This is RPG-ology #84: Possibilities, for November 2024. Our thanks to Regis Pannier and the team at the Places to Go, People to Be French edition for locating a copy of this and a number of other lost Game Ideas Unlimited articles. This was originally Game Ideas Unlimited: Possibilities, and is reposted here with minor … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #83: Tactics, for October 2024. Our thanks to Regis Pannier and the team at the Places to Go, People to Be French edition for locating a copy of this and a number of other lost Game Ideas Unlimited articles. This was originally Game Ideas Unlimited: Tactics, and is reposted here with minor … [Read more…]
This is Faith in Play #63: Inadequacy, for February 2023. Decades ago comedian Bill Cosby got a lot of laughs from a sketch about Noah’s conversations with God. Throughout Noah is full of doubts and questions (“Am I on Candid Camera?), not at all happy with what he has been instructed to do. We don’t … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #56: Voices, for July 2022. A couple months back someone on a Facebook RPG group (and I honestly don’t remember which) asked for advice on how to individualize non-player characters. There was some good advice given, including a small bit from me about creating character voices; but the question keeps coming … [Read more…]
This is Faith in Play #53: Synchronicity, for April 2022. On the Christian Gamers Guild discussion board, Michael Garcia raised a familiar question with a new twist: how do you bring the hand of God into a role playing game without going over the top? In a game like Advanced Dungeons & Dragons™ magic is … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #34: Invisible Coins, for September 2020. This was originally published as Game Ideas Unlimited: Invisible Coins on July 27, 2001. It is only slightly edited for republication here. You’ve probably heard the line about our strange and beautiful relationship—in which I’m beautiful, and you’re… well, I’ll assume you’ve heard it. My relationship … [Read more…]
This is RPG-ology #32: Doing Something, for July 2020. Although this is actually about a gaming referee technique, I’m starting with an example from a book, my novel Verse Three, Chapter One, freely accessible on the web. It also begins with magic items, but moves beyond that to objects in other settings and genres. As … [Read more…]
GM as Referee GMs also have to act as referee/judge when running a game. In other games that require a referee (such as football), the referees must know the rules in and out, and be ready to make a call instantly. GMing is a little different, since the GM not only enforces the rules like other referees; he’s … [Read more…]
The following article was originally published in June 2001 on the Christian Gamers Guild’s website. The entire series remains available at its original URL. When I was working my way back toward the fundamentals of our game experience last month, just before I reached the point of discussing social interaction I mentioned mechanics. Mechanics are … [Read more…]