Free GM Resource: DIY Terrain Modeling "Recipes"

This week's Free GM Resource is a bit of a deviation from my norm in that I'm kind of dipping back into a previous freebie form some time back, but I'm not actually recycling the old post.

Close to three years ago I highlighted Luke's APS YouTube channel and these last several weeks I've been watching &/or re-watching a LOT of YouTube while working on my laptop. I prefer YouTube to watching movies on Hulu or the like since I don't have to follow along so much.

Anyway.......Luke has a couple hours of content specifically regarding some DIY terrain modeling supplies and I thought "I really need to right this stuff down!"....so I did! I also watched a few associated videos and one of the recipes comes from a different channel.

While I do really recommend you watch those videos, it's a nice thing to have the details written down and in one case I think I improved the recipe a bit with a little math (Luke was diluting 99% Isopropyl Alcohol, when it is generally easier to get lower % at the store, but not right now during this COVID-19 hoopla.) and I did some leg-work on sourcing ingredients.

Now instead of cutting & pasting the Google Docs I actually made for my own use, I'll just link to them here. This way if I make any additions or changes for my own use, I don't need to update this page. For the record, I haven't made any changes specifically for use here on Frugal GM.  While I'm at it I'll go ahead and provide a link to the YouTube video I pulled the info from:

Homemade Modpodge (good for base-coating foam terrain) YouTube Video Source

Homemade Flow-Aid (good for hobby painting in general) YouTube Video Source

Homemade Acrylic Retardant (makes paint dry slower & some blending) YouTube Video Source

Homemade Airbrush Thinner (assuming you use an airbrush) YouTube Video Source

Homemade Airbrush Cleaner (again, if you use an airbrush) YouTube Video Source

Homemade Sculptamold (good for making terrain) YouTube Video Source

Free GM Resource: D&D 5th Edition Adventures and Coloring Pages

I'm a big fan of today's Free GM Resource despite the fact it's for a game I don't currently (or ever have) played: D&D 5th Edition.

WotC has put together a "Remote D&D Tips and Tricks" page full of freebies that they are adding to every weekday. There's a bunch of adventures, some rules stuff, and some awesome coloring pages for smaller (or young at heart) players.

Aside from the free resources, anything that helps frame RPGs in a positive light for kids will win points with me, not that my opinion matters.

Some stuff can be downloaded from the freebie page and the rest needs to be downloaded from the web store. Personally I had problems creating an account and I don't know if it was a problem with my browser or something messed up on their end. Either way, after several attempts I was able to bypass the issue by simply allowing the webstore to login with Facebook. Just mentioning this in case you run into the same problem......

Like usual, you can get to the freebies by clicking on the lead-in graphic, or by using this link.

Somebody Evidently Doesn't Like Me and/or My Writing....

Not sure just how appropriate this post is, but I'm a bit butt-hurt and I'm at a loss to understand why someone could be...well, mean for a better lack of a word.

I've made a lot of stuff I've put up for free, PWYW, or a low price on DriveThurRPG. I don't make much money on these endeavors, not enough to justify the time spent, but a lot of us don't do this for the money. It's a rare month when I get some feedback.....any feedback on that work. My products get maybe 4 or 5 ratings a year, and maybe half that in actual reviews....on a good year.

You might imagine my shock when I check me email and see that I got FOURTEEN (14!) two and three-star reviews, and one four-star, for a total of 15 reviews. It's obvious, because of the time-stamps, that this was one person going through and giving bad ratings. What really got me is that the 1st rating happened at 3 AM and then the rest were shotgunned through at 10 AM.

I get it if you don't like a product or three, but 15? Seriously? If you don't like the first few freebies (I didn't make a penny on any of the products rated in the last two days) then why would you go ahead and download another dozen or so? 

Rating-bombing does no good to anybody. If this hero had something to actually say they could have left a review. They could have sent an email, or a quick note.....

Free GM Resource: Zoom Video Conferencing

Unless you're "blessed" with a large family and/or have been deemed an "essential" employee, you've been in some sort of isolation/quarantine. If not, well....take my word it kind of sucks big donkey....anyway...

