10 by 10 room

A bit of Chris’s Fun Now Manifesto:

2. Play with people you like

3. Play with rules you like

Entirely separately, an excerpt by Zweihander on RPGnet:

The group should be able to get along as individuals while playing the game. Don’t be afraid to seek out those who have the most similar idea to yours of what a fun time while gaming should be.

The group should like the RPG they’re playing. There’s little point in playing D&D if the rules absolutely preclude you from having a good time.

Similar things that emerge in parallel! This is either a paradigm shift or common sense… or more likely, we’re shifting into the paradigm of common sense.

Nathan gives his read on Unsung, and compares it to his own game-in-development, Carry. Both deal with stresses of war, but it seems that both will take some very different approaches.

Video of the latest Mario title on Gameboy DS

It’s 2D. Can you believe it? 2D. And yet the new-fangled technology is really making it look much more gorgeous and fun. I get the feeling that 2D game formats (platformers, shooters, fighting games) still have a lot of potential in them. The future isn’t just about 3D MMORPGs!

Fantasy Novel Title Generator. Also available for scripting your next fantasy heartbreaker.

Jane at Game Girl Advance – who wrote the “Is WOW the New Golf?” article – returns to the issue.

It’s an interesting idea, but WoW is a long way from Friendster or mySpace or LinkedIn. For one, it’s a lot harder to browse for friends; the server system is optimized for play experience, not for contact volume. And then the game itself is so involving that, unlike taking a stroll through the links, there’s a lot less potential time for schmoozing while playing. At the lower levels, at least.

“Why design an RPG? There’s plenty out there, make do with those.” Is that a valid point?

Troy has the answers.

I’ve never been disemboweled by disfunctional play… but your point is well taken.
Valaxon comments on A Unintended Parable

Stephen Colbert: “I’ll be up to my baldric in +1 scimitars before you can say ‘Cure Light Wounds.’.” But he also says: “It’s good improvisation with agreed rules before you go in.” I’ll be using that definition.

Not only is Emily Care Boss selling Breaking the Ice with a box of chocolates, but she also is giving the proceeds to local a women’s shelter. So you really should get it right now.