Gm'ing is thirsty work!

I would suggest Mount(ain) Doom drink :)

        SO! Little known fact about me, I have been GMing now for...about 10 years, and have played table top RPG's for about 14. I have certainly run into my fair share of pitfalls. Is my game too challenging? Are the characters original, or another set of cookie cutter cliche's? Did I remember to wear my deodorant, gods know I've been to enough cons to know what happens if I shouldn't... 

        Yup, so with that I've always looked to improve my gaming experience and my GMing experience. I've tried a whole mess of different ideas. There was a time I threw the Deck (the one all DnD players know of) at the group on a regular basis...and oh did my plots go in every damned directions. Good days of learnin, and the learnin never stopped. SO I've read a great many books and so forth on how to GM, not to mention the plethora of blogs and how-to's online. Even after a decade of trial and error I still look to advice and suggestions, even from people whom call themselves noobs. Everyone has good points or at least interesting points to make and, though lately I've been a bit lost emotionally and ambition wise, I try and absorb every damn bit I can. NOW, this leads me to this post. There's this book, that frankly every GM should have in their bag of holding. (If you don't have a bag of holding you are sorely missing out my friend!) 

        This book, "The Lazy Dungeon Master", never was there a more comprehensive or fantastic novel which breaks down what every GM should endeavor to do. With a motley assortment of bullet pointed lists, examples, quotes and methods from renowned GM's, this little booklet certainly holds its own. I chatted with a certain GM friend of mine who has a tendency to illustrate his encounters a little too much and we both agreed this is a highly necessary read for all Game Masters, and players honestly. 

        I had the fortune and privilege to read this as a gift from my father, in part because I'm a broke GM that still tries to run games regardless of monetary concerns, and partly because my father is an avid player. The author is not only a GM aficionado but gamer for many many years. Also the man has quite the pull with different renowned GM'ers out there and so not only does he offer easy to read advice (but in no way elementary) but backs most of it up with experience or outside voices.

        This book may have come 10 years into my GMing passion but it plays a pivotal roll in every game I host. Don't over-prep but have outlines, don't stratify your story or bog it down with rail set points but keep it open enough to work with the punches the players throw your way. (figuratively speaking of course) Obviously I'm not going to reiterate every point on this book, as it would be blatant plagiarism and that's just not my way, but only want to emphasize the enormity of its impact. This book shows itself to be a very advantageous spell tome of plot enforcing fun while at the same time keeping with the brevity that all games should have. Every GM'er should at least give this a try, while every player would benefit in delving into what game masters go through to produce entertaining games. 

        Gamers, players, Game Masters and interested readers as well, I highly recommend this reading. Well that's about all I have to say on the matter, as for myself, I'll be seeing you all at Pacificon this labor day weekend. Stop by my game: Druids of the Exiled PT 2 and 3 and say hello and hang around if you'd like. I won't have this book on print, unfortunately, but I will have it in pdf form on my laptop! 

        Well, as usual roll your D20,

        Ryan

Increasing the attendance to CON's, one die at a time

Gaming is a sanctuary, most of the time

        So I love to game, and it appears to be the trendy thing of this past few years. It will inevitably come to an end and then those who love to game and immerse themselves in gaming will be looked at as strange and confusing. It could be worse, we could be labeled (though places in the Midwest certainly continue to do this) as Satanists and worshipers of dark arts...luckily there's a larger community to block out the asshats hell bent (heh) on proving we're the destruction of all goodness. It would appear, hopefully, that my gaming schedule and running of games is about to increase by quite a lot, I certainly hope this proves factual.Gaming to me has always proved a non-destructive escape from the shit and anger of today, from news rhetoric to opinionated angst, gaming is what we all do to run the fuck away from the fury of it all. But it is more than that as well, it is a friendship building (as corny as that may be) endeavor and something where we (group and I) can make one hell of a memorable experience. Because life is nothing but a sum of our memories, as my father is always prone to point out, and to a degree it certainly is...in fact it mostly is. So Gaming is a sanctuary, and I've gone off enough to prove, or at least show this to be a strongly believed opinion of mine. Well I really wanted to post a map or something on here so its not just me blabbing and posting a giant block of text but sadly I have little funds, at the moment, to go to a printing shop I frequent and get it scanned in (my maps are usually quite large so Kinko's usually doesn't cut it). 

        So, instead I suppose I'll attempt to update about my CON status. I am currently attempting to get a game approved by the great council of Pacificon Gaming Expo, or what I used to know as CONquest. I've been waiting for some time but with any luck my "Druids of the Exiled Part's 2 and 3" will get approved and then any and all who read this can come over and check out my game! I've been told, though I'm not 100% on the validity of this, that my games are enjoyable, so with luck it'll remain so! I've already had 3 people express interest (hey, they're friends but I still count them as totally unbiased players :D ) so if they indeed join my game I would have 3 more available spots. Playing my game or not please stop by and throw me a "hello" or even sit down to chat about GMing and role playing in general, I would love that as well. I'll attempt to post, when funds become a more regular and expanded detail, my maps and current projects and as always would enjoy feedback!

        To the few people, someday more perhaps :3, keep on rolling that D20,

        Ryan

A return to old ties

It has been far too long...

        Hello all! Wow...its been...ages and ages. Firstly to those of you kind enough to respond to my last post, thank you all I very much appreciate it. Secondly, well a lot has happened, honor has been gained, blood has been spilt, shields have been broken...it was a cold year, a cold day, and a red dawn. Epic no? Any who about a full month ago, give or take a few days at the end of June, a good friend of mine passed away from over dose on a destructive substance. That is all the detail I need go into, at least for my own sake of being. After losing my friend, one I have known since I was in 2nd or 3rd grade (he would always correct me) I got to thinking and feeling, of course. My thoughts went thusly: It's cliche to say life is too short to harbor resentment but it certainly rings true here. I just lost a friend I've known a majority of my life. I shed more tears than I thought I would, I thought I would be "strong" as many have said to be, and you know what? To hell with that. I broke down and damn it all it was one of the hardest fucking things to come to terms with, but damn it all I am coming to terms with it. I had some trying games and I thought GMing for me was a safe haven free from the storm that has been my life for the past couple of years. A few games have shown me otherwise and the friends I've had and still have certainly tested and conflicted with me in so many ways, fuck what a year...what  a couple of years. But when all is said and done, especially for the past month, I just don't care and I don't believe I will care (too much) about what is to come. Having my close friend die on me has slowly changed me, to stop trying to accommodate everyone, and to live. I love to GM, I will morph my GMing to different groups with different demands. I will write, I will cry, I will laugh, I will love and I will live...

        So that's only a paraphrasing bit on my minds process. Yup, good stuff to meditate and think and think some more on what's been going on. So I made my apologies, I bordered on whether to keep GMing (there was a time where I was about to hang up my GM mantle...) and well here I am. All I have to say is, as I get ready to post regularly on here again is, time is fleeting and having lost a friend I should know that harboring anger or regrets may never get resolved, be careful if you do. 

        Well as always, those few of you reading this, keep on rolling your D20 and hope for a day of gaming and fun,

        Ryan