Introduction

Well here it is, my first blog post regarding RPGs.


I started playing Dungeons & Dragons in 1982 and played D&D or some other RPG regularly until
about 1991 when I graduated high school. Like heavy metal music and sci-fi and fantasy novels, RPGs lost their interest to me once I started university and became focused on school, relationships, playing & recording music and pursuing my art practise and career.


During my time as a "gamer" I was the one who most often assumed the role of Dungeon Master (and then Game Master, Referee, Administrator, Judge etc.) for D&D (Moldvay/Cook/Marsh and Metzner editions as well as 1st Ed. AD&D) and then other games including Top Secret, Marvel Super Heros, Conan (TSR), Middle Earth Role Playing (I.C.E.'s MERP), Ghostbusters, Star Wars (WEG), Stormbringer (1st Ed.) Elfquest and Star Trek (FASA). I also played the games my friends had such as Star Frontiers, Adventures of Indiana Jones (TSR), Rolemaster, Twilight 2000, Car Wars, Toon and Paranoia.


At no time did I ever think that I was quitting role-playing games, it just happened.


Then at some point when I was ill  I stared researching TV sows from my childhood on the internet. This led me into an investigation into what had happened to D&D and AD&D. This was in 2001 and third edition was just getting started. I totally lost interest.


In 2008 I found myself without work after the film industry collapsed in my home town of Winnipeg.  During this time I decided to get my art practise up and running again. I started looking for inspiration and kept returning to the influences that got me interested in becoming a creative individual in the first place i.e. Sci-Fi and Fantasy movies and books, Comic Books, and Role-Playing Games.


This led me into discovering that others like me had a returned to RPGs after many years (or desired to) and that some were publishing materials for such people. The Old School Renaissance had been born.


I decided that I was going to complete my unfinished AD&D mega-campaign as a project. I eventually decided to design it for Castles & Crusades. This led me into more research into what had happened to the game since I left and that brought me to Lejendary Adventure and eventually into Pathfinder.


Enough with the Bio. The following posts will deal with my take on game products and ideas on the mechanics and trend in the rules.