Gene asks – I’m running a fifth edition D&D campaign that’s been going on for about two and a half years. We have five players but average three or four per session. One player, who I’ll call Jess, has hardly ever missed a session and so has more experience (and is two levels higher) than …
Larry asks – I’m pretty familiar with D&D via the computer golden age of Black Isle Studios, but just recently started playing PnP this year. So far I’ve been having a blast and I’m going to be DMing in the next few weeks for the first time as well! It’s a pretty varied group that …
The Penny Arcade Expo is, by design, a grind. Noise and sound and free things and kids and adults and cosplay and super-bad-for-you food. After two days, you feel it in your legs. After three days, your back. After four days, your soul. But if you wait in just the right lines and chug just …
One of the most unexpectedly enjoyable elements of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the cooking system. Link, during his journeys through Hyrule, can collect all manner of ingredients that he can combine over a cookfire. The results are innumerable meals and potions that can restore health, restore stamina or grant all sorts …
Annapurna Interactive is responsible for publishing what may well be one of the most visually beautiful and emotionally stirring video games of the last decade in What Remains of Edith Finch. They’re also the publisher for Gorogoa, a visually beautiful and emotionally stirring grid-based puzzle game. And they’re preparing to publish Kentucky Route Zero, a …
Greg asks – The game I’m running has gone off the rails. Two of my players are certain that an NPC that they are supposed to like and trust are going to betray them. They think they’re outsmarting me by refusing to go along with his plans. This NPC (a nobleman that wants to raise …
Katherine asks – So when I plan for a campaign I have an overall end goal for the party (that sometimes changes depending on the circumstances), but I tend to only plan in small increments because my party tends to be spontaneous. Do you have any tips for staying organized? I have so many things …
Joe L asks – I’ve been running games for a while and was thinking that I could probably charge people to run a campaign for them. How do you think running a paid campaign would differ and what do you think I should charge? How many other people out there do this? Joe, there are …
Dylan asks – I sometimes feel like I’m losing the players’ concentration. What can I do to make sure players stay interested in the game even when they’re not the center of attention? Dylan, keeping the interest of your players is crucially important for a GM. And while you’re not a babysitter, you are a …
Mike C. asks – How tough would it be to run a campaign (or even just a session) with no notes at all? Mike, I love this question because it comes from a place of absolute fearlessness. GMs spend a lot of time locked in a personal battle over how much to plan versus how …