“But too often, fantasy worlds are created like Ikea furniture, popping up whole with minimal assembly from big pre-existing parts that creak and come apart after heavy use. That’s why so many many fictional worlds seem to produce carbon copies of real world Western gender hierarchies, even if it becomes painfully dissonant with other details […]
Four years ago today, Microscope is released: would-be players: “Oh cool! A game about time travel!” me: “Actually no. Players pick where in time they want to explore but the characters in the game can’t move through time. Except, uh, forwards. At the normal speed.” would-be players: “But… I can haz time travel?” Fast forward […]
The Earth was lost. The tide of Communism had spread to every corner of the globe. But on the Moon the last patriots remained steadfast, raining down showers of city-crushing debris from their lunar bunkers. Vengeful, destructive, but ultimately futile. It was a last hurrah for the West, but too late to turn the tide. […]
Great game of Microscope Chronicle at Story Games Seattle. Rulers swore oaths on it (and broke them). Friends spirited it away and swore more oaths on it (and broke them). Later it was the wedding ring binding two houses in marriage (guess how that turned out?). By This Ring I Swear Doomed bromances and loveless […]
Really fun interview I did on the RPG Gamer Dad podcast is now online. I talk about Microscope, Kingdom, the wonders of gaming with kids, the eternal font of fun that is Story Games Seattle, and some of the cool new stuff being crafted by Marc and Caroline. And yeah, I drop a few hints […]
I met Dylan at PAX. He asked me about using Microscope with kids and I made him promise to tell me how it went. Good to his word, Dylan gave me a full report and then kindly agreed to let me share it: I work as a Programmer and sometimes assistant at a after school […]
The RPG Gamer Dad podcast talks with James Torrance about Microscope: RPG Gamer Dad: The Astounding Adventures of Meteor Man And yes, the eponymous Meteor Man segment right before the Microscope part has nothing to do with Microscope, but it’s awesome so you should give it a listen.
If you guessed that I simply could not get enough tales of kids playing Microscope, you would be right. Here are Ryan and his friend Duncan rocking the Anipocalypse while Ryan’s sister schemes and watches… Having trouble visualizing Aquacology, the underwater city-state that the dolphins ultimately wipe out? No problem. Ryan has you covered: And […]
The Microscope areas on G+ and RPGGeek are already pretty active, but now there’s a shiny new spot to talk about it on Reddit: /r/MicroscopeRPG/ on Reddit Microscope has popped up on reddit before, but this is the first time it’s had its own subreddit. Relish it, crewcut!
Hearken, ye gamers! The playtest of Microscope Chronicle is closing September 30. If you’re on the team you should have already gotten an email with instructions and whatnot. I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback already, because playtesters rock. I predicted a while back that Chronicle might turn out to be the people’s choice for […]
Tons of great Microscope game reports recently. I can’t even keep up. Here’s just a handful: “I’m involved in a months-long, remote-play, 2-person Microscope game (in its 53rd Focus).” Shadow of the Titan: Campaign Creation for 13th Age Parallel Lives Podcast: “The masses rejoice as the World Spell is completed” Invasions: Earth! A Microscope Supers […]
Garth Rose just read the playtest draft of Microscope Chronicle: I can easily imagine doing a Chronicle on the One Ring. ;) Anchor characters: Sauron, Celebrimbor, Isildur, Bilbo, Frodo (or maybe Sam).? Exactly.
I have received a glorious wealth of feedback from Union playtesters all over. I am giddy with delight. Now it’s time for the second Microscope spin-off, Chronicle. Both are going to be included in the Microscope Explorer book, but you already knew that. What is Chronicle? It’s a laser-focused version of Microscope. Instead of a […]
…for pure literal discourse into the possibilities of things that could be, there’s very little out there that even comes close to the level of focus that Microscope presents… —The Ghost without a Shell I’m sold!
“…yet the most deadly wound Shirat inflicted was not with the blade that he crafted and which bore his name, but in the seemingly merciful act of saving the life of the Overlord who enslaved him. For in saving the Overlord’s life, the slave-smith destroyed the man the Overlord was…” Just played Microscope Chronicle with […]