Previous Topics

1/19/2005 matthijs: [Rant] Attitude towards reviewers
I love to review games. So I often get in touch with companies that produce good stuff, or games that I'm just curious about. I've written a huge amount of…
In Publishing
Participants: matthijs, Bankuei, Dev, TonyLB, daMoose_Neo, jdagna, clehrich.

1/13/2005 matthijs: [A trip to the moon] Bedtime story game for review
Here's a little game I wrote up for a Norwegian contest. I liked it so much I decided to translate it. I'm thinking of putting it up as a cheap…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: matthijs, Bill Masek, Bill_White, Doctor Xero, daMoose_Neo, Bergjylt.

1/11/2005 matthijs: [DitV] Escalating during Accomplishment?
We're testing out chargen. Monica's playing Jane, who wants to Accomplish overcoming her distrust of parents, people and God. I'm the GM. Pivotal moment: Jane and her mentor Steward are…
In lumpley games
Participants: matthijs, lumpley.

1/8/2005 matthijs: Note on pdf piracy
In other threads, it's been mentioned that one reason for companies not to sell pdf's is that they're afraid of piracy. Now, I've seen some of what you can find…
In Publishing
Participants: matthijs, daMoose_Neo, Yokiboy, Tav_Behemoth, Brendan, Bob Goat, jerry, greedo1379, Rorimack, Ben Lehman, philreed, Vaxalon.

11/1/2004 matthijs: DitV review up at RPG.net
My first review at rpg.net everrrr... and you can read it here!
In lumpley games
Participants: matthijs.

9/18/2004 matthijs: [Improvised game] Drug kids on the moon
Improvised game run at Arcon This is written from memory, which in my case means it’s full of great big holes and errors. Still... Gaute, Haakon and I have a…
In Actual Play
Participants: matthijs, HOT, Noon.

8/8/2004 matthijs: Wanted: Medical expertise
I'm (re)designing the combat system for my historical role-playing game, "Draug", set in Norway 1801. The new system will have a strong emphasis on realistic effects of wounds, such as…
In Connections
Participants: matthijs, peejay, Doc_Peck.

6/22/2004 matthijs: Exploration of system?
I'm having a hard time understanding Exploration. I think I get what's understood by exploring character, setting, situation and color. But system? Could someone give me an example, or point…
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: matthijs, lumpley, Ron Edwards, Doctor Xero, Valamir, anonymouse.

6/19/2004 matthijs: Keeping parties together in nar
Here we go again... another post that'll probably just prove that I don't really grok narrativism at all :) Are there any techniques for encouraging traditional "party" play in nar…
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: matthijs, Ron Edwards, Bankuei.

6/18/2004 matthijs: GM premise in narrativist play
This has probably been asked before, but: In narrativist play, players define premise for their characters. The setting is a tool for addressing premise. Can the GM be said at…
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: matthijs, Eero Tuovinen, Mike Holmes, Doctor Xero, M. J. Young, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Emily Care.

6/18/2004 matthijs: Looking for inspiration for rule-less character creation
Hi! I'm trying to design a system for chargen that doesn't use rules. That is, there should be as little as possible use of numbers, readily defined traits etc. In…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, contracycle, Thor, aplath, timfire, buggy, HMT, xiombarg, Mike Holmes, Sydney Freedberg, M. J. Young, Peter Hollinghurst, Moah, simon_hibbs, komradebob.

5/20/2004 matthijs: Consultation service?
As a newbie designer, there's one thing I've really wanted to see. It's a consultation service where I can send in a game, and one or more people will hack…
In Site Discussion
Participants: matthijs, Mark Johnson, Ron Edwards, Roy, xiombarg.

5/17/2004 matthijs: Playtesters wanted for card-based GM-less RPG
"Will the Emperor Fall?" is a story-telling role-playing game for 2-5 players with no game master. More information about it can be found here. I'm looking for playtesters who are…
In Connections
Participants: matthijs.

