I recently started a YouTube channel: DigitalHobbit’s RPG Reflections. As of right now, I have 4 videos published. In my intro video below, I outline the types of topics I’m planning to cover on my channel. But here’s a TL;DR: Thoughts on specific game systems, settings, or adventures Thoughts on particular types of experiences (e.g. crunchy/tactical games, story games, or old-school games) Various tips, such as how to play RPGs online Including lightweight solutions that support theater of the mind gameplay without having to spend a huge amount of time setting up a VTT. E.g. using Discord and Discord dice bots, along with Google Sheets. How to leverage AI solutions, such as ChatGPT or Midjourney for your RPGs The social side of the hobby, e.g. how to find gaming groups, one-shots, or engage with RPG communities. Things that I’m less likely to cover: ...

I haven’t blogged in a while, but am going to try blogging more actively again. Ever since G+ closed down last year, I’ve explored many other RPG communities. I’m in a bunch of Facebook groups and have also tried MeWe, although it feels like the latter mostly fizzled out. The vast majority of my RPG connections happen on Discord these days. And while that experience is pretty solid, it’s mostly ephemeral. So resurrecting my blog seems worth a shot. ...

TL;DR: Best RPG convention I’ve attended so far! Three weeks ago, I attended Big Bad Con in Walnut Creek, California. Last year, I had a chance to attend for a single day. This year, I was able to attend from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. During that time, I played seven four-hour RPG sessions, totaling a massive 28 hours of gaming in a single weekend! Unlike most RPG cons, Big Bad Con has a strong emphasis on indie and story games. You’ll find many PbtA or Fate powered games, for example, but also many fairly obscure indie titles. No D&D Adventurer’s League or Pathfinder Society here (not that there’s anything wrong with either of these; other cons just cater more towards these games and experiences). ...

I recently completed my first campaign of Shadow of the Demon Lord (aka SotDL), so I figured I’d write down my impressions. I won’t go terribly deep on details about the system, as plenty of articles already exist about that. The Pitch My group mostly plays D&D 5e but was very open to the idea of trying SotDL. One of the big selling points was the relatively short campaign length (11 adventures) and fast character progression (one level per adventure), which didn’t require a long-term commitment. ...

I attended my second KublaCon last weekend. Like last year, I had a fun time overall. Most of what I wrote last year still holds true (including the frustrating Shuffler), so I won’t repeat it here. It felt like the results were posted sooner this time, which helped. Then again, the website was virtually unusable (it kept timing out) for most of the con… They really need a new system! Aside from that, KublaCon is well organized, with friendly volunteering staff, a great crowd, and a large dealer hall. ...