My mom’s folks gather every even year for a family moot. The travelers try to accommodate the non-travelers and those who can’t afford to travel. This past weekend in Oklahoma City is the moot. It is the magical early morning in my hotel room that I am finishing this post about the state of my play; my gaming, my projects and thoughts, and living. And then Substack reminds me that Play.Fearless was started a year ago! It’s gone by fast! So here’s the state of things now and for the next year.
Alright, alright, I will take your monies!
To answer a few subscriber questions: I had always assumed I’d go with paid subscriptions at some point. I appreciate your enthusiasm to throw your dollars at me! I think the issue for me is how to make it all work. What’s behind the paywall, and what isn’t. How much to charge, what about subscribers who can’t afford the paywall…it’s not easy taking your money!
Here’s what I’m going to do. I’ll turn on paid subscriptions. Those that have expressed an interest in filling my coffers can! I will continue doing what I have done here in this space at the same pace. No change. No ads, No affiliate links (too much tedious work). I’ll host a monthly moot about our games and stuff for paid folks. And ideally, something interactive and games-like we can do online in this medium. I’m open to ideas. I want the paid path to be about experiences, about playing games.
I’ll start a quarterly online weekend con (to be named later). I’ll run a few games online, and hopefully, pull in a special guest GM or two. Subscribers will get a say in dates and games.
Something new and experimental.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Play By Post games of yore. I’ve read somewhere a plea for the Gex X folks to pick up the moderator’s torch as the old crew retires. I’ve been thinking about what the multiplayer turn-based games of yesterday ( Alamaze, Olympia, Legends) would look like today. I’m not nostalgic. I’m not a fan of the MMORPG games because they are twitch and FPS-focused. As much as I dig Elden Ring, I only learned the action-based combat system to access more game lore and experience. I’m working on a new section or Substack entirely for multiplayer play-by-post games. I’ll start by running En Garde to deconstruct how it runs and works and extract some best practices for running it and automation. Then I’ll convert it to a PBTA design and run it again. Big Sky vision, I learn enough to make a Car Wars + En Garde mashup. This could all end in a whimper of a mess.
Lifted Vol 1
Get ready for some SUPER posts. I’ll post details about play, design, and obstacles, logistics of producing my first Big Book. Lifted vol 1. The Kickstarter has funded. The cash is in my bank account and my first big post will be about how I use three sessions of Microscope to frame out the Lifted Universe. I will also begin a tour of supers RPG that I will run for the Gauntlet on Sundays starting in August/September. I think the City of Mist RPG is on deck first.
The 2Eleven show
I’ve been neglecting this. It’s because I’m stuck. Too many good games out there, and I’m paralyzed about what to run for the podcast. What would you like to hear played by 1 GM and 1(or 2) players? 4-6 sessions, plus a session zero? This is a show I enjoy producing, but picking what to run is a hurdle.
Thank you
Substack says there are 300+ of you subscribed. Happy anniversary to you, and thanks for being here.
Three! sessions of Microscope? Would love to hear more of that