5/14/2004 matthijs: [Will the Emperor Fall] RPG card game in need of mechanics
Will the Emperor Fall (rules below) has been playtested a little bit: by myself and friends (with moderate success), at Arcon (where most players enjoyed themselves), and by a Swedish…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: matthijs, Mike Holmes, ethan_greer, smokewolf.

3/23/2004 matthijs: Session transcript for purpose of analysis
Hi all! I haven't seen this question posted before: Has anyone ever tried to take notes during a role-playing session, focusing on crowd response/audience reaction? An example of a transcript…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, Jack Spencer Jr, clehrich, orbsmatt, John Kim, Rich Forest, Gordon C. Landis, Noon.

3/5/2004 matthijs: [Okkupasjon!] Character design concept
A few others and I are just starting to throw around ideas for a Norwegian role-playing game called "Okkupasjon!". The game is set in Norway 1940, while the country was…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: matthijs, Jeph, Ron Edwards, Ravien.

1/18/2004 matthijs: Great game - and a few questions
I ran my first MLWM game two days ago, and it was a lot of fun. We went for a light-hearted approach, knowing we'd only be playing for about three…
In Half Meme Press
Participants: matthijs, jrs, Paul Czege, Ron Edwards.

12/25/2003 matthijs: What is your goal as a game designer?
There seem to be all these different definitions of success floating around (compiled from several threads): - Total amount of sales from company to distributors - Total amount of sales…
In Publishing
Participants: matthijs, Valamir, Jack Spencer Jr, gobi, Lxndr, Heather Manley, Andrew Martin, M. J. Young, Zathreyel, Troy_Costisick, AdAstraGames, Comte, steelcaress, adaen, sacrosanct, Ron Edwards, ADGBoss.

12/23/2003 matthijs: GNS and game success (split)
I'm not sure if this point has been made elsewhere, but it seems to me that one of the reasons that early D&D and Vampire were so successful, is their…
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: matthijs, Ron Edwards, The GM, xiombarg, Christopher Kubasik, Marhault.

12/14/2003 matthijs: How competitive?
Just ran my first Donjon game last night. Not terribly well prepared; it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, my wife was the only player, and we just played 2 scenes to…
In CRN Games
Participants: matthijs, Clinton R. Nixon, Rich Forest.

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Subsequent Topics

1/29/2005 matthijs: Review up at RPG.net
[url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11023.phtml]Here[/url]'s my Universalis review - the first of two. This is a review of the game text, the next one will be of actual play.
In Universalis
Participants: matthijs, Christopher Weeks, Mike Holmes, Valamir.

2/7/2005 matthijs: A theory journal?
This is one of those "wouldn't it be cool if..." posts. Over in Diaspora: How I learned 2 stop worrying & love the Forge, Chris Lehrich mentioned journals. Does anyone…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, Jonathan Walton, Brendan.

2/10/2005 matthijs: Defining the Nordic Style
In Limits of acceptable "Theory", Eero Tuovinen mentions some differences between role-playing cultures. In particular, there's mention of the elusive Nordic style. I'm interested in definitions of this style. I'm…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, J. Tuomas Harviainen, humis.

2/17/2005 matthijs: [Draug] Three posts in one
Chris' recent post about applied Bricolage got me thinking about a few things, one of which is a not-so-recent episode in my Draug campaign. And then, when I started thinking,…
In Actual Play
Participants: matthijs.

2/20/2005 matthijs: Universalis Plot Threads
We tried out Universalis at this year's HolmCon (hopefully the first of many). The sessions were fun, but sprawling and unfinished. Later, I talked a bit about how I wanted…
In Universalis
Participants: matthijs, CPXB, Mike Holmes.

2/21/2005 matthijs: Sex & Sorcery review up at rpg.net
It's short, and it's here.
In Adept Press
Participants: matthijs, Ron Edwards.

2/27/2005 matthijs: RSS feed?
Does the Forge have an RSS feed?
In Site Discussion
Participants: matthijs, Clinton R. Nixon, Dev, Paul Czege.

