There are many places one can begin when building a world for a game, sometimes you can even start many places at once. Some designers may build around a theme, others begin with a map, characters, or historical period of interest. When I find something that interests me - something I feel would be worth … Continue reading RPG Design Journal #1: Ideas & Themes
Month: January 2016
The Revenant: Artistry and Subtlety
I've just returned home from watching The Revenant, a film as rough and gruesome as its hero's face. It's a heavy film, weighed down by its subject matter, its setting, and the way it tells its story. This isn't to say that it's bad - its an incredible film, and one that I enjoyed - … Continue reading The Revenant: Artistry and Subtlety
RPG Design Journal #0: Lore, Myth, and Worldbuilding
I've wanted to do a post about the inclusion of "lore" in storytelling - mainly, but not exclusively, in games - but I haven't been able to come up with any sort of point to make. I know a lot of these posts are just me rambling on with little rhyme or reason about things … Continue reading RPG Design Journal #0: Lore, Myth, and Worldbuilding
The Responsibilities of the Writer
Perhaps I'm delusional, but I feel like a lot of people seem to criticize works using the term or idea of "responsibility" to justify their opinions. Specifically they claim that writers (or any artist for that matter) has some responsibility to make their work appealing to the viewer/reader/etc. I cannot bring myself to agree with … Continue reading The Responsibilities of the Writer
The World of Tom Waits
If I had to choose one musician who has influenced me the most as a listener, as a musician, and as a person, it would be Tom Waits. I first learned about the wandering madman of a musician about three years ago, but it wasn't until the beginning of this year that I really managed … Continue reading The World of Tom Waits
Media Tally 2015
As the end of the year approaches I have kept a list of the media I have consumed (for the first time) this year. Note that not all entries must have been produced or released this year (as the majority are not), rather they are merely the items I remember reading/hearing/seeing (etc.) and stuck with … Continue reading Media Tally 2015
Pen and Screen 