The Optics – and Actuality – of Depth and Replayability in Games
The Optics – and Actuality – of Depth and Replayability in Games By MARK WILSON All else being equal, it’s good if a game has
The Optics – and Actuality – of Depth and Replayability in Games By MARK WILSON All else being equal, it’s good if a game has
The Novelty Trap in Tabletop Game Critique By MARK WILSON In the often-forgettable general forums for Board Game Geek, I found a lovely thread on
Framing in Game Critique By MARK WILSON What’s the difference between these phrases? The game’s ending was boring, merely counting up points to see who
First Bias and Reducing Influence of Bias By MARK WILSON When you go to the grocery store, at least here in the US, often the
Useless Gaming Terms, and What the True Problem Is By MARK WILSON Frequent any forum on gaming long enough and you’ll start to see threads
Connecting Gameplay to Theme in Tabletop Games By MARK WILSON I saw a depressing discussion thread recently online. I suppose that’s my fault for reading
Theme, Setting and Mechanics in Games By MARK WILSON There’s a problem in how hobby gamers talk about tabletop games (board games + RPGs). Many
The Power of a Sincere Story By MARK WILSON R.A. Salvatore is an author best known for his many fantasy novels. In particular, his legacy
Successful Player Characters in D&D and TTRPGs By MARK WILSON How to Define PC Success in Tabletop Roleplaying Games Success is a nebulous term in
D&D’s Ranger Problem and How to Solve It By MARK WILSON D&D has a problem, and it’s with the Ranger class. This isn’t a new
Modernism, Postmodernism and Meta-Modernism in Roleplaying By MARK WILSON I saw a good Youtube video on this topic. It was in reference to movies, but
Riding Chaos in Tabletop Games By MARK WILSON A particularly chaotic session of Inis I like chaos in games. But I also like strategy and
Provisional Game Reviews By MARK WILSON When we write a review, we like to think it’s definitive. “Here,” we seem to say, “this is what
Holding the Lead: King of the Hill in Combative Board Games By MARK WILSON One of the more controversial elements of some of my favorite
Board Game Reviewers are Too Nice, But It’s Not Their Fault By MARK WILSON Reviewers have a tough job. What they do is largely thankless,
Open Information and Game Flow: How Game Design Incentivizes Analysis Paralysis By MARK WILSON Chess is a perfect information game. While it’s become popular to
Thematic Games and Role Differentiation By MARK WILSON I don’t think it’s terribly controversial to say that so-called “thematic” board games – as loosely defined
In Defense of Subjectivity in Game Critique By MARK WILSON On a basic level, we all understand (or I hope we do) that gaming preferences
Podcast Appearance – Sidekicks & Sidequests We create Leeroy Jenkins…the Vampire By MARK WILSON I was recently a guest for the second time on a
Become a Better Tabletop RPG Player – Part I By MARK WILSON An online discussion forum I frequent recently lamented the lack of discussion on
The Burden of Narrative in Tabletop Roleplaying Games: Part 2 By MARK WILSON In Part 1 of this article series, we looked at the burden
The Burden of Narrative in Tabletop Roleplaying Games By MARK WILSON Avatar: Legends and My Narrative Struggle I’ve been reading the core system book and
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #44 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 12 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #43 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #42 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #41 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #40 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10-11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #39 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #38 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #37 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #36 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #35 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #34 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #33 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #32 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #31 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #30 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #29 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #28 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #27 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #26 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #25 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #24 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7-8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #23 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #22 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #21 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #20 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #19 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #18 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #17 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #16 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6-7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #15 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Get Out of the Way, Game! Trying to navigate the murky waters of genre to define my tastes By MARK WILSON I’ve got a problem,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #14 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
Problematic Games And how to have better conversations about them By MARK WILSON We’re going to discuss problematic games today. That is, games with morally
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #13 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #12 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #11 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #10 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #9 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #8 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #7 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #6 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Emotional Spectrum in Gaming By MARK WILSON A Comparison Between Gaming and Pizza I occasionally get annoyed at the limitations of our language when
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #5 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #4 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #3 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #2 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Problem With D&D Tips By MARK WILSON I have a Youtube channel devoted to discussing Dungeons & Dragons. The videos are largely on individual
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #1 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Session Zero in Dungeons and Dragons Campaigns By MARK WILSON What Is Session Zero in D&D? Session Zero is the unofficial name for what happens
Ghosts of Saltmarsh | 5e D&D Review By MARK WILSON Ghosts of Saltmarsh – The Premise The region of Saltmarsh is a classic D&D setting.
The Reluctant Ally A template for NPCs that can add tension to your game. By MARK WILSON We tend to disparage cliches and tropes today,
Thousand Year Old Vampire: Session Report The Tale of Iri Thorgrimsson By MARK WILSON The Premise Thousand Year Old Vampire is a solo RPG intended
Thousand Year Old Vampire: Session Report The Tale of Saladin By MARK WILSON The Premise: Thousand Year Old Vampire is a solo RPG intended for
The Authority Roleplaying System Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2004 Product Link The Authority – Wildstorm’s Comic Legacy The Authority was a superhero team
Thousand Year Old Vampire RPG Review By MARK WILSON RPG: Thousand Year Old VampireYear Published: 2018 The Premise Thousand Year Old Vampire is a solo
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Campaign Retrospective “Wrap-Up Session & Thoughts” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #28 “Out With a Bang” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial
Emergent Gameplay Emergent elements in board games, video games, and tabletop roleplaying games By MARK WILSON Emergent gameplay is a slippery duck. Any longtime gamer
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #27 “Bathtub Full of Butter” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #26 “Strahdegy” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #25 “Touching the Things” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial –
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #24 “Temptations” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #23 “Legends of the Hidden Temple” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #22 “Age and Wisdom” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial –
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #21 “Tomb of the Advent Calendar” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #20 “Dinner With the Devil” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Sessions #18-19 “Seeds of Romance” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial –
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #17 “Wedding Plans” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #16 “Hy-bird-ization” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #15 “Wereakocra” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female Aarakocra
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #14 “Windmill Full of Bears” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #13 “Lathander’s Eleven” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female Aarakocra RangerAial – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #12 “Badger Badger Badger Badger MUFFIN MUFFIN” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #10-11 “Spears and Bones and Lightning Stones” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #9 “A Song of Ice and Arson” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #8 “We’re Off to See the Wizard” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa – Female
Barovia Goes to the Birds: Curse of Strahd Session #7 “The Birds Are Interested in the Book Club” By MARK WILSON DM: A Friend Party:(Me) Ahk-wa