3/5/2005 matthijs: Attempts to extend rpg theory into empirical research?
A friend of mine is writing an article on RPG theory, but wants to make sure he's not just covering old ground, so he asked me to post this question:…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, J. Tuomas Harviainen, Shreyas Sampat, Steve Verdon.

3/19/2005 matthijs: [Capes and impro] Not getting it / making it work
We tried Capes last night. Setting: Students at Megapolis High School. In a physics lab experiment gone wrong, three students get super powers. First scene: Detention! Professor Williams tells us…
In Actual Play
Participants: matthijs, Garbanzo, Sydney Freedberg, Valamir, Christopher Kubasik, Miskatonic, jburneko, John Kim, TonyLB, LordSmerf, Doug Ruff, Noon.

3/20/2005 matthijs: RPGs without movies
This is a thought experiment. What if our cultural experiences weren't so strongly anchored in the visual media? What if movies & television didn't exist? How would we play RPGs…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, nellist, Domhnall, beingfrank, efindel, timfire, Ian Charvill, John Kim, ffilz, M. J. Young, Damballa, Lxndr.

3/24/2005 matthijs: [DitV - Colorado City Branch] Running out of steam
[b]Characters[/b] Isaiah (cynic, intuitive, tough, street urchin, liar, dog) Jezebel (good shot, unfazed, pious, dog who inspires shame and purity, well-read, hasn't forgiven father) Zillah (intuitive, strong willed, daredevil, strong…
In Actual Play
Participants: matthijs, Simon Kamber, Paka, TonyLB, Lxndr, lumpley, Betsi-G.

3/29/2005 matthijs: [electrified spikes through the soles of your feet] V. 0
[i]The world is hard and cruel. God hates you, and wants to destroy everything you love. When it's your turn to be God, you can get revenge on the world.…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: matthijs, Mike Holmes, xenopulse, xiombarg, Valamir, daMoose_Neo, Bill Masek.

4/10/2005 matthijs: The creation of meaning
At what point is a game imbued with meaning? How can you design a system to ensure that players will breathe life into its dry bones? In some RPG's -…
In RPG Theory
Participants: matthijs, WorldSaversInc, TonyLB, Ben Lehman, Noon, John Kim, Damballa.

4/29/2005 matthijs: Capes review up at RPG.net
[url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11245.phtml]Here[/url].
In Muse of Fire Games
Participants: matthijs, TonyLB, Miskatonic.

5/7/2005 matthijs: [We all had names] The story of one family in the Holocaust
This is based on ideas from an earlier game, electrified spikes through the soles of your feet. I keep writing these games when I'm badly hung over; brings out the…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: matthijs, Adam Dray, Sydney Freedberg, Ben Lehman, Eero Tuovinen, Miskatonic, Sean, Bill Masek, Emily Care, Walt Freitag, Valamir, daMoose_Neo.

5/9/2005 matthijs: I'll look at yours if you'll look at mine!
YES, it's time to talk dirty. About each others' games. I have a game idea that I'd love someone to read & comment on; in return, I'll do the same…
In Connections
Participants: matthijs, Ben Lehman, StrongBadMun, Dumirik.

8/23/2005 matthijs: [Tall Tales of Conquest] Playtesters wanted
"Tall Tales of Conquest" is a tactical game of competitive storytelling. It's for three or four players, taking about an hour or two to complete. In TToQ (yes, the name…
In Connections
Participants: matthijs.

8/25/2005 matthijs: Slow?
The last couple of days it seems loading pages takes a looong time. Is it just me, or are others experiencing the same problem?
In Site Discussion
Participants: matthijs, pedyo, Rob Carriere.

8/26/2005 matthijs: Review up at rpg.net
My review of Fastlane can be read here.
In Twisted Confessions
Participants: matthijs, Mike Holmes, Lxndr.

10/27/2005 matthijs: Government funding and RPGs
This thread is for exchanging information and experiences wrt getting funding for RPG design and publication. (It might be a bit euro-centric, since we're all a bunch of socialists over…
In Publishing
Participants: matthijs, Eero Tuovinen, Ron Edwards, Eirik Fatland, Jonas Karlsson, mindwanders.

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