The Allure of Dice in Fantasy Games

Gamers love dice, especially those used in fantasy roleplaying games, which have from their inception relied on the intriguingly shaped polyhedral d4, d8, d10, d12, and d20…and, of course, the mundane d6. Aside from the oddity and allure of the strangely shaped polyhedral dice, they often receive obsessive attention from some gamers, whose fascination ranges from collecting interestingly colored dice and finding just the right dice bag (or other container) all the way to sequestering “special” dice they believe gives them some advantage in play (despite their random nature).

Rolling dice -- whether a single die or a handful -- possesses some enchantment in the primitive parts of gamers’ minds that hints at magical divination (technically cleromancy, fortune-telling by casting lots, bones, stones, or other randomizers through which a divine entity or fate itself reveals its intention). Hovering over the dice, counting their results with a combination of anxious anticipation and potential triumph, remains one of the core components of roleplaying games, particularly those of the “old school” that employ polyhedral dice. For fantasy roleplaying gamers casting the dice determines the fate of our characters; the act literally becomes a form of divination that actually manifests aspects of “reality” within the game for a player’s hero.

I’ve enjoyed some indie narrative roleplaying games, though they’re not really within the scope of my design interests. As a gamer steeped in the time-honored tradition of dice-based roleplaying games -- and one who discovered the hobby through the venerable Basic Dungeons & Dragonsand its slowly disintegrating soft-plastic polyhedral dice -- I’m reluctant to completely abandon dice in games (despite my inclination toward more rules light systems than heavy complexity mechanics). Dice remain an integral part of roleplaying games constantly seeking balance with the equally essential storytelling elements.

Polyhedral Pantheon or Six-Siders?

In developing a fantasy roleplaying game with an original system -- something combining elements of the old-school retro-clones with a framework to more easily introduce a younger generation to gaming -- I’m facing a dice dilemma: do I try incorporating the old-school inclination toward the full range of polyhedral dice or do I focus on six-sided dice for their familiarity to newcomers and their greater availability?

In exploring this question I balance my fondness for enthralling polyhedral dice against the realities of familiarity and accessibility. Few kids exploring gaming on their own -- without the tutelage of a gamer-geek parent who, presumably, owns hordes of dice -- know what a d8 or d20 is or looks like, nor would they know where to find them. Other newcomers face the same “dice literacy” challenge. Most have six-sided dice around the house somewhere in now-archaic analog board games, though as technology relentlessly marches forward such relics may soon become lost as digital die-rolling applications become more widespread for personal computers and smart phones.

So I’m moving forward with development of a core rules mechanic based on the most mundane of all the polyhedral dice. A single d6 won’t satisfy the depth of play I’m seeking; I’m looking at using multiple dice to reflect the character’s experience (“level” for those of you who recall I’m integrating old-school elements into my project). With this choice I face a new challenge of re-invigorate the boring old d6 with some of the fascination associated with the “casting the bones” aspect of dice in roleplaying games.

Sum or Successes?

“Reading” the dice and interpreting the results often boils down to two methods. Do gamers roll the dice and add the resulting values numerically, or do the numbers translate to successes and failures (or some other effect)? The first one seems more intuitive -- dice have numbers, so when rolling one or several the player naturally want to add them all up -- yet the latter method allows for some interpretation within the scope of the game.

My first involvement with a success system was with West End Games’ Hercules & Xena Roleplaying Game and with HeroQuest, produced jointly by Milton Bradley and Games Workshop. The core mechanic of each game required a multiple-dice roll in which one tallied the number of successes showing on the dice faces. In Hercules & Xena’s Legend System D6 variant four die faces showed successes (chakrams) and two failures (hydra heads). Each die pool roll also included a “wild die” with a critical hit (a lightning bolt of Zeus…an exploding success) and a critical failure (the eye of Hera) much like the “wild die” mechanic introduced in the second edition of West End’s Star Wars Roleplaying Game; rolling an exceptional success allowed that die to count one success and then was rolled again, with the critical failure either negating one success or causing a catastrophic failure.

In HeroQuest the die results depended on the action: three faces showed skulls representing hits, two displayed shields for hero defense, and one sported a monster-faced shield for creature defense. Additional supplements for the game added dice with different faces for various other rolls, but the core mechanic worked well for most situations in the basic game, primarily combat.

Both games provided special dice with theme-appropriate faces, though one could easily assign results to numerical die faces on regular six-sided dice (an alternative clearly provided in the Hercules & Xena Roleplaying Game).

