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Roleplaying Games

Nerdarchy > Roleplaying Games (Page 39)
live stream playstyle

Live Stream D&D is a Playstyle All its Own

Back in 2010 the notion of Dungeons & Dragons, or any roleplaying game, as a spectator event would draw incredulous looks – even from dyed-in-the-wool players. There were a few videos floating around from Wizards of the Coast to show examples of D&D being played, and some podcasts of people playing or talking about the gaming hobby. Fast forward to 2017, and live stream roleplaying games have grown into a viable form of entertainment. The big dog in the room, Critical Role, generally draws audiences in the 30,000 viewer range for their live games on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. pacific. The VOD on the Geek & Sundry YouTube channel dwarfs these numbers; the first episode is sitting at 6.1 million views. The new campaign just started too – were your #silhouettewatch predictions correct?

Fantasy Grounds College

Fantasy Grounds College – Get to Know the Staff No. 1

As Fantasy Grounds College continues to grow, so does our list of amazing aides, moderators, subject matter experts, streamers, web designers,etc. Some of these people have been around since the college started back in 2011, while others are new. Every one of them deserves some time in the spotlight. Thus, I would like to introduce my bi-weekly Fantasy Grounds College Get to Know the Staff segment.

Marvel RPG

Marvelous Phile: FEATS and the Universal Table Color Chart

Hey, guys, Professor Bill of Comic Book University (where tuition is always free) and I’m bringing you the sixth article of the Marvelous Phile, an homage to the excerpt in Dragon Magazine back in the ’80s. Game mechanic – intensity FEATS on the Universal Table FEATS are what you’re...

Kickstarter Korner for Jan. 2018, Week 2

Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat and generally just hang out and talk nerdy with the Nerdarchy community.

Kickstarter Korner for Jan. 2018, Week 1

Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat and generally just hang out and talk nerdy with the Nerdarchy community.

roleplaying hobby

Philosophy of Pen and Paper Roleplaying Game Hobby No. 1

Introduction of “why” in roleplaying games

While often the conversation of the roleplaying hobby revolves around the question of “how,” I find I spend most of my time asking “why.” While discussion of effective Game Mastering, playing a compelling character, and the like can be useful tools, these are simply to treat the symptoms of the obstacles we face in this hobby. Understanding why we take on such an odd and complex undertaking and dare to call it fun gives us insight on what drives us and when we know why, we know when we fall short of why. This concept of why is what we’re here to explore: Why do we play, Why do you play, and why is this important for roleplaying gamers.

Keep Your Campaign on Track: Dead End Plots in D&D

A campaign in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons, or any roleplaying game, turns on the words and deeds of the characters whose actions move the narrative forward – usually in ways the Game Master never expects. I’d say quite a few D&D adventures go in different directions almost immediately upon starting play. A GM can consider and plan for a million possibilities, and I’m never surprised when players do the million and first thing. Giving players agency in your game is vital, but what do you do when the adventurers venture far afield of the quests you prepared, or get stymied by obstacles, puzzles and other challenges impeding progress? Did the adventure hit a dead end?

Fantasy Grounds College

Keep Your Campaign On Track: Missing Players

Hello nerds! Nerditor Doug here, welcoming back guest poster Elyunn who shared a great story along with tips and advice for getting started with Fantasy Grounds. She is back with us again, and this time around she adds to the Keep Your Campaign on Track series.

Elyunn spoke with some folks over at Fantasy Grounds College to glean their insights on a situation all roleplaying game groups experience at some point or another…

worldbuilding calendars

Worldbuilding: Fantasy Calendars for D&D

Salutations nerds! Today, we’re going to talk about another facet of worldbuilding often overlooked at the gaming table for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons or whatever roleplaying game you fancy. I present to you, the humble calendar. If you clicked on this article, I’m going to assume you’re at least interested in using one. I’m not going to try to convince you creating your own calendars is good idea. You’re either into it or you’re not. Instead we’re going to get into the fun brainstorming part of the article I love so much.

Keep Your Campaign On Track: Side Stories

A Dungeons & Dragons campaign can hinge around the players (and their characters) all being present. That can’t always be the case. If you find yourself missing one or more players at an important time in the campaign – such as the session when the party plans to storm the nemesis’ fortress and take back the stolen artifact – consider a side story. A side story is an encapsulated session dealing with events at another time and place without having a direct effect on the current scene. This could be a backstory session revolving around a particular character or a scene from another part of the campaign world.