An international network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games
David Millians, Editor
Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
millians.david@paideiaschool.org
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Hi All,
I was very pleased to kick off our board meeting this year with our new board. We have lots of great ideas on how to move the CAR-PGA forward, and I’m so pleased to get us started. We plan to meet quarterly; David shares more about what we discussed in his note below.
Due to a scheduling conflict we had to reschedule our virtual session to April. We’re now meeting on Thursday, April 3 at 7 p.m. ET for a meeting with Mark C. Carnes. Mark is a Professor of History at Barnard College, Columbia University, where he has inspired countless students with his engaging lectures and thought-provoking seminars. He is the creator of the Reacting to the Past pedagogy, a dynamic teaching method that immerses students in historical events through role-playing and simulations. His publications include Minds on Fire: How Role-Immersion Games Transform College. See login info below to join us.
I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Mike Tresca
Committee Chair
BOARD MEETING SUMMARY FOR MARCH
by David Millians
(who is apparently acting secretary for now)
- Review of Annual Report
- Increase and diversify membership and engagement.
- Minimum expectations for board members
- Plan for online member meeting in 2025.
- Share information in order for members to meet in person.
- Clarify our mission.
- Plan to expand CAR-PGa impact in the wider hobby.
ARTICLES
Museums as Sources of Ideas for Roleplaying-Games.
Part 1: Schloß Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace) and the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum)
by Cartsen Obst
As a historian I have a special relationship with museums, which document historical, cultural, technical and other developments. This relationship began in my childhood, when my interest in history developed. Even then school trips and journeys with my family enabled me to visit many museums.
At the same time I experienced the ongoing development of the museum system, which began to move away from the concept of a traditional exhibition collection. Instead the museums became educational centres, where the documentation of their topics is done or supported by modern methods like video presentations, educational programs and the use of digital technology.
But museums also provide the GMs with ideas for RPGs, especially, but not only for campaigns and adventures with a historical background. In this article I will list some examples from Germany as suggestions. This shall motivate the GMs to check museums, which they know, for ideas that offer their players varied adventures with unusual backgrounds. I visited all of the museums listed below – and I can recommend them all!
A good example is Schloß Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace) in Berlin. Built between 1695 and 1699, the palace was the summer residence of the Prussian kings between 1701 and 1888. Among others Friedrich II., known as Friedrich the Great, and Friedrich Wilhelm III., who ruled Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars, resided here. After the French army occupied Berlin in 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte stayed in Schloß Charlottenburg, too (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Charlottenburg and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Charlottenburg).
Open to the public after 1888, Schloß Charlottenburg was partly used as a military hospital during World War One. Air raids caused severe damage in World War Two, but the reconstruction after 1945 made it possible to use the palace as a museum and for cultural events. Between 2004 and 2006 the German Federal President resided here, when Schloß Bellevue (Bellevue Palace), the President’s official residence, was being renovated.
Today Schloß Charlottenburg is a museum, where the visitors can see among other things the apartment of Friedrich the Great, the Porzellankabinett (Porcelain Cabinet), the crown insignia and a large collection of paintings. The 55-hectare palace park is also a highlight of a tour, where you can visit the mausoleum of the Prussian royal family and the Neuen Pavillion (New Pavilion), which houses an art collection. When the weather is good, bridal couples like to use the palace and the park as a background for their wedding photos.
For GMs Schloß Charlottenburg offers many ideas for adventures during the time of the Prussian monarchy. Political power struggles, espionage or intrigues of noble families are ideal for both historical RPGs and the swashbuckler-genre. Some plots from the novel “The Three Musketeers” can easily be transferred to Prussia – including the duels. For historians with a time machine a visit of Schloß Charlottenburg would certainly be a must!
Napoleon´s stay at Schloß Charlottenburg can also be used in many ways for RPGs. Prussian patriots (perhaps soldiers, who escaped the military defeats of 1806) or agents of foreign powers may try to steal secret documents and letters from the emperor. Exiled French royalists or revolutionaries, who hate Napoleon, could even attempt to assassinate him. Both actions would be extremely dangerous, because Napoleon is always surrounded by officers, bodyguards and guardsmen, but daring players will try it nevertheless.
