The Tabletop Revolution

The Tabletop Revolution
Author: Marco Arnaudo
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2023-12-15
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 1476651930

This book is an overview of the ongoing revolution in tabletop gaming design and culture, which exploded to unprecedented levels of vitality in the 21st century, leading to new ways of creating, marketing, and experiencing a game. Designers have become superstars, publishers have improved quality control, and the community of players is expanding. Most importantly, new and old players have started engaging with the games in a more meaningful way. The book explores the reasons for these changes. It describes how games have begun to keep players engaged until the end. It analyzes the ways in which traditional mechanics have been reimagined to give them more variety and complexity, and reviews the unprecedented mechanics found and perfected. Very interesting is the exploration of how games have performed novel tasks such as reducing conflict, fostering cooperation, creating aesthetic experiences, and telling stories. The book is aimed at scholars, dedicated and aspiring fans, and game designers who want to expand their toolbox with the most up-to-date innovations in the profession.

The Otome Heroine's Fight for Survival: Volume 4

The Otome Heroine's Fight for Survival: Volume 4
Author: Harunohi Biyori
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Total Pages: 23
Release: 2025-02-21
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1718311540

After bonding with a mythical coeurl and failing to kill Graves, Alia gets recruited by her old mentor Viro to join his party, the famed Rainbow Blade. Alia heads to the royal capital to take care of the necessary proceedings at the Adventurers’ Guild, and to meet with the rest of the party so they can prepare for their mission: escorting the young royals of Claydale during a dungeon expedition. Knowing that Princess Elena is among them, Alia feels she has no choice but to go along with the plan. As usual, trouble follows Alia wherever she goes, and when she finds herself in a difficult situation, she reunites with an old ally...

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Dungeon Crawler Carl
Author: Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Penguin Group
Total Pages: 465
Release: 2024-08-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 059382024X

The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition. You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what. Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show. Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not. Includes part one of the exclusive bonus story “Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.”

The Mark of Perillius

The Mark of Perillius
Author: Atonus L. Perry
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Total Pages: 418
Release: 2011-05
Genre:
ISBN: 1608449475

SINEXIA is a bastard world that never should have existed. Its birth was an accident. Born of war and anointed with savagery, its lands were conquered by magicians, monsters, and creatures that some would revere as gods or demons. Just as Earth holds Sinexia's Origin, Sinexia holds the fate of the Earth. The Sinexia series chronicles the events that bind Earth and Sinexia. Read them and become engrossed in the tales of honor, love, despair, and action that cycle in a ring of creation and cataclysm. The Mark of Perillius follows the adventures of a young orphan who inherits the powers and abilities of his fabled ancestor. He is taken from the only normalcy he has ever known and tossed into a world of mystery and magic. Once there, he must learn to master his newfound abilities while encountering a host of rich characters, places of wonder, and dire situations. The orphan's name is Emberillius. He begins his journey as a sixteen year old young boy. He must spend nine long years in Sinexia if he is to have any chance at all of saving the Earth from an impending catastrophe. It is during this time that he learns about love, war, hate, responsibility, life, death, good, evil, and sacrifice as he matures into a man. Through the trails of life an orphan is forged into a hero. www.sinexia.net ATONUS L. PERRY has always been fascinated with tales of fantasy and wonder. Being the son of a librarian, he spent many of his weekends and summers reading books. The only thing he loved more than reading was indulging in creative writing. As he matured he began to take an interest in Japanese animation, comic books, and role playing video games. After immersing himself in the media storylines he loved so much, he discovered that there was not enough action in most of the stories he loved. So, he vowed to one day write a story that was not lacking in action. One day, after an assignment in one of his college English classes called for an outline of an epic adventure, he made good on that vow and began writing stories that deliver page turning action. He writes for the people who feel dissatisfied with the stories they love so much. Atonus L. Perry lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with his son, Isaiah Alexander Perry.

Dungeon Master For Dummies

Dungeon Master For Dummies
Author: James Wyatt
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 431
Release: 2008-11-17
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 0470292911

Design your own fantasy D&D epic filled with adventurous exploits, cloaked characters, and mysterious monsters If you're a Dungeons & Dragons fan, you've surely thought of becoming a Dungeon Master. Learning to be a DM isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you have Dungeon Master For Dummies tucked into your bag of tricks! Whether you've assumed the role of Dungeon Master before or not, this illustrated reference can help you run a D&D game, either online or in person. From organizing your first D&D game to dealing with difficult players, this book covers everything a DM needs to know. Written for the newest edition of D&D by the experts at Wizards of the Coast, the game's creators, it shows you how to: Run your very first campaign, from shaping storylines and writing your own adventures to dealing with unruly players and characters Build challenging encounters, make reasonable rulings, and manage disagreements Recognize all the common codes, tables, and spells Understand the parts of a D&D adventure and how to create dungeon maps and craft monsters Shape storylines and write your own adventures Find your style as a DM and develop a game style that plays to your strengths Script an encounter, vary the terrain and challenges, and establish rewards (experience points and treasure) Decide whether to use published adventures Use and follow the official Dungeon Master's Guide Develop a campaign with exciting themes, memorable villains, and plots to entrance players If you're getting the urge to lead the charge in a D&D game of your own, Dungeon Master For Dummies provides the information you need to start your own game, craft exciting stories, and set up epic adventures. Grab your copy today, and you'll be on your way!

Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Deluxe Edition

Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Deluxe Edition
Author: Stu Horvath
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 457
Release: 2023-10-10
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 026204823X

A richly illustrated, encyclopedic deep dive into the history of roleplaying games. When Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons in 1974, they created the first roleplaying game of all time. Little did they know that their humble box set of three small digest-sized booklets would spawn an entire industry practically overnight. In Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground, Stu Horvath explores how the hobby of roleplaying games, commonly known as RPGs, blossomed out of an unlikely pop culture phenomenon and became a dominant gaming form by the 2010s. Going far beyond D&D, this heavily illustrated tome covers more than three hundred different RPGs that have been published in the last five decades. Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground features (among other things) bunnies, ghostbusters, soap operas, criminal bears, space monsters, political intrigue, vampires, romance, and, of course, some dungeons and dragons. In a decade-by-decade breakdown, Horvath chronicles how RPGs have evolved in the time between their inception and the present day, offering a deep and gratifying glimpse into a hobby that has changed the way we think about games and play. The deluxe edition will include a foil-stamped cover and slipcase with a cloth binding, a ribbon, gilded edges, and an 8.5x11-inch card stock poster of the regular edition.

Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Trusted Companions Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to the Gift of an Unlimited Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge on My Former Party Members and the World (Light Novel): Volume 1

Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Trusted Companions Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to the Gift of an Unlimited Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge on My Former Party Members and the World (Light Novel): Volume 1
Author: Meikyou Shisui
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2022-10-20
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1718354487

When Light is kicked out of the Concord of the Tribes, his former comrades instantly turn on him. Light escapes this diabolical act of betrayal by the skin of his teeth...only to find himself in the deepest part of the Abyss, the most dangerous dungeon in the realm! To avoid being eaten by carnivorous monsters, he uses the Unlimited Gacha, his sole magical skill. But where it previously only produced junk items, this time Mei—a gorgeous Level 9999 fighter in a maid outfit—springs forth! Fast forward three years and Light has carved out his own kingdom in this backwater dungeon, summoning more beautiful Level 9999 warriors who swear absolute fealty to him. Now a powerful Level 9999 Overlord himself, Light plans to ascend to the surface and take revenge on his betrayers one by one!

Seventh: Volume 3

Seventh: Volume 3
Author: Yomu Mishima
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2023-04-14
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1718391528

Lyle Walt and his party have only recently returned to Darion, but once they hear a new dungeon has appeared in the area, Lyle decides he’s going to be on the subjugation team—no matter what. Before long, he’s enlisted the aid of Rondo and his party and schemed his way onto the expedition. Unfortunately, the team’s excitement is quickly deflated by reality, and Lyle realizes that dungeon subjugation is far more perilous than he’s ever imagined. Trapped between a group of hot-blooded, competitive adventurers and an enemy lurking among the Guild personnel, Lyle’s party finds themselves struggling to make any money in the dungeon at all, let alone conquer it! Lyle’s left with no choice but to trust his ancestors’ advice to keep them all afloat. And as their time at the dungeon draws to a close, the question remains: will Lyle’s party actually be able to battle monsters, gain experience, and get themselves some treasure? Or will they fail to even recoup their initial investment...?

Dungeon Master For Dummies

Dungeon Master For Dummies
Author: Bill Slavicsek
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 410
Release: 2006-07-24
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 0470050888

Whether you’ve been a Dungeon Master (DM) before and want to fine-tune your skills or want to get ready and take the plunge, this is the book for you. It gives you the basics on running a great game, info for more advanced dungeon mastering, guidelines for creating adventures, and tips for building a campaign. It shows you how to: Handle all the expressions of DMing: moderator, narrator, a cast of thousands (the nonplayer characters or NPCs), player, social director, and creator Use published adventures and existing campaign worlds or create adventures and campaign worlds of your own Conjure up exciting combat encounters Handle the three types of encounters: challenge, roleplaying, and combat Create your own adventure: The Dungeon Adventure, The Wilderness Adventure. The Event-Based adventure (including how to use flowcharts and timelines), The Randomly Generated Adventure, and the High-Level adventure Create memorable master villains, with nine archetypes ranging from agent provocateur to zealot To get you off to a fast start, Dungeon Master For Dummies includes: A sample dungeon for practice Ten ready-to-use encounters and ten challenging traps A list of simple adventure premises Mapping tips, including common scales, symbols, and conventions, complete with tables Authors Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker wrote the hugely popular Dungeons and Dragons For Dummies. Bill has been a game designer since 1986 and leads the D&D creative team at Wizards of the Coast. Richard is a game developer and the author of the fantasy bestseller Condemnation. They give you the scoop on: Using a DM binder to keep records such as an adventure log, PCs’ character sheets, NPC logs/character sheets, treasure logs, and more Knowing player styles (role players and power games) and common subgroups: hack’n’slasher, wargamer, thinker, impulsive adventurer, explorer, character actor, and watcher Recognizing your style: action movie director, storyteller, worldbuilder, puzzlemaker, or connector Using miniatures, maps, and other game aids Using 21st century technology, such as a Web site or blog, to enhance your game The book includes a sample adventure, The Necromancer’s Apprentice, that’s the perfect way to foray into DMing. It includes everything you need for a great adventure—except your players. What are you waiting for? There are chambers to be explored, dragons to be slain, maidens to be rescued, gangs of gnoll warriors to be annihilated, worgs to be wiped out, treasures to be discovered, worlds to be conquered....