RPGs

Building A New World For My Convention Scenarios

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For the last few weeks I have been streaming on Friday night from 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm on Twitch.

I had an idea a year or so ago to make a campaign world setting to hold all of my convention scenarios – the game ideas I come up with and run at conventions. All of my fantasy genre settings will be here that I made and ran in AD&D (2), DCC (1), and Delving Deeper (5 with one nearly written for UCon in November and another idea for next year), ten total. I’ve run various games across five conventions (UCon, Gary Con, Marmalade Dog, and Gamehole Con). It’s five if you count virtual Gary Con during Covid as a separate convention.

The plan is to convert the AD&D and DCC scenarios to Delving Deeper so that my campaign world is homogenous. I also plan to locate my old Delving Deeper Roll20 campaign in this world, and a campaign idea with some notes.

What Is This New World?

My inspired idea is to make a world composed of islands and archipelagos spread across an ocean world. No continents, no island larger than Greenland (1,600 miles x 800 miles).

I have been researching and gathering information about islands, archipelagos, and the kinds of things I will need tables to help generate the details of each island.

Between each Friday’s stream, I do a bit more on different aspects.

Tonight, during my stream, I had an idea that made it come together, and I finally feel like I have a solid outline/framework with which to proceed.

Steps To Insight

I started gathering some distance information on different islands and archipelagos before my stream. I got the length and width of Greenland and compared it to the distance from New York, New York to Kansas City, Missouri, and Greenland is longer than that.

Greenland is disputed in its widest point, but most claim it is 650 miles wide which is a bit further than the distance from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Kansas City, Missouri. From were I live now to where I grew up and my brothers still live.

The Indonesian archipelago is longer than the continental U.S. is wide.

I then got a map of the world and placed lines for the equator, tropics, and the Arctic and Antarctic circles.

Then I figured how many Greenlands laid lengthways would go around the Earth, and the same with the Indonesian archipelago.

Greenland is about 1,660 miles from North to South
It is disputed whether it is 650 to 800 miles
East to West, but 650 miles is the most often cited.

The Indonesian archipelago is about 3,181 miles
east to west and about 1,094 miles north to south.
New York, New York to Kansas City, Missouri is
about 1,190 miles.

This is less than half of twice the width of Greenland,
and about 470 shorter than the length of Greenland.

New York to Los Angeles, California is about 2,790 miles,
about 1,100 miles longer than Greenland.

This makes the span of Indonesia east to west about
390 miles wider than the U.S.

Circumference of Earth is about 25,000.

North Pole to Equator & Equator to South Pole approx.
12,500

12,500/3,181 (E to W length of Indonesian Arch.) = c. 4 (3.93)

4 Indonesian archipelagos would span half the Earth, so
8 needed to go all the way around.

12,500 / 1,094 (N. to S. of Ind. Arch.) = 11.43
11 widths of Indonesia half the Earth, 22 for all the way.

Greenland length 12,500 / 1,660 = 7.5
15 to go all the way around.

One could easily have 10 or 12 Greenland sized islands spread over a planet and none would see each other or be within a “quick” trip or “short” journey across the seas.

The method and technology of navigation would limit the likelihood of one discovering another.

However, a world with so little land might encourage more exploration rising up like it did with the Polynesian navigators that used memorized star charts, ocean currents, and paying attention to changes in currents and wind and weather.

I then drew a rectangle about the rough dimensions of Greenland and made a line from North to South for eight such rectangles.

I then placed ten of them around my global map and it made it clear that ten or twelve such islands would have plenty of space to never see another big island without travelling within sight of it.

Next I brainstormed some ideas to generate islands and archipelagos for their relative placement on a map.

Methods to generate relative placement of each island or archipelago.

1.) Grab 12-15 d6s and do the die drop on a hex map method.
2.) Use rice, beans, etc. covering a hex map and move them aside for the oceans, the rice or beans piled up for the elevation of the islands.
3.) Use an online generator or downloadable mapping tool that has a utility for generating islands and archipelagos.
4.) Use a world map of Earth and randomly make land into islands, or pick interesting coastlines to mash together into an island.
4a.) Usa a topographic map of Earth and use a random topographic elevation point as the coast.
5.) Use maps of Mars, etc.
6.) Use other fictional maps/rpg maps to get the idea. (Avoid Trademark & Copyright infringement.)

