Terry
@stochasticpath.bsky.social
Interests in gaming, including tabletop RPGs and board games - tastes now leaning towards narrative and lightweight over simulation and rule complexity. Living in the UK.
Indeed - the "Best of White Dwarf Articles III" did re-print this guide from Lew Pulsipher along with Paul Vernon's "Designing a Quasi-Medieval Society for D&D". (And the Monstermark system had already apparently appeared in the first "Best of..." - but that was before my time...)
August 1, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Indeed - the "Best of White Dwarf Articles III" did re-print this guide from Lew Pulsipher along with Paul Vernon's "Designing a Quasi-Medieval Society for D&D". (And the Monstermark system had already apparently appeared in the first "Best of..." - but that was before my time...)
Indeed! (Recognising similar perceptions of conflicted interests, White Dwarf's "Open Box" review column became up-front about its future approach to Games Workshop products in April 1987.)
March 14, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Indeed! (Recognising similar perceptions of conflicted interests, White Dwarf's "Open Box" review column became up-front about its future approach to Games Workshop products in April 1987.)
Now listening to discussion of AD&D module "Castle Greyhawk" (1988) on "Role Playing Public Radio" after mention from @rosspayton.bsky.social. I'd got the module after reading what might be the most positive review it ended up with (Dragon #135). afterhours.roleplayingpublicradio.com/2022/05/afte...
March 14, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Now listening to discussion of AD&D module "Castle Greyhawk" (1988) on "Role Playing Public Radio" after mention from @rosspayton.bsky.social. I'd got the module after reading what might be the most positive review it ended up with (Dragon #135). afterhours.roleplayingpublicradio.com/2022/05/afte...
I first heard of Paranoia RPG in the May 1985 White Dwarf review. Back then, I'd thought "proper role-playing" was "supposed" to be about serious, long-running, continuity-heavy campaign, rather different from Paranoia. Happily my tastes broadened in the years since then...
March 12, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I first heard of Paranoia RPG in the May 1985 White Dwarf review. Back then, I'd thought "proper role-playing" was "supposed" to be about serious, long-running, continuity-heavy campaign, rather different from Paranoia. Happily my tastes broadened in the years since then...
I'd got my copy of "Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues" in GW's "Double Paranoia" edition. Younger me had fun with Paranoia in late 80s/early 90s (with the second, officially Even More Perfect, edition), although as James suggests, some of the US cultural references may have passed me by.
March 12, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I'd got my copy of "Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues" in GW's "Double Paranoia" edition. Younger me had fun with Paranoia in late 80s/early 90s (with the second, officially Even More Perfect, edition), although as James suggests, some of the US cultural references may have passed me by.
"The King is Dead" shares themes from "Game of Thrones", but when I think of scheming royals, my mind first goes to Roger Zelazny's infinite realities "Amber" stories - the 1991 Amber Diceless RPG, with all its quirks, showed me a very different approach to RPGs from traditional games of the day.
March 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
"The King is Dead" shares themes from "Game of Thrones", but when I think of scheming royals, my mind first goes to Roger Zelazny's infinite realities "Amber" stories - the 1991 Amber Diceless RPG, with all its quirks, showed me a very different approach to RPGs from traditional games of the day.
Played and enjoyed "The King is Dead" (Meguey and Vincent Baker) for the first time - a GM-less RPG of princes and princesses of royal houses vying for the throne (e.g. through "Intrigue and Muster", "War") alongside other pursuits (e.g. "Conversation over Food", "A Dance") of noble society.
March 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Played and enjoyed "The King is Dead" (Meguey and Vincent Baker) for the first time - a GM-less RPG of princes and princesses of royal houses vying for the throne (e.g. through "Intrigue and Muster", "War") alongside other pursuits (e.g. "Conversation over Food", "A Dance") of noble society.
"I recognise that one as the cover of a Games Workshop catalogue too"... "That's a random back issue I once picked up"... "That one is *great*" (no.42 by John Blanche)... "And this is the run where, after getting my first D&D set, I was buying White Dwarf every month!"
