So You Want to Build a World?

When I started putting together my campaign world, I looked around for things to make my life easier, and I found some:

donjon fantasy world generator

This is the one I use.

Click to embiggen.

Welsh Piper's Hex-based campaign design

I used them with Hexographer to make this kind of stuff:

You can embiggen this too!

And I drilled down to get this:

Bigger!  Click on it.

Still, I've always wanted to SEE the world.  Now I can with Map to Globe.

Just click on the Map File link in the top right, browse to the file you got from the donjon creator and PROFIT.  Actually, no profit, just free tools to get you an awesome rotatable, zoomable version of your very own fantasy world.  Like THIS ONE HERE.

I fucking love computers.  Huge thanks to everyone at donjon, Inkwell ideas, Map to Globe and to Welsh Piper!  DM Out.

5E Playtest: Dwarves!

We're currently getting ready to run another round of 5e Playtest, using roll20.net.  This is going to be a dwarf-only campaign, and we currently have 4 characters confirmed and ready to go, with a couple more on-deck.


Stalac(tite/mite) - Guide/Circle of the Moon Druid.

Hilbo "The Hammer" Huggins - Soldier/Reaver Fighter.  

Khidre of the Eigar - Noble/Ogre Hunter Ranger

Korrum - Underdark Guide/Thunderpriest Cleric of Moradin

Current Campaign Background:

The Kingdom of Goldhills is ruled by Andrik Ironhammer, of the Ironhammer clan.  When the Old Kingdom fell, the Ironhammers were the noble house who controlled the gold and iron mines around the Goldhills settlement.  They consolidated themselves quickly and Andrik's grandfather, Falrik, set himself up as the king of Goldhills.

Their main competition since has been from the Eigar Clan, another Old Kingdom noble house who control many of the upland farms, ranches and logging operations.  Several other smaller clans make up the balance of power.  Generally speaking, the Ironhammers control mining and forging operations, and make up the bulk of the Goldenhills Guard, and the Eigar control food production, trade and logging, and make up the majority of the Paths Command and Traders Guild - however, both those organizations are severely restricted in size and budget due to the century or so of isolationist policies of the Ironhammer clan.

Goldhills Hall and surrounding valleys are the main settlement, population is about 7,500 - 5,000 in the hall and 2,500 in the immediate vicinity.

There are also 4 smaller settlements, Greatrock, which is built alongside the river and has a number of waterwheel-powered sawmills, Coalbellow - a  mining settlement at a major coal seam further down the valley, High Grass - surrounded by most of the highland farms, and Shalecliff, a new mining outpost on a major silver and gold find.

I also set up a Campaign Tumblr to post pictures and maps:  http://kootenaymurph.tumblr.com/.

Lots of good tools out there right now, hopefully this will be successful.

Oh, WotC, You're SO Close.

So WotC just put out their contest to create a character sheet.  Which is nice and all.  If you're into that sort of thing, I encourage you to submit one - the world can always use more cool-looking character sheets.

Just one little problem.  Section 4 - must be submitted as a 300 dpi jpeg file.  Presumably so you can make a FUCKING NON-EDITABLE PDF FILE out of it.

I went straight to the yelling pretty fast there, so I'm going to back up a little and take it slowly.

I must assume that you know of these things called computers, which people have and use now, right?  I mean, the whole playtest is digital.  Digital sign-in, digital feedback, digital files only.

So why in the NAME OF FUCKING IUZ THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE are you sending me character sheets that I have to print out and write on in PENCIL?

It really isn't that hard to create a fill-able, savable form that I can type my character information out on, save like a grown-up and email to my DM.  The community is stepping up and making these things because we need them.  They aren't hard to make.

Please - listen carefully to me.  I don't print any of the playtest material in hardcopy.  I don't want or need character sheet hard copies.  I play full-digital.  Work with me here.

D&D Next Character Sheet Form

Yes, yes.  Don't distribute.  Hardcopy forms are not useful for those of us that play online.  Fillable forms, though.  Much better.  If WotC had half a brain, they would provide them.  But then, the terms of the playtest are "in-person games only", so they clearly do not have half a brain.