A successful assassination would be the start of an alternate world campaign, except time travellers secretly replace the dead emperor with a clone or a double. Alternatively the PCs belong to Napoleon’s bodyguards or guard, who must ensure his security in an occupied enemy capital. If they prevent an assassination attempt, they will earn fame, awards and promotions. Perhaps the emperor remembers them, when a difficult situation must be solved?
The porcelain works, which are exhibited in the Porzellankabinett, are every collector´s dream, but neither the former Prussian royal family nor the current palace administration would be willing to sell them. With sufficient money “experts” can certainly be found, who discreetly accomplish a “change of ownership”. The PCs can either be professional burglars hired to accomplish this change, or police detectives, insurance employees and private investigators, who try to solve the theft of the valuable porcelain without breaking it….
A successful break-in at Schloß Charlottenburg during the Prussian monarchy would also affect the Guard Corps, which was responsible for the palace´s security at that time. All Guard officers would see that as an affront against their personal honour, and so they would start their own investigations, privately if necessary. Before World War One the European armed forces were in peacetime generous with requests for leave from officers, allowing them to start with their investigations immediately.
Prussian guard officers, who try to investigate a crime, would be an interesting basis for a humorous detective adventure. Just imagine how they visit an underworld bar disguised as simple workers. All clichés about Prussian officers, which we know from comedies, can be used here without any problems: constantly clicking the heels together, loud commanding voices and monocles in the eye, even when they are disguised as civilians …
The German comedy “Der tolle Bomberg” from 1957, which can be found on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI3-MsRTMT0), shall be mentioned here. With his eccentric and unconventional behaviour Baron von Bomberg, played by the great actor Hans Albers, is a good model for a commissioned officer, who can investigate even among the “lower classes”. After a break-in at Schloß Charlottenburg the royal family will perhaps ask him to carry out discreet investigations. In this case the PCs may become his assistants. The open-minded Bomberg would surely accept police detectives as well as actresses, which offers the players interesting possibilities.
The large park of Schloß Charlottenburg can easily be used as a setting for adventures during the time of the Prussian monarchy. Discreet meetings of diplomats, duels at dawn, intrigues between rival political factions or noble families, splendid court balls and secret affairs are some of the possibilities, which the history of the palace offers to the GM.
The park can also be used for adventures in our times. A secret meeting of diplomats or businessmen, which secret agents, industrial spies or journalists try to observe, means lots of fun, because the large gardens with their avenues, groups of trees and bushes offer plenty of room for a varied game of hide-and-seek. The situation gets even more complicated, when a bright summer day attracts countless tourists as well as wedding couples with photographers and families to visit Schloß Charlottenburg. How can you maintain discretion?
The Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum or DHM; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Historisches_Museum and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Historical_Museum) offers also many ideas for historical RPGs. After the planning started in 1982 the DHM was officially founded in 1987. The German reunification in 1990 accelerated the project, because now the Zeughaus (Arsenal), built between 1695 and 1739, became available as exhibition building (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeughaus_(Berlin) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeughaus). Until 1828 an arsenal of the Prussian army, which also kept captured weapons and trophies there, it was used since 1831 for museum purposes. After 1933 propaganda events of the NSDAP took place in the Zeughaus. The government of the German Democratic Republic decided in 1950 to use the building for a museum about the history of Germany, which was closed shortly before the reunification.
The permanent exhibition “Bilder und Zeugnisse der deutschen Geschichte“ (”Images and Testimonies of the German History”) was opened in 1994, which documented Germany’s history from the Middle Ages to the modern time. An extension, built between 1998 and 2003, enables special exhibitions. Unfortunately the permanent exhibition had to be temporarily closed in 2021, because technical modernizations of the collections and renovation works at the Zeughaus were necessary.
