HGR’s Notable Posts

I’ve not done any retrospective of my Hobby Games recce work in a while and wanted to provide a sampling of some of my best, most popular writing for those seeking a taste of my past work. I started blogging more-or-less weekly in November 2010. At first I’d hoped to write 700-900 words each week on some issue relevant to the adventure gaming hobby. Now the blog has more than 550 posts, with most above 1,200 words...meaning I’ve written more than half a million words here (the equivalent of about five novels). Not every post at Hobby Games Recce is my best work; sometimes finding a compelling subject and an interesting angle doesn’t quite come together (and I’ve missed weeks here and there for various reasons). Not every post engages every reader; my content ranges across the subjects of roleplaying, board, and war games, as well as a commentary on our overall gaming culture. But I wanted to highlight some of my best writing about adventure game hobby issues, both by the numbers and by my personal standards.

Given the volume of work, I limited my selections to the past four years. I drew the first of my three “top five” recommendation lists from blog entries garnering the most views, a metric with which most of the internet seems obsessed. Why did these articles stand out to viewers? Most feature a popular product or game line, which generates the most interest (and hence views) through the online magic of social media hashtags and “shares” by those invested in these topics. This isn’t always the case — the internet’s mercurial this way — but it often depends on the community and my efforts to promote posts.

#5: “Solo Gaming in Pandemic Times” At the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic I recommended several games for those seeking some meaningful hobby activity on their own. I published several missives throughout the lockdown and pandemic looking at how this collective experience affected our gaming.

#4: “Behind the Publishing Curtain” A piece anticipating the release of Jon Peterson’s Game Wizards, a well-researched behind-the-scenes history of Dungeons & Dragons publisher TSR, which inspired me to reflect on the “tumultuous backstage” of game companies.

#3: “The Tsushima Project” A look at how a passing interest led my son and I down the road to investigate a new episode in history using popular miniature naval wargame rules; an example of how I like to merge my interests in games, history, and learning

#2: “Adaptable One-Hour Wargames” A feature on a set of easy, accessible, and very adaptable rules for historical miniatures wargaming along with a host of scenarios for any period.

#1: “Space Marines Adventures for Solo or Coop Play” I’m not really into the Warhammer game franchise, but I wanted to highlight this introductory solo/cooperative game as a good entry point to wargaming...or at least more involved board gaming. It tops my “most views” list no doubt from its subject matter, as Warhammer has a huge following int the hobby.

My next five highlights reflect pieces I feel showcase my best, most thoughtful work (listed from least to most recent). Most fall into the category of gaming culture “think pieces,” commentary on how our gaming attitudes and society can mirror each other. They challenge us to examine how games can affect ourselves and our communities.

#5: “Winning & Losing Graciously” Written in the tumultuous aftermath of America’s 2020 presidential election (and before the January 6 coup attempt), this piece contemplates how games can help us learn and grow, particularly in the ways we handle victory and defeat.

#4: “Reflecting on Our Game Experience” An examination of how we might learn more and gain a deeper understanding by spending some time after playing a game to consider the basic, and possibly more significant lessons we might garner from the play experience.

#3: “Kind People Make Spaces Safe” Inspired by stories of people finding safe spaces in libraries, I discussed my own experiences with both libraries and games...and how the game community could work a little harder to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment.

#2: “An Invitation to Empathy” I discuss how our immersion in a game role might give us practice in understanding other people’s perspectives and putting ourselves in the position of those who lived through various historical events and periods.

#1: “Ukraine 2022 Prepares Students for War” Part feature on a nation using a hobby wargame to train students for war, part a close look at the game itself, and part examination of the issues of using a play activity to prepare youth for the realities of combat on their very doorstep.

One series of posts remains important to me beyond those with higher viewer numbers or ones I felt included my most thoughtful writing. Over the years I’ve allowed myself to share some of the more positive reminiscences about my time working on the Star Wars Roleplaying Game at West End Games, perhaps the most frustrating, challenging, and immensely rewarding job of my career. I’ve selected the top five from recent years, listed by least to most views.

#5: “WEG Memoirs: Sabacc Proposal” Reflecting on that time I presented a proposal to Hasbro to produce an analog version of the sabacc card game Han Solo played to win the Millennium Falcon on a wager.

#4: “WEG Memoirs: Intro Adventure Game” A feature about perhaps my greatest project with West End, a boxed introductory game for Star Wars fans interested in trying a roleplaying game set in their favorite universe far, far away.

#3: “Star Wars: A Dead License” Not originally part of my “WEG Memoirs” series, but one necessary to illustrate a time not too long ago when what is now a phenomenally successful media property seemed destined to fade from our popular culture.

#2. “WEG Memoirs: Scott Palter” My thoughts on the passing of West End’s owner, Scott Palter, who offered his staff amazing opportunities along with tons of frustration.

#1. “WEG Memoirs: D6 Indiana Jones RPG” The backstory behind the amazing pulp roleplaying game project that never was.

I cannot mention my “WEG Memoirs” without noting the entry from June 2018: “20th Anniversary of WEG’s Demise.” Working for West End was the most fulfilling highlight of my career...and losing that devastated me and many others who worked there. In some ways I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from it, despite surviving the “Desperate Freelance Years” I endured and somehow making my way forward.

I hope these selections point readers to some engaging insights from my many years as both a player and designer. I invite everyone to browse the blog’s dusty halls for older features that might interest them...and I hope they return for future missives across the scope of the adventure gaming hobby.