Effortless & Dynamic Storytelling Among the many tools in my GM Toolbox, the method of Wandering Encounters holds a special place. It’s a simple yet profound way to keep the game world lively, the plot on track, and the characters engaged in evolving story arcs. The core essence of Wandering Encounters lies in its ability […]
Continue readingI wanted to give you a heads-up that we are migrating your data to the new version in the latter part of September for you. The original Campaign Logger, which we call Legacy, is here: https://legacy.app.campaign-logger.com/ The new Campaign Logger, which we call vNext, is here: https://app.campaign-logger.com/ (You can see a growing list of new […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #1185 * Tips on keeping better campaign notes without slowing down the pace of sessions I’ve been in the same boat. For me, I never want to cause a pause in gameplay. So it feels like I’m always too busy to take notes. However, there are a few things we can do. […]
Continue readingFebruary was another great month, but it sure went by fast. There was a big Campaign Logger feature added plus a new add-on. The new feature is Charts & Diagrams. Perfect for plotting, faction pyramids, and other organizational uses. And we launched a dice room to help GMs who run virtual, async, or distance gaming. […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0852 Need a city fast for your campaign? Follow these 6 steps to build a fantasy town or metropolis in under a minute. Drawing or consulting a map is my First Move. [Kill GM Procrastination With Your First Move] So we’ll begin this recipe with a quick fantasy city map generator. Let’s […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0753 5RDs Go Fractal You’re going to see me writing more about Five Room Dungeons. It’s because they are the best way I know how to master adventure building. Here’s why. As you might know, I’m creating a new product for you on the topic of 5RDs. In my upcoming 5RD Adventure […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0759 On Monday we covered how to get players to care about home bases. Wednesday I showed you a simple three step village creation recipe that you can world-build from. And today I’ll walk you through a quick example that you can also drop right into your campaign this weekend. Note that […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0758 Character Home Bases – Part II: How To Create Villages Fast Last tip I rambled on about building character home bases and several ways you can invite players to care about them. While the Hobos of the Apocalypse will likely be creating a village community from ground up, I will want […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0757 Character Home Bases – Part I: 6 Tips The Hobos of the Apocalypse (formerly The Murder Hobos now reborn as positive change agents) need and want a home base once they emerge from the bowels of the elemental dungeons they currently cleanse. The problem is, they’ve got few stakes in the […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0778 Here’s a great way to create encounter seeds for your next game via RPT Reader Victor Diaz. It’s called the Hook, Line & Sinkers method. From the RIFTS Adventure Book, page 38: Hook, Line & Sinkers ™ is the popular Game Master’s tool created by Jolly Blackburn. The idea behind it […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #1106 I just worked on a culture for Duskfall called The Hotha. These folk have tamed dinosaurs and use the creatures as steeds, beasts of labour, and pets. I’m happy with the results so far as I think they’ll offer great gameplay. Today, I’d like to share with you the basic steps […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0805 In response to my skyfall challenge a few weeks ago, I received a great email from RPT reader Roger B about a wyvern foe from his campaign: Johnn, I started a campaign a number of years ago where a wyvern in the area was a challenge for the local communities. It […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0797 A Cracking Way To Conjure Compelling Encounters The best way to start adventure planning is with conflict. Conflict drives gameplay. When PCs must meet and beat something, you’re going to offer up choices, skill checks, attack rolls, and parleys. Roll the dice, say yes, keep the pace storming. A problem I […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0806 An anonymous reader wrote in response to my recent Musings on How to Tell a Secret. They had a few great pointers on secret-telling. I know I’ve been the victim of #3 several times, so these are good tips to keep in mind. 4 Tips For Better Secrets Hi Johnn, One […]
Continue readingRoleplaying Tips Newsletter #0811 There’s a doc out there called Tight Dungeon World One-Shots. It’s great advice for running a night’s gaming with no prep. The doc offers a section called Setting Questions. You ask each player something about their character that relates to the world. For example: You can ask players follow-on questions if […]
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