A tour through the permanent exhibition of the DHM provided a GM with countless ideas. So the Middle Ages saw feudalism, the rise of small settlements to powerful cities as well as a power politics of kings and nobles equal to modern politicians. The Reformation tried to overcome the problems of the Catholic church, but ended in religious conflicts. During the Thirty Years´ War large parts of the country were devastated, while afterwards a political fragmentation divided Germany into numerous and often tiny principalities.
The ancient art of philosophy reached a peak during the Enlightenment of the 18th century, but even those rulers, who followed these ideas, did not renounce war to assert their interests. As a result of the Napoleonic Wars a united Germany was demanded, while the industrialization of the 19th century caused new political and social conflicts.
The founding of the Empire in 1871 fulfilled the dream of a united Germany, but afterwards a militaristic nationalism developed, which contributed to the start of World War One. In 1918 the monarchy collapsed after the November Revolution, but the new Weimar Republic was destroyed in 1933 by the NSDAP in spite of all attempts of the democratic parties to defend it. Hitler´s dictatorship caused the Second World War, which ended with the unconditional surrender and the partition of Germany into the Federal Republic and the GDR.
Both new German states were firmly integrated into the West and the East, but the Federal Republic gained an economical and therefore political advantage as a result of the Wirtschaftswunder (Economic Miracle) during the 1950s and 1960s. The collapse of communism in the 1980s led finally to a peaceful reunification of Germany in 1990, but even today the Germans must still deal with the consequences of their history.
This diverse history can be used as a starting point for long campaigns. In the Middle Ages the players can take part in a crusade as knights, defend the independence of a free town as its citizens against the expansionism of a nobleman or become entangled in the intrigues of kings and princes as courtiers. During the Thirty Years´ War they fight as mercenaries, try to form alliances as diplomats or protect their home country as members of the local militia against marauders. The Napoleonic Wars offer similar challenges, unless they leave Germany to serve another nation that fights against France. The British King´s German Legion is an example for this (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%E2%80%99s_German_Legion and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_German_Legion).
The industrialization of the 19th century offers opportunities for adventures with an economic, social or political background. Now the PCs can build up their own companies as businessmen, organize the workers as trade unionists or advocate for political and social reforms as journalists. A journalistic activity would be a particular challenge. Even in the 1920s political newspapers in Germany had a “sitting editor”, who took responsibility for offenses against the press laws. If the courts imposed a prison sentence for a violation of these laws, he had to “sit”, i.e. serve the sentence. But because this meant “Festungshaft” (“fortress imprisonment”) the punishment was not considered dishonourable like a normal prison sentence (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festungshaft). Of course serving time in this relaxed way (even with home leave!) allowed the inmates to get more political contacts….
The 20th century also provides numerous ideas for adventures. So the PCs can try to survive the First World War, join the November Revolution, take part in the establishment of the Weimar Republic or fight against the NSDAP, perhaps as journalists, as members of a democratic party or as political activists, who dare to oppose the SA in street battles.
During Hitler´s dictatorship and the Second World War they may have to fight against their own country, perhaps in the German resistance or from their exile in another nation of Europe. The illegal, but necessary black market in the post-war period, the political division of Germany, the mysterious origins of the West German Wirtschaftswunder (shops suddenly offered goods, which had not been available for years, but no delivery was made in the weeks before – interesting, isn’t it?) as well as the complicated life in the GDR also offer many opportunities for campaigns, which ultimately culminate in the reunification.
For such a campaign the GM can adopt the concept of the novel series “Eagle of the Ninth”, written by the British author Rosemary Sutcliff. In eight volumes Mrs. Sutcliff describes the history of Britain from the Roman Empire in the 2nd century to the time around 1100, when the Normans had conquered England. The novels are connected by a family, which emerged from the marriage of a young Roman and a girl from a Celtic family. A signet ring decorated with an emerald showing a dolphin, is passed on through the centuries to the couple´s heirs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Sutcliff).
