Role-Playing Games

Are violent video games bad for kids? Here’s why one mom doesn’t think so.

By Andrew | Published August 30, 2010

Author Beth Winegarner doesn’t think violent video games are going to cause your kids to kill themselves, or others. Sure, if you’re reading this site, there’s a good chance you agree, but what about the people who don’t? If you got here by searching for something like “Are violent video games dangerous?”, click through after [...]

Also posted in Books, Music, Opinion, Video Games | | Tagged beth winegarner, columbine, dave cullen, kickstarter, pmrc, teenagers, violence in video games, west memphis three | Leave a comment

Getting Started as a GM: Part 3, It’s Full of People!

By Andrew | Published August 27, 2010

So we’ve thought about how we want to run a game, and we’ve thought about the sandbox we want our players to play in. Now what? Now you have to fill it up! Not only with stuff, that’s the easy part. You have to fill it with people, and that can get a bit trickier. [...]

| Tagged getting started as a gm | Leave a comment

Getting Started as a GM: Part 2, Building Worlds

By Andrew | Published August 17, 2010

So last time we talked about deciding what type of Game Master you want to be. This time, let’s talk about how to build the sandbox your players will run around in. It’s time for terraforming, Andrew style. Hit the jump to follow along.

| Tagged dark sun, forgotten realms, getting started as a gm | Comments Off

Getting Started as a GM: Part 1, Knowing Where to Start

By Andrew | Published August 10, 2010

We talk a lot about role-playing games, and our love for them, here at the ol’ Robot. There’s also been plenty of chatter on the podcast about what an epic GM (game master) I am. But it hit me lately that, perusing the site, you probably wouldn’t find much to back up that claim. It’s [...]

Also posted in Games | | Tagged getting started as a gm, gm identity, gm tips, knowing where to start, magic fairy of fart dust, tex avery | Comments Off

Game Review: Dresden Files RPG

By Andrew | Published June 23, 2010

If you’ve followed the site for any time, you probably know that we’re all big Dresden Files nerds. And you know we’re also RPG nerds, so when Evil Hat Productions announced that they’d be putting out a Dresden Files RPG, you know we exploded. They were kind enough to send us a review copy, and [...]

Also posted in Books, Games | | Tagged dresden files, dresdenverse, drive thru rpgs, evil hat productions, harry dresden, jim butcher, review, rpg, the dresden files | 7 Comments

The Latest in the Dresden ‘Verse

By Jeannie | Published May 3, 2010

You may have noticed that we have mentioned Jim Butcher, Harry Dresden and The Dresden Files several times in the last few months. Well, there are a couple of reasons for that. Namely, that more than one (and less than 50) of us Robots are sorta big fans of TheDres AND that there is quite [...]

Also posted in Books | | Tagged changes, dabel brothers, dresden files, gandalf, ghandi, harry dresden, iron man, jim butcher, partridge in a pear tree, the dresden files, the rockford files | 3 Comments

A Field Guide to LARPs and LARPers

By samantha | Published March 8, 2010

In the hierarchy of gamers, LARPers are basically the bottom rung. They’re the ones you make fun of when you’re sitting around the table with pizza and Doritos and arguing about whether or not your barbarian can use his daily like that.

And yeah, we’re pretty dorky. (Though seriously, guys, look at your own hobbies, eh?)

So, I thought I’d take some time to shed a little bit of light on LARPing in general, the different types, and why we’re not as bad as you think. Except for Vampire LARPers.

Also posted in Events, Games | | Tagged boffer, boston, call of cthulu, convention larp, costuming, kubla con, l5r, larp, larping, long term larp, mage, mind's eye theater, role models, silicon city requiem, steam and cinders, unhallowed metropolis, vampire, weekend larp, werewolf, white wolf | 1 Comment

Geeky Clean

By Darci | Published February 22, 2010

I’m always on the lookout for unique gifts for all my geeky friends, and this find was too good not to share. The good folks at Geeky Clean have created a line of soaps aimed squarely at me and my nerd brethren. I really wish I could try a sample of some of these before [...]

Also posted in Games, Lifestyle, TV | | Tagged browncoat field ration, browncoats, d20, geeky clean, gift idea, magic missle, soap | 1 Comment

Dresden Files RPG

By Darci | Published February 3, 2010

Are you a fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels or comics? (And if you’re not, what’s wrong with you?) Or maybe you caught the short-lived TV adaptation? Are you a fan of tabletop RPGs? If so, you’ll be excited to hear this bit of news. The development of a Dresden Files RPG is well underway, [...]

Also posted in Books, Comics | | Tagged cleveland, dresden files, jim butcher, origins game fair | 2 Comments

Tales from the Table: Andrew’s Plan

By Andrew | Published February 2, 2010

So every gamer can attest to the fact that if you play tabletop games long enough, dumb things will be suggested. If you play D&D, that becomes more of a certainty. And if you play D&D with me, the time between game start and dumb idea gets quite small indeed. Hit the jump to get [...]

| Tagged briando, d&d, dumb ideas, paelias, tales from the table | 1 Comment