February 23, 2025 at 12:23 PM
"I recognise that one as the cover of a Games Workshop catalogue too"... "That's a random back issue I once picked up"... "That one is *great*" (no.42 by John Blanche)... "And this is the run where, after getting my first D&D set, I was buying White Dwarf every month!"
Idly thought of running British-police-urban-fantasy RPG since reading some "Rivers of London" & @paulcornell.bsky.social "London Falling" books - so have gathered @robindlaws.bsky.social's Gumshoe "Esoterrorists", @thetweedmeister.bsky.social's beautiful "Liminal", & now official "Rivers..." game.
January 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Idly thought of running British-police-urban-fantasy RPG since reading some "Rivers of London" & @paulcornell.bsky.social "London Falling" books - so have gathered @robindlaws.bsky.social's Gumshoe "Esoterrorists", @thetweedmeister.bsky.social's beautiful "Liminal", & now official "Rivers..." game.
Pleased to book next month into playing the "Rivers of London" RPG (from @lynneahardy.bsky.social, @paulfricker.bsky.social et al.) based on the @benaaronovitch.bsky.social novels. Good prompt to actually *read* the signed copy I'd picked up at Dragonmeet in 2023... :-)
January 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Pleased to book next month into playing the "Rivers of London" RPG (from @lynneahardy.bsky.social, @paulfricker.bsky.social et al.) based on the @benaaronovitch.bsky.social novels. Good prompt to actually *read* the signed copy I'd picked up at Dragonmeet in 2023... :-)
I couldn't resist checking Good Society to see if it had folkloric Regency figures in the place of Rosewood Abbey mentions of Pope Joan and Eilmer of Malmesbury, but no...
(First example I recall seeing of tool to get group on the same page was Champions 4E, but emphasis was different then..)
(First example I recall seeing of tool to get group on the same page was Champions 4E, but emphasis was different then..)
January 13, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I couldn't resist checking Good Society to see if it had folkloric Regency figures in the place of Rosewood Abbey mentions of Pope Joan and Eilmer of Malmesbury, but no...
(First example I recall seeing of tool to get group on the same page was Champions 4E, but emphasis was different then..)
(First example I recall seeing of tool to get group on the same page was Champions 4E, but emphasis was different then..)
Or would I treat strict historical accuracy as "Unimportant", and open our stories to the "folkloric, but decidedly not supernatural realms" of the likes of Eilmer of Malmesbury, *said* to have flown 200 metres from the summit of a tower, his arms strapped to Daedalean wings?
January 13, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Or would I treat strict historical accuracy as "Unimportant", and open our stories to the "folkloric, but decidedly not supernatural realms" of the likes of Eilmer of Malmesbury, *said* to have flown 200 metres from the summit of a tower, his arms strapped to Daedalean wings?
Reading Rosewood Abbey, @rolistespod.itch.io's RPG of medieval monastic mysteries (think "The Name of the Rose" & Cadfael). Many neat ideas, including one item on the collaboration sheet - agreeing upfront as a group "How important is actual history?" in the game. drive.google.com/file/d/1NH5H...
January 13, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reading Rosewood Abbey, @rolistespod.itch.io's RPG of medieval monastic mysteries (think "The Name of the Rose" & Cadfael). Many neat ideas, including one item on the collaboration sheet - agreeing upfront as a group "How important is actual history?" in the game. drive.google.com/file/d/1NH5H...
On archetypal orcs - one in addition to D&D, Tolkien, and Warhammer (at least for a certain generation of gamer) may be Russ Nicholson's depiction of the first monster in the first Fighting Fantasy book - a sleeping orc sentry near the entrance to Firetop Mountain (Test Your Luck to sneak past!)
January 4, 2025 at 10:08 PM
On archetypal orcs - one in addition to D&D, Tolkien, and Warhammer (at least for a certain generation of gamer) may be Russ Nicholson's depiction of the first monster in the first Fighting Fantasy book - a sleeping orc sentry near the entrance to Firetop Mountain (Test Your Luck to sneak past!)
On poems "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" notes "SONGS in Fantasyland perform the same function as LEGENDS. If you are made to attend to the words of a Song, this is because they contain KNOWLEDGE you need. The tune is not important." (Opinions may vary on whether true of *all* Tolkien's verses.)
