker and scout.

Taking the pain out of the system's learning curve also helps aid play.  After players pick characters in a CSW one-shot, I walk them through the character sheet, using one of the non-chosen characters.  In doing so, I also demonstrate what certain rolls look like, particularly showing how certain modifiers (for CSW, mainly Skill Specialties) fit into a given roll.  This tends to speed things up, though I often start each one-shot with an 'easy' encounter, where the players can get their feet wet in an environment that isn't going to harm them drastically.

Lastly?  Remember it's just a game.  For a one-shot--especially at a convention--it's a much better idea to fudge some rules for the sake of the game moving forward and players having fun.  Getting hung up in minutia, particularly with new players, isn't worth the hassle.  Make sure everyone's having a good time and that they leave the table satisfied.

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 28!

Just three days remaining in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge!  Here we go!

Transcending the material plane:  how do you GM online?

Long story short?  I don't.  Period.

I'll play board games online--I've recently been on a kick, playing Sentinels of the Multiverse with several of the other members of the Greater Than Games forums--but I don't play RPGs online.  I don't really feel any animosity for those who do, but it's not for me.

Why, you might ask?   In my eyes, rpgs are an inherently social activity.  There's something to be gained not just from the interaction of players at the table, not just in terms of collaborative storytelling but also in terms of table banter and personal relationships.  Online gaming, whether via typing or a voice-chat utility, loses the inflection and nuance of face-to-face interaction.  While it can be convenient, it's a poor substitute for the real thing.  Since I haven't been at a lack for face-to-face gaming in quite a while, I don't intend to change anytime soon.

So, yeah...no online gaming for me.  I'll stick to my face-to-face Friday night group and my yearly convention circuit, thank you!

30 Days of GameMastery--Day 27!

4 days in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge left!  Take a look at today's entry:

Have you ever co-GMed?  Would you consider it?  What are the pros and cons?

I have actually co-GMed, though it's been quite a tick since I've done so.  Way back when I was still at Wittenberg, a good friend and I co-GMed an end-of-year one-shot which actually ran over two days in length!  That session, one of the infamous Blackfall games from which I took my company's name, was an absolute tour-de-force in terms of challenge.  Players rose up, characters fell, and the illithid conquerers of Blackfall were ultimately undone by the acts of a single dwarven mage who sacrificed himself to shunt the city into a different timestream, removing it from the world at large.

Co-GMing, as you might imagine, comes with a good deal of baggage.  While as a normal GM, you might enjoy relative autonomy in terms of the plot, overarching story, and presentation of NPCs, these become areas of consensus when someone else is riding shotgun in the GM's chair.  However, that same consensus can also result in great ideas that may not come from one GM alone.  And what, if anything, are RPGs if not some sort of collaborative storytelling?!

Is there room back here for two people?
Or more?!

The biggest difficulty with co-GMing, though, has to come down to time.  Normal GM prep can take a solid amount of time on its own; now imagine trying to line up that prep time with another individual, with a schedule just as busy as yours.  A relatively new friend of mine, met through the Wittenberg Role-Playing Guild, mentioned that he and another guilder were intending on co-GMing a semester-long Legend of the Five Rings game, as demand for L5R was particularly high.  Knowing their schedules, I immediately questioned his sanity:  getting together to prepare for a collaborative session every week?  That's a bit much.  However, they've somehow made it work, with one GMing focusing on the more zany, combat-based encounters and the other dealing with more role-play focused, character-driven vignettes.

One potential solution that I've seen to this dilemma is to simply alternate GMs--either the GMs share one character or play their own while the other GMs, with the GM's own PC fading into the background for that individual session.  While I haven't actually attempted this concept yet, it's been raised at our Friday night table as a potential alternative for some of our busier players, who may not have time to prep for a full session each week.

Overally, though, the biggest key has to be communication.  If you're going to co-GM, pick someone with gaming preferences similar to your own, such that the disconnect of switching GMs doesn't throw off your players.  And, throughout the entire process--from prep to play to prep again--you've got to keep talking and making sure that all the GMs are on the same page.  Do that, and this crazy idea just might have a chance.

30 Days of GameMastery--Day 26!

Just 5 days left in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastery" challenge!  Let's get started!

Are GMs bad players?  How do you step back when someone else is running the show?

