Completing an adventure

So. I'm so close to being able to playtest and release/publish the carnival of dreams that I can taste it.

However every step forwards also seems to have 2 steps backwards!I have a definitive list of what I need to do.

Pre generated character sheets are first on my list.
Then maps.
At this point it's time for play testing.
Commission the front page art.
Tidy up the layout and consistency.

Publish.....
Shout out to everyone that it is in the wild.

I figure it will come in at around 60 pages give or take. That's. A ruck load of information . Yes it's a one night adventure but the GM can use or ignore whatever they want. There is enough depth (I hope) to support less experienced GMs giving them lots to fall back on. For more experienced GMs, they can ad lib throwing in random NPC's and flexing the story to make it their own.

In the meantime while I continue on that I am waiting for MonkeyBloodDesign to start their Midderlands Kickstarter. Slated for 1st of July. Can't wait!

Till next time.

UK Games Expo

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to get to the UK Games Expo. I have to say it was a fantastic event and certainly something I plan on doing again.

So here are some musings from the event!

Getting their Early(ish) the traffic was ok. I arrived around 10.

I didn't plan what I was going to do! My son some friends and I sort of wandered the stalls, chatted to a few people and generally soaked up the atmosphere and spent money for 5 hours.

There was a lot of Pathfinder stuff there! I have to say I knew Pathfinder is popular but the amount of stuff there for Pathfinder was breathtaking. I've tried reading the Pathfinder rules and I just couldn't get on with them. Maybe I need to give them another read through but to be honest I like the simplicity of Swords and Wizardry. If you haven't checked it out then do, you can get the PDF from Frog God Games for free so worth checking out!

There were a load of new and upcoming board games. I wish we had sat down and played a few!

There were board games... I mean lots and lots of board games. Lots of stalls, and lots of variance in prices which is interesting. I saw the same board game vary from 26 - 35 pounds so it pays to scan around.

Oh and while on the subject of what we saw, there was quite a lot of Cthulu based stuff which all looked pretty fantastic.The Black Hat stand was brilliant, nicely laid out with some great stuff on there. 

There were some good Fate powered products there, but I wish there had been more, they were swamped out by D&D Pathfinder and Cthulu. Oh and Doctor Who .... which did look very tempting!

I may just have missed some of the products though as I know at least one book my mate turned over had a Powered By Fate logo on the back.

So what would I change ... well here goes with the plan for next year!

Plan is the word .. I would aim to plan the visit with more structure. So I want to get round all the stands for sure ... more than once as you always miss stuff! However I want to break it up and play some of the great board games people are demoing!

If I can pre-book then I want to pre-book on some of the RPG stuff, especially anything from from 4 - 6 ish time frame. 

I want more money to spend .... I need to start saving now!

So there you go, in a nutshell. Take cash, plan the trip, have fun!

The Home Straight

Well, as a journey, trying to get my first indie published RPG adventure has taught me a lot so far. So as a quick summary:

• For every note written down there are 20 things I have generated in my head.
• I have to try and get those 20 things out, and in a way that makes sense!
• The first thing I write is likely tosh and will require re-writing.
• Art makes things really look better.
• Layout is really not the easiest thing in the world.
• Layout takes way more time than anyone could imagine if they haven't had to do it.
• When I layout a document, it flows subtly differently to when it is just in a text document. I need to change some of the text to take this into account.

So after those quick lessons learnt I'm heading into what I see as the final stretch! So whats left to do ...

• Lay everything out. (I have a PDF with everything in but the page numbers need sorting, and the formatting is only done for the first 3 chapters)
• Commission the art I want to finish it off. I have 2 pieces in, and 2 out on commission at the moment. My rate of art commissioning is dictated by my available funds :\
• Finish the pre-generated characters (I'm setting myself a goal of 1 per night and I need 8, one for each super power).
• Get the maps and insert them in.
• Get it play tested.
• Make changes from play testing.
• Publish.

Ok so looking at it now that list looks quite daunting, but really compared to getting everything written originally it isn't worrying me :) 

So as I sit here I have a PDF that is starting to look like a finished article. Still a work in progress but the bulk of the content is there. I find myself querying whether I put too much information in, whether it is overkill, this is meant as a one night adventure. I know one of the great things with Fate is that there is so much scope to expand the story and go in any direction, it shouldn't be too constrained. But then I also, and this is just my opinion, think that if I'm asking for someone to pay for something, then I should give them as much information and content as possible. They can use as much or as little as they want, but the seeds should be there for them to build off, or use in their entirety.

Only time will tell. With this being my first piece of work I'm sure there will be things I get wrong, and I will need to work on that and improve what I deliver. But then I think we could use that as a great way of living life. I will try, I may well get things wrong, but I will learn and I will strive to get better.

On that note I'm going to go work on a mechanic for a totally different RPG.

Is simplicity the key?

So. The other day I read a rather well known and popular systems SRD. I didn't get far into it before calling it quits. It looked way too much effort to be fun, and that was just to work out if I hit something. I closed it down and haven't been back.

