Opinions

This is where the mechanics gather to express themselves.

The Latest

The most recent articles from one of the Mechanics:

How to Break into the Game Business (October 4, 2004)

By Rich Redman. Here is your road map to getting in the game business as a designer.

Opinions

The Mechanics let you know what's on their minds.

Flame On! (January 2, 2003)

By Rich Redman. Every published author knows the mixed blessing of criticism. You have to pay attention to it, no matter how annoying it may seem, because the critic might be able to teach you something and to help you grow as an author.

 

Argh, Matey! (February 13, 2003)

By Rich Redman. The topic of piracy has been gnawing at Rich for some time, and writing seems to work better than aspirin to relieve this sort of headache.

 

The Revision (July 23, 2003)

By Rich Redman. He started the work on the revision of the DMG, and now he can talk about it.

 

Why Adventures Don't Sell (September 4, 2003)

By Rich Redman. Rich finally gets worked up to a full rant as he covers the market for d20 System adventures.

 

Licensing: My Archnemesis (November 23, 2003)

By Rich Redman. The Game Mechanics often have people tell us we should get a license to make a d20 game from a hot property. Find out why Rich thinks that's a bad idea.

 

Plus Ça Change (February 5, 2004)

By Rich Redman. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." TGM's just-passed anniversary gives Rich an excuse to talk about change.

 

Cue Rant Mode (March 15, 2004)

By Rich Redman. Surviving years of feedback from gaming customers, Rich knows a few things you should and shouldn't do if you really want a company to pay attention to you.

 

How to Break into the Game Business (October 4, 2004)

By Rich Redman. Here is your road map to getting in the game business as a designer.

Point-Counterpoint

One of the most interesting parts of working in a game design studio is the variety of opinions that help influence products.

Story versus Mechanics (December 13, 2002)

Rich and Stan! discuss what should go into game products.

Gamers' Movie Reviews

Gamers often turn to film for inspiration. Find out what the mechanics thought of a movie as "source material" for RPGs.

Star Trek: Nemesis (December 16, 2002)

Rich Redman finally got to see Nemesis on the second try. Now, he talks about drawing inspiration from the film for your d20 Modern game.

 

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (January 5, 2003)

He already knew the plot, so what new ideas can Stan! take away from this year's installment?

 

Daredevil (February 18, 2003)

JD Wiker, a connoisseur of comic books, pulls apart the year's first superhero movie to find out what it holds for gamers.

 

The Core (April 5, 2003)

Marc Schmalz finds there are times when too much knowledge is a bad thing, for both a movie outing and a game night.

 

Dreamcatcher (April 5, 2003)

Rich Redman uses insight from Dreamcatcher to help you devise modern monster plots.

 

Bulletproof Monk (April 28, 2003)

Exactly how many Chow Yun-Fat movies does Rich Redman own? Also, thoughts on Nazis as villains, martial arts in games, and destiny.

 

The Matrix Reloaded (May 25, 2003)

JD Wiker uses The Matrix Reloaded to discuss how to deal with characters who are out of balance with the rest of the group.

 

The Matrix Revolutions (November 17, 2003)

JD Wiker finds himself liking Revolutions much more than Reloaded, and pulls a couple of RPG tips from the mix.

 

Hellboy (April 26, 2004)

By Rich Redman. Rich really appreciated the small details he saw in Hellboy, the sort of details he likes to use when crafting an adventure or building a campaign.