Monday, December 16, 2013

Work and My Inspirations


Hey gang!

Wow, has it been a long time or what?  Sorry about the lack of posts, I have been rotating between being busy and a total lack of creative energy so I have been erratic in getting on here.

I have been fortunate to find a couple here in town that are also gamers and this has really gotten me going again, even through the bouts of frustration.  After a couple fun, but short sessions of Rifts we decided to shift directions to playing my homebrew!  I am excited and a little nervous about finally using it but it will be worth it in the end...

This, and some conversations with some other gamer friends has got me thinking about inspiration and games.  It is a topic that I have ran through my mind several times and would be willing to bet that many of you have as well.  As a writer I will easily admit that there are many games and books that have inspired me over the years and I am positive there will be many more to come.

Of late some of my biggest influences have come from people I have learned to look up to.  Jay Libby and Joshua Kubli, both fellow game writers, have done wonders for me and my work.  They have helped me fight through anxiety attacks that have hindered my writing and given me ideas on how to evolve.  There are others, who are not writers at all, that have helped me as well.  There is of course my family but there is also my friend Rick and my new gaming group.  It is good to have a way to get ideas out..

It's funny, I know that my personal writing has been affected by countless sources... Books, Movies, Video and Roleplaying Games... hell even the Bible to a tiny point.  The thing that I think about sometimes is where does inspiration stop and copying begin?  At first my newest version of my system was little more than a knock-off of the Palladium system but it has evolved (thankfully).

Now there are still comparisons to be made to other things.  The base mechanic is similar to the 3.x rules, my magic system is reminiscent of Palladium's, and well, there are others.  I do understand that there is nothing totally new, especially in this field.  But I like to think that I am doing at least a few things differently.

Ah well, I suppose the important thing is having fun.  I enjoy my work and think that others will as well once I post it up here.  Well, hopefully anyways lol

So, what are you all up too?

1 comment:

  1. I've been GMing a Savage Worlds based world for about a year and try to crank out an "episode" each month. I've got a good gaming crew here, up to 6 players, and we're enjoying it so far.

    One thing that helps me with the sessions is to think of it like an "episode" in a TV series. A couple months ago we finished the first "season" by wrapping up a lot of the plot points that were arching over the whole string of "episodes." I usually start with a place and some sort of theme. A ritzy spa planet with a seedy underworld, and a monster rampaging at a high class gala...that was one episode. From those vague impressions I go backwards and spend my long commutes thinking about details. Particular characters who live in that kind of world. Funny things that can happen. By the time I've scheduled the gaming session I am raring to let the players loose on the world and give them a lot of opportunity to either succeed or royally screw up. Either way it is fun.

    I'm also thinking about an RPG blog. Having a great time, having a schedule for the sessions (every month or so) also helps me keep the creative juices flowing.

    Good luck with everything!!!

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