Fast forward to today. I was playing in a Cthulu Black Hack adventure. Minimalist rules, but enough to really let you do what you want to do. The tension, the atmosphere all really build a fantastic game.

I have also in the meantime read some other OSR rule sets, or rules that people would put inside that sphere, and none of them filled me with the sort of dread the first SRD I read did.

So this evening I got to thinking, is minimalist rules they key. I'm starting notes on my second RPG adventure to publish and I think I want to follow those rules. Keep it small and tight, but let the players and GM expand it where and when necessary.

I'm still keen on the idea of a library of one night adventures. Simple to pickup and play, but with enough to them that they can be played more than once, and they will be intriguing to play through.

So there you have my musings, maybe if the simple systems got more limelight more people would see the beauty of the RPG and fall in love with the game style.

RPG: Head in the world and Immersion

So I recently delivered a bespoke adventure which for want of a better way of putting it was a commission piece. Now I'm moving back from that piece into finishing off the Carnival of Dreams adventure.

What I have found is that transitioning my thinking from someone elses world, back into worlds of my own making is in its own right a process.

My process works as follows.

Step 1
Read the source material. If this is the authors RPG world, or anything else they reference in their material. I read through everything in its entirety and then I leave myself a few days. This lets it start sinking into my head. During this time I won't work on other projects, I'll doodle and make notes but on the whole I stay away from other items.

Step 2
Read the source material... Now you are probably thinking hasn't he already done this! Yes. But with every reading the world they are building strengthens itself in my head. Political intrigue, monster habits, the time of day the local occult hold their ceremonies. It all seeps into the brain. After completing my second reading I ease off again giving it chance to settle in the back of my head.

Step 3
Read the source material .. Ok I realise I sound like a broken record now, but this one is different! Now I start making notes. Predominantly key facts figures and events that I think could be used to create adventures, or be wound into them to support the atmosphere.

Step 4
Using the ideas from step 3 I create what I call pitches. They are shortish phrases or paragraphs that give a feel for what I'm thinking the adventure could be. These then are presented so that the client can select what they are most interested in.

Step 5
If they didn't like any of the ideas, it is back to Step 4 to work up some more pitches. If there were multiple that they liked the idea of I then add a bit more depth to those and re-pitch. I keep following this process until I have what they want.

Obviously Steps 4 and 5 are redundant if the client already has an idea and just needs someone to write it up.

Step 6
Write, investigate, write and re-write. So start putting in the key sections, the key ideas of what happens in each section. Stopping to investigate elements that may be required. So for example checking the speed of horses, or the methods spies use to identify an unknown contact. Each element is written and re-written until I am happy with it.

Step 7
Submit the piece. If they are happy great. If they aren't back to step 6 and a re-write of anything they aren't happy for. The client/customer is king. This is their world and has to represent what they want.


What I'm finding is that after this process my head is still "in" that other world. I'm a strong believer in getting yourself in the right frame of mind. I spent time reading and re-reading source material to help in scene setting. After being really immersed in that I'm now struggling to let that world go, to get back into this piece.

Now there are a lot of differences, different rules system, different backgrounds, history atmosphere etc. I also have loads of other sub ideas, potential adventures and items that are floating around for that world, ones that I hope will be given chance to see the light of day! Only time will tell on that though.

In the meantime I need to settle my mind and re-immerse into my world. Oddly enough I have never had this problem before, possibly because I have always worked on purely worlds of my own creation, and shifting my mind from one of my own worlds to another of my own worlds is a seamless transition.

All told the process was really enjoyable, and if I'm lucky I'll get to build on those.

For now I wait with baited breath to see how the adventure is received (I believe the person it was written for is happy with it). I shall continue to chip away at putting my brain back into gear to get the Carnival of Dreams moving!

Writing Process - Carnival of Dreams

Let me catch you up if you want to skip all those previous posts! I'm on a journey to write and publish my first RPG adventure. I want to go on to publish multiple adventurers, hopefully improving as I go!

The last month or so I got super busy with writing a totally different adventure, but at the moment I'm back onto Carnival of Dreams.

One of the things about Carnival of dreams is super heroes and super powers, but a more tongue in cheek version. So as I write I tend to start with ideas, then I re-write, and I change and I morph what I have. Eventually I settle on something, for better or for worse, hopefully the better of the options.

As an example of this I was working on the farting super power ..... oh come on what non serious super power set would be complete without some form of flatulence! Each power has its cost, what you can do, and a description. The point of this post is to show the different options and the way things change.

Note the items below would potentially need work and rework in their own right. I have put them in with poor grammar and typos as I hammered in the keys, as it is a look into the process.

So my first description was this ....

A look of peace spreads over the heroes face as their inner tension releases into the world around them. Dirty green gaseous tendrils stretch out from the hero seeking their enemies.

Now that just didn't hit the spot for me. Time to try again ....

A look of relief spreads over the heroes face their whole body seeming to deflate, the tension built up in their guts releasing into the world. Dirty green gaseous tendrils thread their way out of the hero, winding and stretching away searching and probing for enemies.

.. ok getting there but still not what I'm looking for ... maybe third re-write is a charm ..

