Recorded on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 3:30 PM CDT.
Content Warning: This includes a frank and difficult discussion about my personal struggles and includes a talk about depression and brief, non-explicit references to suicide. Listen at your discretion.
This isn’t a Mostly Monthly Live Chat. I didn’t even record it live. I did host a Live Chat but I didn’t feel comfortable posting it after I listened to myself rambling for over an hour and so I re-recorded a shorter, more focused version with a script. There’s no fun gaming content here. Instead, it’s an honest, open update about where I’ve been for the last few weeks, how Angry Games has entered a long, slow death spiral, and what I plan to do about it if anything can be done. It’s heavy. But if you skip it, that’s totally okay. Because I’ll still be here putting out articles for at least the next few months and, if all goes well, for years to come. I am not closing up shop, but I have to admit that it’s not an impossible scenario.
I just finished reading your book, then joined SubscribeStar. I’m delighted with all the content—book and web site both—and I’m so sorry you are going through these difficult times. I’ll be pulling for you personally and also for the continuation of Angry Games.
Hey, man, I’m truly sorry to hear about the challenges you’re facing. I am glad that you have someone to talk to and support you. I just want to let you know that from what I’ve read on your blog, you’re a fantastic person. Your content made me a better GM and probably a better person, too. So, in practice, my life is better because of you, and I’ll continue to support you. Best of luck with all your projects! Keep it up!
Thank you for being so open with us. It must not have been easy, and I really appreciate the fact that you’ve always taken care to communicate and be transparent about the issues you face.
I’d like to offer another perspective regarding your contribution these last years. Other content creators I follow often lose steam after a while and run out of ideas. You, on the other hand, have kept producing consistently high quality articles, and they have only improved with time. Your True Game mastery series is in my opinion your best work to date. Yes, you have struggled to progress on other projects, but in this area at least, you haven’t stagnated at all.
I’d like you to consider offering another, higher tier of support. There are several content creators that I support more than you, despite following you more religiously and valuing your articles far more. That doesn’t sit well with me. I hope you’ll consider this possibility for the coming changes.
At the risk of being too familiar, you’re a good man, Scott. You’re also a beacon of old-school, no-nonsense GM advice and knowledge. The world needs more, not less, of both. If you have to slow down, or shift focus for a while from creating “content” to staying alive, please do. The transparency you pride yourself on only helps ensure that people will still be here as long as you are.
First, I want to repeat after others that I’m very grateful for you to do as much to keep to your values. I enjoy reading your work and being a part of your community. I accept your apology and hope we’ll get more and more of this gaming stuff we *all* know you have in you.
Now, as a person who is also going through a very tough times, I’m also immensely thankful for your openness about your struggle and your supportive words. You’re not only inspiring being game-related content. You actually make at least one life much easier to bear with. Thank you.
Dear Scott,
First of, thank you. Thank you for your years of trying to make me run the least wort game I can. I learned a lot from you. Your insights and the way you present them and reason them through have made my game a lot better.
I am sad to hear that you are going through a bad episode in your life. I can somewhat imagine how it is to have life hit you again and again. I, myself, have taken some hits in my personal life these few years, from which I am still reeling. The loss of two family members very close to me, the impact Covid-19 has had on my work and personal life and a diagnosis of ADD to name a few. Luckily, I am out of the downward spiral. And, as you say, all bad things must end, eventually. So hang in there. I, for one, am rooting for you.
And whatever the future holds for Angry Games, I think you can be very proud of what you achieved with your community. You have touched a lot of people’s live in a measurable way. That’s not something anyone can say. You made people’s life better, by making their game of pretend elf more enjoyable.
Any time you want proof of your achievements, you can open the DnD5.24 PHB on page 8. Rhythm of play. This is what you have been teaching me for years. Describe the scene, players describe their character’s action, narrate the result. Right there in the most popular RPG. How’s that for influence?
Again, thank you for what you have taught me.
Good luck and kind regards,
Arjan
Hello Scott,
I think you are one of the best people to go for GMing advice, if not the absolute best, and it’s a travesty that lesser creators take off on YouTube just by presentation whilst giving out dumb advice. I can, for example, never get my brother to read your site but he’ll watch every idiotic GMing advice videos on YouTube. If you are about to start putting content on YouTube, I’ll be there for it.
Otherwise, I’m echoing others’ sentiment that we’re very appreciative of your work and know that you can get through this difficult time in your life.