So - a fillable pdf form for the new character sheet.


Update 4/11/13

I figured out Adobe Acrobat 11.  Here is the fillable, saveable form:  D&D Next PDF Character Sheet.

Couple of things:  First, you don't need to share it to play with it.  Open it in your browser, go to the File Menu option and select Download or Save a Copy.  Then you have your own copy to play with.

I won't be sharing it, so don't request that.  Just make a copy.

Second, saving problems, tab order, issue with it putting +1's in multiple fields are all fixed.  But let me know if there are other issues.

Scale and Fantasy Maps

I've been working on a hexcrawl, and one of the things my research is making me notice is how totally messed up the scale on many fantasy maps is.

Case in point is this:  http://www.profantasy.com/rpgmaps/?p=2098

The map of Narsaria pictured here has a little scale in the lower-left.  If that is to be believed, Narsaria is about 1200 miles by 900 miles.  Or about 1.08 million square miles.  Just for reference, the continental US is about 3.75 million square miles.  This "nation" is more than 1/4 the size of the United States.  It's as big as modern Egypt.

The Roman Empire at it's height was 2.5 million square miles.  So this nation of traders is about 1/2 the size of one of the largest empires in antiquity.  See this handy tool for more comparison.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_empires

It sure it a nice-looking map, though.  Too bad the scale is utterly buggered.

I decided to go small with the initial nations encountered in the D&D Next Hexcrawl I'm working on.  They run between 3 and 12 90-square mile hexes each.  I started them using the Abulafia random fantasy region generator, then placed them on the hexmap, then worked up their stats using Medieval Demographics.  I was relieved to generally find that my instincts were close to correct about town sizes and proximity.

I'm also adding Dwarven Holds, Elf tribal areas and general regions of humanoid activity, as well as setting up a regional key that I can use to determine random tables and hexstocking activity.

West Pass is a ruined principality near a great river.
The weather there is usually lightly windy and warm out.
It is ruled by a genius.
This domain gives a strong sense of being very ancient.
This domain is famous because its impregnable defences.
The laws of this domain are very strict. Punishments for misdeeds tend to fit the crime.
Recently, the land has been threatened by vicious gangs of bandits.

West Pass covers 1800 square km (8 hexes) and has 1000 square km in arable land.  The total population is  about 76000 population, spread among 151 villages of about 700 people which are an average of 4 km apart.  There are 2 towns, 30 km apart, one of 2000 people, the other, the capital of about 5000, both towns are fortified.

The hand of the ruler rests firmly but not excessively on the people, and the Towns have about 30 soldiers each. The villages have 5 soldiers each.  The total muster of the principality is about 800 soldiers.  In an emergency, about 1500 more armed farmers can be raised as well. The population is primarily Humans with a considerable number of Dwarves and Gnomes and some Elves and Halflings.  Humanoid races are not welcome in West Pass.

Skull Cove is a desperate nation in a grassy plain.
The weather there is usually foggy and warm out
It is ruled by a wealthy merchant.
The people of this domain are fond of good food, drink, and merrymaking.
This domain is famous because of the horrible monsters that inhabit the countryside.
The laws of this domain are almost nonexistent. Punishments for misdeeds tend to be fatal.
Recently, the land has experienced the surrender of their great admiral after an overwhelming naval defeat.

Skull Cove covers about 500 square km, of which 200 square km is arable, accessible land.  The total population is 14,000 people, dwelling in 31 villages, 1 small town, about 5 km apart. There are about 4 soldiers per village, with a total muster of 150, plus ship crews. The population is mostly Humans and Selkies, with a considerable number of Wolfen, Orcs, Goblins.

