A Day in the Life
What's it like to work full-time in the gaming industry? Gareth-Michael Skarka takes us through a typical day.
A Game Designer's Wish List
Gareth-Michael Skarka takes us through some of the projects he, as a game designer, would love to work on in this week's Relevant Conundrum .
A Pilgrimage to Mecca... Er, The Midwest Express Center
Gareth-Michael Skarka takes us on a nostalgic overview of GenCon, gaming's greatest gathering of its fold.
An Interview with China Miéville
This week, Gareth hits us with an interview with China Miéville, author of the fantasy novels King Rat and Perdido Street Station .
An Interview with Ken Hite
Ken Hite's Suppressed Transmission has been a fountain of weirdness for years. Gareth-Michael Skarka chats with this prolific industry writer.
An Interview with Tim Powers
The novels of Tim Powers have provided inspiration for countless gaming adventures. This week, Gareth-Michael Skarka presents an interview with the popular author.
Column 1: Inspiration to Perspiration
Welcome to 'Game Design: Step by Step.' This is the first in a series of articles that will act as a journal of the process of designing a game from the ground up. It will hopefully offer insight into the workings of…
Column 2: Comin' wit da Nifties
As promised, in this second installment, I will talk about the development of the concepts and features that will drive Underworld forward. I'll be honest--when I sit down to design a game, I look to include what I have…
Column 3: Concepts Continued
This week we continue with an examination of the concepts that I hope to include in UnderWorld. Last week we took a look at the basic rules mechanic (the use of Tokens in what has now been termed the "Head Count",…
Column 4: Character is what you are in the Dark
Those of you who recognize the title of this week's installment as a quote from the inestimable Doctor Emilio Lizardo may give yourselves one gold star. What did the good doctor mean?
Column 5: Forces of Occupation
This weeks column is devoted to the second factor contributing to the definition of characters in UnderWorld. As I discussed last week, characters will be defined within the "who/what" paradigm-who they are, and what…
Column 6: Forces of Occupation, Part II
Last week's introduction of the Guilds ran a little longer than I had anticipated, and so this week, we finish up our look at the occupational groupings of the UnderWorld. We have three more Guilds to cover-and the…
Confessions of an Improvisational Game Master
We've all been there: a perfectly planned adventure and the players do the unexpected. Gareth-Michael Skarka talks about not getting into that situation in the first place.
D20 Crackdown
D20 releases have been fast and furious. This week, Gareth looks at the repercussions that come from a large number of amature publishers not paying attention to the rules Wizards of the Coast insists they play by.
Game Industry Auction (or, gamers don't suck after all)
Gareth comes to us this week with an interview with Gary Thompson, the man behind the Gaming Industry Disaster Fund Auction.
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig
Gareth-Michael Skarka gives us his impressions of several products released at this year's GenCon.
Origins: The Only Game in Town?
This week, Skara discusses why he thinks Origins will be the only convention worth attending in the coming years and what gamers and manufacturers can be doing about it now.
Random Character Concepts
This week, Gareth-Michael Skarka gives us a technique for random character creation and shares some of the interesting results.
What the Hell is This?
Gareth-Michael Skarka gets the ball rolling on his new column by giving us some insight into breaking into the industry. And he says "damn" a lot.
Why Gamers Suck
This week, Gareth-Michael Skarka asks that ever important question, "Why do gamers suck?" In answering it, he looks at the lack of diversity in gaming.
Why Gamers Suck, Part II
Gareth explores the topic of "dead games" and discusses another reason why gamers suck.
Why Gamers Suck, Part III
It's that time again. Gareth hits us with another column on Why Gamers Suck focusing on the Internet gaming community.