GE29: 5 Reasons to Make TotalCon Your First Con [ 29:45 | 13.65 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (216)TotalCon is New England’s largest gaming convention. We highlight 5 reasons why you must make TotalCon your first con. If you’ve gone to many cons or even been to TotalCon before, you’ll learn something new by listening to this episode.
Sometimes it happens right away, and sometimes it takes a while for a player to realize, but eventually every player comes face to face with one of the great hobgoblins of roleplaying games: meta-gaming. For you neophytes, meta-gaming, simply put, is behaving in a way that betrays a character’s in-game knowledge. We might also call this “breaking the fourth wall” or “acting out of character”, but this behavior most often takes the form of a character acting on knowledge he or she doesn’t have. It can [...]
I have always gotten extremely nervous before serving as the GM for games. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s before a group of newbies or a bunch of seasoned veterans, a game at a convention or one in my own apartment, some people I’ve never met or my most stalwart friends, new material or re-hashed stuff I’ve already done. I get anxious that the game I’m about to run is not going to be fun. I know that this is the result, to some [...]
This is the second in a two-part series about running published modules. Last week we talked talk about why modules suck. This week, we’ll talk about why they’re great. Do you have a life? Do you actually have a life outside your roleplaying game? Do you have friends? A hudband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend? A pet? Do you like going to the movies? Do you like watching TV or reading books? Do you enjoy hiking, camping, traveling, sports, or one of a hundred other activities? Do [...]
Indie+ July 9th – 15th Indie+ is all about the rich and diverse tabletop gaming culture that exists beyond the realm of the big boys with their marketing budgets and corporate mentality. It’s about the bloggers and podcasts who tell us about the games; the artists and writers who bring ideas to life; and the publishers who take the hobby in new directions. Whether amateur, semi-pro or professional, if you are doing it love of gaming, Indie+ is the place for you. Join us on [...]
Sometimes I can tell when I begin writing a post whether it’s going to be long and ponderous or a markedly quick burst of text. (Ok, let’s be honest, it’s almost always the former, despite my best intentions for the latter.) While I generally attempt to be succinct, from time to time there comes a topic such as today’s, which promises to be divisive. Yes, it’s the age old question: should we split the party? Last weeks’ article, still possessing the oven-fresh smell, dealt with [...]
This is the first of a two-part article about trouble at your gaming table. I’ve divided my thoughts into two sections: dealing with trouble characters, and dealing with trouble players. I’ll start with trouble characters, since they seem to be so much easier to deal with. The idea here is that all the players involved (including the GM) are interested in having a good time and can work out their differences amicably. It’s hard to isolate when a character is creating a problem and when [...]
Indie Talks launches tomorrow! ZOMG! My new podcast hits the etherwaves with episode #0 on June 6th. On Indie Talks, you’ll get to meet the people behind independent gaming. Also the people in front of it. And those slightly off to one side of it. As I’m preparing to record episode #4 tonight, and launching with my little introduction tomorrow, it occurred to me that I, too, am an indie game developer. This means that I answer to no one but myself. Am master of my own [...]
