Jared McFarland

9 Aug

Hey, I'm Jared (he/him) - desert rat living in the PNW, forever GM of 30+ years. 5e, Daggerheart, Draw Steel. Currently: migrating my long-running 5e campaign to Draw Steel, and producing my first AP (in Daggerheart!). GM craft, session logs & system takes: rollforinsight.blog

Today was huge. We recorded the first episode of the new Daggerheart AP. It went so well. I’ve been so nervous but all the prep, all the support around me paid off.

1. Basic D&D 2. AD&D 3. 3.5e 4. 5e 5. Fantasy Flight’s SWRPG Kinda sad it took me so long to get outta D&D land

Hailey@bachrach.bsky.social

First five RPGs I thiiiink in order? 1. 5e 2. Blades in the Dark 3. Scum and Villainy 4. Masks 5. City of Mist

Had the best cast meeting today. We talked through world lore; character motivations; and the players contributed some factions to the world. We setup some new canon and looked at our dramaturg’s feedback. Only 3 weeks from our first recording

When I was 9 I was visiting my cousin. His stepdad was watching us but didn’t know how kids work. So, to keep us busy, he taught us “basic” D&D. This was 1996 or so.

Ghoula RPGs@gilarpgs.bsky.social

"How did you get into ttrpgs?" This isn't even a joke: professional starcraft

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Can confirm

Hailey@bachrach.bsky.social

it's been so long since I've really done it I'd kinda forgotten but actually I'm a pretty great developmental editor and/or dramaturg and you should put me on your creative team I think

Jared McFarland reposted

larahogan.bsky.social

@larahogan.bsky.social

Friends! I'm going to be chatting live with the inimitable @danhon.com about _how to people_ on October 23. You're invited! calendly.com/verylittlegr...

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Jes the human

@jesthehuman.itch.io

19 Sept

Did you know there is 25 grams of protein in saying thank you to your dungeon master after your D&D session? There’s also 6 grams of fiber in bringing them a little treat too with a side of your character probably won’t make death saves this session. Just thought you should know.

Jared McFarland reposted

Mikel L. Matthews Jr.

@improvgm.bsky.social

14 Sept

As a player? Make strong choices. In improv, we have to teach people to stop making milquetoast decisions and to care strongly about what’s happening in the scene. I see so many players making decisions where nothing happens You’re playing people who go out and do things. So go out and do things.

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12 Sept

Boom. Cast is locked. Schedule, contracts, and then we’re off to the races.

10 Sept

Been doing player interviews all week for the AP. Some really well known folks some less well known some total beginners. Everyone in this space is so damn sweet. Every. Single. Person I talked to. I wanna play games with them all.

8 Sept

I’ve got four chats this week to talk to potential players for the last seat in the AP. So stoked to get closer to having all the folks in place.

4 Sept

If there was any way for me to play in GMT I would sign up here so fast. If you’re in that timezone do it!!

Hailey@bachrach.bsky.social

don't perceive me...... but also: wanna play around with me??DM or reply idk

Catching up on @criticalrole.bsky.social's Sallowlands and noticed a pretty amazing thing @matthewmercer.bsky.social did in episode 3. Something I've been trying to lean into in my own GM'ing is the idea that the world is loosely held, and it doesn't snap into focus until the dice hit the table.

He uses that fear to fill the crypt with water and puts the blocked exit at the bottom of the pool of water. It was such an clearcut and amazing example of how the world is loosely put together, and the everyone at the table (including the dice) is shaping it.

It was a very inspiring micro-arc to listen to and take notes on. I've been enjoying Sallowlands quite a bit and learning so much from all the talent on the show.

Now I don't know this for sure, but I hypothesize that this exit from the tower didn't exist until that moment. @matthewmercer.bsky.social is the only one who'll know for sure, but my guess is that when Sister offered up this idea, Matt ran with it.

Fast forward to Ep 3. The players are making a hasty exit from the tower and make their way to the crypt. The door is locked, so Mercy rolls a strength check to break through. He rolls with fear. @matthewmercer.bsky.social does the most amazing thing here.

In Episode 2 Sister wants to find some time in a natural space to figure out a way off the Tower of Oxudos. So she sits in some grass and communes with nature using her Witch class ability. She rolls a d6 to see the outcome and gets a 6.

