Generating character names with AI tools
Some ideas on effectively using generative AI tools to make resources for tabletop roleplaying games.
All articles about RPGs
2023
Manticore 2.0
Notes on updating the Manticore encounter generator for 13th age to the second edition draft rules, and switching to Svelte.
2022
The future of Manticore
Considering the future of the Manticore app for 13th age, now that a second edition is on the way.
My 2021 in Tabletop RPGs, and looking ahead to 2022
2021
What The Rulebook Didn’t Include: Gumshoe
Two articles about Gumshoe I wrote for the Indie Game Reading Club.
Burning Wheel: help and FoRKs with beginner’s luck
My 2020 in tabletop RPGs and goals for 2021
2020
Wizard’s tower floorplan
Shaun Hayworth on advancing situation in Burning Wheel
A Gumshoe Drives hack
A rule variant for Gumshoe to make drives more significant.
Zombie World first impressions
Sundry thoughts on the Zombie World RPG after a single play session.
An Indie Games Reading Club Reading List
Paul Beakley’s The Indie Games Reading Club is a staggering resource for role-playing gamers filled with useful content. But where to start? Consider this a possible path into the archives.
Burning Wheel conflict action cards
Gaming ambitions for 2020
2019
Gumshoe: an overlooked feature of spends
Trail of Cthulhu with pushes
An overview of character mechanics that need to be resolved when adapting Trail of Cthulhu to use Pushes from the Yellow King RPG.
Gumshoe: encoding genre with abilities
Gumshoe: adjudicating interpersonal skills
Gumshoe: antagonist spends
A look at the math and narrative ramifications of spending antagonist pool points in the Gumshoe RPG systems.
Gumshoe: What is competence?
Gumshoe: the investigative to general ability exchange rate
Gumshoe: the kernel of the game
This is the first post in a series looking at the Gumshoe role-playing game system.
Trilemma Adventures Compendium kickstarter
Fate Accelerated Edition index card character sheet
Trail of Cthulhu: Shanghai Bullets
Actual play notes for Shanghai Bullets.
Gumshoe’s sense trouble ability
Burning Wheel GM Apprenticeship
Yellow King: Starting with a Classic
The Yellow King Role-Playing Game
A review of sorts of The Yellow King Roleplaying Game. If you have never played a tabletop role-playing game but been curious, check this game out.
2018
Fall of Delta Green Lethality rules
Villainous motivations in Cthulhu games
Trail or Call of Cthulhu?
With two great marquee Cthulhu role-playing games available, how do you decide which is right choice for your game?
The Dying of St Margaret’s, again
2016
ANN: Manticore 0.5-beta1 released
Manticore 0.5-beta1 has been released, with an overhauled codebase, and a number of small UI improvements.
2015
Directors Handbook: Opposition Forces
More of the Dracula Dossier Director’s Handbook: Edom, Dracula, and others.
Directors Handbook: The 1894 Network
Continuing to read through the Dracula Dossier Director’s Handbook. This time the 1894 network and their descendants.
Directors Handbook: Eyes Only Briefing and Opening the Dossier
Initial thoughts on the first two sections of the Director’s Handbook for The Dracula Dossier.
The Dracula Dossier
First thoughts, and a reading order, for The Dracula Dossier for Night‘s Black Agents
2014
Introducing Manticore
Announcing Manticore, an web app for generating encounters for the 13th Age roleplaying game.
13th Age character creation
My weekly gaming group has begun playing 13th Age. This article contains some thoughts on the game’s character creation process.
Mouse Guard RPG 2nd edition coming
The Mouse Guard RPG is getting reprinted with a revised edition of the rules.
13th Age‘s most practical innovation
An initial reflection on ideas introduced in 13th Age.
2013
The Mouse Guard RPG scenario structure
Luke Crane and David Petersen’s Mouse Guard RPG introduces the concept of separate GM and player turns. This article takes a look at the ramifications of these turns in play.
Wisdom from The Mountain Witch
Collected resources for Timothy Kleinert's wonderful small press RPG The Mountain Witch.
2012
Silver screen Cthulhu
An assortment of thoughts about Shadows Over Filmland for the Trail of Cthulhu RPG.
Night's Black Agents: Vampires
A worked example of an alien vampire type for the spy-thriller role-playing game Night's Black Agents by Kenneth Hite.
Night's Black Agents
A review of vampire spy-thriller role-playing game Night's Black Agents by Kenneth Hite.
The Dying of St Margaret’s
A review of Graham Walmsley’s first purist scenario for Trail of Cthulhu.
2011
The Apocalypse Machine
A detailed review of The Apocalypse Machine, Graham Walmsley's post apocalypse setting toolkit for Trail of Cthulhu.
The Book of the Smoke
A review of Pelgrane Press's companion to the campaign frame The Bookhounds of London for players and keepers.
Bookhounds of London
A review of Bookhounds of London, a campaign frame for Trail of Cthulhu by Kenneth Hite.
2010
Mutant City Blues
Shadows over Filmland
The Dance in the Blood
2009
The Haunting: Terms
In my recap of The Haunting I mentioned some terms that were new to people outside small press gaming circles at the time. This post explains some of them.
The Haunting
Notes on having running the classic Call of Cthulhu scenarion The Haunting.