20d6 – Die Drop on Floor for Relative Placement.

As with most gamers, I have a lot of d6s. I have about 40d6 of various colors in a sandwich bag. I counted out 20 and figured I could drop them on my carpet so they wouldn’t bounce and roll too far and not under furniture.

Some of them were the same color. I had roughly equal handfuls so they wouldn’t all be in the middle and dropped them. Naturally, some were outliers around the edge and others tended to be nearer. If dice of the same color were near (about 6 inches apart) I considered them somehow related. Whether that is by geology, politics, trade, or something else is to be determined.

I then took a picture of the dice on the floor with my cell and emailed it to myself to get it on my PC. I opened the image in Paint.Net and put a red circle around the location of each die, and drew a red rectangle around the coincidental pairs of same colored dice. Finally, I added this as a layer to my world map in Paint.net.

Then I numbered each circle, then I added a screenshot from my Obsidian Vault for this project listing the names of all of my convention scenarios (some might say modules).

I created a new spreadsheet and made four columns: The number of the island(s) on the map, the zone (Arctic, Temperate, Tropical, or Antarctic), Paired Dice, and Notes listing the names of convention scenario(s) on that island.

Finally, I added a text insert with a To Do List.

So What’s Next?

The rough world map and the spreadsheet with notes tying it together is the framework I needed to guide this whole thing.

One part is preparing scenarios to publish on DriveThru RPG, or revising the ones already published. I will take the minimal worldbuilding elements presented in the scenarios and both flesh them out and tie them to a location in this world.

The other part is continuing to collect information to build tables to help inspire me or move me past anything that might block me from making an interesting and well put together setting.

It will be both a campaign world and a supplement to aid others with world building with a specific emphasis on sea based settings for generating islands, archipelagos, and ocean encounters and adventures.

One idea was for a “Sea Marches” campaign inspired by the West Marches style of campaign. I’m not sure how well that would work for a pure West Marches style campaign, but it would definitely work for an ocean based island hopping hexcrawl.

What About The Card Game?

Preliminary art is still coming in from the artist I contracted and it looks awesome! I’m limited on what I can do until the art is ready to place in the layout and order a test print from DriveThru Cards.

I’ll be working on the Kickstarter soon enough to get it ready for launch in October.

Until then, I’m getting a jump on this idea while I have the energy and motivation to do it.

But What About The Scenario For UCon in November?

I submitted my game last week and have the outline of the adventure done. I just need to fill in the details and add the descriptions to make this adventure ready to run. I don’t need that much to be able to run a game. I’ve run games with surprisingly little prep in the past. But I have a mind to publish my adventures, so I put a lot more effort in.

I’m getting a lot of things done now that I’m sticking to my guns and not working past quitting time at the day job. They are no longer getting the bulk of my energy, creativity, and enthusiasm since it was made clear to me that my efforts don’t really matter. Rather than be miserable, I’m having fun creating and getting in the right mindset to start running games again.

I’ve got a lot of projects around the house to wrap up before that happens, but those are also coming along nicely.

I’d love to run something on a weekly or bi-weekly basis at the FLGS, but want to be realistic. I’m also toying with a new campaign idea on Roll20 for a West Marches style game. It’s the same idea that I’d do at the FLGS. I haven’t been in there but once since they moved across the street. I haven’t run a game there since a year or two pre-Covid.

The ideas are just flowing faster than I can write them down or make sense of how to implement them. I love that state of creativity. It is energizing and renewing and fun! We all need more fun in our lives, especially with the state of the world.

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RPGs

Designing Tables

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In my Friday Twitch stream where I share my work in progress for building a campaign world that is an ocean world with archipelagos instead of continental landmasses. I’ve created a list of different kinds of RPG related tables in my research notes.

I decided to chare the lists of types of tables here.

I know I have other posts on tables and will try to gather them in links from this post.

Types of Tables

The AnyDice web site is used to see distribution and odds of different numbers and combinations of dice. Depends on type of table desired and type of results one is after and if certain weights/commonality of occurrence is needed. AnyDice is great for seeing what different types, number, and combinations of dice generate. The different curves and weights help you determine what things on the table should be more frequent and those more rare. For example, a random encounter for a dragon should be one of the rare possibilities unless the world is filled with dragons flying about.

One cool thing about AnyDice is that you can create links to the rolls you give it so you don’t have to type them next time.