If the GM adopts this concept to connect the ideas from the DHM, the campaign may be based on a German family´s history since the Middle Ages. The PCs are then either family members or friends, who join them during their adventures.
This campaign can begin with a knight, who settles down in a small town after returning from a crusade and marries a local girl. The town develops into a big city, with the couple´s descendants participating as council members, merchants or soldiers of the city guard. Later other descendants fought in the Thirty Years´ War or got involved in the negotiations for the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the war in 1648.
During the Napoleonic Wars family members can be on different sides, when some German princes ally with Napoleon. Mrs. Sutcliff´s novel “Simon” provides inspiration for this. Simon Carey and Amias Hannaford are best friends, but during the English Civil War in the 17th century they find themselves fighting on different sides. Nevertheless they stay friends, and so the “roundhead” Simon even saves the life of the “cavalier” Amias (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_(Sutcliff_novel)).
The political, economic and social developments of the 19th and 20th centuries offer the family further opportunities to fall apart, to reconcile or to pursue the same goal, whether it is the founding of a company, the organization of a trade union or the defence of the Weimar Republic. Following Rosemary Sutcliff´s novels, the PCs have important roles, but they do not change the course of the story – unless the GM wants to create an alternative world. The end of the campaign could take the couple’s modern descendants to Berlin, where they are present, when the border opens in 1990, perhaps waiting on both sides of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall) for their family´s own reunification.
Finally three special exhibits of the DHM shall be mentioned here: a bicorn hat, a pillow and a handkerchief, which once belonged to Napoleon, but were captured by Prussian soldiers after the Battle of Waterloo. Visitors of the museum often reacted with lots of amusement to these trophies. These items were probably stored in the Zeughaus as early as 1815, when it also served as a depot for looted items.
In the 1840s in France Bonapartism developed, a political movement, which gained lots of influence for some time. Its followers, the so-called bonapartists, saw Napoleon’s descendants as the legitimate rulers of France. Therefore they supported Napoleon III., who became the new emperor of France in 1852. Even after his abdication they continued to assist the Bonaparte family´s claim to the throne. After 1880 Bonapartism lost its importance, but in an RPG-adventure some radical followers may try to “return” the three trophies from the Zeughaus to France.
These radicals want to give the Bonapartism a new importance by “returning” Napoleon´s belongings to France (or stealing them, depending on the point of view), while they also wish to publicly humiliate the “boches” (derisive French term for the Germans) for their victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. So the adventure soon becomes a colourful chase through Berlin, Germany and Europe, in which the bonapartists, the police of Berlin and the Prussian secret service are involved. This allows different kinds of PCs, but with some effort also to play the adventure as a competitive game between different groups.
The official policy of France before World War One included the “revanche” (“revenge”) against Germany for the defeat in 1870/71, but at the moment of the theft its government did not want to risk another war. So French secret service agents are also possible as PCs. Finally curious journalists looking for a good story, greedy criminals trying to make some profit, fanatical collectors of everything connected with Napoleon as well as patriotic French and Germans faithful to their countries may have learned about the theft. When they get involved in the chase, too, then things will get very challenging.
The second part of this article will follow soon. Then our readers learn about smugglers, who used M3 halftracks to break through roadblocks, a shootout at close range between cops and a terrorist as well as a museum building, which seems to be the perfect setting for a mystery or horror RPG – visitors can easily get lost there….