In both cases players rolled dice and then examined the results not for a sum of die-face values but for a tally of certain results -- each weighted by its frequency on the die faces -- with the presence of more than one favorable result determining base success and in some cases the degree of success. This preserves some mystique of “reading” the dice, even if they’re still only six-sided; rolling a handful of dice to represent skill (the more skill, the more dice rolled) enables a broader spectrum of results and offers room for growth through experience.

Interpreting the Dice

To add to the allure of the dice in the game I’m developing each hero gains a few special abilities, some of which allow them to interpret the dice results differently. The inspiration for this comes from my limited exposure to and understanding of Cheapass Games’ Button Men game, in which players use various dice and their rolled values for different combat effects; in the mechanics of Button Men, players roll a pool of polyhedral dice unique to their character and use the resulting values to eliminate the opponent’s dice and thus win fights.

In the system I’m developing for the retro-clone, newcomer-appropriate fantasy roleplaying game I’m toying with the idea of having one die pool roll determine both attack success as well as defense. This reflects one reality that a high-scoring attack limits the amount of defense one can offer opponents, and the more one tries to defend, the less effective his attack becomes. One die face would provide a “wild” result heroes can interpret differently depending on certain special abilities they choose during character creation. For instance, the heavy weapons specialty would allow a hero using such a weapon to count any “wild” results as “hits.” Some abilities allow players to use defend results as hits or convert hits in combat into defend results.

In examining the allure dice have for gamers, I’ve managed to resolve several issues surrounding the core resolution mechanic for my roleplaying game project. All I need now is some time to hammer that out into some kind of viable playtest material to see how it works in actual play. Stay tuned for further developments….

Children’s Programming at Conventions

I’ve been to a number of game and fan conventions in my time, ranging from the granddaddy of them all, GenCon, all the way to small regional conventions and game days. While many of them have occasionally tried incorporating programs specifically for kids of varying age groups, I’ve rarely seen smaller conventions manage such offerings on a consistently successful scale.

As the father of a future gamer geek and media fan I always hope the Little Guy will have opportunities soon to experiment in the realm of geeky pursuits (he’s almost three years old, so we’re slowly approaching the point where I can start introducing elements of fandom). As a game aficionado and designer I hope to cultivate a new, younger generation as an audience. Conventions offer opportunities for gamers and fans to bond in person over their favorite subjects. For those with children, attending a convention sometimes forces a choice between going alone or taking the entire family, including the kids; this poses some logistical as well as the expected financial challenges. I’ve seen programs at conventions for disinterested spouses, or offerings of borderline geek pursuits that might interest spouses (such as knitting); but adult spouses can take care of themselves if left alone at a con…kids cannot.

Larger conventions like GenCon and Origins can (and should) offer children’s programming tracks; they have a broad base of volunteers and available space for such events that cater to a growing population among their general con attendees. Smaller conventions, however, face more challenges in providing kid-friendly programming. They have far more limited resources in volunteers, space, and materials. Some have more limited themes -- like miniature wargaming conventions -- that don’t lend themselves to broad children’s programming.

I’ve seen one-shot game sessions specifically geared toward older kids, generally between eight and twelve years old…basic tank combat games and most any Wings of War/Glory event come to mind. I’m encouraged by small conventions like HAVOC, which actively recruits gamemasters to run kid-friendly games. Some convention games openly encourage young people to participate, though usually with a parent or other mentor. These events offer older children a chance to explore their parents’ strange hobbies, with or without their parents hovering over them, but they don’t and can’t appeal to much younger children.

Children’s programming outside the normal scope of normal convention activities takes quite a bit more effort than simply running a game or two suitable for kids. Involving younger children, even with the participation of their parents (a given, in my book), opens convention organizers up to individual parent’s criticisms over what’s acceptable for their kids. I also appreciate such programs carry with them inherent liabilities and insurance risks. Having volunteers in the child-care industry might help properly plan activities and provide some degree of professionalism to ensure success.

I’d love to hear more about successful children’s programming at game and fan conventions. For now, based on my limited observations and experience, I offer a few suggestions convention organizers might wish to explore in creating programming suitable for kids.

Ground Rules: Any children’s programming should incorporate a few basic guidelines. Areas away from the loud hustle and bustle of the con might best serve younger kids easily overwhelmed by a convention’s many activities. Make sure parents know any program, for whatever length, isn’t a babysitting service (much as they’d like one); be clear a parent is expected to participate in activities. To help insure success advertise and promote children’s programming in advance to make sure people know they can bring their kids; for some this may make the difference between one person and an entire family attending the convention.

