A Role Playing Games Blog
Props
Mercator-style maps in Photoshop
5At Cartographer’s Guild I discovered a tutorial that shows you step-by-step how to create an antique-looking world map for your fantasy campaign.
Yesterday I even started to create my own Mercator-style map for my Asecia reboot. I am not quite done, but perhaps you’re interested in the result:
Please note, that you have to sign up at the Cartographer’s Guild forum to see the embedded images there. But luckily someone already created a PDF version of the tutorial that I decided to mirror here for your convenience.
Starmap
8March 30, 2009
Last week I started working on a SF campaign after my players told me that they wanted to play “something with space ships and laser guns”. We checked out the SF campaign settings I already own (including Star Wars, Babylon 5, etc.) and then decided that we wanted something original.
After throwing around several ideas in the back of my head I settled on a pretty hard SF campaign that focusses on the solar systems in close vicinity to our own sun. And in order to visualize the campaign area to the players I created a starmap. Using this map as basis I started by adding a nice backdrop photo and a hex grid. The suns and labels where created in Photoshop.
I have to admit that I am pretty content with how the map turned out. The grid is not very helpful as it is, but I gives the map this “Traveller sector map” look.
Create custom fonts for free
1Yesterday I stumbled upon an article on Lifehacker that could be of some interest to all GMs out there. The service YourFonts allows you to create your own TrueType font for free. Most people use it to create a TrueType font from their handwriting but why not create a font from that runes you created for your D&D game?
The process of making a font is quite easy: you download a template as PDF or image file and either print it out and fill it with your handwriting, or you can create the font on your computer using a drawing program. Then you reupload the filled template to YourFonts. Voilá! That’s it!
For more information on this service, check out the original Lifehacker post or the official YourFonts site. Please note that there a lot of tasks in the font generation queue, so it may take some while until you can upload your templates.
More prop generators!
5In my last post I wrote about the Newspaper Clipping Generator, but there are a lot of generators available on the internet that can help you to easily create props for your roleplaying game and/or your blog/website/whatever.
- Ticket-O-Matic
Create your own first class airplane ticket. The generator allows you to choose from 33 airline.
- MagMyPic
This service allows you to create a fake magazine cover.
- Old Photo Generator
This nifty tool let’s you age your photos. That’s especially handy if you take some photos for your next Cthulhu session and age them to make them look like they were from the 19th century.
- Monsterizer!
Ok, you can’t really use that for your roleplaying session… hmm … perhaps a very creative GM could make use of this tool, but it’s fun!
The “Monsters Initial Stickers Name Generator” creates something like this (you can enter your own words of course):
You find hundreds of interesting and fun generators at the Generator Blog! Have fun!
Newspaper Clippings
1I always love to use props and one of my favorite prop are newspaper clippings. Usually I used a word processor like Word or Open Office to create a mock-newspaper. But there’s an even easier way: The Newspaper Clipping Generator! Here’s a sample of what you can create in just a few seconds:
By the way I think my fellow-blogger Uncle Bear has used this generator before to create newspaper clippings for his blog. So you obviously can even use this web tool to pimp your blog! Check it out!
Canned Monstrosities
0While checking some websites this morning I stumbled upon some great tutorials for Halloween props. These props could make excellent props for use at the gaming table especially when you run some horror or mystery campaign. Check out that great prop for example:
The tutorials can be found at Imakeprojects.com. And when this is not creepy enough, check out the great “Jarhead“.
Horror Improved!
8August 28, 2008
Running a horror campaign is very hard work. Imagine a scene where the players should be in horror, frightened, excited and then someone tells a silly joke, a mobile phone rings or your mother calls from the upper floor and asks if someone want some sandwiches. And in an instant all you’ve worked for as a GM is ruined. But there are some simple but efficient tricks to make your work as a GM easier.
- Turn down the lights
I usually darken the room when we play “Call of Cthulhu” or similar games. Then I get some candles and use only them for illumination. If someone complains that he can’t read his character sheet just use more candles. Bright artificial light usually distracts from the creepy atmosphere you want to create. If you run a SF-horror campaign you can utilize a flickering neon lamp for quite a nice effect. But this should be used sparingly because it gets old fast. - Creepy music
Another easy trick is to use creepy music in the background. And by creepy I don’t mean the latest Britney Spears album! Soundtracks from movies like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” or “John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness” work great. Refrain from using music with vocal and keep the volume down. If used correctly illumination and music set the mood even before the game started. - Props!
I love using props. When playing games like “Call of Cthulhu” handing out newspaper excerpts and other handouts to the player makes the game feel more real. And this almost everytime improves the sense of horror. A friend of mine has a sheep’s skull that he sometimes brings along when he runs a game and places it in front of his GM screen. This adds a nice touch. - Turn off the mobile phones
That should be a requirement for every gaming session! Just ask your players to turn off their phones. It makes things so much easier! - No eating at the gaming table
Nothing destroys the mood faster than someone munching chips at the gaming table while the GM tries to describe the supernatural horror in all its details. Instead of having food at the table all the time, make pauses to have something to eat. During the meals turn of the lights again and let your players relax. - Voice and sounds
One way to get your players attention especially when it’s supposed to be creepy is to talk with low volume. Usually they will listen more closely (especially if you robbed them of most of their sight by turning the lights down). When something dramatic happens become louder. Some GM even shout, stand up for more effect or even use maniacal laughter (if it’s appropriate).
In one adventure scratching sounds played an important part, so I scratched with my fingernails over the underside of the gaming table for some great effect. - Don’t overdo it
The most important advice is: don’t overdo it. If you constantly scratch under the table, flicker the lights, do creaky-door sounds all the time, it gets old fast. After a while your players will not be in fear but they will probably throw their dice at you just to make it stop. So use props, voice and sounds sparingly.
I hope these simple tricks will help you improve the mood in your horror adventures! And if you know of more tricks, please let all of us know in the comments!
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