This issue is a little different. It’s a compilation of blog posts I wrote for #RPGaDay2024, which means I had to play it a bit safer than usual. These posts were published on the Lightspress website, so the swearing is toned down, the snark is more subtle, and the overall vibe is a bit more “professional.” But trust me, if you read between the lines, you’ll still catch glimpses of the real me—the one who’s fed up with the gatekeeping, the outdated rules, and the nonsense that still gets a pass in certain corners of the hobby.

So, it’s over. #RPGaDay2024 has wrapped up, and I’m sitting here reflecting on the past month. I wrote some things that I think were pretty good. More than just getting words on a page, these posts helped solidify some ideas that had been swirling around in my head for a while. And, hopefully, I managed to communicate some of the Lightspress philosophy to readers along the way.

Today’s #RPGaDay2024 prompt is “Game or gamer you miss,” and it got me thinking about one of those roleplaying gems that never quite got the chance to shine as brightly as it could have: Victory Games’ James Bond 007 roleplaying game. Released in the early '80s, this game was a bit of an anomaly in the roleplaying world, blending the high-stakes espionage and glamorous intrigue of the Bond films with a system that was both innovative and approachable. But like many good things, it came to an end too soon, and I can’t help but wonder what could have been

Today’s #RPGaDay2024 prompt is “Person you'd like to game with,” and I can’t help but imagine one of the most famous gatherings of literary minds in history: the summer of 1816 at Villa Diodati. Picture this: Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (soon to be Mary Shelley), and Dr. John Polidori, all gathered around a table—not to share ghost stories, but to dive into a roleplaying game. If you think their real-life discussions were intense, just imagine the kind of campaign these creative powerhouses could conjure up.

When today’s #RPGaDay2024 prompt is “Awesome app,” you might be expecting me to rave about some shiny new app that promises to revolutionize your roleplaying sessions. Spoiler alert: that’s not going to happen. If you’ve been following along, you already know where I stand on this. Roleplaying is about the shared experience around the table, not about which app can juggle the most rules or track the most stats. So let’s get into why, despite the allure of digital tools, I still stand by good old-fashioned paper.

Great. Today's #RPGaDay2024 prompt is "Great gamer gadget." If you’ve been following this series, you’ve probably already caught on to where I’m going with this one. But for those just tuning in, let me be crystal clear: roleplaying isn’t about the gadgets, gizmos, or flashy accessories that seem to multiply faster than rabbits at an overcrowded table. It’s about the storytelling, the creativity, and the shared experience. But since I’m supposed to talk about gadgets today, I’ll give it a go—if only to highlight just how unnecessary they often are.

Let me tell you about the time my 7-year-old nephew wanted to watch the game. He was fascinated by what was happening on the table, but the adults were busy moving minis around, blocking his view. Determined to see what was going on, he leaned over so far that he fell right off his chair, cracked his head open, and ended up needing 14 stitches. We had to end the session right then and there to take him to the hospital. Talk about a session killer.

Ah, the humble screen—a piece of gear often overlooked in the roleplaying circle, yet vital to many a gamemaster’s sanity. Today’s prompt for #RPGaDay2024 is “Superb Screen,” so let’s dive into the magic this simple barrier brings to our tables. No, we’re not talking about your ultra-high-definition gaming monitor or that cinema-sized display you've been eyeing for your next movie night. We’re talking about the gamemaster screen, a tool that’s as much about managing chaos as it is about keeping secrets.

Let’s talk about dice. Specifically, let’s talk about the borderline obsession some folks have with collecting them. Now, before anyone gets their custom-made dice bag in a twist, let me just say: I get it. Dice are pretty. They’re shiny, they come in all sorts of colors, and rolling them can feel pretty darn satisfying. But I have to wonder, when did we start treating these little plastic polyhedrals like they’re precious gemstones? And why on earth does anyone need more dice than they could ever possibly use?

When it comes to roleplaying games, there’s no shortage of advice floating around. Whether it’s in forums, blogs, or social media, everyone seems to have their own version of what constitutes “acclaimed advice.” But let’s take a moment to question that term. What exactly makes advice “acclaimed”? Is it simply because it’s popular? Is it because it’s been shared, liked, and retweeted by the masses? Or is there something deeper at play?

Being a peerless player in a tabletop roleplaying game isn’t about being the loudest at the table or having the most elaborately detailed character backstory. It’s about enhancing the experience for everyone involved, including the gamemaster and your fellow players. If you’re aiming to be the kind of player everyone wants in their game, here’s how to do it without turning the session into your own personal show.

Creating a notable supporting character for a roleplaying game is both an art and a bit of a science. You want to design someone who sticks in the minds of your players, someone they’ll talk about long after the campaign is over. But how do you craft a character who isn’t just memorable, but also enhances the game? Let’s break it down.

Creating a classic roleplaying campaign might seem like a tall order, but it’s really about focusing on the fundamentals and ensuring that the experience is memorable for everyone involved. Whether you’re looking to create something epic that spans years or just want a series of linked adventures that feel timeless, there are some key elements to keep in mind. Let’s dive into how you can build a campaign that stands the test of time and earns the title of “classic.”

Creating an amazing tabletop roleplaying adventure isn’t as hard as people make it out to be. The trick is not to aim for perfection, but to focus on the elements that keep players coming back to the table. Here’s a guide to crafting an adventure that will have your players talking about it for weeks without overthinking every detail.

Creating the conditions for a sensational tabletop roleplaying session isn’t rocket science, but it does require some attention to detail, a dash of creativity, and the ability to keep your players engaged without trying too hard. I’m not going to promise any secret sauce or magic formula here, just some solid advice that works if you take the time to apply it.

When it comes to tabletop roleplaying, a “memorable moment of play” is that instant when everything clicks. It’s the scene you and your group will be talking about for years, the kind of moment that makes all the rules-lawyering, scheduling conflicts, and pizza grease on character sheets worth it. But these moments don’t just happen by accident—or at least, they don’t have to. With a little planning and a willingness to embrace the chaos of a random moment, you can create experiences that stick with your group long after the dice have cooled.

When we talk about an engaging roleplaying game community, the focus often drifts toward conventions, online forums, or the latest Kickstarter campaigns. But today, I want to shine a spotlight on a different kind of community—the home group. You know the one. The friends who’ve been gathering around the same table (or, let’s be honest, the same living room) for years, maybe decades. These are the folks with jobs, families, and other interests, who still carve out time to roll dice and tell stories together. They might not be the most visible or vocal part of the RPG scene, but they’re every bit as much a community as anyone else.

When it comes to tabletop roleplaying, one phrase that gets tossed around a lot is “quick to learn.” It sounds great on the surface—after all, who doesn’t want to dive right into a game without spending hours studying rules? But here’s the thing: whether or not a game is quick to learn shouldn’t be the deciding factor in whether it’s worth your time. If you’re passionate about a game, you’ll figure it out, no matter how complex it might be.