The Owl Barony is a wealthy kingdom in the high mountains.
The weather there is usually fairly rainy and cool out
It is ruled by a youthful leader.
This domain gives a strong sense of being a place of deep mystery.
This domain is famous because it is very ancient, and has many ruins from a lost civilization.
The laws of this domain are just and fair. Punishments for misdeeds tend to be conducted behind closed doors, so no one is sure what happens - except that the survivors emerge changed and broken.
Recently, the land has been threatened by a jeweled dagger which excites the greed of all who behold it.

Owl Barony covers about 1500 square kilometers of land, of which 410 square km is arable.  The total population is about 28000, dwelling in 57 villages, each about 6 km apart. 2600 live in the main town, which is fortified and close to the Owl Castle.  There are 50 soldiers in town and about 7 soldiers in each village. The full muster is about 500 trained troops, and the population is mainly Humans and Dwarves, with some Wolfen and Bearfolk down from the Drowned Moors.

Ebony Summit is a thriving nation near a great river.
The weather there is usually powerful winds and cold.
It is ruled by a spirit.
This domain gives a strong sense of being gray and gloomy.
This domain is famous because Cursed Students of Heirophant Provosts are based here.
The laws of this domain are favorable to one class of citizens over another. Punishments for misdeeds tend to involve loss of property.
Recently, the land has experienced the capture of a bandit carrying ancient treasures looted from a previously unknown tomb.

Ebony Summit covers about 2750 square kilometers, of which 1700 square kilometers are arable land.  The total population  is about 117,000.  There is 1 city of about 8000, 2 towns 30 km apart of about 2000 each, and 200 villages 3 km apart.  There are 2 castles and 1 ruined and abandoned castle in the south.  Ebony Summit is tyrannically ruled - the city has 200 soldiers, towns have 100, village have 14. Total muster is over 3000 soldiers.  The population is mostly Humans and Halflings with many Wolfen and Orcish slaves.

Nitherfell is a large city-state in an archipelago.
The weather there is usually very rainy and temperate
It is ruled by the aristocracy.
The people of this domain are unusually short.
This domain is famous because it is very ancient, and has many ruins from a lost civilization.
The laws of this domain are nonsensical. Punishments for misdeeds tend to be banishment.
Recently, the land has been threatened by Bercimemnon Rowaric, the Leader of the Way ,.

Nitherfell covers about 4500 square km, of which 1900 square km is arable land.  The total population is about 135,000, mainly living in 267 villages 4 km apart, each with a population of about 700.  There are 3 towns, the capital has a population of about 8000, the others, about 1500 each.  There are 3 standing and 1 ruined castles, and zealous law enforcement. Villages about 7 guards each, the smaller towns have 20 guards and the capital has 80 guards. The total muster is around 2000 soldiers.  The population is mainly Humans, with a few Selkies, Dwarves and Gnomes.

Hex-Stocking

For the last few months I've been running a D&D Next Playtest, which has been going pretty well.  In fact, I have another playtest write-up to do, but I probably won't get to that for a few days, as I get to take my daughter, the Tiger Fairy Princess Warrior (tm) out Trick or Treating tomorrow night.

I also got my beta test key for The Banner Saga (I'm 1 and 1 in multiplayer so far), which I backed on Kickstarter, AND I got a release email from Stardock that my free copy of Elemental: Fallen Enchantress is ready.  That was sorta a Kickstarter in the sense that I pre-ordered War of Magic and is sucked so much donkey dong that Stardock decided to give me Fallen Enchantress for free.  Which was nice, but considering they've had $60 from me for about 5 years now, seems like a bit of a long-term investment.

AND the new Playtest package dropped yesterday, plus the beta for Tabletop Forge came out, which I ALSO supported on Kickstarter.  And I need to read more Vornheim because, well, it's good.  Oh, and the Steam Halloween Sale is on and I MUST HAVE STRENGTH.  THOR GIVE ME STRENGTH NOT TO BUY MORE GAMES.

So yeah.  There is all that.  But tonight I want to talk hexcrawl.  I really want to do a decent hexcrawl, so I've been playing around with setups and reading up on people that are successful at running them.

