23 Questions

1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?

Mostly they are inventions which haven't taken place yet, they still await adventurers. Recently, an adventure where nothing was as it seemed and the players were completely deceived and did exactly the opposite of what they should have done, thus helping the evil big guy.

2. When was the last time you GMed?

Two years ago. I have been forced to act as player recently, alas.

3. When was the last time you played?

Several months ago.

4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.

An adventure where the players have to make terrible and difficult moral life decisions, where both brains, wit, and muscle don't suffice, where "winning" the adventure may mean at the same time to DIE for all of them.

5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?

I take a look at my notes, but mostly i read sections of the rulebooks. That's a sort of malady.

6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?

If DMing, usually nothing, it deconcentrates me, but i drink a lot, usually beer. I never eat as a player either.

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?

Yes, definitely. I do have to make a pause every two hours, a pause lasting at least 10 minutes. I talk a lot when i am DMing, so my voice fades and wanes.

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?

Purposedly choosing apparently useless incantations for my list of spells, because i just didn't like the mage being portrayed as a wandering arsenal.

9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?

No, almost never. Should they do it, i'm going to blast them with my gaze. So i would choose "neither".

10. What do you do with goblins?

What should i do with goblins? I just can't understand the question, sorry. I suppose goblins exist to be slain.

11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?

I think something taken from some movies, probably.

12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?

To me, this question is ill-posed. The question should instead be: what is the most memorable moment you can remember?. Anyway, the answer would not be just a single moment, but an entire memorable adventure that enriched our souls.

13. What was the last game book you looked at--aside from things you referenced in a game--why were you looking at it?

None, i am mostly into magazines right now. The reason is that i find them inspiring, now i'm perusing issues of Dragon magazines. There's an old fanzine i stumbled upon that astounded me..but, later :)

14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?

William Morris? Maybe.

15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?

I think i succedeed in reaching that aim more than once, albeit that is not my main goal. Aside from when we play in Ravenloft, of course.

16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)

I rarely ran adventures i didn't write.

17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?

Indoor, the important thing is that the place be silent (no noises of cars passing under your window, for instance). Absolutely no laptops, computers or something like that on in the room you are in. Sometimes it can be helpful the use of candles, and at times it might help the use of soundtracks (during peuliar moments of the adventure), but that is absolutely not mandatory. Also, i'd like to play in my room, where we can be surrounded by my collections of rpg's..i guess that must be a scaring sight for any players to behold, and -feeling observed by those manuals- they feel compelled to play PROPERLY.

18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?

Pendragon and Bunnies & barrows

19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?

Clark ashton smith, Conan comics, Tolkien's "Silmarillion", and others.

20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?

20-40 y.o players, serious and desirous of comprehend rules and manuals. I appreciate players who are not scared about rules (this does not mean that they should read the DM guide, though). I want players who come to play not just to fill the void in their spare time, i want passionate people with me.

21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?

Nothing comes to my mind.

22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?

Pretty much everything has been written except my fantasy rpg. It is going to be a blend of X and then Y, with maybe a touch of Z. Stay tuned and keep your eyes wide open.

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?

No, i don't tend to reveal my passions to persons i deem uninterested in such things.