Farewell to Google Jamboard

A combination battlemap and meme-inspired artboard

Google Jamboard, a virtual whiteboarding solution that the company coupled with an expensive real-world display, is shutting down. Google is turning it off on October 1, 2024. It never got traction in the virtual or real worlds, but it has a special place in my gaming heart for how we used it with Gamer Working Group … Read more

Meet Ben Bouchard, Spooky Hunter for Monster of the Week

Andy McGee from Firestarter holds his hands to the sides of his head, while blood drips from his nose. The inspiration for my Monster of the Week character

After three years of  Dungeons & Dragons and Fast and Furious GURPS, my lunchtime gaming group is changing gears and playing Monster of the Week. Monster of the Week is a Powered by the Apocalypse game inspired by series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, and The X-Files … all of which are very much in my wheelhouse. Players take on … Read more

RPG A Day 2022 – How long do your games last?

Several overlapping rolepllaying game books (D&D, Mutants & Masterminds, GURPS, Scum & Villainy, Fate)

My main gaming group, the Blackrazor Guild, are serial campaigners. We almost can’t help ourselves; if a campaign gets past the first few sessions, it’s very likely to run for for a year or two. Our biggest, most memorable campaigns were all multi-year affairs: Our namesake Blackrazor Guild campaign The Redshirts (aka Return to the Temple … Read more

RPG A Day 2022 – Who is your current character?

A hand-written character sheet in a notebook rests upon a printed character sheet.

I’m playing in three games right now, so I’ve got three answers, plus two honorable mentions. Star Wars: The Republic Zor Nabat Male Twi’lek Corporate Officer (Level 3) Background – Bankrupt Focus: Inspiring Leader The upstart corporation Cobbatha Collective Designs excelled at developing aftermarket add-ons for commercial starships. Cobbatha had its start in the slums of … Read more

Game Day: Scales of Truth

Sometimes, you need to get a little weird … and Scales of Truth, my current lunchtime campaign, is a lot weird. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Scales of Truth is a D&D 5e-powered game that relies heavily on the tropes of weird fantasy. It draws inspiration from Gamma World, Thundarr the Barbarian, and Numenera, though its still has a … Read more

Game Day: Lunchtime Gaming Revisited

A cloaked figure holds a gauntlet before his face, while a rogues gallery of heroes looks on from behind.

The Gamer Working Group, my lunchtime gaming crew, is restarting this month with Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (Amazon), Wizards of the Coast’s new urban adventure set in the City of Splendors. It’s my first full-time campaign set in the Forgotten Realms, WotC’s signature campaign setting. Historically my group played in the World of Greyhawk, which has … Read more

#RPGaDay2018 – Describe your plans for your next game

A close up view of the spines of numerous role-playing game books.

I’m contemplating a return to lunchtime gaming. It’s been on hiatus for quite a while do to an overwhelming lack of time, but I miss it and so do the rest of the Gamer Working Group. As a brief re-cap, the Gamer Working Group consists of a few RPG players at my day job and one … Read more

#RPGaDay 2018 – Wildest character name?

A close up view of the spines of numerous role-playing game books.

It’s a toss up between Forceful Truth and Zilanderan … but I want to write about Zilanderan for “Wildest Character Concept” for Day 12 so Forceful Truth it is. A few years ago another player in my lunchtime gaming group took on the dungeon mastering role because he wanted to try out a still-mystifying Dungeons … Read more

My Lunchtime D&D Toolbox

A stack of D&D 5th Edition books, a 5e DM screen, and my gaming lunchbox.

My lunchtime game is back on. After a six-month hiatus we’ve returned to our once-a-week, one-hour sessions, this time powered by Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Preparation is essential for the games. We play at a co-worker’s house, and I have to bring everything I need with me. With only 60 minutes I can’t be … Read more

Game Day: Lunchtime Numenera

Inverted pyramid-like stone monoliths float in the ping-blue mists of a mountainous region.

My lunchtime campaign has transitioned from Dragon Age to Numenera. Two of us backed it in the Kickstarter, and the others were sufficiently intrigued to want to playtest the game. As I wrote before, my regular gaming group ran an extensive playtest of Numenera that involved two adventures spread out over several real-world months. With … Read more