Poetic Musings
Thank you for taking this literary journey with me! Here I post personal thoughts on social issues, reflections about day-to-day living, and of course a healthy amount of stories inspired by the many games I’ve played over the years. I try to update several times a week, and genuinely appreciate the care and support of all who read these words, whether the post is fanciful or heartfelt.
The Where to Start page has great suggestions for first-time visitors, and all posts are sorted by the Categories you see in the right-side menu; feel free to narrow things down!
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System vs Simulation
In game design, a careful balance must be struck between having mechanics that act as systems and those which act as simulations. From board games to RPGs, video games and more, where and how a given game rests on continuum between the two helps determine who the...
Covert Ops: Radio Free Bolivia
As my team works its way through the mountainous jungle, chopping the Santa Blanco cartel's operations off at the knees and giving the Unidad military a pair of black eyes, there are eternally two distinct voices in our ears: Karen Bowman, the CIA spook who acts as...
Covert Ops: Flying Friendly Skies
The cartel is a large, multi-headed beast, and it takes serious logistics to keep from collapsing under its own weight and petty grievances of the egoists who usually thrive in such an organization. Its founders understood the need to establish control—and...
Covert Ops: Ghosts
The operations may be different, but the targets all react the same. Confusion sets in when they can't raise colleagues on the radio, then they break formation to figure out what's going on. Then the screaming starts when the first body is discovered, providing...
Converting Audio for Fun and Profit
As someone who runs RPGs across a number of genres, I end up collecting a large amount of ambient audio tracks for use in playlists or soundboards to enhance the mood of my sessions; maybe the party is creeping along through a dangerous cavern, enjoying a peaceful...
The Worst Hangover I can’t Remember
Awareness slowly bubbles to the surface like air escaping from ice at the bottom of a stiff bourbon, languid and uncertain. Pain hits me, a harsh overhead light stabbing me in the eyes—calloused fingers rub at my temples but there's no relief. It's a pain I recognize,...