I got started using Hexographer to build a random map, then used the Hex Map Key from Abulafia and the Fantasy Region generator.  That got me a basic 40x40 hex map, some political players and bunch of cool hex ideas.

But then I started thinking about what hex size I wanted.  I figured 10 mile hexes would be good.  A bit of calculator work meant to me that meant about a 150,000 square mile area.  About the size of Germany, or the southern third of British Columbia, where I live.   So that means that the map I have is way to varied in terms of geography - can't go from ice flows to equator in 400 miles.  I figure I'll rework the map assuming that it's a coastal area at about the same latitude as Washington State. That gives me some nice seasonal variation, a decent amount of area and reasonable diversity in geography.

I'll use the Medieval Demographics Made Easy Domesday Book to work up the regions a bit more, then I want to identify major humanoid tribes and their regions, work up some random tables and develop the map a bit more.

Here's what I have so far - more as it develops.

Some Awesome Tumblrs

Is Tumblrs even a word?  Ah well, it is now.

Tumblr is a microblogging site used primarily to post pictures.  It makes it very easy to add photos to your own stream, and its a great way to build a set of pictures to use in your game.

You can also easily check out other tumblrs, just by clicking on the link at the bottom-right of a picture that indicates the account it was linked from.

Here are several really interesting ones.  I particularly like using Norse/Celtic themes in my games, so these are inclined in that direction.

The Stolen Lands

Brynhild-Heathen

Fuck Yeah Vikings and Celts

The Deer and the Oak

Solgave

The Iron Canyons

Swords and Arrows

As always, happy gaming!

Middle Earth Quest and other Board Games

When I'm not playing RPG's or video games (damn you Torchlight 2), I like to play boardgames, and Middle Earth Quest looks really cool.

It's a co-operative/competitive board game based around the good ole Lord of the Rings.  This game would tie nicely into the start of a Lord of the Rings Roleplaying campaign, as I discussed earlier in Boardgames as a first RPG session.

I would want to play Sauron, personally.  I'm just like that.

If you want more information, PATV has a great show called Shut Up and Sit Down which reviews boardgames.  This week they did Middle Earth Quest.

Check it out here: http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/middle-earth-quest

In addition to Shut Up and Sit Down we have Wil Wheaton's Tabletop.  Every week Wil and his guests review the rules of a different board game, then do a play-through video.  It's funny and a great way to check out board games to see if they would be entertaining.

Youtube is also a good place to look for video reviews/playthroughs of board games.  The first time we played Arkham Horror, we used Grudunza's very comprehensive videos to orient ourselves.

We also used the complete tutorial for the Game of Thrones board game the first time we played it.  That one is actually produced by Fantasy Flight Games.  Tutorials like this are a handy way to get acclimatized to a game without having to read through the entire manual while everyone else is sitting around waiting for you.

Dungeon Mapp Review - Win a Free Copy!

This is a review of Dungeon Mapp, a mapping/gaming application designed to aid in playing tabletop RPG's using a tablet.

Full disclosure.  I'm not getting paid anything for this review.  In fact, I spent $10 to buy the app for my Android tablet.  Derek Proud, the creator, contacted me on Google+ and ask if I wanted to do a review, generously offering a full iPad version of the app, so read on for more information about the app and the giveaway.

I tested Dungeon Mapp Lite (the free trial version) on the iPad, and the full version on an Android tablet.  It can also run on some Android phones, but it's really a tablet app.

Before I go into too much about Dungeon Mapp IS, I think it's important to make it clear what Dungeon Mapp IS NOT.

Dungeon Mapp is NOT a VTT (Virtual Table-Top) like Maptools, which lets multiple people play tabletop RPG's via computer.

Dungeon Mapp is NOT a Cartography program, like Campaign Cartographer - it does allow you to map and save map files, but that it's really the primary purpose.

Dungeon Mapp is NOT edition or system-specific.  It makes a couple of 4e-related assumptions, but it really can be used with any dungeon-crawly RPG game.

That's what Dungeon Mapp isn't.  So what IS it?