Example showing 3d4, 3d6, and 3d8.

Example showing 3d6 vs. 3d8.

The great thing about building your own tables is not only setting the degree of how often a certain result may occur, but actually populating the table with the items and categories that make the most sense for your vision of the world, nation, or dungeon your are building or populating. They can be used for creation, exploration, and interaction with the world or setting you make.

Telecanter has a post on different types of tables.

Applied Phantasticality has a table of random tables and a random table generator using all the dice.

xDn Tables

Where x is number of dice, D or d indicates die, and n is the number of sides on a die. So 2d6 is 2 six-sided dice, which generates a range of 2-12.

In OD&D, Basic D&D and many retro clones, 2d6 is used for reaction roles.

These types of tables use one or more of the standard dice:
d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d100/d%

Or any of the various other die types out there, like the odd numbered dice from DCC, d30, d1000, etc.

A common role in many RPGs is 3d6 for abilities.

Mixed Die Tables

These tables use different type of dice in a way similar to xDn tables. Such as 1d6 & 1d8 for 2-14. or 1d4, 1d6, & 1d8 together generates 3-18 just like 3d6.

All the Dice Tables

A set of tables where 1 of each type of die is rolled, such as 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, 1d20. One roll of all these dice could be used on a set of tables on one page for generating an NPC, or random creature, or a dragon, etc.

I have a category: All The Dice Tables/Generators

And an article All The Dice Tables/Generators.

Nested Tables

Tables that “drill down” into sub tables to get their result.

Welsh Piper has some good examples of Nested Encounter Tables.

Dynamic Tables

Welsh Piper has some good examples of Dynamic Encounter Tables.

Dice Drop Tables

Table on a printed sheet designed for dropping dice on it to generate results. Examples?

Category: Dice Drop Generators

Article Dice Drop Generators.

They have been used most commonly for generating maps of worlds, cities, or dungeons (Dellorfano Protocols).

Dyson Logo’s blog has examples of Die Drop Tables for generating loot and wandering monsters.

Hexflowers

For navigation or generation of maps, islands, archipelagos, dragons, ships, cargo, wagon trains, camel(beast) trains, caravans, encounters, etc.

The idea of hexflowers is simple, yet powerful in their versatility. Goblinshenchman has done a lot to make them more popular and even collected some interesting hexflowers he found across the web.

What Did I Miss?

There are probably many different types of tables or ways to build tables for RPGs that I either forgot to include or I am not aware of. Please respond with a link to examples on blogs, etc. So I and other readers can add them to our toolbox.

Categories: Generator & Generators Tables

Island Monster Island Monster Placement OPDC OSR Converters OSR Rosetta Stone PKM ?? Point Crawl Simplification Solo RPG Tools

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Cards

Card Game Update

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The long awaited publication of my card game is nearing the final stretch!

I have contracted with the artist Michael Perrotta for card art that is more in line with the awesome layout and design I received a few months ago.

The plan is for crowdfunding, most likely Kickstarter, to run in the month of October, 2025, with delivery via DriveThruCards in November.

My hope is to have the final game in hand in time for UCon in November, 2025. I will definitely have it in hand for Gary Con 18 in March, 2026. The initial splash of the game was at Gary Con 10 where I brought my rough idea and after three games had workable rules. More playtesting identified rules clarifications and edge cases.

I am so grateful for everyone that has enjoyed my game. To come up with a card game that works and people want to play is the greatest reward of all.

I don’t yet have all the tiers figured out, nor what the cost of a single deck will be for either the Kickstarter or for those who wait until after to get it from DriveThruCards. Shipping will be up to each person.

I plan to have copies of the game with me at the next con I attend closest to completion of publication.

Options For Stretch Goals:

Playtesters are divided on the original art used for the playtest decks. It was either they liked it and though it was good enough, or their first comment was, “You need better art.” So one stretch goal would be to open up the playtest deck with cleaned up art and layout.

Some though that some of my art that I did on the very first playtest deck would be fun for a “Larry’s Art” version of the game. I can make this a stretch goal, and if people really want it, it will happen.

Rules:

The rules will be in PDF and include all those involved in design, art, layout, and all the playtesters and Kickstarter Backers.

I will look into a printer option for the rules.

I plan to have videos showing how the game is played and for responses to questions on the listing at DriveThruCards.