Movie Room: Many fan conventions have a dedicated screening room for showing genre films, anime, and other relevant fare. Conventions might program child-appropriate films during the morning or afternoon, or have a separate kid-oriented (and parent-friendly) video room. Yes, perhaps kids might just go here to veg out (preferably with their parents), but it might offer a short break amidst all the convention’s writhing chaos. For those with toddlers it might prove a nice place to sit down and watch television or interact with their peers until they calm down and doze off for a nap.

Storytime: Younger kids (2-5) might enjoy storytime with an engaging reader and geek-related children’s books. The format many local libraries use could work well with this age group; storybook reading alternated with sing-alongs or dances, with a coloring session or free play at the end.

Make & Take: Offer simple craft activities with geeky themes, depending on the age level. Make a paper toy or folded paper airplane. Color a simple stuffed doll with markers. Create (or simply color) a basic board game. I’m a fan of the Made By Joel website which offers many great craft ideas for younger children.

Games: Offer age-appropriate games for kids. Younger ones might simply enjoy a free-play session with toys, instruments, or empty boxes. One can purchase cardboard castles, playhouses, and pirate ships adults can assemble and kids can color and play within. With enough space simple group playground games might work. Older kids might appreciate playing typical children’s board game fare; oversized games might captivate kids and avoid the use of small parts younger children might wish to stick in their mouths.

These are just a few suggestions and ideas based on my own experiences as a father, gamer, and convention attendee; I’m in no way an expert, but seek to foster a discussion on the subject with an eye toward seeing more kid-friendly programming, from single events to entire tracks of activities, for children of con-goers not yet able to fully participate in their parents’ geeky interests.

On Playing at War

Upon hearing I was designing the Operation Drumbeat solitaire wargame someone asked me if I was really going to publish a game where the player captains a German u-boat sinking American ships during World War II. I tried not to get too discouraged, but the question challenged me to reflect on why I -- an American citizen descended from German immigrants who takes some degree of pride in his heritage -- was creating a game where the villainous Nazis preyed on the innocent, patriotic Americans.

These stereotypes illustrate one reason I wanted to develop Operation Drumbeat. Throughout human history patriotic propaganda has vilified “the enemy” during wars to dehumanize them and thus through fear inspire citizens to join the fight. The Nazis and the SS tainted the German collective history by committing horrific atrocities against humanity; this game in no way serves to justify and glorify these crimes or their perpetrators. They ultimately led, however, to a world-wide war, one fought primarily by ordinary citizens on all fronts. As Americans we’re more apt to appreciate our own nation’s soldiers during World War II, their sacrifices and their heroism, as well as average non-combatant citizens on the home front stepping up and taking responsibility to do “their part” for the war effort. Yet citizens of other nations -- both Allied and Axis -- bowed to the wills of their leaders and dutifully served in their own armed forces whether they volunteered or were drafted into service. Regardless of nationality, they all belong to a brotherhood of citizen-soldiers -- willing or unwilling -- whose ordinary lives were interrupted to fight and die for their country.

Many games refight World War II, requiring one player to take on the role of the villainous Nazi forces. Whether you’re playing Wings of War: Dawn of World War II, Flames of War, Memoir ’44, or any flavor of Axis & Allies, someone needs to play the Germans. Do these games validate the atrocities committed by the Nazis and the SS? Do they promote the continued perpetration of such horrific and hateful behaviors and attitudes? Do they glorify the suffering of combat and inspire younger generations to pursue the bloody wages of war? If anything, such games put all the players in the position many dutiful soldiers found themselves; doing what must be done, serving their country, right or wrong, by slogging it out on the bloody battlefield. Wargames from any period face this stigma that war shouldn’t be a game. Yet perhaps H.G. Wells -- one of the fathers of science fiction and pioneer in the field of miniature wargames -- summarized the best response, written for his own Little Wars game rules published only a few years before World War I: “You have only to play at Little Wars three or four times to realize just what a blundering thing Great War must be.”

By putting us in the first-person perspective as a player, games might help us better understand both our past and current events, giving us a personal perspective on some of the battlefield challenges soldiers faced and the risk and courage required to overcome them. Operation Drumbeat enables players to experience some issues German sailors might have experienced aboard u-boats during the last of the “Happy Times” of submarine operations in the Atlantic:

Grid Map: Plotting patrols on a grid map based on actual charts used by u-boat commanders offers some insight into the German navy’s map reference system and gives players first-hand experience in procedure and geography.