Dungeon Mapp is an app that lets you quickly sketch out an encounter area, place tokens and run a combat.

Dungeon Mapp presents you with a gridded black background where you can use a variety of terrains to draw out encounter areas.  Its click and drag interface, with hold-to-edit options make good use of the touch screen of a table, letting you flesh out a room or area with just a few fast motions.  You can create tokens or use token files, setting some basic statistics (like HP and movement) if you want to.

Decals let you add some extra color and detail to your maps, and special tools let you add some nifty features.  One function lets you link multiple maps together - loading them automatically when you need them.  Another lets you automatically add all "party" tokens to a map with one click.  A third lets you hide parts of a map, revealing it with a single touch to the screen.

The interface is straightforward and easy to learn, and the tools work well, at least in the iPad version.  I was able to have basic maps sketched out after about 30 minutes of playing around.  I would have been faster, but I didn't look at the helpful tutorials right away.

An added bonus is that you can save map files, email them and even download some of the pre-built ones from the Dungeon Mapp site.  You can even download a version of the map I used for Totally Different Chapter 3 in my Blingdenstone Enhanced stuff.

I did have some issues with the software.  I found some things about the interface to be clunky - you can't scroll while laying down tiles, for example, and switching tiles requires going into a different selection window each time.  There also isn't an "undo" button - so if you mess up (and you will mess up), you have to manually fix it.

Still - these are the kinds of things that an interested developer - and Derek seems interested, can fix up.  They wouldn't get in the way of my buying this software.  Likewise, I had major issues with the app on my Android tablet.  I'm not sure if it's because my tablet (a Le Pan) is a POS - which it is, or if the recent release on Android hasn't had all the bugs worked out.  I suspect a little from both columns.  I also expect the issues will be resolved in the near future.

The big question is - should you buy this app?  It's $10, which puts it in the high range for app prices, but I could see it being worth the money if you fall into the one of these categories:

1) You currently use graph paper, chalkboards, dungeon tiles or other tabletop methods for gaming and you want to switch to a digital alternative.

2) You game in a place where space is limited, or you can't easily bring supplies.

3)  You play in your living room and don't have access to a gaming table.  For best results, hook a laptop up to your tv and screencast the tablet onto it.  Instant big and little gaming board!

4)  You want to play on vacations, car trips or trains.  This is really the perfect app for a kid like I was.  I had to drive 3 hrs each way to the dentist 1/month when I was a kid.  This would have been awesome for us to roleplay in the car.

If any of you have tried this app and can think of other scenarios where it would be useful, please put them in the comments.

If you would like to be entered to win the free full version of Dungeon Mapp, email me your name and email address at kootenaymurph at gmail dot com.  I'll announce the winner on Friday and send you a link to download the app.

If you DON'T want me to forward your email along to Derek so that you can find out news about Dungeon Mapp, put "keep this private" in the email, OK?

Have a great week and Happy Gaming!

Organizing Content: Google Drive

I see SO MUCH AWESOME STUFF on blogs around teh interwebz all the time.  

But I also have SO MANY BOOKMARKS ALREADY!  How do I keep this stuff organized and accessible so that I can actually use it in a game?

Have no fear!  For the answer – or at least one answer – is here!

The answer is called Google Drive.  It’s the new replacement application for Google Docs – think Google Docs had a love-child with Dropbox, and you have Google Drive.

I’ve been using Dropbox for quite a while now, and I personally love it.  So when I looked at how Drive is set up, I said “Fuck Yes!”  It’s basically Dropbox which links automatically to my existing Google Docs.  I can access it from the web, or install it on specific computers, where it functions like a standard folder – except that everything I put in the folder is automatically sync’ed to any other computer where I installed it, and sync’ed to my Google account as well.

That by itself is super-convenient, but today I found a couple of other features that make it even better for organizing content that I get from blogs or websites.