Planning:

I’ve looked into Kickstarter back when I thought it would be quick to do a Kickstarter. I did my own research, and have read most, if not all of what Kevin Crawford, of Sine Nomine Publishing, has shared about how he runs his Kickstarters.

My friend, Ryan Thompson, of Appendix N Entertainment, who has run multiple Kickstarters, some that have fulfilled in 2025. He has graciously agreed to advise me and help me avoid the gotchas.

In my experience backing 111 Kickstarters since 2014, I want to avoid the pain and frustration I have felt from poorly planned, executed, and communicated. I have the rules and layout template done. All that remains is the final art, and final layout of the cards and rules. While the artist works on art, I will work on the final layout for the rules. My goal is to make this Kickstarter a success. If it happens to be a runaway hit, or at least exceed my expectations for funding, I don’t want anything to slow it down.

If you’ve ever worked on a big project, you know that the final stages and “crossing the finish line” are the hardest. That is one reason it has been almost eight years since the initial playtest premiered at Gary Con 10.

Anyone who has offered to help me publicize my Kickstarter, I will be reaching out to take you up on that offer.

Elevator Pitch:

My card game is inspired by situations from RPGs, mostly D&D over the decades I have played it. The game is for 2 to 6 players. Each player builds an army and uses monster or situation cards to “attack” their opponents and improve their forces. The biggest army (most points) wins.

Here’s a sample of the Infantry card:

Here’s the layout design with the art used in the playtest decks:

What about other games?

I have ideas for the core of the rules for other themed games that will vary the genre and rules to fit the genre. I have ideas for a western variation, and several others.

Also doing different editions of the original game by different artists might happen if I get enough from this Kickstarter to help fund it.

Some of my ideas may lead to board games.

Of course, I will still continue sharing my RPG ideas and publishing my convention adventures and supplements.

If this Kickstarter is successful and I make enough money to continue with variations, this would be ideal for a side business to pursue in my retirement. I’m crunching the numbers to see if I can retire from my current day job at then end of 2026. If my pension, 401K, and Social Security are enough, then I might actually be able to do it.

That would be the dream, freedom to game and create and no job to use up my energy and creativity. The only drawback would be the number of conventions I could attend.

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Writing

Suggestions To Artists Responding To Calls For Art

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I am not an artist, nor do I make a living from my hobby business —although that is the pipe dream.

As someone who recently put out a call for artists for my card game across my social media and has been inundated with responses, here are some suggestions that would make sorting through them all more helpful to me and more likely that I will pick you.

I replied to or edited my various social media posts to add some clarifications. For future calls for artists, I will definitely include that information up front as that will help artists determine if an inquiry is worth their time, etc.

NOTE: If any working artists have any additions or corrections to these suggestions, I will gladly amend this post.

1.) Have a portfolio page that showcases your art by categories.

If you are just getting started your portfolio will be small. But breaking it down by category lets those looking for an artist know what sort of art they can expect.

Breaking art down by categories makes it easier to see if you might be a good fit.

Some how have reached out only seem to have their art on Instagram, which is just a stream of images and it is hard to tell what categories you work in.

If you draw portraits, character portraits, landscapes, scenes, etc. give it some categories. Also, if you work in only certain media, make that clear.

Take a look at other artists portfolio sites and see what categories they use and if there is a category no one else has, then you may have a new niche you can become the go to artist.

For example, some artists have experience doing Twitch specific art. While that isn’t a card game, I’m renewing my efforts on Twitch, so I will be reaching out to them once I get the card game project into the final stages.

2.) Have a general price sheet.

List the types of things you’ve done and give a fair price for your time, etc.

Don’t let prospective clients lowball you. There should be fair payment for good work.

Explain what you do to get to a final result. For example, initial sketch of idea, final image with X changes, any differences for line art verses full color, etc. Do you require a specific amount up front?

3.) Indicate what methods of payment work for you.

For example, I only send money via PayPal and will not be adding a new method as that just makes things more complex for me. I will make that clear in future requests for art.

One artist that contacted me only accepted payment in some app I’d never heard of. If you only accept one form of payment, make that clear.

If you live in a different country than the person requesting the art, understand how that may affect payment and delivery of the art. Digital art probably won’t be an issue. However, I believe some countries may not allow PayPal.

