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RPG Evolution

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RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution - Secrets of RPG Success: Interview with Phil Reed
I recently wrote about the Thousand Fan Theory (TFT) and what it takes to build enough an audience to make a living as a game designer. Years ago on DriveThruRPG, Philip J. Reed demonstrated that it was possible to churn out quality, low-cost PDFs. Now he's moved that model to Kickstarter. But is it enough to make a living? I decided to ask him.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: Retiring as a Game Designer
We previously discussed the Thousand Fan Theory (TFT) and what it takes to achieve 1,000 fans contributing $100 a year on different platforms to support a full-time game designer’s salary. It’s a daunting strategy because it takes years to build up to a thousand fans willing to pay that much. But can it pay enough for someone who needs less than $100,000 to live on?
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: Making It in the RPG Industry
Can you make a living in the tabletop role-playing industry as your sole source of income? Unless you work for one of the major game publishers, the odds are against you. But there’s another way, and it revolves around the Thousand Fan theory.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: The Plastic Ancestry of the Owlbear
Like so many of the plastic monsters pulled from obscurity as patchisaurs, the owlbear has become iconic. But unlike the other monsters who we can easily trace to kaiju from the Ultraman series, the owlbear's roots may go much deeper.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: The Plastic Ancestry of the Rust Monster
Ah the rust monster! The bane of just about every fighter's existence, created from a plastic toy for the express purpose of ruining a party's equipment -- which, given the uniqueness of some magic items, is worse than a character dying. But it all started with a plastic toy. So which rust monster is the best? Let's find out!
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: The Plastic Ancestry of the Umber Hulk
Gary Gygax is frequently cited as creating several iconic monsters in Dungeons & Dragons from a bag of plastic toys. But research has shown that toys came from a very specific source, Japanese knockoffs of giant monsters from the Ultraman franchise. Using the previous article as our jumping off point, we investigate the second creature on our list: the umber hulk.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: The Ultra-Mysterious History of D&D's Iconic Monsters
It's common lore that some of the more iconic monsters of Dungeons & Dragons drew their inspiration from a set of plastic monsters mixed in with a bag of dinosaurs from Japan. Those monsters were not included by accident -- they were drawn from another show with quirky critters: Ultraman.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: Playing Virtually? Don't Miss These Deals
Many gamers are using virtual tabletops (VTTs) to connect with gamers while staying safe in their homes during the pandemic. We reached out to several of these platforms to ask what they're doing to support gamers during this challenging time. Their responses are listed below in alphabetical order.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: How a RPG Company Launched Virtual Reality Gaming
The concept of virtual reality is not a new one. It's been a staple of science fiction for some time in books, television, and movies. But it took a pair of tabletop gaming entrepreneurs with vision to launch the virtual reality gaming industry.
Call of Cthulhu  RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: That Time I Surprised My Players With Cthulhu
Years ago I ran a game of D20 Modern using D20 Call of Cthulhu/D20 Delta Green over three years that culminated in the characters facing down the apocalypse. I thought the campaign was successful...until I polled my players and realized they weren't happy with it. Here's what I learned.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: RPGs Have a Health Problem
Increasingly, the families of older gamers in the U.S. are turning to crowdfunding campaigns to fund their medical costs. Although gaming hasn't always been a lucrative field for designers, it's clear that even our most experienced designers aren't making enough to manage a medical crisis. Can we do anything about it?
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: When Gaming Bleeds
Monte Cook Games recently released Consent in Gaming, a sensitive topic that addresses subjects that make some players uncomfortable. Central to the understanding of why there's a debate at all involves the concept of "bleed" in role-play.
RPG Evolution 
RPG Evolution: Darren Watts on Superheroes, Playtesting, and Dogs on Twitter
At PortConMaine I had the opportunity to sit in on Darren Watts' panel on superheroes in gaming. That panel merely scratched the surface of Darren's experience in the tabletop industry so I pounced on the opportunity to ask him about everything from tabletop gaming to playtesting.

An Army in the Dungeon

Dungeons & Dragons' roots stretch all the way back to wargaming and it has a subtle influence on play that's sometimes forgotten today. Early D&D relied heavily on henchmen and hirelings, who often rounded out a group that could number as high as 20 members. This sort of play affected the kinds of D&D, from expectations on mortality rate to distribution of treasure. Picture courtesy of...

RPG Evolution: Do We Still Need "Race" in D&D?

The term "race" is a staple of fantasy that is now out of sync with modern usage. With Pathfinder shifting from "race" to "ancestry" in its latest edition, it raises the question: should fantasy games still use it? “Race” and Modern Parlance We previously discussed the challenges of representing real-life cultures in a fantasy world, with African and Asian countries being just two examples...

RPG Evolution: How a RPG Changed the Star Wars Universe

The unstoppable franchise that is Star Wars is back in the headlines thanks to the blockbuster success of Rogue One, a film that delves into the sci-fi epic's detailed backstory. It's easy to forget that when Disney acquired the Star Wars license and redefined what was canon, the company declared that the tabletop role-playing game was an integral part of defining the universe. The Legacy...

This Week in TTRPG

Reviews

Dungeons & Dragons  Reviews 
A Preview of The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977
With The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977, Wizards is going back to the roots of the game, presenting material other histories have not.
2d20  Reviews 
Witness The Fall Of Dune’s Imperium First Hand
Put the players within spitting distance of the fall of House Atreides and the rise of Muad’Dib.
Dungeons & Dragons  Reviews 
Wizards Goes Big with Vecna: Eve of Ruin
For its first book of D&D's 50th anniversary year, Wizards is going big with a multiverse-spanning, multiverse-threatening adventure where players will face off against one of the game’s most legendary villains.
Reviews 
The Monster Overhaul Is More Than A Mere Manual
A great monster book on its own but also useful as a supplemental guide to pre-existing fantasy worlds.

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons  Film & TV 
Paramount+ Will Not Proceed with Dungeons & Dragons Live-Action TV Show
Hasbro will update the project and pitch to other networks and streamers
Dungeons & Dragons  Reviews 
A Preview of The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977
With The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977, Wizards is going back to the roots of the game, presenting material other histories have not.
Dungeons & Dragons 
New Dungeon Master's Guide Cover Features Venger (From the D&D Cartoons)
The 2024 DMG cover has been revealed by the UK's Mirror newspaper.
Dungeons & Dragons 
Kick Off Your Boots, Don't Mind The Monster
For the small price of accepting a bit of healing from its quirky host you too can stay in this aged and storied temple.
Dungeons & Dragons 
Check Out D&D's New Gold Dragon Redesign
Gold dragons no longer have wings--just like they used to be!
Dungeons & Dragons 
Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks Would Like To Explore Kara-Tur
Hasbro CEO plays in an Eastern Adventures D&D campaign.

Industry News

Industry 
5E-Powered Adventure Time Joins Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club
D&D-powered cartoon fun from Cryptozoic Entertainment.
Dungeons & Dragons  Industry 
Kobold Press' Black Flag System Reference Document Released
Developer tool released under Open RPG Creator (ORC) License.
Dungeons & Dragons  Industry 
2024 D&D Core Rules Will Be Added To SRD In 2025
SRD 5.2 will be released under Creative Commons next year.
Dungeons & Dragons  Industry 
Field Guide to Floral Dragons Joins Million Dollar Kickstarter Club
One of only two TTRPG creators with four separate million dollar Kickstarters!
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