Feature #1:  Drive appears as a save option.  When I see a cool map on say, Cartographer’s Guild, I right-click on it and select “Save” – then, in my save dialogue box, I can just click on the Google Drive option on the left and save the file direct to the Drive folder – where it SYNCs to ALL MY OTHER COMPUTERS and DEVICES.  I can even save the file in a folder inside Drive, which is handy for keeping things organized.

Feature #2: Sharing via link:  If I want to share documents and files, all I need to do is upload them to Drive, click on the “Share” button, set the sharing parameters and copy the resulting link onto the blog.  This works the same way with Dropbox, and it’s how I posted all the recent Blingdenstone Stuff.

Feature #3:  The Recent List:  If other bloggers are good enough to share their content documents via a Google Drive link and I open them, the document is automatically added to the Recent List when I look at my Google Drive info on the Google website.  So as long as it’s up, I can find it again!  Excelcior!

Feature #4:  Dragging from the Recent List:  It gets even BETTER.  If I see a content file I want on the recent list, I just need to drag it from that list onto one of my folders on my Drive, and it will automatically download a copy and SYNC it to ALL MY DEVICES.

Feature #5:  ALL MY DEVICES:  This actually should have been first.  I have Drive installed on my desktop computers at work and home, my laptop, both my tablets and my smartphone.  Anything I put in drive is automatically accessible from any of those devices.

Feature #6:  Ask me about price:  How much does this godly application cost?  NOTHING!  Free and automatically linked to your Google account - with 2 GB of storage.  How can you not love this thing?

Tips and Tricks:

If you want to keep stuff organized in your Google Drive account, I’d recommend using several core folders.   Maps, Content (possibly organized by game system), Shared Docs (so you know what you’ve put out there), Campaign Info (for sharing with your players).

Oh, and Word Docs and other files can be edited by all people that you’ve specifically shared them with.  This is good for things like Campaign Journals and Character Sheets, but less optimal for your content – so post your content as PDF’s so they can’t be modified.

So other bloggers out there – if you want to make your content easy for people to access and use, post it on your blog, but include a pdf link to Google Drive.  I know many of us will thank you for it!

A Great Tool for the Busy DM

StumbleUpon.  You kill me - I should be doing other STUFF.  I have Domain Game turns to work on, prep for my online After The Bomb game, work stuff that I really shouldn't be doing at home.  But yet I click, and click and click.

But.  But, but, but - the clicking finally pays off!  I found this little gem, by Wizards of the Coast, no less.  I haven't really looked at the adventure portion yet, but the little maps it creates are GREAT.  For small post-apocalyptic complexes and buildings, these maps look ideal.

In addition, I can save them right off the website and import them into Maptools with a few mouse clicks.  Super work, WotC, really super.

First Session of After the Bomb

After the Bomb 2e is a stand-alone RPG that uses the core Palladium rules with the TMNT mutation rules added in.  In this game, I'm also allowing things from Ninjas and Superspies, and possibly something or other from Heroes Unlimited.

Basically, it's a post-apocalyptic RPG featuring mutant animals!  I'd forgotten how much I love TMNT characters.  That's what makes this system great.  Cause it sure ain't the over-complex, fiddly combat or the as-bad-as-3e antagonist generation or the "simple" (by GURPS standards) vehicle rules..

But I can houserule all that shit.  The characters...  so good.

Let's see - we have 4 characters in the game at this point.  Perry, the DM from our OD&D game, is playing a 7'3", 380 lb mutant sheep named Baab.  Baab is a trained Farrier (which presumably means he can shoe himself) and also knows Sumo.  He speaks both english and japanese with a scottish accent (lllolll's his lllll's).

Then we have Jennie's character - a currently unnamed mutant Marten (which is like a large, tree-dwelling ferret).  This character is ridiculously fast, knows Drunken Monkey kung-fu, can pilot military vehicles, and knows the Art of Hiding, which is the neat trick where you stand RIGHT BEHIND somebody and move around so fast they can't see you.  Which would be awesome but she took the Musk Gland: Strong and Stinky bit, so the character is basically a really Silent but Deadly fart.  Which is also kinda great.