War Logbook (Kriegstagebuch): Recreating this historically based document for each cruise offers players a chance to partake in an exercise required of every u-boat captain; maintaining a detailed log of patrol activities as an operational report for naval commanders back in Germany and, incidentally, as a later historical account people today can use to further understand daily routine, attack and evasive procedures, and the general attitudes aboard u-boats. For players of solitaire games like this one, it provides a narrative souvenir of the play experience.

Tension of Battle: Does the captain continue to attack a freighter, or does he leave a stubborn target before reinforcements arrive to hunt down the u-boat? In this “push your luck” game players must choose whether to risk the survival of their crew and vessel to ensure a successful attack.

Escalating Defense: Initially the u-boat captains in Operation Drumbeat met with great success. They marveled at the lack of defensive measures from American armed forces in the face of war declared against Germany. They tracked targets silhouetted in the glowing lights of coastal towns and cities that hadn’t yet realized the value of blackout precautions. They took newsreel footage of New York City’s illuminated skyline. In the few months after Operation Drumbeat began taking its toll on shipping along the east coast, however, American forces so significantly increased their patrol presence that Admiral Dönitz felt deploying u-boats to that region no longer seemed a viable strategy.

By the end of the war more than 30,000 u-boat crewmen -- more than 75% of all such crews deployed by Germany -- were killed. They wreaked havoc on Allied shipping in the Atlantic at a great cost in lives and materiel that could have more quickly ended the war in Europe. They served diligently in perhaps one of the most dangerous theaters of war; 48 men aboard lone submarines prowling the vast, swelling ocean for targets and often hiding for their lives in the watery depths. Operation Drumbeat invites players to experience only a small part of their story.

Ares Announces Wings of Glory Duel Packs

Ares Games recently announced it plans to release “duel packs” for its World War I Wings of Glory aerial combat game. These seem like ideal products to draw new players into the game by matching classic aces and their aircraft…assuming Ares Games can produce and get them into broad hobby distribution by the promised “end of 2012” to capitalize on the holiday shopping season.

Estimated to retail around $30, the packs include the Wings of Glory rules (both basic and advanced), maneuver and damage cards, counters, stands, range rulers, and figures for high-profile dogfights between two historical aces and their aircraft: Manfred von Richthofen in his Fokker Dr.I against Arthur Roy Brown in his Sopwith Camel in one set and Paul Baumer in a Albatros D.Va against Frank Luke, Jr., and his Spad XIII in the other.

These seem like the perfect introductory sets to get new players started with the popular Wings of Glory game (formerly known as Wings of War). They contain everything needed to start playing, plus two aircraft miniatures; the earlier Wings of War starter sets relied on cards to represent airplanes, with miniatures as optional yet far more visually appealing accessories. The $30 price point sits around what most people interested in quality games might pay, and it includes the rules in both basic and advanced formats. The game is great for kids, who grasp the basic rules rather quickly and gravitate to the miniatures, as I’ve seen many times at gaming conventions, where they hold their own in dogfights against adult gamers.

The duel pack starter set format seems ideal not only for introducing new players with a complete, play-it-right-out-of-the-box format, but might also prove a useful model for repackaging the World War II version of the rules (with some adjustments for different components) to enter other sales venues. I lamented the lack of games in museum gift shops in another Hobby Games Recce post; the Wings of Glory duel packs would fit my criteria for complete games at reasonable price points. Ares could offer several duel packs to appeal to those interested in different operational theaters, such as combining a Messerschmitt Me-109 with the Spitfire for a Battle of Britain set, or a P-40 Warhawk with a Mitsubishi Zero for a Flying Tigers set.

I enjoy the Wings of Glory, have played both the World War I and World War II versions at several conventions, and primarily focus on collecting aircraft miniatures for my favored theaters in World War II (Battle of Britain, Flying Tigers, Japanese in the Pacific). After trying the world War I version at a convention, I’ve become interested in buying into that game, though have held off due to the high price point of getting into the game (a Wings of War basic rules box plus two miniatures adds up); but at $30 for rules and two aircraft miniatures, the duel packs are perfect for me. Miniatures and rules sets for the old Wings of War games remain available on game store shelves, dealers tables at wargaming conventions, and through online vendors like Amazon.com, sometimes at retail prices, others at some level of reasonable discount.