December 24, 2024 at 3:05 PM
On poems "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland" notes "SONGS in Fantasyland perform the same function as LEGENDS. If you are made to attend to the words of a Song, this is because they contain KNOWLEDGE you need. The tune is not important." (Opinions may vary on whether true of *all* Tolkien's verses.)
And finally, "Dice Men": the origin story of Games Workshop by Ian Livingstone with Steve Jackson, which I was pleased to have signed by Ian - their Fighting Fantasy books, and White Dwarf back when it did RPGs, were a big influence on my early days with the hobby. unbound.com/books/games-...
December 2, 2024 at 9:51 PM
And finally, "Dice Men": the origin story of Games Workshop by Ian Livingstone with Steve Jackson, which I was pleased to have signed by Ian - their Fighting Fantasy books, and White Dwarf back when it did RPGs, were a big influence on my early days with the hobby. unbound.com/books/games-...
"See Issue X": a story game driven by a standard deck of cards - you "tell the story of a superhero (or several) and also stand in the shoes of the writer as you struggle with their ever-more-unwieldy backstory" (which I may also plunder for superhero tropes)... www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
December 2, 2024 at 9:51 PM
"See Issue X": a story game driven by a standard deck of cards - you "tell the story of a superhero (or several) and also stand in the shoes of the writer as you struggle with their ever-more-unwieldy backstory" (which I may also plunder for superhero tropes)... www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
"Tiny Tome 1": a neat collection of 50 single-page RPGs. "Players will... steal trash for their furry family, escape to glorious freedom (and avoid being turned into a toaster), battle their monstrous inner demons, and so, so much more..." www.retrofixgames.com/products/tin...
December 2, 2024 at 9:51 PM
"Tiny Tome 1": a neat collection of 50 single-page RPGs. "Players will... steal trash for their furry family, escape to glorious freedom (and avoid being turned into a toaster), battle their monstrous inner demons, and so, so much more..." www.retrofixgames.com/products/tin...
Some highlights picked up in the trade halls included "Odd Jobs": a collection of eleven micro-settings, each with a mini system-neutral campaign "from magical ancient Rome to surreal post-apocalyptic psychoscape"... www.macguffinandcompany.com/products/odd...
December 2, 2024 at 9:51 PM
Some highlights picked up in the trade halls included "Odd Jobs": a collection of eleven micro-settings, each with a mini system-neutral campaign "from magical ancient Rome to surreal post-apocalyptic psychoscape"... www.macguffinandcompany.com/products/odd...
I'd been long interested in "Monster of the Week" (PbtA RPG slaying modern-day monsters, in style of Buffy/X-Files), so seized chance to actually play - & our party of Divine being, grizzled Expert, monastic Initiate, and journalistic Snoop scraped through in keeping London safe, that week at least!
December 2, 2024 at 9:51 PM
I'd been long interested in "Monster of the Week" (PbtA RPG slaying modern-day monsters, in style of Buffy/X-Files), so seized chance to actually play - & our party of Divine being, grizzled Expert, monastic Initiate, and journalistic Snoop scraped through in keeping London safe, that week at least!
Played "For the Queen" for first time - card-based storytelling game where players are the members of a Queen's retinue travelling to another land. Players take turns answering questions about their characters dealt from the cards - and build up the world, the Queen, and some story along the way.
November 23, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Played "For the Queen" for first time - card-based storytelling game where players are the members of a Queen's retinue travelling to another land. Players take turns answering questions about their characters dealt from the cards - and build up the world, the Queen, and some story along the way.
Sounds fun! Reminded of two very different game cookbooks... Dragonlance heroine Tika's recipes in eclectic AD&D supplement "Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home" (1987). And I'd never imagined "Catan: The Official Cookbook" (2023) with "Robber's Discard Delight", "Rocky Road Cookies" and more...
October 30, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Sounds fun! Reminded of two very different game cookbooks... Dragonlance heroine Tika's recipes in eclectic AD&D supplement "Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home" (1987). And I'd never imagined "Catan: The Official Cookbook" (2023) with "Robber's Discard Delight", "Rocky Road Cookies" and more...