4.) Ask clarifying questions to help us asking for art do a better job of explaining a project.

As mentioned, when a creator puts out a call for art, we should include enough information to let artists know if this is a job for them.

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RPGs

New Project/Reviving Patreon

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I’ve been side tracked from gaming for too long. Work and other things have left me no energy and no enthusiasm for working on any of my various game related endeavors whether it’s my home campaign, this blog, YouTube, my podcast, or planning the next scenario to run at conventions.

I’m working on an idea that’s been rattling around my skull for a couple of years. I’ve had one initial start on it and did another brain dump about it trying to wrap my head around a nebulous idea for my next adventure for UCon in November.

I took a notebook out for a super late lunch as I finally had enough uninterrupted time to knock off a backlog of issues at work. I made notes about my idea and it is something that others may find useful and will help me with future planning.

What the Heck is This Idea? You buried the lede, again….

I have an idea for a campaign framework/builder that will both help me tie together the bulk of the fantasy scenarios I’ve run at cons and be a potential product to put up on DriveThruRPG.

The campaign world idea is for an ocean world with many archipelagos containing islands of all size. It would show some specifics of the general ideas in my World Building Cheat Sheet, with tables for generating various archipelagos and the islands they contain. The campaign world idea would be something to locate my adventures I run at cons and eventually put on DriveThruRPG. The generators would enable others to tweak the setting I create or make their own setting.

I could even expand the framework/builder to cover building any type of world, but that is beyond the original scope.

This idea will also contain a mini campaign I ran on Roll20 for about a dozen sessions and other ideas that don’t fit into my home campaign. I even have an idea for how to work in a West Marches campaign idea I want to run.

But you’ve said in the past that you have an idea and it never materializes

True, but it hit me how I can make this actually happen. If I make a commitment to an actual schedule, I can make it happen. For the Wednesday night Roll20 game I play in we are on the 3rd campaign since March, 2014. I was the only player to make every game of the first campaign. I had to drop out of the second campaign after about a dozen sessions for a family issue, but came back for the last dozen sessions. For the current campaign, I was on track to make every session, but about 6 weeks ago, work left me with a killer headache, so I missed one session.

I will commit to once a week, ever Friday night to stream on Twitch from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern to share my work as I transcribe scribbled notes, build tables, and develop ideas as I work my convention scenarios into this world. I will start tonight (Friday, August 8, 2025 as close to 8pm Eastern as possible.)

These scenarios already exist in a nebulous “convention world” in my mind. In my mind’s eye I can see how they can each fit into one or more of the archipelagos I envision for this more organized campaign world.

In addition to Twitch streaming, I will post updates and actual PDFs for Patrons on Patreon. I will also blog about progress and eventual PDFs on DriveThruRPG. This will also lead to something on YouTube and my podcast.

But what about the card game?

I know that the card game has been dragging on. I got a fantastic layout for the cards, but now it far exceeds the art I have. I don’t want to use AI as many I know would not buy it if I did, let alone I don’t support AI for what it has done to the artists it stole from. Unless there is an ethical AI trained on public domain art and public domain text, I will have no part in it.

So the search is on for an artist. Any artists who want to do art for my card game can hit me up. There are 40 unique card types, so I need 40 pieces of art.

I have funds set aside to pay, it just depends on how much it costs. This will control how quickly I can release the game. Ideally, I’d love to have it available at Gary Con in March, 2026. But anytime sooner is better.

There is a possibility of some form of crowdfunding, but details are forthcoming.

If I am active online in some game development capacity, I am more likely to get traction on locating an artist to do this art. It needs to be color art that matches the look and feel of the layout I have. It is powerful and really does something for the game. That is one skill I do not have.

If you are an artist or know an artist who might be interested, please contact me.

Why is it different this time?

My day job has used up too much of my time, creativity, and patience. I got a great raise and some new responsibilities this year. I am now the team lead, but my team, and me have been jerked around by the whims of the corporate life of a publicly traded company.

My desire it to retire at the end of 2026, but it depends on a few factors. I’ll be 62, the minimum age to draw Social Security. However, my house isn’t paid for and I have some other debt. If I can clear my other debt, I think I can still manage my house payment. Worse case scenario, I’d either have to sell my house – then try to figure out where the heck I’d live. Or I’d have to keep working another year or two.

