The patronage project Dark Roads and Golden Hells is plane-hopping along! Dan and Wolf asked me to put together a few words about writing a good planar location (I don’t mean “Good” necessarily, but the advice applies), and I thought that you all might appreciate some sage advice from a master planesmaster. Unfortunately, Zeb and […]
Dark Roads and Golden Hells: Writing Good Planar Locations Read More »
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ Weeks ago, we talked about the price of freedom and what it means to have an external code imposed on us. Today, we’ll turn that around and discuss what it means to have an internal code that we use as
Now, the Twist: Live Fast, Take Chances Read More »
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ You know, of all the questions I’ve answered in my career, there’s one that doesn’t come up with the frequency it deserves. I mean, yes, I’ve answered it before, but I didn’t give it the answer it deserved, either. That
Now, the Twist: Inspiration—A Preliminary Toolbox Read More »
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ So we’ve discussed the importance of editors already and why it’s important to make their lives easy. Here’s one great way to do that: make a clean turnover. It’s much easier to say this than to do this. It’s extra
Now, the Twist: How to Make a Good Turnover Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] __ Last column, I wrote about the essential similarities of games across the spectrum, positing that—at a fundamental level—they share qualities that are
Now, the Twist: … and Tear Us Apart Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] __ When I talk about games, at least when I’m speaking professionally or professorially, I like to point out the essential similarities among
Now, the Twist: The Ties that Bind Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ A couple of columns ago, I mentioned that editors fill a crucial role in the business. They really are the unsung heroes
Now, the Twist: Credit Where Due—Editors Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Before launching into the usual snarkery, I’d like to take a moment for a more serious topic. You may have heard that
Now, the Twist: Hubris Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ I recently finished another project for Paizo Publishing, and since the experience is fresh in my mind I figured I’d
Now, the Twist: On (RPG) Process Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Banned Book Week recently passed, and it got me thinking. I picked up gaming way, way back when I was
Now, the Twist: The Price of Freedom Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Last time, we discussed playtests, so we won’t go over that ground again. Instead, we’ll talk about how you use
Now, the Twist: Unforeseen Consequences Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Even the best game designers out there—whether for tabletop RPGs, board games, or electronic games—occasionally deliver something that falls well
Now, the Twist: When Design Fails Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Before we get started today, I’d like to note that when I talk about game design, I want you to
Now, the Twist: Inside the Fun Factory Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. ___ Ah, the dreaded introductory post. Let’s make this fast and painless, and then we’ll get to the meat (no points
Now, the Twist: On Playing Games Read More »
In his My First Gen Con post, Colin McComb cryptically hinted at a secret assignment to spy on Gary Gygax. At last, the truth can be told… In early August of 1992, I was summoned to the executive area of TSR. I was constantly concerned about my job (a quirk that would lead to a
I Was a Gen Con Spy For TSR Read More »
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