Most of the company’s promised releases have slowly made it to American distribution. Game stores and dealers I’ve noticed who carried Wings of War finally started displaying the first wave of Wings of Glory aircraft miniatures over the summer, including the American P-40; I’ve also seen the starter set containing four fighters from different nations, as well as the WWI Wings of Glory Rules and Accessories Pack containing everything short of the actual aircraft miniatures to play the game. I’ve not yet seen the promised bombers, though; acquiring one each of the American B-25 Mitchell and German Heinkel He-111 are high on my wishlist. (I regret I don’t follow the World War I version closely enough to have noticed whether and how quickly the new line of miniatures have reached American distribution.)

Congratulations to Ares Games for producing an entry level product with rules and two cool miniatures to play right out of the reasonably priced box…and hope that we see it (and can purchase it) soon.

What’s in Development?

I’ve considered blogging about my thoughts as a game designer for some time. My natural instinct to keep my proprietary projects secret until ready for release has prevented me from taking this course before; but now seems the time to discuss projects and my approaches to them openly. I’m hoping the process not only helps me clarify my design rationale through presentation and discussion, but provides those who admire or take interest in my work a glimpse into my thought process. In doing both I hope to foster some sense of community, explore game design issues with friends new and old, and, of course, encourage a loyal fan base for my work.

Although this blog will probably focus on elements for roleplaying games, I’d like to briefly introduce some projects across the gaming spectrum I’m currently developing to provide a basic framework for exploration of relevant game design issues:

The Roleplaying Game Project: I’m in the early stages of designing a fantasy roleplaying game combining elements appealing to old-school-renaissance gamers as well as those seeking to introduce kids (10 and up or so) to such games. I don’t consider myself much of a game system designer -- my expertise really shines more in setting and adventure design -- but I’ve succumbed to the egotistical inclinations to develop a game engine I feel has unique and entertaining qualities that also fulfills my other ulterior motives. While I also have ideas for a basic yet engaging medieval fantasy setting, that’s only a secondary element to an enjoyable game system suitable for kids (and adults) to explore roleplaying.

The Roleplaying Game Setting Project: A long neglected project, my Infinite Cathedral medieval fantasy setting has been languishing on a back burner for years. Significant portions are written, though other major sections remain neglected and require further development. The project outline, in my mind and on paper, has undergone revision from one massive sourcebook to a multiple-release line of setting supplements, including a brief (and possibly free) player guide, basic setting sourcebook, and separate, themed location supplements.

The Pen-and-Paper Wargame Project:Frequent readers of the Griffon Publishing Studio website know I’ve developed a solitaire wargame similar to Avalon Hill’s venerable B-17, Queen of the Skies; my game, Operation Drumbeat, focuses on German u-boat patrols along America’s east coast in the opening months of 1942 when America seemed unprepared for war. It employs a similar table-driven game system as B-17, replacing that game’s flight log with a similar resource, the war logbook (Kriegstagebuchfor you German speakers), and providing a historically inspired grid map on which players chart their patrol courses. At this time the game has gone through playtesting and revision to the final layout stages.

The Abstract Board Game: I’ve been toying with a design for an abstract board game tentatively entitled Kadesh: Pharaoh’s Chess. The piece movement and placement reflect the Battle of Kadesh in 1300 BCE, which Ramses the Great won by what seems like sheer luck (or divine intervention if you believe the pharaoh’s official and copious propaganda), but it takes place on an abstracted square grid with simple pieces. The rules currently exist in a format suitable for playtesters, though I might send it out again to a new set of playtesters since my previous response was somewhat lackluster. The rules need a formal rewriting before going into layout, and I’m toying with various ideas for graphics on the board and pieces.

The Miniatures Wargame: I’m dabbling with a simplified miniatures wargame for kids with a World War II tank warfare theme. The basic rules rationale exists, and it’s endured some playtesting with the 10-year old audience for which it’s intended. For this I’m looking at a two-part approach to publication; releasing a “basic” game containing the bare-bones yet playable rules followed by an “advanced” rules set containing options kids can add to enhance their play experience to reflect more generally accepted elements of miniatures wargames. This is clearly a case of the egotistical game designer thinking he can do better than the myriad offerings in the field ranging from homegrown rules to well-established hobby games.