Let's answer this one succinctly:  yes, GMs are bad players.  You know how "too many cooks spoil the broth"?  Too many GMs spoil a game.  Just as you might come to the game table with one vision of what your game will look like, every other GM comes with that same idea and attitude.  And, while this isn't unique to just GMs--everyone has personal preferences, of course!--the act of GMing represents a step towards actualizing that reality.  Turning over your stake in a virtual reality is hard! 

I do find, however, that my own tendencies as a player help keep the action moving.  You see, I'm an instigator.  I'm the guy who's always going off on his own, exploring places where he shouldn't be poking around,  While I have run into the occasion where new GMs aren't always prepared to deal with my off-the-cuff adventuring, most GMs find that I provide them with ample opportunities to exercise their evil ways, which pleases them to no end.

I also try to make myself available as a rules resource, particularly if we're playing a system that I have a degree of system mastery with.  While I do my best to not interfere with the actual act of running a game, if there's a question of rules, I offer to look up page references or cite my own experience in the system.  That way, the GM can focus on the in-game situations as they stand, while I can take care of the minutia.

Really?  The best thing you can do?  Just sit back and enjoy--trust your GM and trust the journey they're going to take you on.  Hang up your jaded jacket at the door and dive on in!

30 Days of GameMastery--Day 25!

You know it by now:  Lindevi.  "30 Days of GameMastering".  Challenge.  Go!

Problem players and drama llamas:  what's your horror story and how did you resolve it?

So, let's go back to the halcyon days of 2008.  The PlatinumChick and I were still living in our apartment in Fairborn, planning our wedding and eyeing up houses here in the Miami Valley.  Our Friday night game group was still rolling along and 4e was less than a year old.

Enter Richard.  Richard was the co-worker of one of our Friday night mainstays and had been looking for a regular group for quite some time with no luck.  As such, we welcomed him in...which was probably our first mistake.  You see, Richard came with three major problems which, like a bad rash, kept reoccurring.

The first was the least serious, though as a GM, it frustrated me personally.  Richard constantly wanted to revise his character, making significant changes and revisions, well over and above any 'retraining' coupled into the system.  Richard made a nuisance of himself, barraging myself and other gamers at the table, looking for input...which he would consistently ignore, both at the table and in character advancement.  One of the most absurd instances occurred during our "Pirates of the Underdark" game.  Despite the table's protests, he dropped a high-damage area-of-effect power into the middle of the party, hoping to catch a number of their foes in the blast.  Not only did Richard miss every one of the enemies, he damaged all of the party members in the melee, critting two of them!  After several sessions of this chaos, we started referring to Richard's character as "the best player on the GM's team!"

Really, Richard?
You couldn't play at the game store over the weekend
and arrive at our RPG night on time?

The second reason frustrated everyone at the table.  You see, Richard was a big HeroClix enthusiast who enjoyed playing at one of the various game stores in the Dayton area.  However, Richard's night of choice?  You got it:  Friday night.  Typically, our game nights begin around 6pm.  We grab dinner together--either at a local restaurant or take-out joint--and begin playing around 7:30, lasting until 11:30 or midnight.  Unfortunately, Richard's HeroClix games ended at 9pm, which was followed by a minimum half-hour drive to our apartment.  As such, Richard often wouldn't arrive until 10pm!  After a number of requests and emails, nothing had changed on this front.

The third reason, truth be told, was quite personal.  You see, Richard was married.  The PlatinumChick and I were engaged, about to be married in 2009.  However, that didn't stop him from sending her numerous inappropriate texts and making homophobic commentary at the table, fully knowing that I'm bisexual.  This one, I took personally.  I'm as lewd as it comes, but there's a big difference between making jokes between friends actually making moves on a to-be-married woman, especially while you're married.

Three strikes?  You betcha.  Not long after we moved, I finally pulled the trigger on Richard:  during one of the numerous sessions he had missed, I raised my concerns to the group and suggested that we release him.  The next day, I sent him a brief email highlighting our concerns and letting him know he would no longer be welcome at the table.  He took it...well, about as well as one could expect, but it hasn't been an issue since.

I've seen Richard at a few gaming events in the Miami Valley since then and, believe it or not, he's been rather civil.  He actually sat in on one of my Cold Steel Wardens demos and was an eager, invested player.  Maybe there's room for some redemption, I suppose, but I don't really aim to find out.

In the end, not everyone is a 'fit' in every game group.  If it happens, you've got to remain cool enough to speak the truth and do what's best for everyone involved.

30 Days of GameMastery--Day 24!

Just a few days left of Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastery" challenge.  Let's get right into it!