I’m tired of using up all my mental and creative energy solving constant problems at work. It has been made clear to me that continuing to do so will not reward me with more time to game or express my creative ideas, so I am putting a stop to giving too much to the day job.

One thing I have considered it getting a second job to clear my debts, etc.

But then it hit me, I have an LLC I created for Follow Me, And Die! Entertainment, LLC. Why not see what I can do to both have more time with my hobby and make some money. At a minimum, I can actually do something about sharing the many ideas I have for the game. If I can make a little money, even better.

So What’s The Schedule for This?

I will commit to every Friday on Twitch from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern. I may to longer, or start sooner, or stream on additional days. I will announce if circumstances require me to miss a Friday.

This starts tonight for the first session. It will be disorganized for this first session, but I don’t want to lose momentum. I have less than an hour to post this, announce it across my socials, and locate my initial types notes to transcribe my notes I made at the restaurant.

So come join me! I welcome an opportunity to share ideas and answer questions.

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Cards

Progress With My Card Game

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On February 9, 2018 I was struck with inspiration for a card game idea that I brought to Gary Con 10 and play tested away most of the rough edges.

I had thought I would be Kickstarting it and moving forward quickly. I soon learned that quick is not possible if one is to do a good job on all parts.

One of the biggest things people said about the play test decks was “you need better art” while some said, “I like the art.” While I like some of the art in the vein of Albrecht Durer’s woodcuts, it was not all of that type and not all were good quality images. So I paid an artist to do line art in the hopes of Kickstarting in 2020, but something happened in 2020 that pushed things off until 2021.

So I announced the art was done, and hopes of publishing in 2021. But that didn’t happen.

Every Gary Con or other game convention that I attended since, people would ask about my card game. It all came down to layout. I am terrible at layout. A couple of friends offered to do it, but they are busy and have their own projects. I did not press them.

Then, as I shared in my last post about Gary Con 17, I mentioned the woman who played in one of the games I ran, which was her first convention game and first game with multiple players, that is, more than just her with her boyfriend running it. After the game I mentioned my card game, we played it , and I mentioned my struggle to finally publish it because I am terrible at layout. She then mentioned she is a designer and offered to do it.

It was a few weeks after Gary Con before I heard from her. While waiting I had my usual worries that I’d never hear from her. But I held out hope and managed to not bug her for a response. She did respond and we worked out her fee, I then shared what I had, and waited.

Queue montage of Inigo Montoya saying, “I hate waiting,” As I waited a few more weeks.

Finally, I checked my email Wednesday night. I am not in the habit of checking my business email every day and she had responded on Monday. She had a document explaining her design choices and what she did to make the design consistent and to make each card type easily identifiable visually.

The end result is spectacular and makes the art used in the test deck inadequate. The line art I paid for also doesn’t fit the look of the layout. But it is at least consistent, since it is all by the same artist.

Card Game Line Art

The only thing I could find needing adjustment in what she sent, were some typos.

She gladly corrected those and sent me the final design in an Illustrator file.

Thankfully, Affinity Designer can open Illustrator files, so I can get a good understanding of what was done and swap out the art as needed.

I like the bold, vibrant colors used. Even this view of everything in Affinity Designer gives a strong sense of just how good the layout is. The art used in the playtest decks just seems to clash, especially because all the art does not have a consistent look.

Card Game Layout

I want to avoid AI art options, unless there is an ethically, morally, and legally valid option. (Artists should be paid for their work.)

Next Steps

Now I have to decide whether to just publish it with the current art from the playtest deck, the line art I purchased (and whether to leave it as line art or attempt to color it myself, or see if the original artist is available to color it, or pay another artist to color it), or get new art.

I have some funds available to do some next steps with art, but it all depends on what different options cost.

If I can, I’d like to avoid crowdfunding, but that may be the way to go.

If I were to do crowdfunding, I’d want everything in place to make it go off smoothly before launch.

More importantly, I’d want it delivered before 2026.

Once I finally get it out, then I have ideas for expansions, and other games that would be a thematic reskinning of the basic rules.

Feedback

Please comment below if you have thoughts about this. I’d like to see what others think, and any suggestions they may have. This journey has been about six and a half years, I’d like to wrap it up and actually accomplish the goal of getting this thing published.

Things to Consider:

ART:

Plain Line Art I already have as is.

-OR-

Plain Line Art I already have but colored.

-OR-

New Art.