The heroes eye starts to twitch, the corner of their lip twitching in concert with their eye, their brow furrowed as tension builds up in their whole body. As quickly as the twitching starts it ceases, a look of peace spreading across their face, their body slumping as the tension leaves their body. Murky green gaseous tendrils wrap around their torso before spreading out probing for enemies. If the tendrils touch an enemy they speed up expanding around the enemy smothering their face, pushing into their eyes and nostrils and any available orifice.

..too long too much repetition and just not quite right. Feels like a bit more off track ... dive in for number 4 ...

The heroes eye and mouth twitch, their brow furrowing as tension build sin their whole body. As quickly as it starts the process ends, a look of peace washing over their face their body slumping as the tension leaves their body. Murky green gaseous tendrils wrap around the hero before reaching out for enemies. If the tendrils touch an enemy their flowing speeds up as they expand around the enemy smothering their face and pushing into their eyes nostrils and any available orifice.

...ok a bit better but still too long for me and not quite flowing how I would like it to, back to the keyboard ...

The heroes eye twitches, their brow furrowing as tension contorts their whole body. As quickly as it begins the process ends, their whole body sagging with relief as the tension oozes out of them. Murky green tendrils wrap around the hero before reaching outwards. If the tendrils touch an enemy their flow speeds up as they smother their face, pushing into their eyes, nostrils and any available orifice.

.. Right I'm semi happy at this point. It is certainly closer to what I was looking for. But maybe still not quite there. Lets change it a bit ..

The heroes body spasms as it tenses. A look of peace suddenly washes over their face as the tension oozes out of their bum, murky green tendrils wrapping around the hero, before probing outwards. If the tendrils touch an enemy they seek their eyes, mouth or any available orifice.

Ok I like that one. Might needs some polishing but on the whole I'm not upset with it, but I'll give this one more shot to see what I can get ...

The heroes back arches as spasms wrack their body. As quickly as they begin the spasms stop, a look of peace washing over their face as the tension oozes out of their body, pulsing green tendrils wrapping around the hero before probing outwards. If the tendrils touch an enemy they pulse more quickly as if excited, searching out the enemies eyes, mouth or any other available orifice.

Ok so the last one I like as well. I can already see things I would tweak with it. But I guess what I'm trying to get at, is when you see something written down, in print or online, the author probably put a lot of different versions into it. You may like what they put, you may hate it. The thing is they may well have put a lot more time into trying to get it to resonate with what they are looking for than you realise.

So I'm still not sure on which of the last two I like the most. But I do know I will carry on writing.

Workload and an old setting

Well. When I started this it was meant to chronicle my journey through my first ever indie published RPG. Since then everything seems to have gone pretty mental.

I am working on an adventure for a friends setting which is awesome. More on that when they have seen it and decided they are including it 😀

I have the first couple of pieces of art for the Carnival of Dreams which really set it off.

I have decided to run a new group with my local gaming group, with the first bits on that coming together. I have done a map, but I need to iron out some wrinkles before that's all ready!

At the same time one of the group has asked if we can re-visit a post civilisation downfall setting I originally started a year ago, but was mothballed when everyone sort of got caught up in real life. That one has some back story to it ... I'll post it if I can find where I put it!

In fact I just dug it out. So here for your perusal is the background history that my players asked for. I give you Re-Rio the setting.