NEW MATERIAL
This is a compilation of articles and other resources that have come to the editor’s attention over the last month. Everyone is welcome to send bibliographic information about anything you discover that fits the mission of CAR-PGa and this newsletter.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 3) Register to support libraries during International Games Month 2025. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/03/register-to-support-libraries-during-international-games-month-2025. Planning for November 2025.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 6) Review of Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/06/review-of-yazebas-bed-breakfast. Fun and evocative for all ages.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 17) Review: Song of the Scryptwyrm. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/17/review-song-of-the-scryptwyrm. Solo adventures in a fantasy library with options for duet play with younger gamers.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 21) TTRPGkids on Ludology Podcast, Episode 21: Breakdown of Photosynthians, a science class TTRPG. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/21/ttrpgkids-on-ludology-podcast-episode-21-breakdown-of-photosynthians-a-science-class-ttrpg. A game for science and ideas for games in classrooms more generally.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 24) List: TTRPG creation and application guides. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/24/list-ttrpg-creation-and-application-guides. Methodologies for game creation.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 27) Review of DnDoggos TTRPG, a TTRPG where you play as awesome doggos. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/27/review-of-dndoggos-ttrpg-a-ttrpg-where-you-play-as-awesome-doggos. Fun, accessible game of adventure dogs.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 31) Keys Elements of Crafting a Sensory-friendly Game Space: From the View of Point of a Sensory-Friendly Game Master. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/31/keys-elements-of-crafting-a-sensory-friendly-game-space-from-the-view-of-point-of-a-sensory-friendly-game-master. Thoughtful, flexible engagement.
Campbell, Steph (2025 Mar 31) How TTRPGs help us with making mistakes. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2025/03/31/how-ttrpgs-help-us-with-making-mistakes. Practicing with confidence in a safe medium.
Carter, Chase (2025 Mar 3) Paizo and R. Talsorian court indie designers for their next projects. https://www.rascal.news/paizo-and-r-talsorian-court-indie-designers-for-their-next-project. Shifting plans for small and medium-sized publishers.
Carter, Chase (2025 Mar 5) Tabletop companies are waiting for the ship to come in on tariffs. https://www.rascal.news/tabletop-companies-are-waiting-for-the-ship-to-come-in-on-tariffs. Unpredictable costs challenge RPGs publishers’ planning. One company’s details from John Nephew of Atlas Games.
Carter, Chase (2025 Mar 14) Pocketopia edges tabletop closer to Steam, for good and ill. https://www.rascal.news/pocketopia-edges-tabletop-closer-to-steam-for-good-and-ill-2. The perils of platform stewardship.
Carter, Chase (2025 Mar 20) Tyranny of the moving box. https://www.rascal.news/tyranny-of-the-moving-box. Upheaval and agony when it comes to books.
Carter, Chase (2025 Apr 1) Ojisan TCG is the pinnacle of card games. https://www.rascal.news/ojisan-tcg-is-the-pinnacle-of-card-games. The childhood delight a game can bring.
Codega, Linda (2023 Nov 3) Roleplaying Games Enter the World of Ballet in a Unique New Performance. https://gizmodo.com/balletcollective-ttrpg-dance-performance-sam-leigh-1850990612. Choreography inspired by game play.
Codega, Lin (2025 Mar 19) A Texas conformity bill could impact tabletop roleplaying games in schools statewide. https://www.rascal.news/texas-furries-act-tabletop-roleplaying-games-in-schools. F.U.R.R.I.E.S Act will limit creativity and diversity, and that may be the point.
Coman, Monica (2025 Mar 12) Dungeons & Dragons Failed Adaptation Continues to Find Success on Streaming. https://www.cbr.com/dungeons-dragons-adaptation-success-streaming. Honor Among Thieves now available for streaming on Netflix, plus speculations on a sequel.
Dragon, Jay (2025 Mar 3) The Palette Grid (a safety tool). https://possumcreek.medium.com/the-palette-grid-a-safety-tool-e66520c6971c. Articulating nuanced comfort and interest.
Dustyboots, Whizbang (2025 Mar 6) DriveThruRPG Print-on-Demand Prices Going Up By As Much As 50% In The US. https://www.enworld.org/threads/drivethrurpg-print-on-demand-prices-going-up-by-as-much-as-50-in-the-us.712208. Rapidly rising supply costs mean current crowdfunding projects must reevaluate expenses.
Ellis, Maeve (2025 Mar 4) The Roll Player: Bringing Dungeons & Dragons on stage. https://thevarsity.ca/2025/03/04/the-roll-player-bringing-dungeons-dragons-on-stage. Toronto improv game runs live all this year.
