Practically anyone can run a game. To be a great GM, though, you need so much more than a basic understanding of the rules, a module and some dice.

A successful freelancer never stops reading and learning. While you can enjoy, and learn from, almost any book, some are way better than others. Over the years, I’ve come to rely on a handful of great books.

Continue reading Freelance Advice: Great Books to Read to Make You a Better Freelancer
In my last post about Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands’s design I wanted to talk a bit about my general philosophy behind individual encounter design. But to set the scene, sadly I must first rant.

Continue reading Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Encounter Design Case Study
Last time, I talked a little bit about the initial concepts of the Shadowed Keep of the Borderland’s various “adventure zones.” Coming up with the basic themes for each area was relatively simple. What was a bit tricky was designing a backstory that both made sense and that the PCs would be able to discover during the course of the adventure.

Continue reading Shadowed Keep on the Borderland Backstory Case Study
Last time, I talked a little bit about the how I set my design goals for Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands before I started any actual design. Today, I’m going to share how I started to flesh out the basic details of the place.

Continue reading Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Zoning Case Study