Two hundred years ago the world was poised on the brink of greatness. Scientists were beginning to unlock all the key secrets around ageing and life. NASA had begun the first forays into space travel with key tests of a warp engine yielding positive results. 20 years on and ISIS had consolidated the Arab states under one united banner. The United States was still recovering from the economic shock of losing the Arab states oil and investment, being slowly bled dry financially as money was slowly withdrawn from their economy. Russia had moved back into a Communist state, as capitalism continued to fail to deliver food and jobs for the masses. Forced by starvation and anger at home all three major powers looked to direct that anger at external sources. The ensuing wars consumed most of the known civilised world. A computer virus known only as "The Peace Worm" had infiltrated key government systems for all three major super powers and disabled their ability to launch nuclear weapons. However their massive arsenals of conventional weapons soon laid waste to all major cities. With water purification plants and power plants targeted first the loss of power and clean water spearheaded a rapid decline in society as people turned feral fighting for the most basic of resources. Through all this some cities managed to hold onto the vestiges of science and technology. Hiding their books underground and coveting the scientists who could make things work. Rio De Janeiro managed to survive through the control of three strong families. As the politicians fled to underground bunkers the criminal overlords took control. 100 years full devolution of society was under-way. Keen to ensure their standard of living didn't decline the three main criminal societies met. No one knows the full details of that initial meeting, those have been lost in the mists of time. However there are some facts that are true to this day. The three families each took responsibility for one of the key resources (Food, Water, Energy). By doing this they ensured none of them had total power of the others, and all were reliant on the other families to survive. As the families moved forwards they consolidated their power base on the top of the old Rio Hill around Christ the redeemer. As the years passed and the families grew in number their need for servants also grew. To feed the supply of servants and to ensure they didn't get ideas above their station the families instigated the Delta project. From each generation the families selected members to be promoted into the servant classes. These were then sterilised to ensure they couldn't breed and create a new sub class. This also ensured that those in the slums always had the hope that their children, or their children's children would be promoted to the servant class with all the privileges that would entail. Each surviving city built walls to keep the wilds out. After 200 years no-one is really sure what the wilds are, but they do know they don't want them inside the walls! The surviving cities remain in communication with each other, however with all major forms of transport and the technologies that supported those gone they communicate via radio to share information. Just inside the walls are the slums. The shit pits of the city. If shit rolls down hill, and it does in Re-Rio, the slums are where it all stops. Large iron barred channels allow the shit and piss to run free of the city, the sewers and sanitation of the past long since collapsed or filled in to secure the city from everything outside. The shit pits are where the slums lie, and where most of the people who live in Re-Rio live and eke out their miserable existence. Each "layer" of the city rings the once great hill overlooked by christ the redeemer. Once a great symbol of Christianity but now a symbol of the Re-Rio uber religious Christian faction, who are police, judge, jury over all military matters. Above the slums there is a blank of no mans land. Long since scoured with flame it is kept barren as a sign of the split between the masters of this city and the poor. Several people have tried building houses in no mans land, only for swift retribution on them and their families from the Christian soldiers. Four roads lead up from the slums through no mans land to the next ring of inhabitants. This is where the servants live. Although basic they live in brick houses with basic sanitation (pipes that flow their piss and shit down into the slums) and heating that stops them falling ill and potentially passing on contagions to their masters. Upon being selected as a servant the lucky slummer is implanted with a cybernetic device called "the worm". The worm burrows into the slummers brain and integrates itself into their spinal column and nerve centres. This allows the masters from the families to deliver punishment to servants who fall below their expectations. It also acts as a tracker device that ensures that the servants never go where they are not expected. Above the servants quarters is what is called the Oasis. Ringed by a glistening white wall (kept pristine by hundreds of servants whos only job is to keep the wall clean). Although they hold the keys to technology that could replace the servants the families feel its good to keep them close at hand, to give slummers hope they may achieve something better, but once there to remind them that they are nothing more than animals there to do their masters bidding. Inside the oasis are multiple sprawling mansions with perfectly kept lawns and fountains. Each mansion is an individual palace constructed to the personal whims and fancies of the family who own it. A lot of their inspiration has been drawn from the archives that show the palaces of France and England when in their prime, with large ball rooms and huge chandeliers. Each main family mansion has what they call the key room. This is the most heavily guarded room in the mansion and allows access into the underground. Here the factories and facilities and labs that keep everything running, and the families in power are kept. Not much information is generally available on these locations. Slummers often tell myths of people being dragged off in the night and never seen again, but those are just urban myths... they hope. One thing is however certain. Re-Rios natural climate doesn't support the type of gardens and lands that the families have in place. Somehow they have access to some form of technology that allows them to keep the flowers blooming all year and the grass green. Behind the families is the ever present Re-Rio Church. No-ones sure if the church is behind the familes, or the families are behind the church. The church controls all the security and military style forces within Re-Rio. The religious order sends its warriors of the faith into the slums to protect them from themselves. Times are changing. Food seems harder to come buy. Brownouts are covering areas of the city and water doesn't seem to be as clear as it once was. The religious warriors are on the streets more, and the families are even more reclusive than they once were. However one thing is certain. Things are changing, powers are moving and no-one seems happy.

RPGs - That Player who hates them ....

So you mention playing RPGs and someone will often chime in with "oh I tried that and I didn't like it"..... now at this point I get a little stumped. But then I always loved doing RPGs.

It got me thinking, what could lead someone to not like an RPG!

How Many Times?

Like many things in life our tastes change as we mature. There may be some things that will stick with us all our lives, but there are plenty of things we didn't like when we were younger that we really dig when we get older! Sometimes people gave RPGs 1 shot and declared they didn't' like it and just like that it becomes set in stone. They don't like them and will never try again! Go on .. give it another try but bare in mind the following bits too!

The Genre

There are so many genres out there. Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Sch-Fi-Horror etc. that maybe they just played a genre they didn't like. Maybe if they tried with a totally different genre they would enjoy it? Check out all the different genres and see if you can get in on a game that your really intrigued by, or even better gets you really excited or passionate about playing the game!

The System

Just as there are many genres there are many systems. Sure lots of them share similarities in gaming mechanics, but it really is true that some people just can't get on with certain gaming systems. I'm quite agnostic, but I can see I wouldn't like a system that enforced minute detail. I prefer larger scale generic approaches to things. If you don't enjoy an RPG try some different styles of systems, you may find it was just the system holding back your enjoyment!

The Other Players

Lets be brutally honest. The group you game with is key. In a way you bare a little part of your soul to the people in that room. They get to see a part of you that no-one else will ever see. There is an almost sacred element to it. What happens on game night stays in game night! You have to not only be comfortable with the group, but comfortable enough to show elements of yourself and see others. You may not have really gelled or felt comfortable with the players when you first tried an RPG, so give it a go with another gaming group, maybe that will work for you!