So Matt narrates her seeing the pathways the water would have taken when it used to rain and when water existed in the lakebed. It shows her that there is indeed a path down to the lake floor, through the crypts. But it's currently blocked. Very cool "Yes and" of her ability and honor the high roll

Another option is to accept their suggestion, and let the dice decide what's in the world. Let them roll, and depending on the outcome, you can put traps in the room - or not - and you can have them find those traps - or not. #Daggerheart does this especially well with the two axis roll outcome.

A success with hope - they find and disable the trap. A success with fear - they find and disable the trap, but missed the giant spider hanging above it. Slight spoilers through ep 3 of Sallowlands ahead.

The idea is to "Yes, and" your players when they offer up story suggestions. If your players enter a room and say "I'd like to search for traps", recognize that they're offering you a story beat and a direction they'd like the story to go. They're saying "Hey GM, maybe we put traps in here"

And regardless of whether or not you prepped a trap, you have some options in that moment. One option is to let them roll knowing there are no traps and regardless of how well they roll just say "you find no traps". That's a fine but boring path.

roller's joint IS CASTING

29 Aug

Slow but steady progress this week on the AP. Had some great chats with folks. I've hopefully lined up an editor, a sound designer, my lawyer, my dramaturg and 2/3 of my players. So close to being able to get started on pre-production!

Jared McFarland reposted

@rollersjoint.bsky.social

27 Aug

Did you know the Roller's Joint IS CASTING?! Check out the calls below: #TTRPG #ActualPlay #CastingCalls

Jared McFarland reposted

Elanor

@elanorandthearts.bsky.social

24 Aug

CALLING LONDONERS 📣 My friend has spent FIVE YEARS developing her play—a queer horror story—and she's hardly sold any tickets. She's travelling down from Leeds and I'm devastated 🥺 The Haunting of Verity Evans, The Hope Theatre, 25th–26th August. I hope you'll join me! Please share if you can't!

Jared McFarland reposted

sam “ludonarrative disinterest” sorensen

@samsorensen.bsky.social

24 Aug

one thing I am a strong believer in is Running The Big Scary Dream Game. everybody says "oooh there's this wild game concept I've always wanted to run..." do it. make the gdoc. start prepping now. set a date for session zero. go go go

22 Aug

Basic D&D and then AD&D. I haven’t played either in over two decades but I remember them fondly. They unlocked a lifelong passion for TTRPG

Tab Creations@tabcreations.com

Hey #ttrpgCommunity! What were the first two #ttrpgs you played? Do you remember either of those games fondly? Do you still play them? Have you outgrown them? #tttrpg #dnd #rpg

20 Aug

I've been talking to lawyers about the AP I wanna make. What is the community take on character IP? I'm making a show and hiring folks to play in it. Is it normal for player-made characters to be work-for-hire? Is it normal for players to own the IP of the character and grant the show a license?

20 Aug

This feels like a @ecfriedman.com shaped question?

Wrapped up the third arc of my long running home game last night. This season we switched from 5.5e to Draw Steel. Votes are in: the table prefers Draw Steel.

As GM I found the transition difficult in ways (as I’ve talked about on here) but overall I’m pretty happy with the change

This season everyone played new characters. Two characters died. And in the last scene of the last session we brought it all back to tie into the first and second seasons. I’d call it a huge success - maybe the best season I’ve ever ran

Crimson Dawn. Honestly I’d have no fucking clue what was going on, just like in the game.

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16 Aug

Currently cycling between: - Solari - Dodoborne - CR4 - Rotating Heroes

Misfit_Playland 👉🏻 PAX Unplugged@misfit-playland.bsky.social

I've been wondering, what Actual Plays is everyone listening to at the moment??? Not ones you're performing in, but ones you listen to for your enjoyment?

15 Aug

GMs should prep plots and make sure their players actions are confined to make the plot happen

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13 Aug

Y’all just had the most energizing chat about the AP. We have a dramaturg on the project! So amped!! I’m about to learn so much

13 Aug

I’m really looking forward to this. I think there’s amazing potential to tell stories through the world where individual character discovery survives even if a character dies.

Hello MCDM@hellomcdm.bsky.social

The @backerkit.com Crowd Funder for Crows goes live next week. If you want a notification when it starts, you can follow the campaign here --> mcdm.gg/crow-rpg