Adept Play
Science fiction is a vast squishy thing spread throughout all sorts of media and culture/subculture. Got it. I wanted to examine its content in two pretty-specialized media: mainstream television series and table-top role-playing. You’ll see three dialogues: first with Ángel, then Ivan, and finally Moreno. I’m first to admit, the result is a mess: not…
Let me tell you about a science fantasy setting! From the literature, inspired by Barsoom and spinning Moorcock-like ideas into a deeper form; from the real world, inspired by South Asian culture and ethnicity, written by an observant Muslim; from design perspective, emerging from long-term enthusiastic play. Swords, seamlessly merged tech-occult, huge ceremonial costumes +…
That illustration is just about exactly perfect for my character, Zocchi Scurlato. (artist is Nicholas Kay) Petteri, Paul, Santiago, and I continue with our saga of the golden dragon-man in the city of commerce, whom Zocchi is more or less planning to murder, depending on whom he runs into next. This session is noted for…
The topic is group preparation, when you spend some time together creating and customizing the setting and situation. Whether it’s a pitch, a series of rules steps,a suggestion-and-approval process, or anything like that – we hit it from a lot of angles and a lot of examples. Joining me are Ray, Herman, Ángel, Santiago, and…
Part 5, final video out of five. Presenting a couple of definitions, asking a few pointed questions, copping to what I think. Let the rumpus start. I’ve mentioned it here and there, but will repeat that these are drafts, my first attempt. Some of the mistakes might be fixed easily with re-edit, others less so…
Here’s the follow-up to the earlier post in which Jason D’Angelo talked about my little diagramming habit. I’d planned to get this content into the comments there, but the games are so interesting and the diagrams are – I think – illuminating enough to merit their own presentation. I’ll also emphasize the point I make…
“Everyone knows” what sandbox means. Except that it was a term ‘ported into table-top role-playing from another medium and adopted as fashion rather than substance, so no, I don’t. Talk is cheap, whiskey costs money, and let’s see if this is a thing, and if so, how many things, and if so in a given…
Finding D&D, part 4! This one is scaring me. Remember how I warned that the one about fundamentalism and the OSR wouldn’t be insulting? I fear this one can’t say the same, and even if it doesn’t go too far, I know it’s going to gore a lot of oxen. One point I develop in…