The GM

Ok after the players there is also the GM. Are they out to play every little aspect of the system to try and foil you, or kill your character. Are they delaying the inevitable just long enough to really make it smart when the ogre crushes your skull. Different people enjoy different elements. Some people may enjoy an adversarial GM. Me, I like a GM who works with the players to make a fun enjoyable game. Again work out what would be best for you and make sure your getting in on a game with a GM who is going to suit your play style.

The Adventure

Ok we have the genre you like, you have a bunch of people you are cool with and a GM who wants to see you all be fantastic. But what if the adventure itself just sort of falls flat. Maybe it just doesn't capture your imagination. In my mind an average adventure is made or broken by the skills of the GM and the players round the table. They can make an average adventure awesome, and an awesome adventure mundane. But like it or love it, if you don't dig the adventure your on then your just not going to have fun. Discuss with the group what would be interesting to do adventure wise!

They Wore What?

Did everyone else turn up to that session in cloaks, swords belted to their sides and slightly crooked fake elf ears? You didn't feel comfortable with that? That's OK. There are plenty of RPG groups that don't go for the fully immersive style, but then again maybe it was the other way round. You flounced into the room and with a florid bow introduced yourself as Lorell the archer only to realise everyone else was wearing jeans and t-shirts ... that's OK too, there are plenty of groups who dig really getting into the whole scene. It is about what your really going to enjoy, so whichever style suits you, roll with it. But don't discount the game from a single bad experience.

I guess what I'm saying is ... if you had 1 bad RPG experience try and analyse why it wasn't working for you, and see if those elements can be addressed. You know, if you liked the group and GM but didn't really get the Fantasy vibe, maybe they would be happy to play a Sci-Fi campaign. Never hurts to ask, and ultimately RPGs are games, there to play and have fun.

So anyways that's what I think when someone says they don't like RPGs. Maybe next time someone says that we can all encourage them to have another go.

Adventure Creation Things you Never See: Horses

So, I'm currently on a mini break from writing Carnival of Dreams to produce another adventure. One of the things that continues to amaze me is the level of detail people will go into on RPG and adventure creation. Sometimes those little bits of realism are what makes the difference between the adventure world being believed or people struggling to accept it.

So in looking into this I wanted to find out about horses and carts, and travel times, distances and speeds. I came across this resource: http://www.lrgaf.org/guide/writers-guide.htm

What I noticed most was that this seems to be from a fairly reputable source, but also that the speeds the horses travel seem to vary from a lot of the RPG sources I could find. I found the paragraph on endurance interesting as people probably overlook weather conditions etc. as really effecting a horse. There are other items that reference the distance a horse can travel in a day, but often they omit their definition of day. Is it 9 - 5, is it sun up to sun down, all these things matter.

So there you have it, I spent some of today researching horses and some researching international spy techniques for identification of contacts, and all this for potentially a single line in an RPG to add some believably

So next time you play an RPG spare a thought for the poor soul who wrote it. They probably did a lot more research, thinking, and general writing and re-writing, than the finished product will ever let on.

Writing an RPG - That Choke moment

Well here I am again, at the keyboard. I actually got some work done tonight on the RPG! However I have noticed that in the last week or so I have struggled to maintain focus.

I am calling this current phase in the development "Choke Moment". It is that time when I have the bulk of everything written. I'm re-writing bits, tidying up and generally dotting i's and crossing t's.

I have spoken to an excellent cartographer about some work so that I don't have sucky Maps. I have also started talking to an artist who has a style I really dig, and I'm hoping I'll be able to work with over the years on multiple projects.

So there is plenty going on so what do I mean by the "Choke Moment". Well it is that moment when I am dangerously close to having to release my baby into the wild for play testing. That time when I find out all the bits I missed, the holes, the pit falls. I realise this is all a learning experience. This is adventure 1 of many (according to my 5 year plan) and I need to make the most of any and all feedback as I try and grow my online presence. I need to hone my skills, and use any feedback I get to get better. But that doesn't stop the butterflies, it doesn't stop the self doubt and the worrying.

I am quietly confident in my ideas. I think they offer the potential for people to play and explore interesting worlds and themes and adventures. What concerns me is my ability to express that in a way that ensures that others get as much enjoyment out of the adventure as I have when I originally run it .... I never mentioned that did I ... before I commit to turning one of my one night RPGs into a real live online pay something possibly for it book, I play it with people. If it doesn't work, or just sucks, then it will get canned. It will only progress if the players have fun.

So there you have it. I'm guessing that anyone writing an RPG with the intention of releasing it to the world will at some point reach this choke point, where everything else seems far more interesting as they work on ways to procrastinate rather than finish that final 5% of the writing.

However I have a deadline. I need this written to my initial satisfaction for 2 weeks time (that's the plan). Then I will alternate between layout, and writing another RPG for a good friend.

So there you have it. I am going to force through this choke point. I am out tomorrow, but the weekend beckons and some 4 day work weeks. So time enough to get this complete!

