Archive for the ‘Mapping & Maps & Minis’ Category

The Impact Of Urban Migration On Fantasy Games

Documentaries are supposed to educate and enlighten, to Document and explain. There is little so irritating as a documentary that ignores or commits errors in basic facts to present a myopic, distorted, or one-sided view that provides only half the story. This evening I started watching just such a documentary. One segment was discussing the […]

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What Size Is A Kingdom?

Disaster has struck, and the laptop that I have been using to do – well, everything – has lost it’s visual display. It’s possible that this is simply a new symptom of the battery power problem that it’s been experiencing for some time, or it might be some new devilry. This problem is complicated by […]

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Patterns Of Distinction: Playing members of multiple factions

I don’t often get asked for help by another GM through the mailbox here at Campaign Mastery, mainly because the Ask-The-GMs service is suspended until I can get caught up. Nevertheless, I received just such a request the other day, and I thought the questions good ones, so here goes! Ronald wrote, How can I […]

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Goody and Project Roundup April 2017: Ten Goodies To Back or Buy

I always get far more invitations to support and review projects that I can possibly manage to satisfy. Every now and then, I bundle as many of them as I can into a goody roundup to inform those who might be interested in backing them of what’s going on. Today, I have 10 items to […]

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An Easter Surprise: Little Bubbles Of Nothing

You can never tell where inspiration is going to come from. The best you can do is remain alert to the world around you and leap in with both feet whenever you find it. That’s what I was thinking while enjoying a chocolate treat – A mint Aero bar – the other day. For some […]

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Choices in Tactical Representation Of Reality

Late last week, while I was taking a break from writing the “When Undead Go Stale” three-part article, Master John – better known as @beerwithdragons – asked on Twitter, There are a number of GMs on Twitter who ask such questions as conversation initiators. When I have something to say in response that no-one else […]

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Basics For Beginners (and the over-experienced) Part 11: Campaigns

This entry is part 11 of 12 in the series Basics For Beginners (and the over-experienced)

The fundamentals of what a campaign is and how to manage one.

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Essential Reference Library for Pulp GMs (and others): 13th Shelf

This entry is part 14 of 15 in the series The Essential Reference Library for Pulp GMs (and others)

The Thirteenth Shelf: Odds & Sods I – GMing, Tools, and Fiction – Introduction by Mike Being the GM can be isolating at the Game table, especially when a problem strikes. It’s usually too late when you’re in the hot seat to do much research into solutions (unless the problem is so grave that you […]

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Essential Reference Library for Pulp GMs (and others): 7th Shelf

This entry is part 8 of 15 in the series The Essential Reference Library for Pulp GMs (and others)

Another monster post (18,400 words), another late posting. I once swore that I would never be involved in anything this large and complicated on a weekly deadline again; but every two or three years, it seems, overconfidence or hubris combine with a really good idea, and before you know it… Three things in particular caused […]

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Periodic Goodie Roundup October 2016

Every now and then I try to squeeze in reviews of Kickstarters and other new products that have caught my eye. I don’t have the time to do as many of these as I would like, but every now and then the stars collide in just the right way. Today I have six products and […]

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Definitions and the Quest For Meaning in Structure

Back in Campaign Mastery’s special 750th post, I included some correspondence between myself and Tracey Snow which I reformatted into an interview format. Part of that “interview” went like this: Do you have a glossary for terms that you use in your articles? Your recent article where you try to define an adventure talks a […]

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Yrisa’s Nightmare and other goodies

There are some projects that excite because of their content. There are others that entice because of the track record of the creators. And some projects simply ooze style and content. Today, I’m going to write about a project that ticks all three boxes. It’s another product from Embers Design Studios, and its called Yrisa’s […]

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