Tools & GM Aides Archives - Roleplaying Tips

Campaign Logger New Features and Updates

Jochen and I have had a fairly productive summer working on Campaign Logger. We hope you’ve had a chance to use the app in the past couple of months because that means you’re either gaming or prepping to game!Here’s a bit of a laundry list of what’s changed for the web app. Here’s a bit of […]

Everalas interactive map using Google Maps and Campaign Logger

How to Use Google Maps and Campaign Logger to Dynamically Map Your Campaign

Use this tutorial and scripts to create amazing interactive maps of your RPG world using the Campaign Logger app for GMs and Google Maps.

Orc Generator Creates 20 Orcs In 20 Seconds

Today I show you how I used the new goblin generator in Campaign Logger as an orc generator to create d20 orcs in under half a minute. But first, a quick backstory. Vargulf drank out of a magical pool. It made him forever afraid of orcs. There’s a half-orc in the party. Kriv. That doesn’t […]

A Fantastic Encounter Building Tool

The Inexhaustive List of Questions is an amazing RPG encounter building tool. Use it combined with the Encounter Pyramid to create awesome encounters.

Campaign Logger game master organization app for RPG

Create Your Own Generator Using Campaign Logger’s Engine

The Campaign Logger RPG app includes a generic engine you can use to create your own generators for the app. It works by defining how the result should look and then providing tables from which to pick elements for the desired result. It’s a bit like making Mad Libs. Here’s a tutorial.

Campaign Logger New Updates

New Campaign Logger updates and bug fixes are now available for Web app users. Next time you login you should be updated instantly. Updates include new dice roller codes, enter key now does line breaks, and more.

Campaign Logger Just Replaced My Paper Notebook

Starting a new campaign is like the last strip of Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes: “full of possibilities!” It’s a blank piece of paper, a fresh field of snow, or whatever analogy is most appropriate for the area you live in. The only thing standing between you and the epic plans you have for your players’ characters is penning them all down.

Trying Out Funnel Adventures and Campaign Logger for the First Time

During last Sunday’s game, my group and I played something I have wanted to try for a long time: the funnel game. Characters and monsters both fell to gruesome deaths, chickens were sacrificed in the name of the greater good, and treasure was avoided in case it was tied to a trap that would blow one of our would-be heroes away. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to start a fantasy campaign any other way again. To prepare and help me run the game, I also got to use Campaign Logger for the first time.

New features released for Campaign Logger

The Campaign Logger app for GMs just got titillating new features you’ll find useful for your campaign wranglin’. These features make it easier to stay on top of your campaign details and make your detailed notes easier to find and read, whether it’s during the heat of a session or those creative days leading up […]

RPG Movies For Game Masters

Interested in movies for game master and RPG inspiration? Today you’re in luck! Below is a list of movies submitted by RPT readers as perfect for GMs to watch and get ideas from. The List: RPG Movies For Game Masters 11:14 13 Ghosts 13th Warrior Must-watches for any viking campaign. Gritty combat with pseudo-fantasy elements. […]

150 Benign Urban Fantasy Encounters

From Chris Buono Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0299 Chris polled members of the GMMastery Yahoo group for benign urban encounter ideas and then added a few of his own to come up with this awesome list you might find useful for your own campaigns. Editor Isaac and I added a few more as well. Thanks Chris, […]

Masks, the good, the bad, and the ugly

By Silveressa Today I have the opportunity to review Masks, a system neutral RPG supplement written by the authors of gnomestew.com. Overview Masks is perhaps best described as a “must have addition to any GM’s tool kit.” Contained within is 1000 NPCs, categorized by genre, skill set, trait, disposition towards party etc. (The book marking […]

Drama Doubloons

by Lord Skudley Drama Doubloons {DD} will be awarded to any Character who commits a selfless act or brave deed that can only be called Heroic. Likewise Drama Doubloons can be offered to an evil aligned character that performs a particularly vile act. They can be used at the player’s discretion to perform amazing, often […]

My Digital Campaign Toolbox

GnomeStew author DNAphil recently posted about what digital tools he uses to run his campaign. At the end he asked GMs what tools they use, and I thought I’d respond here in the newsletter. Four Tool Types You can divide tools into four categories based on how they’re used by GMs: Group management and organization […]

Dungeon Master Tools – MyInfo Software

Dungeon Master Tool Review: How To Be On Top Of Your Game Without Breaking A Sweat Track your entire world, your whole campaign, and every adventure with MyInfo Software Update January 2013: Video Course Shows You How to Use MyInfo Hi, this is Johnn. I’ve just setup an online course to show you how to […]

Reader Tips: Game World Management

We pick up where we left off in RPT#526, with more tips from readers about how to develop and manage game world details. A reader named Beleaguered in South Africa asked for help managing the details of his extensive game world. Here’s how GMs responded: From Blair Giles I recently started a new 4e D&D […]

3 Ways To Make Your Life As GM Easier

By Darren Blair Let’s face it. No matter how hard we try there comes a point where reality bogs us down. Last-minute errands, phone tag, burn-out at work or school, and other issues make it harder for GMs to plan and run the game, and it saps player energy and brainpower. So, what’s a good […]

Guide to PBP / PBEM

By Scott Sylvester With busy schedules these days there seems to be precious little time for the more mature and adult gamers to indulge in their teenage passions of gaming. Once upon a time, there were countless hours in the day that could be carelessly frittered away around the gaming table listening to your favorite […]

Listen to these Great Recorded Game Sessions

In RPT#525, Carl made this reader tip request: What would be the best videos or audios of RPG sessions that a new DM should watch or listen to? Several great readers responded with their suggestions. Thanks! 1. Penny Arcade, I Hit It With My Axe Carl, I’m rather fond of the Penny Arcade podcasts. When […]

Character Creation and Roleplaying Rewards

From The B’omarr Punk When I started emphasizing in-depth roleplaying in my games, some players didn’t want to play along. So, I instituted an incentive program that granted bonus xp, items, or ability points for giving characters depth. The program has two phases: character creation and roleplaying rewards. Character Creation During character creation, players complete […]

GM Delegation

by Bill Mahmet Below is some advice that ALL GMs can use, though “workaholic” GMs should especially benefit from the contents of this article. The problems the below listed tips are meant to solve often occur for GMs who are not as good at coordinating people as they are at writing and running adventures. Don’t […]

Dungeon Tile Mastery: 9 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Tile Collection

This month’s RPG blog carnival is about cartography and mapping. And I thought dungeon tiles would fit that theme nicely. I like the WotC dungeon tiles a lot and have been collecting sets over the years. They offer a number of advantages over other mapping methods. They save on your toner bill. Printing out maps […]

Review: Art of Wor City Tiles: The Stone Bard Inn

The Stone Bard Inn city tiles by Three Sages Games are seven slick full colour productions designed to enhance tavern brawls and inn encounters. The tiles are actually letter-sized plastic sheets with anti-skid foam backing. Because of the plastic, you can use wet and dry erase markers on them. Three sheets combine to offer a […]

For Awesome Campaigns Build A Player Campaign Book

From Kit Reshawn Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0517 For Awesome Campaigns Build A Player Campaign Book As I’ve gotten older, I’ve run into a bit of a problem when it comes to running campaigns. Getting people together for a session becomes more and more difficult, so players often forget details about previous sessions. I’ve played with […]

Review: How to be a Great GM

By Silveressa Today I have the opportunity to review the e-book How to be a Great GM, by Avalon games, an easy to follow 26 page guide that makes a great addition to any GM’s tool kit. Overview Like the title says, the book offers some solid system neutral GMing advice, (especially to those new […]

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