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Author Archives: robertpkruger
The Half-Baked Guide to Better D&D, Part 4: Strangers Meet in a Foreign Land
Imagination Against Literalism Yesterday, I had a typically good talk with my friend Jonathan Tweet, lead designer of the D&D 3.0 rules and co-designer of 13th Age. He’s trying to get local atheists to form a community based on science … Continue reading
The Half-Baked Guide to Better D&D, Part 3: Mystery & Mastery
Computer games are not roleplaying games. A computer game circumscribes the possible interactions between the players and the environment, including the monsters. As you get better at being a DM, you act less like a computer. As you get better … Continue reading
The Half-Baked Guide to Better D&D, Part 2: Beginner’s Mind
Dirk the Thief has been down on his luck. He’s worried about where his next meal is coming from. He needs a score. At the local inn, a shady guy is recruiting adventurers to plunder the monster-haunted multi-level Labyrinth of … Continue reading
The Half-Baked Guide to Better D&D, Part 1
The title of this series probably needs work, but I did give it more than two-seconds’ thought; I gave it ten-seconds’ thought. All guides to “better D&D” are going to be half-baked, because there are so many variables to consider: … Continue reading
The Craft and Art(?) of Roleplaying Games
Since I wrote my essay for Baen early this year, I’ve continued to navel-gaze about rpgs. I’m far from having exhausted the topic for myself. Here are some of the strongest conclusions about them that I’ve arrived at:
The Fallacy of Politics
If we really want progress, we should recognize a much more fundamental and deep divide than conservative versus liberal: those who use logical fallacies in argument and those who don’t. Liberalism and conservatism are the poles of constructive debate; as … Continue reading
Posted in Evo Psych, Politics
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What the Manipulators Don’t Want You to Know
My wife reported that hospital charity care-costs in Oregon have been reduced by a third due to Obamacare. Why did it take so long to begin reforming healthcare? It’s amazing the irrational crap we put up with, isn’t it? But … Continue reading
Posted in Evo Psych, Evolution, Politics
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Artificial Intelligence Run Amok
Just now on Facebook, one of the many science-fiction writers on my friends list asked how likely a fully conscious AI would be to copy itself and then turn on us. I’d never given it much thought until now. Here’s … Continue reading
Posted in Evolution, Monsters, Writing
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Plug for The Busybody
Back when I was younger and more naive and made controversial Facebook posts (at least a month ago), I had a few friends say to me, “I don’t always agree with you, but I find your posts thought-provoking.” I should … Continue reading
Posted in Dungeons & Dragons, Games, Religion, Social Media
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Invocation
For millennia, people would avoid speaking or writing the name of a divine or infernal being, for fear of summoning their attention. This is no longer mere superstition. I can draw the gaze of daunting people on Facebook, so I’m … Continue reading
Posted in Monsters, Social Media
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Far Green Country 