Yes, there’s a theme to some of these games, that of introducing younger players to any kind of gaming hobby. Certainly I want to bring new players into the fold, but I’m also looking a few years ahead when my own son, now two years old, might wish to explore his father’s esoteric gaming hobby.

I’m also afraid it’s not easy for me to shed my guarded nature; thus I apologize for the nameless, sometimes vague project descriptions. No doubt more will come to light as I explore different elements of game design for various projects.

Now that I’ve offered some idea what’s been simmering on the back burners of my mind we can move forward and start exploring some game design issues that influence these projects and, hopefully, some of the games you Kind Readers are developing and running.

Playtesting A Kids’ Wargame

I recently enjoyed a playtest session that enabled me to see my gaming pursuits from the fresh perspective of a 10-year old. Our nephew visited us for a week in August. He proved a great companion to our two-year old Little Guy through a host of excursions: Shenandoah National Park, Lake Anna State Park, Luray Caverns, the Richmond Zoo, and the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. During the course of his stay he ventured several times into the basement to help his aunt with laundry and rummaging around for items in storage. He saw the under-used basement wargaming table laid out for my dabblings with the Flames of War rules: a blotched tan felt for desert, several high desert hills and rock formations, a small oasis, Panzer IIIs, Crusader IIs, Indian machine-gunners, some A13 Cruisers, and a German 88 on anti-tank duty (yes, my collection is a ragged hodge-podge of the North African Theater). When he learned it was all part of a game he expressed an interest in giving it a try.

Now much as I admire the Flames of War rules I’m in no position to try teaching even a simplified version of it to a 10-year old (heck, I’m still trying to wrap my own head around the detailed, rich rules set). But I have in development a more basic set of miniature wargaming rules for World War II tank combat (both at 15mm and 6mm scales) in rough draft form, specifically designed to introduce kids of his age to the basic concepts of wargaming, in a period I like and for which I have some models. Inspiration for this game came from several events I’ve seen at conventions geared toward introducing younger players -- generally 10 and up -- to the basics of miniature wargaming. They ranged from extremely simple yet fun to somewhat more complex (but nothing approaching the vast intricacies of most modern wargaming rules). So I jotted down some stats for the Panzer IIIs and Cruiser IIs, grabbed some dice and tape measures, and gave the nephew a good chance to handle the tanks and terrain before diving into the game itself.

The rules I’m developing follow a model I’ve admired for a while (and written about here at Hobby Games Recce); they present the core mechanics simply and clearly in a “basic” rules section, then add extra nuances in an “advanced” rules section. In this case the tank game “basic” rules cover the simplest core actions: moving and combat. I plan to add “optional rules” more in line with the expectations of more developed wargames in an “advanced rules” section.

It took my nephew about ten minutes to grasp the basics of moving and combat, including the very simple rules covering line of sight, range, and cover. We played through two full games (about an hour or so each) once with me running the German tanks and again with me running the British tanks. We each won one game (the Germans tended to prevail both times). During the course of our two games I realized some of the rules I’d thought I could incorporate in the “basic” section really belonged in the “advanced” rules. I dropped the minor long-range penalty for firing at a target farther than half a tank’s full range. I noticed I had to clarify rules for using cover (and realized the cover bonus was too small). Overall the experience impressed on me the importance of stripping down a game to its barest essentials. Designers trying to appeal to kids must balance simplified wargaming rules with attention spans, even when moderated by a kid’s interest in the cool miniatures, terrain, or the historical period.

Bear in mind I’m making these observations specifically regarding miniature wargames; most kids eagerly grasp the rules for more popular fare such as department-store board games and even more sophisticated “Eurogames,” and some even have an obsessive approach to the complexities of rules in some roleplaying games.

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I’ve been doing a bit of self-evaluation lately, including a hard look at my work at the Hobby Games Recce blog. With this entry I’ve exceeded 100,000 words in 89 blog articles over the course of a year and a half. Although I’ve touched on many subjects that interested me -- from nostalgic looks at games and examination of game elements to commentary on current industry news and releases -- I’m altering course slightly to veer a little away from the general gaming blog and more toward something supporting my own game design endeavors…something along the lines of a “Schweig’s Game Design Journal” accessible from the Griffon Publishing Studio website, where I’d talk about issues relevant to my current projects or overall game design challenges.  I’ve tried to update the Hobby Games Recce blog every Tuesday morning; at this point I’m looking to alternate that with posts to a design journal. We’ll see. I appreciate the kind support of readers and hope you’ll follow my other writings when they start appearing online.