RPG Anxiety

Well I guess the title is pretty broad, so I better narrow it down a little. Anyone who has ever been a GM will know that feeling. They have slaved over their adventure, they have put loads of their heart and soul into it, even if they haven't written it all down they have it in their head, ideas and concepts that they can roll in as needed. ... but what if the players don't like it!

I think at some point in their GMing careers everyone has been there, and if you haven't I wouldn't mind knowing the secret of your success!

What I am finding though is that as the first RPG I want to publish edges ever nearer to completion that the level of anxiety over how it will be received is massively greater than anything I have had when building something for my gaming group.

Now in reality, with this being step 1 in my online presence, the chances are that no-one will see it, or they will see it and hate it. Now that might be writing style, play ability, or a million and one things. I plan on trying to minimise those bits by lining up play tests once I have the first draft all worked through. I have 2 different gaming groups lined up, but will start actively looking for some more play tests once I have everything else completed. With a little luck and a fair wind I will get everything ironed out and released in the next 3 months.

In reality I need to take any and all criticism on board and use it to improve the next RPG that I write, but at the same time I want people to enjoy it.

Well as my mum always says, only time will tell!

Easter RPGing

Well so far Easter has been quite good when it comes to RPGs! Earlier today I got to take part in a longer running Cthulhu Hack RPG, and I only lost a single Sanity dice!

I also got the nod to start on a second short adventure project, so that's really exciting too!

I have also started reviewing my first RPG to publish. As it stands there are 10 chapters and an appendix with pre-generated characters.

I'm happy (well as happy as I can be) with the first 8 chapters. I think I'm 90% on Chapter 10. That leaves the bulk of the work I have outstanding on chapter 9. It is forming up to be quite an awkward one to lay out. The scene/area consists of lots of bits that are similar, but potentially slightly different. I don't want to just duplicate lots of text, but at the same time need to make it usable/simple for the GM to navigate.

With some luck and a fair wind I'm hoping to get it cracked before I see the back of Easter! I've also started speaking to some potential artists to look at commissioning some pieces to go into the book. That in its own right is a bit of a mine field, maybe I'll cover that in a post in its own right.

I have to go into this eyes wide open. With this being my first (of hopefully many) projects there is a high likelihood that it will be a hard sell to get anyone to want to try it out.

I'm thinking this first shot is likely to be a steep learning curve, and very possibly will cost me cold hard cash, but I think what I can learn from the experience will be more than worth it. I can then use all that on my next project.

I think when I finally upload this to the real world, I'm going to write a "lessons learned", and then move onto my next project.

As always if anyone is interested, or bored I will be looking for people to play test the adventure for me. It is based off the Fate Core rules and is meant to be able to be run in a single session. So if anyone fancies giving it a shot let me know and all I'll ask is for feedback so I can look to improve.

Creative Dilemma

While working on my first RPG adventure to publish, making notes for my second one, and starting the ideas for a third undisclosed project I'm not at liberty to discuss, I am also thinking about creating an RPG adventure for my kids to play (get them into RPGs young!).

This is where is starts to get a little more complicated. I love the Fate Core rules. The basic rule set which you can use as is, and tweak and tailor to how you want. Now I want to do a fantasy themed RPG for the kids with all the normal things. I have a few ideas already formed, magic, magic items and specialised weapons etc..

However to get this at a working point to play test and run is going to take quite a lot of time. I could alternatively work with the kids to roll up some characters say for Swords and Wizardry and run them adventures through there. I find myself caught not just between systems but between wanting the creative freedom to build what is in my head.

Ultimately I want to write adventures against both systems, and others if people like the adventures that I'm writing! I have several long term goals. Over the next 5 years I want to build a portfolio of adventures across two or three systems. I want to improve my style, my technique and hopefully bring some enjoyment to everyone who takes the time to play anything I write.

I wonder how important the creative control of underlying mechanics is to people, against the speed of development when working against a system where a lot of those are well defined. Ultimately my aim will be for people to enjoy what I write, and I don't want to blind myself to the opportunities that are presented by different pre-built systems.

So there we have it. I'm no closer to resolving my internal dilemma, however I have plenty of pieces to work on already and as this will be predominantly a family friendly piece rather than a to publish piece then maybe I shall just follow my heart.

Back to writing!

The importance of proofreading

Well, after a slight hiatus from blogging I stumbled across something I thought was worth blogging.

When working on the basic information for a RPG I use a plain text editor just to get all the core information in place. I don't know whether this is the best way, but I do know that if there is a fancy widget to format tweak or do something else then I will end up procrastinating and playing with those rather than concentrating on the content.

So this evening I decided to give my document a quick initial read through. When I got to one section I found the quite interesting word "seethe" hiding amongst my text. It didn't take long for me to realise what I really wanted there was "see the" but I had somehow skipped the space, and the spell check had quite rightly allowed it through. Now on the face of it this is not a big thing, but it is the small things that make a big difference to 3rd parties reading your adventure.