Errwin, John (2025 Mar 8) Types of Rolls in TTRPG. https://halfminotaurfarmer.blogspot.com/2025/03/types-of-rolls-in-ttrpg.html. Rolling dice for various reasons.
Fernandez, Carla (2025 Mar 9) How Dungeons & Dragons helped my siblings and me grieve our father’s death. https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng-interactive/2025/mar/06/grief-dungeons-dragons-fantasy. Community, support, and spaces to grieve and be free of grief.
Francisco, Eric (2025 Mar 5) Inside the Biggest Live Game of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Ever Played. https://rollingstoneindia.com/inside-the-biggest-live-game-of-dungeons-dragons-ever-played. Dimension 20’s Madison Square Garden show demonstrates the rising cultural prominence of RPGs.
Girdwood, Andrew (2025 Mar 12) 2025 Origin Award finalists announced. https://www.geeknative.com/171689/2025-origin-award-finalists-announced. GAMA award winners will be announced at Origins Game Fair in June.
Girdwood, Andrew (2025 Mar 13) D&D now has an Yoto interactive audiobook for kids. https://www.geeknative.com/171737/dd-now-has-an-yoto-interactive-audiobook-for-kids. Interactive adventure story a first for audio device for children.
Girdwood, Andrew (2025 Mar 18) Critical Role celebrates 10 years with an exclusive whiskey. https://www.geeknative.com/171822/critical-role-celebrates-10-years-with-an-exclusive-whiskey. Merchandise tie-in.
Girdwood, Andrew (2025 Mar 21) Roll For Good’s May TTRPG charity stream weekend. https://www.geeknative.com/171889/roll-for-goods-may-ttrpg-charity-stream-weekend. Supporting Game Therapy UK.
Girdwood, Andrew (2025 Mar 23) Greg Stafford posthumously honoured with 2025 Gygax Award. https://www.geeknative.com/171916/greg-stafford-posthumously-honoured-with-2025-gygax-award. Gary Con 2025 announcement.
Hoffer, Chris (2025 Mar 7) Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks Is Talking About AI in D&D Again. https://www.enworld.org/threads/hasbro-ceo-chris-cocks-is-talking-about-ai-in-d-d-again.712216. He’s bullish.
Hoffer, Chris (2025 Mar 19) Has Wizards of the Coast Given Up on Sigil?. https://www.enworld.org/threads/has-wizards-of-the-coast-given-up-on-sigil.712434. WotC lays off roughly 90% of staff this week. More details from Chase Carter. Termination announcement from WotC.
Hon, Adrian (2025 Mar 26) Here’s What Makes Jubensha Different. https://mssv.net/2025/03/26/heres-what-makes-jubensha-different. Notes on a discussion of immensely popular, scripted Chinese games with elements of LARP, escape rooms, and more.
Hutton, Christopher (2025 Mar 24) Introducing TTRPG Insider. https://ttrpg-insider.beehiiv.com/p/introducing-ttrpg-insider. A new name for Critical Hit News and plans for more original content.
Hutton, Christopher (2025 Mar 31) The Eldritch Author: Taking Villainy from the Screen to your Table. https://ttrpg-insider.beehiiv.com/p/the-eldritch-author-taking-villainy-from-the-screen-to-your-table. From games to social media and back again with Michael Yacone.
Idle Cartulary (2025 Mar 13) How do roleplaying games help you roleplay?. https://idlecartulary.com/2025/03/13/how-do-roleplaying-games-help-you-roleplay. Allowing for play variation among players and reducing judgement.
Indie Game Developer Network (2025 Mar 19) The Indie Groundbreaker Awards. https://www.igdnonline.com/groundbreakers. Winners to be announced April 13, 2025.
Lo, Terry (2025 Mar 26) The Barbarian at the Gaming Table: What D&D Historians Forget to Mention. https://conan.com/the-barbarian-at-the-gaming-table-what-dd-historians-forget-to-mention. The influence on RPGs of Conan and Robert E. Howard.