Canon vs. alternate universe vs. original setting:  What are the strengths and drawbacks of each?

A great many blog entries ago, I spoke about the concept of Kotov's Syndrome:  better known in gaming circles as 'analysis paralysis'.  You see, the problem when you can do anything, is that you can do anything!  Without limits or some sort of constraining device, we mere mortals tend either freeze up completely or flounder through, unfocused, without any overarching plan.

I've found that, in most of my personal creative endeavors, it's best to put at least some limits on yourself.  Limiting a game concept, a setting, or a scenario provides focus and allows a writer to better stay on topic.  When writing Cold Steel Wardens, I made what I originally thought to be a controversial decision:  CSW as a system does not have rules for transformative powers (a la the Human Torch or Colossus) or invulnerability (a la Superman); I tend to think they're overly powerful and not suited to an investigation-focused idiom.  However, in practice, I've found that none of my players or readers ever found my decision to be that controversial--it made sense, given the context.

In terms of setting, I tend to appreciate these sorts of limits, as they provide finite plot points and boundaries for players to act within.  Don't get me wrong--I like worldbuilding as much as the next writer/designer/GM/whatever, but in terms of my home games, I find that I prefer the "alternate universe" idea best between today's trio.

There but for the grace of the Dark Knight...?

The biggest benefit of the alternate universe is familiarity.  Considering the recent release of Arkham Origins, let us consider the example of The Batman.  If you're running a game in Gotham City, your players will know what to expect, even if Bruce Wayne never makes an appearance.  They'll expect pseudo-Gothic environs, corruption through the heart of the city's infrastructure, and organized criminals facing off against the masked "freaks" institutionalized at Arkham.  All of that sounds like a basic canon universe, but the alternate universe allows you to alter that paradigm in a manner of your choosing.

So, let's change the paradigm and make that canon setting into an alternate universe.  Imagine that same Gotham if Bruce Wayne had never became Batman.  Certain members of his rogues' gallery might never come to fruition, while still others would become unchecked powerhouses.  Bane might never exist, though someone like Black Mask might become a titan of the underworld.  We have a framework in existence for the world, though the players can't necessarily expect their knowledge to be accurate.

Maybe that's not satisfying for your Batman-ia.  Perhaps you could instead alter your universe such that Bruce Wayne died in his third year of being Batman, before ever adopting Dick Grayson.  In such a scenario, numerous ripples would echo across the universe, perhaps with Grayson himself attempting to take on the role of masked vigilante with no mentor.  What would he be like, without Wayne's intervention?  What about Wayne's later protoges:  Jason Todd, Time Drake, and Barbara Gordon?  The possibilities, within a limited scope, are utterly endless.

Such is the benefit of the alternate universe.  Once you have some lines to work within, it's so much easier to work without!

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 23!

If you don't know the drill by now....Lindevi, "30 Days of GameMastering", challenge, go!

What effects do system mechanics have on story?

When I started gaming, I was a big supporter of the d20 System.  One system that could do potentially everything?  A unified, easy-to-understand mechanic that just so happened to line up directly with the world's most popular roleplaying game?  Sounds great, right?

Unfortunately, in practice, results were always sort of mediocre.  While certain ports of the d20 System--notably Call of Cthulhu d20--managed to maintain atmosphere and tone, many other interpretations of the system (even by big publishers) were bloated, flavorless, and just 'meh'.  d20 Apocalypse was like that for me:  while the post-apocalyptic feel in gaming has always been ripe for great ideas, but the quintessential d20 post-apoc sourcebook left me unimpressed.

Over time, I came to realize a hard lesson:  just because you can make something in a generic system doesn't mean that you should.  Thanks to The Journeyman GM, I love Savage Worlds and its various settings, though truth be told, I can't see myself ever running a true horror game in SW.  Savage Worlds was built to emulate a pulpy, adventuresome feel, with Bennies and streamlined damage that allow for quick recovery.  In a horror game?  You don't want either of those things.  And, while Deadlands certainly contains aspects of horror, it's hard to truly be "scared" when you're playing a hard-bitten gunslinger, a mad scientist, or Gambit from the X-Men.

The right tool for the right job.

Game design is a unique animal:  it's a strange marriage of mathematician and creative writer that calls upon every spare neuron in your brain.  However, it takes both to make a great game.  A game tied too heavily to its mechanics feels generic and like math homework.  A game tied too heavily to its theme feels ephemeral and tacked on.