Sometimes I can be reading something, and actually the content, the meaning, the ideas can be absolutely fantastic, but this can all get lost if someone leaves small errors in there. It massively detracts from the overall feel of a piece of work, which is a real shame. After spending days, weeks months or years crafting your masterpiece to allow it to fall over on something as simple as proofreading is a real shame, it can have a massive impact on how others perceive what you write.

OK by now you probably get the impression that I think that proofreading a document is a big thing, I certainly think it is a simple thing that can help your chances of people taking what you write seriously. But then there are also multiple steps (in my opinion at least).

Step 1 Read your document, read it slowly, read it thoroughly. Correct everything you spot.
Step 2 Do Step 1 again .. probably a few times.
Step 3 Now your pretty bored you are probably skipping bits you are 100% sure you have right so it is time to break the boredom. Break your work into different chunks and read them in a different order. Trust me it will help break up that boredom a bit!
Step 4 Get someone else to read it ... actually get a few people to read it. Or if you can afford it pay someone who does this professionally to read it.

Now you will have something that will be as bullet proof as you can hope to make it. Will there be mistakes in there still ... quite possibly, no-one is perfect, but it will be infinitely better for going through the process. I also find I often re-write bits while I'm proofreading as well so it is a win win all the way through.

Well there you go, all that just from seethe!

RPG Writing Focus

Well as anyone who has read my other blog posts will know I am on my journey to dip my toe in indie publishing. If you have never tried it then I really do recommend it, even if you never get to publish your work, the process itself is really enlightening and has certainly been an eye opener for me so far!

I have decided to scale back the Blog posts I have been writing, mainly to try and refocus on the actual writing.

One of the big things that I struggle with, and I'm guessing others may as well, is maintaining focus on writing what needs to be done. I find it especially hard when I am working on descriptions, if something just is not coming easily to me. I find myself frustrated, and before I know it I have written a blog post, read articles on Google+ and Facebook and generally wasted away my evening rather than confronting my issue head on.

One way I have decided to address this is to try and catch my brain off guard!

I started this today by taking a pad and pen to work and jotting down different elements that could be combined to create job roles/backgrounds for characters, or in Fate terms High Concepts (all during my lunch break don't worry!).

The idea being if I get enough then I can do a random roll to select the first element, followed by a second to get the ending. The first list had words like Magic, Drunkard, Enthusiastic, Picky, Agoraphobic etc. and the second professions, careers or just "what people do". This was everything from doctor, nurse, lawyer to bully and vagrant.

Then I started combining them to see what combinations I could get, one of my favourites was an Agoraphobic Bully. By just throwing together not really related terms it starts the brain working. Where I finish with something it may be miles away from the starting point, but what it does is unblock some of the mental barriers.

I think I will try again tomorrow and see what I can add to it. For now I need to re-focus back on the RPG!

The writing process

I wish I was one of those lucky few who could put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write things once. Then sit back and admire my masterpiece.

I'm not one of them.

I have ideas and concepts. But that's where it all starts for me.

So for anyone who may find it interesting here is my process.

First I make use of a great app called mindly. It's a mind map tool that is simple and effective. It does cost but to capture ideas and thought trains on the go it is brilliant.

My other invaluable tool is pens pencils and pads. Making notes all over the place is my other main method for making notes.

Once I have my notes ready to start putting in some sort of order I transfer them to a text file.

Next is the brain dump. I rip through all the sections locations etc. and just drop out anything that comes to mind. Anything from single words to whole sentences that help capture rough ideas and concepts I'm going for or what I'm trying to describe.

Then I have a break. Probably a cup of tea, and maybe even a biscuit ... it all depends how long I want to procrastinate for :)

Then starts the real hard work. The iterations. I go back and re write bits. Jumping to wherever my mood takes me, and sometimes forcing myself to move back to brain dump mode to get more information out.

After multiple iterations I finally have something I can let other people look at. Even at this stage I'm expecting all sorts of feedback. That's OK, people have different likes dislikes and styles. 

I can then look to incorporate feedback and use it to improve my style and make my next project even better!

OK so at the moment I'm on Project No.1 and I am at the iteration stage so I am still waiting to hit the feedback stage .... I'm hoping it isn't as painful a shock as I fear it may be. But everyone has to start somewhere. I'm happy/confident that the players who have participated in my RPGs have enjoyed themselves, I just need to convey everything in as clear, concise but atmospheric way as possible.

Well there you have it. My rather short write up on how I set about coming up with my final items. Oh and I nearly forgot before I sign off, sometimes I totally scratch an idea, write it off completely and move onto the next one. Never be worried about parking an idea if it feels like it isn't working, maybe at some point in the future it will click, if not move on guilt free :)

Single Session RPG Adventures

It is no secret that at the moment I am quite a fan of single session RPGs. There are lots of reasons for this, but first let me clear the air. I love long running campaigns. I love being in them and I really look forward to writing a much longer campaign with a lot more scope to expand the characters and the world that they are living within.

However lets be honest, as a GM there are times when a one off is needed. You know the ones; you have sat there for many nights till the wee hours slaving over the details, making sure the next sessions notes are perfect. You get to the big night, you lay out your maps, your GM shield, and you brought spare pencils and rubbers and dice... then your phone pings .. one of the players has cancelled at the last minute. Everyone is psyched ready for a session, you want to run one, but maybe you need all the players there, for consistency, or maybe specific skills. What to do? This is one of the many places a one off adventure that you can just pull out and run is great.

