Brainfart Press has just released So You’ve Decided to Run a Role-Playing Game, a guide for aspiring GMs written by Steve Johnson. While the book is geared toward first-time Game Masters, it contains a lot of practical advice and helpful tips that even veteran Game Masters are likely to find helpful, regardless of what system they’re using.
Everybody’s heard of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), but unless you’ve actually played one you probably don’t know how they work. Even if you’re an experienced RPG player, most game manuals spend more time explaining rules and genre trappings than offering practical advice for first-time Game Masters.
Whether you’re a wannabe gamer who’s never rolled a twenty-sided die or a long-time player who’s decided to take the plunge and run your own game for the first time, So You’ve Decided To Run a Role-Playing Game teaches you how to go from thinking about running a role-playing game to actually doing it. So You’ve Decided To Run A Role-Playing Game starts by describing what actually goes on during a role-playing game, then provides step-by-step advice for organizing and running your own RPG campaign, from finding a gaming group to plotting your ongoing story.
So You’ve Decided to Run a Role-Playing Game is available in PDF format on RPG sites through Hex Games and is also available in print and Kindle format from Amazon. The print version is also available through CreateSpace.
Steve Johnson is the co-creator of QAGS (the Quick Ass Game System) and the Operations Director of Hex Games. He has written, co-written, or otherwise contributed to numerous RPG supplements, including Spooky: The Definitive Guide to Horror Gaming, Sharktoberfest, and the ENnie Award-winning Hobomancer. He writes a (more-or-less) weekly gaming blog at www.deathcookie.com. For more about QAGS and other fine products from Hex Games, visit www.hexgames.com.
