Ben Baugh aka Bailywolf on the RPG.net forums is the mind behind Monsters and Other Childish Things, a game near and dear to my heart. In this interview, we talk about game design, his other work, some of the more interesting threads on RPG.net and of course Monsters.

I apologize for the poor audio quality. Skype and my internet connection hates me. I think the content of the interview makes up for it though.

Most games start as an idea in the GM’s head. However, it takes some work to go from idea to having a full campaign ready to run. Tom and I discuss the process of creating a campaign and our experiences in creating and running them. If you want to make a game that lasts more than a few sessions, you should give our advice a try. Plus, a very personal letter from Tom, in which he admits that he’s a cheating bastard, shout outs and new anecdotes!

Shout Outs:

  • Day by Day Armageddon: If you write a zombie apocalypse novel do NOT do what this novel did. It’s just terrible. So very very terrible.
  • Mutant Chronicles: A movie based on the RPG, Mutant Chronicles. And it’s so horrible that words can’t adequately describe how horrible it is.
  • Bigger Faster Stronger: A documentary about power gamers in real life, steroid users. An excellent look into the mindset of the athletes and gym rats who use it and the culture that condones winning at all costs.
  • House of Leaves: This is a crazy book. I’m not done with it but it is worth reading.

Music: Write My Story by Air 5.
Promo: RPG Life.

Jonny Nexus is one of the net’s funniest established gaming humorists. He’s behind the long standing RPG site, Critical Miss and the author of a new novel, Game Night. It’s about a group of gods who role play eternity away, using real mortals and a real universe as their campaign setting. I caught up with him at Gencon and talked about gaming, writing comedy, and the meaning of life. (He was a bit jet lagged on that last question).