Because the most interesting bit is buried, like, 600 words down, I’ll put a teaser here: I’m doing a live game design webinar to capture some video to supplement the next article in my AngryCraft series. See below for details. 

This is a quick update to my previous update.

I’ve run into an interesting snag with the latest magic item crafting article. After three attempts to write that s$&%, I’ve realized that I either have to break it into three different articles – stretching out the next part in the series for another two months – or I have to leave substantial chunks of interesting work out. The article covers two basic design projects instrumental to developing the AngryCraft system. First, it covers how I came up with a list of just twenty “traits” or “descriptors” that could be assigned to every magic item in the game that made logical sense and could therefore be used to build “recipes.” Second, it covers how I actually assigned them to each and every one of the 797 distinct magic items in the DMG. That’s counting every variation of every +1 item and potion of resistance and so on. And like all design processes, there was an interesting feedback loop between the two where, as I started classifying items, my opinions on different qualities changed and my list got tweaked.

Look, I’ve said it before, but I’m actually less interested in designing s$&% than I am in teaching people how to think about design. I COULD sit in my office for two weeks and slave away and come up with a crafting system and offer it up and be done with it. But I don’t really have much interest in doing that. The end product isn’t the interesting part for me. I’ll get there. Eventually. But the journey is about me learning how to build these complex s$&% and solving interesting problems and it’s about dragging you along for the ride. That’s why my approaches to things are constantly evolving.

But, for the first time, I feel like I can’t share the process in text form. It just wouldn’t work. So I am going try something totally and completely new. I’m going to combine an article with a supplemental video. Hit the high points of the procedure in the text and then provide the video for people who want a deeper dive. Because of that change, the article will be released to the general public on Wednesday, May 27. I need time to record the video and then rewrite the article to take it into account. Meanwhile, I’ll be releasing another, different article in a couple of days on a GMing topic that’s come up recently so I don’t end up with a whole in my schedule.

But wait, there’s more!

Here’s the thing: the video is mostly just going to be me editing a spreadsheet with a copy of the DMG open next to me and talking out my thought process. And so, it’s basically just going to be screen capture and narration. And since many of my supporters have asked me to stream some of my design work and since I’ve been looking to branch out with different kinds of content, I’m going to let the Angry Discordians sit in and watch live as a sort of “design webinar test drive.” And since The Tiny GM has plans to be out of the apartment tomorrow night with friends, it seems like I can kill a lot of stoned birds with one blast from my shotgun. Or whatever.

Point is – talk about burying the lede here – on Friday, May 22, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM EDT, Angry Patrons with Discord access will have the opportunity to watch the recording live. It won’t be an interactive thing. I won’t be responding to the chat this time around. But participants will be able to hang out and use the text chat to talk amongst themselves. If it all works out well, it will pave the way for future live design sessions – with more interaction – and for more video content connected to future articles.

Don’t worry, though. I am not planning to abandon text as my primary means of producing content. Video, audio, and live content will always be supplemental.

I will be hosting the recording session using Zoom’s Webinar feature. I’ve been using Zoom a lot and I like the reliability and the integrated audio, screen sharing, text chat, and local and cloud recording options, including recording separate streams for different participants audio. Participants do not need a Zoom account and you can participate via their website or via a downloadable client.

If you’d like to watch and you’re an Angry Patron with Discord, a link will be provided in the Angry News Feed in the Discord Server.

And that’s all. I’m excited about this. And I hope it goes well. Meanwhile, I have to get back to work producing actual content because now I have a hole in my schedule and have to crank out an article to fill it. And I have to figure out how to do a live video webinar.