Further Art Questions:

Do I do a version with the art used on the playtest decks?

Do I do the often suggested “Larry art edition”? (If you know, you know.)

PUBLISHING:

Just publish when ready on DriveThruCards and/or Gamecrafter.

-OR-

Crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Backerkit, or other?)

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Cards, RPGs

Gary Con XVII

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I attended Gary Con this year. Last year, I was supposed to go, but something came up and I had to cancel.

This year, I ran a scenario I created called The Hoard of the Great Mage: Search For The Dice of Destiny. I first ran this at UCon back in November, 2024.

Here’s the blurb:

The Great Mage has died and the city council’s last group of adventurers finally secured the entrance to the mage’s tower. Your group is tasked to enter the tower of the Great Mage and retrieve the fabled Dice of Destiny. Any other loot found is your payment.

It was a lot of fun, and of course, every group that has played this scenario had different things they focused on.

Like most of my more recent convention games, I used Delving Deeper. I describe it as a clone of Original D&D, but organized. The older I get, the more I like simpler rules that get out of the way of make believe.

I ran my game each morning: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Thursday had 3 players that played my scenario from two years ago, and it was great to game with them again.

Thursday’s Game with a group from 2 years ago.

Friday a man and his partner showed up. She looked like she didn’t have anything to do, so I invited her to play. Two men walked by and we looking at all the various games. I asked if they were looking for a game. They asked how long it took. I told them the end of the time slot, and they joined in. It turns out that they are from Germany and in the game industry and were at the convention on business. One said that in the 20 years they’ve been coming to conventions in the U.S. this was the first time they had gamed. They had no dice or writing implements, so I gave them each a set of the extra dice I bring, just in case. They were a lot of fun in the game and really enjoyed it.

Friday’s Game

Saturday’s game had an older gentleman who has been playing longer than I have, and another middle aged man, and a man and his girlfriend. She had only played one on one RPGs with him, most recently OSE. This was both her first convention game AND her first game with multiple players. Later she and her boyfriend played my card game. When I complained about how all that’s left before it can go out is layout and how much I suck at layout, she said, “Well, I am a graphic designer.” She said she’d email me to work out details. So I am hopeful that this card game I’ve been working on for seven years will finally be available to the masses.

Saturday’s Game

Sunday’s game was sold out with a waiting list. However, not all players showed up. Again, it was a blast, and was so much fun. I didn’t remember to get a picture until after one player left, as his character ended up teleported far away, and there was nothing for him to do. In prior games, the time slot was about over when something like that occurred, but they skipped some things and made good decisions that got them to the end with over an hour left in the time slot. He said he did have fun and that’s the way the game goes sometimes. He just could go fit in something else for the day.

Sunday’s Game

I had a great time. I didn’t see quite as many friends as in past years, but it was great to catch up with old friends and to make some new ones.

I didn’t end up in the hotel that hosts the convention, so I had to deal with parking. It was packed by the time I got there the first morning, so the other mornings I got there earlier and got parking much closer to the entrance.

I did spend some money in the vendor hall. I bought a large format d20 that is an actual d20 and not a countdown d20 for Magic the Gathering, like others I bought not knowing about countdown d20s. I got a new Gary Con hat, to match my old one, as the old one is showing signs of being a well worn hat. I picked up some new pins, but haven’t decided where to put them on my gaming jacket.

As always, I had a great time at Gary Con. Being at an off site hotel, I didn’t stay late in the lounge more than once, on Saturday night. The change for Daylight Savings Time has really kicked my butt this year, and I’m still not adjusted, so I was extra tired at the con, and not as lively. Work with the day job is also extra busy and wears me down.

One night in the lounge.

I didn’t sign up for any games, as I could always get a pick up game, but sitting in the lounge and doing nothing was marvelous. Watching people and visiting with friends and making new friends was awesome. I just don’t have the drive to game like crazy every day.

I would like to make it to Gamehole Con this year, but I’m not sure that I can justify it. It’s close to UCon, in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Michigan, that I go to every year, since I live in Michigan. In visiting with Merle “The Administrator” Rasmussen, creator of Top Secret, he said he was invited to Wizard Con in Kalamazoo. I had not heard of that convention in my backyard, so I’ll be looking into that. I also got so busy with work, I forgot to submit games for Marmalade Dog, the college convention at Western Michigan University.