That all said there are lots of other reasons. I know plenty of players who love being involved in tabletop RPGs but just can't commit to a campaign. Maybe in another post I'll mull over ways to run campaigns with drop in drop out characters, but for now I'll focus on single sessions. Life has a habit of catching up with people, they find they just can't do that one night every month. Or maybe the players just like to vary it up, or you may need a break to write the next section to your epic campaign!

All these are reasons why I think the single session RPGs are absolutely great, and where I'm focusing my time on trying to get into the indie publishing scene specifically from the point of view of one offs. I may re-use styles, settings etc. however each one will be written with a view to being able to be completed within a session and without a reliance on the other adventures.

Don't get me wrong. If I got the opportunity to write a large scale adventure I'd jump at that as well! However for now I'll set my sights on what I can see!

Enough procrastination, back to writing!

Musings on what makes a good GM?

Well the title is a bit of a loaded question I think. There are plenty of people in this world who are prepared to tell you what's good and what's bad. There are certainly GMs that can make adventures come alive, and work a sort of magic over the room, and others who seem to struggle to get everyone bought into the adventure.

That all said the GM is only part of the equation. The players need to be prepared to help the GM as much as the GM should help the players. Everyone is investing time and energy into the game, and everyone should come out feeling like it was a positive experience. It is very easy for a GM to blame players for derailing their carefully scripted adventure, as much as it is easy for players to blame a GM for not putting on a good show.

So what does that mean for what makes a good GM? Well I don't believe for an instant there is a one size fits all. Some GMs benefit from plenty of preparation, whereas others will thrive off the ability to just ad lib and make everything more free form for the players.

So what would I say to budding GMs?

• First, never be disheartened, anyone can have a bad adventure/session and everyone has to start somewhere. 
• Dive in, find what works for you as a GM, look for compromises to allow for the best fit for you and the gaming group as a whole. 
• Don't believe you are God as you are the GM. Listen to everyone's ideas, be prepared to work with ideas you don't always like to help get everyone feel invested in whats happening. 
• Work with the group to find a style that makes the game enjoyable for everyone involved.
• Don't be proud. If something isn't working, change it!
• Try some different RPG rules and styles. Sometimes people think they will really like a setting or style only for it to just not feel right, so don't get stuck, just change!
• Expect the unexpected! You can plan for everything ... only for the players to find an all new way to send your adventure off the tracks! Be prepared to just go with it and see where it ends up!
• Most of all have fun! Your playing a game as much as the players so enjoy it!

Time allocation

Well I think I need to work on time allocation. I have specific tasks, but I am setting myself a date for having the Carnival of Dreams written up and ready to be play tested for 3 weeks time.

That is giving myself quite a tall order, but I have to get my head down and get it all written up and ready!

I have one, possibly two, people lined up to run it and feedback. If anyone reads this and would be interested just give me a shout. A free PDF copy of the entire thing once it is completed to any and all who help with play testing.

For anyone who is interested here is a brief summary.

I'm honing writing one off adventures to fill those gaps. You know the ones where not everyone turns up, or someone has a very last minute cancellation or someone new wants to just try an RPG.

To this end I'm starting by writing Carnival of Dreams, a simple one night adventure where Z list super heroes (with really quite rubbish super powers) seek a lost granddaughter in a Carnival.

I'm trying to put in as much detail and information as possible so any GM can pick and choose what they use and what they want to ignore. There are pre-generated characters (1 for each super power). The aim is after a quick read through the GM is ready to let people loose.

It is tongue in cheek, and just meant to be simple fun. There are (I hope) enough elements that the players can work through hints and clues, or just blaze through, all depending on what they decide they want to do on a whim.

I'll end this post with an example Super Power.

Sneezing

Cost: 1 Fate point
Use: Attack
Description: The hero wrinkles their nose causing a tickle to build. Closing their eyes they lean back before releasing a sneeze of epic proportions. Snot, mucus and the occasional tooth fly forwards covering everything not quick enough to get out of the way. Unfortunately their ability to control this is limited causing friend and foe to be smothered.
Effect:
For each character in front of the hero make an attack roll with a bonus of +3. Defendants use their Athletics skill to try and dodge out of the way.

Fail: The torrent of snot is wasted as the enemy nimbly avoids the attack.

Tie: Place the "my eyes" aspect on the target.

Succeeds: Apply damage as normal as the larger bogies slam home. Place the "everything is slippy" aspect on the target.

Succeeds with Style: Apply damage as normal as the larger bogies slam home. Place the "everything is slippy" aspect on the target with a free invocation.

RPG.....bike day

Well best intentions and all that!

I intended on cracking on with the RPG Carnival of Dreams. Instead I spent over an hour cleaning my motorbike wheels. A clean and chain re-tension later and she's good to go. But then it was motogp time!

Tomorrow I'm back into RPG. Nearly ready for play tests!