Next is the brains of the operation: Dr. Cat. Dr Cat is called Dr. Cat because he is pretty much a large scottish fold cat, but with a few minor differences from the traditional cat.  Difference one: Dr. Cat is a medical doctor, with degrees in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pathology, Radiology and Dentistry.  Also Clinical Genetics, Anthropology, Botany, Analytical Chemistry (I don't even KNOW WHAT THAT IS) and Public Speaking.  Except he can't speak because he IS A CAT.

Oh, and Dr. Cat has ectoplasmic hands - for use in surgery, and a crippling catnip addiction.  And he can drive both motorcycles and trucks.  So he's pretty much Toonces the Driving Cat.

As if that wasn't enough, the final character is possibly the best of all.  He is a 14" tall mutant bat.  Who knows Ninjitsu.  Also he can talk to electronics, sees by ground-penetrating sonar, can fix mechanical objects by touching them, and eats only bugs. Which explains the "Breed and Control Insects" skill.  It does not explain the "Bolt-action rifle" and "WP Grappling hook" skills.  Man.  You can FLY - what do you need a grappling hook for?

Because you are a ninja, is the obvious answer.

The first session consisted of finishing the characters, waking up naked in a tube full of liquid, getting out of the tube, convincing the lab AI to download itself onto a memory crystal, convincing the elevator that it would be fun to release the brakes and plummet down the shaft in order to save electricity (reactor power in the complex is very low), searching through some labs for clothing (Baab is kinda body-shy).

The main feedback, "not enough stuff to kill".  Ah 4e-players, how simple things are in your little world.  I'm very excited - this is shaping up to be epic and silly and awesome, which is pretty much how I like my games to be.

How to Sort Out the Digital Initiative

I've been talking a bit about DDi, rules distribution and digital tools for gaming lately.  I've been drawing a lot of parallels between gaming rules and software - both are updated with new material frequently, can sometimes get over-complicated, and now have the option of being updated digitally.

What initially started me thinking about this was a post by Bill over at Digital Monkey Shines, where he likens various editions of D&D to software and tax code.

The tax code part got me thinking...  Right now, the government releases the tax code and provides the technical specs for submitting taxes electronically - they say "this is how it works".  Anybody who wants to can write a piece of software that contains the tax code information, does calculations automatically, and creates files that allow you to submit them electronically.

And this works freaking great.  Tax software is relatively inexpensive (free in some cases), is generally both accurate and usable, and is compliant with the required format.  There is also a lot of selection, and thus, lots of competition, making for very good product.

Imagine then, if you will, what a Government-produced tax software, that everyone was required to use, would look like...  Once you have stopped screaming, and put some ointment on the claw marks on your face, consider that WotC has basically been playing the role of "the Government" in this little drama for a while.

Right now we have a new online Character Builder, online Compendium, unsupported Monster Builder, no encounter builder, no parcel treasure builder, no character visualizer, no online gametable, no virtual minis, no great campaign manager tools.  We have maybe 1/3 of the tools that WotC announced when DDi came out.  Which kinda sucks, because I was pretty stoked about those tools.

When asked about why they don't have these things, WotC generally respond "we still don't really know shit about computers" or some variation thereof.

So - you want to sort this digital shit out, Wizards?  You should, cause it's been a sticking point.

Try this - give some guidelines about what a software app needs to do to be considered "Wizards-Approved".  The app maker will need to pay you a certain amount to get "Wizards-Approved", and there will probably be ongoing licensing fees.  You will give them access to the game data and such, and they can build the programs.  Then you let the market decide which programs are really good.  If they are bad, people won't use them.  If they are good, people will probably pay to use them.  The really good ones, you sign an "Official Support" agreement with, package onto DDi as premium content and then you enjoy the shit out of actually having good digital tools.

Because guess what - there are people out there with good computer skills who like D&D and will do great stuff if you A) stop imagining that you have to do everything and B) start thinking like a smart company.

But that might be hard...