Think of game mechanics in terms of a tool box.  If you were going to hang a picture, you'd use a hammer and a nail.  You might instead use a drill and screws.  However, you probably wouldn't decide to use a wrench and spackle, even though they might possibly be able to hold the picture up.  The same thing goes for game mechanics.

This guy just lost some SAN points...

The best games use their mechanics to support their theme.  Call of Cthulhu encourages diverse skill use by tying advancement to using skills throughout the game.  CoC emphasizes the descent into madness through its ubiquitous "sanity spiral" wherein failing Sanity tests not only can drive you crazy now, but also makes you more likely to fail further Sanity tests.  Cold Steel Wardens emphasizes brutal combat and psychologically damaged heroes, spending an entire chapter (in a nominally superheroic game) detailing Injuries and Psychoses.  Dresden Files uses Aspects and very broad skills to emulate the flexibility of its arcanely-powered characters.

In the end, you've got to use the best tool for the job.  And, while something like d20 or GURPS or d% might be able to do the job, why not choose a more specialized tool that makes your job easier?  In this brave new world of digital publishing, there are games to emulate nearly every genre imaginable:  don't be afraid to give something new a try!

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 22!

Let's keep it rolling:  Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge continues!

A novel solution:  what's the best advice you've borrowed from a totally different field?

Einstein was once quoted as saying, "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."  When you're writing--whether for a novel or a game--inspiration has to come from experience.  The more you read, the more you watch, the more you think...the more ideas you can pull from at the game table.

As such, I've pulled inspiration from some rather odd sources in my day.  In terms of GMing technique, however, the strangest source may well be the various educational philosophies I've come across through my years in teaching.  While most people don't necessarily think of John Dewey or Lev Vygotsky as great gamemasters, the truth is that they provide unique insights into engagement, feedback loops, and reward systems for learning.

For example,Vygotsky emphasizes a concept known as "scaffolding" to advance students towards more advanced concepts via smaller, digestible chunks.  I'm actually currently utilizing this idea in my Planescape game, in terms of the numerous factions in Sigil.  During our first session, our heroes were thrown into a chaotic situation, featuring a mysterious madman known as Barking Wilder.  During our second session, as the PCs were arrested for trespassing (and several other charges), they learned that Barking Wilder was the missing leader of an organization known as the Xaositects, who opposed their jailors, the Harmonium.  As the PCs made their escape, their knowledge and understanding of the factions and their intricate relationships has expanded, with our intrepid planewalkers about to be fully immersed in the complexities of Sigilian politics.

Obviously, educational theory can be quite the mouthful, and it's of most use behind the GM screen, as players often simply don't care about anything but the results themselves.  However, if all goes as planned, I'll be speaking about educational theory at the game table at length as one of my "Pendulum Method" essays.  With any luck, it'll be on shelves next year!

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 21!

Today marks the start of the final leg of Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge; we're going to start talking about some of the "meta" details of gaming, starting with...

What are your favorite books about gamemastering?

Let's get one thing clear.  GMing means writing.  Even when you're running a game off-the-cuff, you're creating a narrative in which your players interact.  Even if you're using a pre-made setting or pre-made adventure, the details will always be different:  your Greyhawk is not my Greyhawk is not JimBob's Greyhawk.  And, even if you're not committing your campaign to text for posterity's sake, it's still being published each and every game night.

The best manual on GMing
that you could ever want.

Because of this, my favorite book about GMing is actually my favorite book about writing:  Stephen King's On Writing.   Say what you will about Stephen King--I find his writing poignant and tense, though I do enjoy his short stories more than his novels--but the man knows how to weave together interesting characters into a great narrative.  And, his magnum opus--the Dark Tower saga--is nothing short of masterful.

King intersperses his insights on the writing process with the story of his own development as a writer, taking a painful and self-deprecating look at not only his years of substance addiction, but also the recovery from his crippling car accident.  King's autobiographical moments permeate his advice, as he's able to contribute a full lifetime of writing and reading to his advice for other writers.

I can't really recommend On Writing highly enough; but, in the words of LeVar Burton, you don't have to take my word for it.  Take a good think about the following 6 rules--taken directly from a Guardian excerpt of On Writing itself--and then go pick it up:

1. The basics:  forget plot, but remember the importance of 'situation'.
2. Similes and metaphors:  the rights, the wrong.
3. Dialogue:  talk is sneaky.
4. Characters:  nobody is the 'bad guy'.
5. Pace: fast is not always best.
6. Do the research, but don't overdo it for the reader.