I’m off to Comic-Con first thing in the morning. I’ll only be around until Friday night, so if you’re looking for me, do so early. I don’t have any scheduled appearances, just lots of business to attend to, so contact me directly if you can. Either way, I hope to see you there!
Storytellers Unplugged
It’s that time of month again. My latest essay is up on Storytellers Unplugged. This time around I muse about muses and what keeps writers writing when they’d rather be somewhere else. Be sure to check it out.
Wolf’s Words
Fellow Alliterate and good guy Wolfgang Baur just opened up a locked post on his Open Design site about the writing process. The net is filled with these, of course, but rarely about RPG design. As usual, Wolf is spot on. Check it out.
Birdman at E3
It seems like the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law video game I worked on with High Voltage Software is getting some good buzz at this year’s E3 show.
Thanks to Jason Blair for the heads-up.
Dansky Dares to Ask
My pal Richard Dansky just launched a new feature at his website, a series of short interviews with other authors. I’m flattered to be the first in the lineup. Rich asked some great questions, and I enjoyed responding to them as best I could. Be sure to check it out.
Rich, by the way, is a true gentleman and a connoisseur of many fine things, including incredible scotches. He’s also the head Clancy writer for Red Storm Entertainment and a cracking-good novelist to boot. Look for Firefly Rain, his first original (non-tie-in) novel–and the inaugural title–from Wizards of the Coast’s shiny new imprint for such books, in January 2008.
Kobolds and Baurs
My fellow Alliterate and friend Wolfgang Baur–he of the prolific RPG pen, including the innovative, patron-sponsored Open Design project–has just launched spanking-new magazine: Kobold Quarterly. For those of us who will dearly miss the about-to-die Dragon and Dungeon Magazines, Kobold Quarterly is like going to the funeral and running into a long-lost friend.
Wolf spent many years at both TSR and Wizards of the Coast, some of them as editors for those now-doomed publications, and he wrote extensively for them both over the years as well. Now he’s decided to harness the power of his Open Design projects, his vast and authoritative experience, and this newfangled thing called the internet to produce a quarterly gaming rag that brings us some of the best bits of both of those hallowed mags.
So, if you love D&D–and would like to see the return of Bolt & Quiver by Stan! (another Alliterate), among all sorts of other gaming goodness–do yourself a solid and check it out.
Complete Idiots Amuck
I see that my The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Creating Dungeons & Dragons Characters now has a release date. According to Amazon, it should hit shelves on December 4, just in time for the holiday rush.
And did I mention that I’m also working on a sequel to The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Manga Fantasy Creatures, Illustrated? I am. You can look for The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Shojo Manga, Illustrated in stores in 2008, by the same team that brought you the last one: the incredible Tomoko Taniguchi and me.
Gen Con Schedule
I’m a guest of honor at this year’s Gen Con, and my schedule is sure to grow and change as the show arrives. However, here’s what I know so far:
Wednesday
Evening: Diana Jones Award Ceremony. An industry-only event held in a super-secret location in downtown Indianapolis on the eve of the convention.
Thursday
1—2 PM: Game Design: Bringing Your Concept to Life. Each game designer develops his or her own method of bringing an initial game design concept to life. Topics covered include concept development, prototype creation, playtesting sessions, pitching games to publishers, and doing everything that’s necessary to help move the process forward. Panelists will also discuss ways for new game designers to approach publishers and get their games noticed. Keith Baker, Matt Forbeck, Richard Garfield, Mike Gray, Reiner Knizia.
8—10 PM: True Dungeon. I actually have a scheduled event to play in, a VIP session of True Dungeon, along with Rennie Araucto (Gen Con’s Director of Events) and Matthew Atherton (Feedback, winner of the first season of Who Wants to Be a Superhero?).
Friday
10—11 AM: Publishing Your Game. You’ve designed, play-tested and produced your game. Now it’s time to get it published. But what do you do? Where do you go? Who do you talk to? Come find out! Matt Forbeck, Mike Gray, Rob Kuntz, Andrew Parks, Robin Laws.
11 AM — Noon: Channeling Robert E. Howard: Adapting and Creating the Worlds of an Icon. Join key creative individuals who have helped shape and bring to life the legacy of Robert E. Howard with an emphasis on writing. The panel discussion, followed by a Q&A session, will include Mike Stackpole, author of an all-new series of books chronicling the story of Belit, the Queen of the Black Coast; Loren Coleman, author of a trilogy titled Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, and Matt Forbeck, REH scholar, editor, game designer, and author.
2—3 PM: 40 Years of Gen Con: The Attendees. A panel discussion amoung longtime Gen Con attendees, plus audience reminiscences. Come and share your stories, favorite games played… what happens at Gen Con, stays at Gen Con! Dave Arneson, Matt Forbeck, Ken Hite, Robin Laws, Randy Porter.
Saturday
5—6 PM: 10 No-No’s of Game Design. Ever wanted to design a game but didn’t know the best ways to do it? Well, this isn’t your panel. Designing games is as much about what NOT to do, as it is what you should do. In this panel, we’ll review different mistakes new (and experienced) game designers make. Matt Forbeck, Mike Gray, Richard Garfield, Reiner Knizia.
Plus, I should have some special surprises soon. In the meantime, all I can say is: “Look who I’m sharing the stage with!” Seriously.
One panel I share with Richard Garfield (creator of Magic: The Gathering), Reiner Knizia (the biggest name in board game design), Mike Gray (VP of game acquisition for Hasbro, and a bang-up designer in his own right), and Ketih Baker (creator of Eberron). On another, I’m sitting with Dave Arneson (co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons), plus Robin Laws and Ken Hite (two of the greatest RPG designers around). And the rest of the list doesn’t feature any slackers either: Mike Stackpole, Rob Kuntz, Randy Porter, Andrew Parks, plus hanging out with Rennie Araucto and Matthew Atherton.
I’m not bragging on myself here. I’m just stunned to be honored to be mentioned along with many of these people, much less getting to share a stage with them. It’s going to be an amazing show.
Back to Work
Short Version: Back from Origins. Working to beat next deadline now. Had a great time. Saw lots of friends. Made new ones. Presented an award at the Origins Awards ceremony. GAMA treated the guests like royalty. Reactor 88 Studios showed up Sunday for a quick tour of the show.
Long Version: Must wait until later.