Gaming Theory Blogs That You Should Bookmark

[Andy Kitkowski]

Hey all, over on RPGNet I threw out a line to get links to several gaming theory blogs.  Since it sounds like some of the Forge's theory speak will (hopefully!) move off into the Blogverse for further polishing and discussion, I decided to get out there and try to grab a list of what's currently out there.

So, forgive me, but I'm just going to copy-paste what I had over at RPGNet, and add the additions that people made to the list here.  If you know of any not listed, please chime in!

Hey all, Eric Brennan and I are looking to find some good gaming theory blogs.  I'm more partial to group blogs and discussion groups, but single-person blogs are fine, too, as long as:

1) Comments are allowed, and responded to (a one-way series of articles isn't what we're looking for).
2) It's focused more on "Gaming Theory" than "My day at the dentist".
3) If it's the blog of a game designer, that it talks about game theory and not just a "Look what I'm working on now!" type design-blog.

Here's the ones I know:

www.lumpley.com <-- Probably the biggest/best out there, where Vincent Baker breaks down complicated theory and talks about how it affects your daily tabletop gaming.

http://www.20by20room.com/ <--- A group blog that discusses many aspects of gaming.  Updated about once every 1-2 weeks.

http://benlehman.blogspot.com/  <-- Ben Lehman discusses gaming.  Usually takes the stuff in the Forge Theory forum and tries to set it straight and make it understandable.

http://bigd12.blogspot.com/ <-- Jay Loomis talks about gaming.

http://bankuei.blogspot.com/ <-- Bankuei talks about gaming.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/jhkimrpg/ <-- John Kim talks about theory and edbunks/shakes up some old taken-for-granted theory.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/mearls/ <--- Mike Mearl's Livejournal.  Used to be a regular online diary, now it's almost exclusively about the Roleplaying Industry, impact of D&D, etc.  VERY refreshing stuff.

http://esotericmurmurs.blogspot.com/  <--- Thoughts on (usually indie) games.

http://yudhishthirasdice.blogspot.com/  <--- A fat, powerful blog with lots of good chatter, by Brand Robbins.

http://mightyatom.blogspot.com/ <-- A relatively new blog by John, but these days is looping into "design journal mode", so it counts less on this overall list.

-----
Rarely Updated Set:

http://gamethink.blogspot.com/  <--- Was awesome.  Now is pretty much dead.  Most of what I got out of this blog I now find at www.20by20room.com

http://www.chimera.info/blog/  <--- Matt Snyder's gaming/design blog, but only rarely updated.

http://rockscissorsblog.blogspot.com/ <--- Game author/developer conversations, but very rarely updated these days.

Blogs that Others have Recommended:

http://ludisto.blogspot.com/

http://hamsterprophet.blogspot.com/

http://blog.kumapageworks.org

http://elsewhererpg.blogspot.com

http://crankreport.blogspot.com/ "The Crank Report"

http://www.bobgoat.com/discussion/ "One Angrey Polack" <--- Captain Shades says he's workin' out some theory here. 

-----

My own Livejournal blog is pretty lame at the moment, but I hope to have a few theory (make that practice/pragmatism) related discussions soon.  I rant a lot about dumb shit though.
My own Gaming LJ:

www.livejournal.com/users/zigguratbuilder/

If you can read Japanese, I've begun a Japanese gaming-only blog as well:

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/ziggurat/

Now, before you post, remember...

....we are looking for GAME THEORY/DISCUSSION BLOGS. Ones where comments are allowed, and usually responded to.

...we are not looking for the personal blog of a gamer or game designer (however entertaining it may be, like Kenneth Hite, etc), unless about 70% or more of the posts are solely about game theory/practice.

...we are not looking for the game design journal, however cool the game or designer may be (chadu, drivingblind or memento-mori's LJs are cool, but only about their own games, so do not count for this survey).

Thanks!

- Andy

[chadu]

...we are not looking for the game design journal, however cool the game or designer may be (chadu, drivingblind or memento-mori's LJs are cool, but only about their own games, so do not count for this survey).

Yay, I'm cool!


CU

[Larry L.]

Andy,

I appreciate this a bunch.

[Judd]

An interesting note that I have found is that in the weeks before a big con there will be a hush with a flurry of posts afterwards.

[John Kim]

I have a bunch of blog links on the Blog Links page of my own blog. 

http://www.darkshire.net/~jhkim/rpg/ljlinks.html

Many of these are relatively infrequent.  I think you got most of the serious theory ones.  A few others include:

http://cultureraven.typepad.com/roll_the_bones/
http://treasuretables.org/
http://roleplayersden.blogspot.com/

Also, while not always relevant to tabletop RPGs, I think Greg Costikyan often has interesting things to say at

http://costik.com/weblog/

[Jonas Ferry]

Great initiative!

May I humbly mention my own blog Jonas dagar, where my most recent posts are on Swedish freeform, a dinner-LARP I organized and a Capes session? Don't miss the archive. Even if you're not interested in that I have a link page with a few blogs you haven't mentioned yet.

It's nice that you comment the blogs you suggest, Andy. Unfortunately I haven't done that on my link page, so I guess you'll have to click around to see if you find something you like.

[Martin Ralya]

I write Treasure Tables (linked above by John Kim), and it fits your criteria pretty well: it's about GMing, so there's a fair amount of theory; comments are enabled, and I respond regularly; and I can promise that you'll never hear about my trips to the dentist! :)

[Grover]

Can this thread be stickied?  It looks like a useful reference.

Steve

[Ron Edwards]

Stickied? References to off-Forge extensions and alternative ideas?

Patience, webhopper. Way ahead of you. This whole forum is going to see some changes, of which that's the least.

Best,
Ron

[jaw6]

Hmmm. I have an overloaded blog reader already. I'm more in need of pruning than adding. What about a meta-blog for game design? Someone could link to the *really* good stuff (from wherever) on a regular basis. /That/ I would read.

[Josh Roby]

Oh Christ, don't list mine.  It's pure bullshit. ;)