This is my first blog post in over a year, the last being a year in review post in December, 2023. Work and other things have pulled me away from most gaming. I still play Wednesday nights on Roll20 as I have for over a decade now.

Gary Con has re-charged my gaming batteries. UCon did too, but it’s in the early portion of my busiest time at the day job. The day job uses so much of my creative energy to solve problems that I have little left for fun creativity.

While it is still fresh in my mind, I have started making notes about the scenario I used at UCon and Gary Con and will clean it up to share on DriveThruRPG. I’ve got a lot of scenarios I haven’t shared there.

I’ve got a rough concept for the campaign world that is the setting for my adventures using Delving Deeper, and I started consolidating some notes. The AD&D adventures I run are either based on actual play scenarios from my home campaign, or ideas I based in my home campaign world. My home campaign is something I could publish, but I feel it would be a lot more work, than the idea I have for my Delving Deeper adventures.

In coming months, I hope to publish at least one of my convention games, hopefully more.

And if all comes together, maybe my card game will finally reach an audience outside of those I can show it too at conventions.

A bit more than a Gary Con update, but it is needed with my lack of postings. I’ll do what I can to have more frequent postings here, but I can’t make any promises. If I didn’t take Monday off after conventions, I wouldn’t be writing this now.

So until next time…. Game on!

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Time Rolls On

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Today is December 31, 2023, in the mid-afternoon. In less than ten hours it will be 2024.

2023

2023 was a good year. But all years are good years. Both good and bad things happen: personally, with friends, and around the world. Happiness is our choice, in spite of what happens.

In 2023 I attended Gary Con and ran and played games and I attended UCon and ran and played games. I ran my Roll20 AD&D campaign, but took a hiatus at the end of May, which continues. I am still active in the Wednesday night Roll20 OSE campaign. I still have attended every session.

My longest travel adventure was to go out to the memorial service for my aunt and uncle and visit family this Summer. I had hopes of extending that trip, but I had to get back home as I had to be there to accept delivery of my new laptop for work.

I got inspired to rejuvenate my interest in genealogy and found the death certificate for my aunt. Her mother died of pneumonia on her 1st birthday and Grandpa never explained to her what happened.

My hiatus from my Sunday game has been devoted to other things. Rather than being tied down to home, I’ve done other things.

In September, I attended my 40th high school reunion. We’re all getting old, but some of my classmates are looking good for women their age, but they’re happily married….

I’ve been hoping to date, but so far online dating is coming up dry. I did meet some new friends and they have gotten me out of the house and our of my comfort zone. There have been a few closer to home adventures.

2024

January, 2024 will be the 50th anniversary of the publication of Dungeons & Dragons. There will be celebrations and focus at all of the game conventions. I only plan to attend Gary Con and UCon. My wallet can’t afford more in 2024.

50 years of D&D means I’ve been playing 47 years since I started playing Holmes Blue Box Basic. My brother, Robert, convinced me to buy it and he became my first DM and is the best, in my opinion. I was a terrible DM until I got back into gaming on Roll20 in 2014 and resumed attending gaming conventions.

While I started blogging in 2009, my output of new posts is a trickle. There is a similar slow pace to new videos on YouTube, or new podcast episodes. I do manage a few posts on social media.

I won’t promise to commit to anything. I had hoped to get the card game out in time for 2024, but my drive to finish it is not what is needed to accomplish it. I will publish it someday instead of talking about it. Don’t worry, I will announce when it finally happens.

I don’t know how much gaming, blogging, podcasting, streaming, or other game related activities I will have, but I will continue the adventure of both real life and the imagination.

I hope you all face your real life fears and challenges with the same fortitude as you do in the games you play.

As always, Game On! Or in this case, Roll On!

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The Dreams In Gary’s Basement Update

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Pat Kilbane’s documentary of Gary Gygax and Dungeons and Dragons, The Dreams In Gary’s Basement, was released online to Kickstarter backers today.

This multi-year effort I first learned of at my first Gary Con, Gary Con 8.

The website for RPGHistory.net will host other long form content and regular shorts.

At this time, there is no word on when this will be available for non-backers. However, you can pre-order from Kickstarter.

It also will have a screening at GenCon 2023 next week.

Congratulations to Pat and his team on a well executed film!

It was worth the wait.

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Ramblings of an Old Gamer