Mark Johnston's Page

Everyone knows some religious fanatics took a hard line against RPGs back in the early days. I've started wondering if the reverse might not also be true to some extent: do you suppose gamers are negatively disposed toward [organized] religion? If so, do you think that's religion's fault, gaming's fault, simply that the personality type attracted to gaming doesn't harmonize well with organized religion, or none of the above?

I thought about masking my intent, making a very… Continue

The game system I've been brewing is finally ready for playtesting. Download it, test it, pass it around.

It's a low-fantasy alternate world with a dash of steampunk with eight unique and detailed cultures and technology levels ranging from Stone age to Industrial.

Download the free manual here:
Stone, Steel, and Steam RPG Open Beta

I've mused about how there are tons of worldbuilding guides, but no mechanic design tutorials. Whatever the reason, it leaves anyone interested system as well as (or instead of) setting left to his own bootstraps and occasional reverse engineering.

Over the past week or so I've put the finishing touches on the combat system for the game I'm designing. I'd build it, test it, break it, and go back to the drawing board, again and again. After seven complete overhauls, I no longer know if… Continue

For as long as they've been around, pencil and paper role-playing games have been seen in contrast and often in conflict with computer and video games. Debate has raged over whether CRPGs can really be considered role-playing games, and whether role-players can really be called 'gamers.' There has been a persistent perception that pencil and paper role-players are more 'traditional' or 'old school' than computer gamers, even though the two media have been around almost the same amount of time… Continue