Let’s read the corebooks together!
Open to all Dungeon Masters, Game Masters, Storytellers, Keepers of the Arcane Lore, etc. whether you’re new or a veteran of the tabletop RPG in Malaysia. World-builders, Lore/Module writers and collectors, etc. are welcome too. Let’s share ideas, discuss, and support each other to grow the tabletop RPG community/industry in Malaysia.
For many, Dungeons & Dragons, is synonymous with tabletop roleplaying games. Since we kicked-off this series of events to encourage players to read the rulebooks and sourcebooks of various TRPGs, we had to start with the obvious one.
The meeting commenced at 20:15, with a round of introductions where each participant mentioned their names, their sidegigs, and context for attending the book club.
Of the eleven (11) attendees, a quick show of hands revealed that eight (8) of them were Dungeon Masters, and 3 of those had read (or glanced through) the D&D DMG 2024.
Unlike typical book clubs, and because TRPG books are a lengthy/laborious affair, we didn’t expect anyone to have literally read every word in the book. The discussions that proceeded the initial impressions, were about the sections of the book, and (because this wasn’t the first edition of a particular TRPG system) comparisons to previous editions of the games’ books.
Initial impressions of the Dungeon Masters’ Guide were mixed. Particular emphasis was placed on three aspects of the book:
- The first two chapters of the DMG
- The artwork in the book;
- New “Tracking Sheets”
The First Two Chapters
Similar to our review of the PHB, the first part of the new DMG introduced a lot more of D&D’s actual play and gaming culture.
We discussed how the target audience of the book has changed: these days, Dungeon Masters aren’t being pulled from an existing (small but tightly knit) pool of players, but someone who has volunteered themselves as the forever DM. They would have little to no prior examples to follow on how to be a good Game Master.
With the inclusion of sample dialogue, pop-out explanations of each phrase, etc. it was a fantastic explainer on how a session of the game actually proceeds. This is particularly useful for people who have been curious about the game, but do not live near any number of existing D&D groups. The slow spread of the game in Malaysia can be attributed to the difficulty of meeting groups of players, and having access to a variety of DMs (outside of the Klang Valley, most towns have a single DM, or none at all. The one DM’s eccentricities will be taken as the norm, and those living in far-flung towns who may take it upon themselves to become the first DM in their community, will take an over-the-top performance-based inspiration from online streams and shows.)
Reading the book’s examples, we also noticed a lot of the game’s culture, which wasn’t mentioned in previous editions of D&D’s books, as they were unspoken etiquette transmitted through a genealogy of DMs picking it up from their previous DMs. An incredibly exciting development for the game, signalling the publisher’s willingness to foster a cultural-community instead of printing instruction manuals and lore-bibles.
The Artwork
Similar to our review of the PHB, many have remarked on how much thicker the new DMG is, and a many pages (or significant parts of) have been dedicated towards big, beautiful artwork…
However, some of the older DMs in attendance weren’t a fans (of including descriptions for the artwork.) To them, characters & situations featured in books’ artwork could be anyone, including the player/reader of the book, instead of being canonically a specific moment or character from published lore.
We discussed the spirit of D&D, which allowed players to have some agency in telling their own stories, as opposed to following a predetermined path in a pre-programmed game with a known endgame. The core of TRPGs was how everyone could homebrew around a few core ideas, an unspoken culture surrounding the purpose of the DMG (which was once considered optional by some Game Masters, who opted to collect many other supplements, and assembling their own guidebook.)
Tracking Sheets
On a similar vein to our thoughts about the hombrew nature of D&D (especially in Malaysia, which caused many to eventually abandon overly-formal organized play,) there were some good ideas from the Adventurers League which have been made available to everyone, (including those who have not purchased the new 2024 DMG.) These sheets are very useful for beginner Dungeon Masters, and the artwork on them reflects the nature of being very beginner-friendly.
- Game Expectations
- Travel Planner
- NPC Tracker
- Settlement Tracker
- Campaign Journal
- DM’s Character Tracker
- Campaign Conflicts
- Magic Item Tracker
- Bastion Tracker
Notes for future RPG Book Club meetups
- Quieter venues. While we would like to support our FLGS, a noisy gaming environment is not conducive to discussion.
- Emphasize the book being discussed, in the event’s announcements & marketing.
| Time | Agenda | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20:00-20:15 | Doors open // casual chat | We’ll permit extra time to those arriving from faraway, etc. Free socializing time. |
| 20:15-20:30 | New members introduction | Each attendee may introduce themselves, their context for attending the meetup, their experience with RPGs (including this particular system,) and pitch anything they’re working on that may be related to RPGs. |
| 20:30-21:00 | initial Discussion: initial impressions & reading experience, comparisons with previous/other editions | How much of the book have you read? What were your initial impressions of the book/system, and did it meet any expectations you had? What parts stood out, positively and/or negatively? Section-by-section review, comparing the book’s contents versus those of an older edition (or analogous equivalent.) |
| 21:00-21:15 | intermission | toilet break |
| 21:15-21:45 | Deep Dive Discussion: | “What are the core mechanics of this system, and how do they differ (from D&D?)” “Are there any rules that seem ambiguous or require clarification?” “What are the strengths and weaknesses of this system’s design?” “What is the overall tone/mood the system tries to establish?” “How does the lore/setting presented in the system inspire you?” “What kind of stories do you think this system is best suited for?” “If we were to play this, what kind of story would you be interested in?” “What do you think about the character creation process? Is it intuitive/complex?” “Are there any common house rules for this system?” |
| 21:45-22:00 | Recap & Closing remarks. Thank you. | Participants are encouraged to reflect & continue the discussions: KakiTabletop/RPGMY Social Media: FB Group, Discord channel, sub-Reddit, etc. or on their own social media, with the hashtag/topic: #RPGMY |
📅 Last Fridays, Monthly.
⏰ 8-10pm
🗺️ Bored. Board Game, Café & etc.
78-B, SS 22/25,
Damansara Jaya,
47410 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor
- Regular Reader
- It’s highly encouraged that participants bring along a copy of the book being discussed for the session, and be ready for note-taking (notebooks, recorders, transcribing, etc. encouraged.)
- Discounted Reader
- Special price for Students, Seniors, Jobseekers, etc. inc. free drink*
- Game Writer / Designer
- Bring a (draft?) copy of your own game/module, and
introduce yourself; inc. a free drink* - Drinks selection:
BYOB
inc. a free drink*
Students, Seniors, Jobseekers, etc.
inc. a free drink*
- BYOB
inc. a free drink*