RPG Design Blog

The Don't Split the Podcast Network is a network of RPG-focused podcasts (currently 7) produced by veteran podcasters Rudy Basso and James Introcaso. The production quality is some of the highest in the game podcast universe and the variety of content is expansive. The show formats and content span the interests of most gamers. The content is mostly focused on D&D 5th Edition, but other systems are featured and much of the DM advice will improve your experience in most systems. My interests in the network podcasts are limited to the news, design, and DM content, having followed all since their inception. However, I am unfamiliar with the actual play shows. (I currently only have time to listen to actual plays for which I write content). The current shows are listed here:

As a budding writer and editor for the DMsGuild, I rely on the DMs Guild Creator Resources available on DMsGuild.com. As an editor, in particular, the Style Guide Resources are essential to perform my job. If you are doing similar work and have not downloaded these resources, stop reading now and invest your time in downloading the latest version and committing it to memory. If you are like me, the last version of the “D&D Style Guide: Writing and Editing” you probably downloaded was version 1.04a (which was what was available when I checked for updates in mid-February).

DMs Guildhall is a Twitch.TV podcast about RPG design hosted by Travis Legge of Plastic Age Plays and Aegis Studios. Travis interviews community content creators for the ever-growing number of RPG system content communities. Cooperative publishing of community content has been working well for Wizards of the Coast at the DMsGuild and is becoming available for many platforms. The community of designers interviewed and systems discussed on the DMs Guildhall is growing as well.

The interview and conversation is open and casual, but Travis asks great questions and gets insightful answers from his guests. Note: As a casual discussion, there may be mature language, but Travis and guests are always respectful of their fellow designers, the RPG community, and the breadth of humanity in general.

If you are interested at all in RPG design, this is essential content. In particular, if you are new to the industry you will appreciate Travis' final question of his guest in all episodes, "What would you like to see available that, for whatever reason, you won't get around to creating it yourself?"

The Dungeon Masters Guild Creators' Circle is a moderated Facebook group for DMsGuild community content contributors. The DMsGuild is a storefront on the OneBookShelf platform dedicated to D&D 5E. Publishing here is under a different agreement than the OGL and there are other restrictions and a higher rate to WotC. If you already contribute or intend to create content for the DMsGuild, you need to be a member of this group. The best and brightest of the DMsGuild creators are active in this group and will impart their wisdom, and community opportunities abound for one who is willing to contribute. If you belong to this group, you will also want to join the Dungeon Masters Guild Facebook group, which is moderated by WotC.

However, if you have a general interest in RPG design or publishing on other platforms, there are groups better suited for those interests. The discussion on DMGCC is limited to the DMsGuild platform. Most of the contributors to this group are active in other groups, so their wisdom will not be hidden from you.