Luck of the Harbor (2025 Apr 1) Buy 34 amazing games. Directly support protests. https://www.rascal.news/every-party-needs-a-healer. Raising money through games for a cause keeps proliferating.
MacDougall, Nico (2025 Mar 10) February TTRPG Crowdfunding Retrospective. https://ttrpg-spider.blogspot.com/2025/03/february-ttrpg-crowdfunding.html. Data and analysis.
Manuel, Thomas (2025 Mar 7) Are all your fave SFF writers secretly playing RPGs at home? https://www.rascal.news/are-all-your-fave-sff-writers-secretly-playing-rpgs-at-home. Crossovers between overlapping creativity.
Manuel, Thomas & Chase Carter (2025 Mar 12) The changing face of the tabletop industry’s trade association. https://www.rascal.news/the-changing-face-of-the-tabletop-industrys-trade-association. Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Executive Director John Stacy discusses membership, initiatives, and changes for the future.
Morrissey, Russ (2025 Apr 1) WotC (Mistakenly) Issues DMCA Takedown Against Baldur’s Gate-themed Stardew Valley Mod. https://www.enworld.org/threads/wotc-mistakenly-issues-dmca-takedown-against-baldurs-gate-themed-stardew-valley-mod.712653. A litigious convulsion ends quickly.
Nephew, Michelle (2025 Mar 26) Replay Workshop Wins $100k Grant for Environmental Efforts. https://atlas-games.com/news/post?s=2025-03-26-for-immediate-release-replay-workshop-wins-100k-grant-for-environmental-efforts. Grant funds new plastic recycling equipment.
O’Brien, Brandon (2025 Mar 27) What if all games were more like lyric games?. https://www.rascal.news/what-if-all-games-were-more-like-lyric-games-2. Exploring poetry and engagement in text.
Perez, Kimberly (2025 Mar 24) Why Drow Are Missing From The Monster Manual (And Where They’re Going Next). https://9meters.com/entertainment/games/why-drow-are-missing-from-the-monster-manual-and-where-theyre-going-next. Next steps for classic but controversial species.
Schutz, Joey (2025 Feb 23) To Kill a Dragon: Video Games and Addiction. https://blog.joeyschutz.com/to-kill-a-dragon-video-games-and-addiction. Discussion of Flow, engagement, and healthy play.
Shearer, Stewart (2025 Mar 28) Where Dice Rolls and Guitar Riffs Meet – The Rise of RPG Metal. https://side-quest.ghost.io/where-dice-rolls-and-guitar-riffs-meet-the-rise-of-rpg-metal. More effects on wider societal media.
Tresca, Mike (2025 Mar 10) The Coming Social Collapse. https://www.enworld.org/threads/rpg-evolution-the-coming-social-collapse.711928. Shifting spaces for creators.
Underwood, Mike (2025 Mar 25) Leveling Up How We Talk About Actual Play. https://www.rascal.news/leveling-up-how-we-talk-about-actual-play. Using genre, style, and other elements to recommend shows more helpfully.
Walton, J. (2025 Mar 3) The Method to Our Magic. https://ghost.rodeo/2025/03/03/the-method-to-our-magic. Balancing dreams and practicalities in game design.
Wieland, Rob (2025 Feb 26) Jason Charles Miller Discusses The Influence Of Dungeons And Dragons. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwieland/2025/02/26/jason-charles-miller-discusses-the-influence-of-dungeons-and-dragons. Growing creativity.
Zeoli, Rowan (2025 Mar 4) Fighting fascists is a community project in Voidheart Symphony. https://www.rascal.news/fighting-fascists-is-a-community-project-in-voidheart-symphony. Politics in play.
Zeoli, Rowan (2025 Mar 20) Breakout Con continues to grow amidst American-Canadian tensions. https://www.rascal.news/breakout-con-continues-to-grow-amidst-american-canadian-tensions. Cozy and growing.
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