With this China Virus ruining face-to-face tabletop gaming, you've either got to suck it up and do without, or figure something out.

This week's Free GM Resource is a web-based video conferencing app called Zoom. Sure, it's largely fee-based, but they do have a freebie option that lets you run a meeting for 40'. That doesn't sound like a long time, but establishing a meeting is easy and honestly, I've yet to be part of an online gaming group that went solid for more than 45' at a stretch. During this current crisis Zoom is offering to lift the 40' cap for educators.

If that's an issue, then the $15/month Pro plan (clearly not free) will work for you.

I've been using it for a couple weeks now, and I'm quite surprised at how easy and intuitive it is to use. I've taken part in/hosted a few video (and sometimes even just audio) conferences in my day and none have been as easy to use as Zoom.....well that technically isn't true, but that one audio conference was like $2 a minute and all people had to do was call in to a specific toll-free #. Zoom is so much better than that $2/minute service was.

The host can also share their computer screen, so being able to show handouts, maps, etc. is quick and easy.

We had a couple of folks on low-bandwidth networks and they couldn't do the video, but they could still easily connect and participate.

I highly recommend that a) you don't give up on gaming during this time and b) if you do a virtual game, give Zoom a try.

Freebie Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook

This isn't so much a "Free GM Resource" but a straight-up freebie from Stephen Chenault of Troll Lord Games (TLG). He posted a rather long, but good, post on Facebook today about the state of TLG and their ability to continue forward with their Kickstarters and printing.

1st off, Kudos for making the decision to source locally when possible. I think a lot of people will be looking to do so when this Coronovirus Crisis ends......but I think most will just go back to doing whatever is cheapest.

2nd, now is the perfect time to start your family on RPGs. Add a little time-consuming fun to the family table.

3rd, We ALL have our preferred game systems and for me Castles & Crusades is not one of them. Why? Honestly I've never tried it. Now I can......my point though is that while YOU might have a preferred system, they all have their strengths and weaknesses and if you want to introduce your family to RPGs, you might need to try something different.

Basically, pick up a free copy of the Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook. Try it for yourself and try it for your family! You know the drill.....click on the post's lead-in graphic or use this link.

FGM Note: The free Players Handbook is technically all you actually need to run a game of Castles & Crusades. There are more books you can get, but to start you can get by with this one tome. It doesn't have monsters, but in a pinch you can use pretty much any D&D/AD&D monster block and remember they get a +1 to their attack role for every hit dice they have (which is detailed in the Players Handbook). I know it isn't free, but digital copies of many C&C Adventures are $7....

Humble Bundle D&D Terrain Supporting Direct Relief

I just found out about a good opportunity to get some good 3d and cardstock terrain pieces at a good price.

Humble is doing a bundle supporting the Direct Relief charity and you can get a LOT of great pieces for not a whole lot of money.

This bundle is being backed by 3dprintcraft, Hobgoblin 3d, Frog God Games, and Fat Dragon Games, so you know you'll be getting some quality stuff*.  I already have a ton of this product already, but the stuff I don't have is a great deal....

For example:

Want

This market stall bundle retails for $14.99 on the Hobgoblin 3d site, and is on sale for $6 right now. If I pledge/donate $8 to the Humble Bundle I'll get it along with 14 other products! Even though/if I have half of the other products I'm so far ahead with the other half it isn't even funny.

I highly suggest jumping on this if you do any 3d printing, although there are some good paper models included as well!

Frugal GM Tip: Make sure you look at where your money is going since you'll get the option to choose how much goes where. I noticed that the bulk of the default recipient of your $$$ was going to a publisher that doesn't have  product that is part of the bundle!

I have been told that FGG did help coordinate the bundle, but still....





*Apologies if I missed anyone....

Free GM Resource: 3d Print Files for Printing Maps & Terrain

One thing I have really wanted to do since realizing what a 3d printer could do was to be able to print out some of my maps for table-top use. Now I don't need a large or gaming scale printout, although that would be as cool as it would be resource intensive, but a mini version of the map more akin to tiles......that would be cool.

Evidently there will be a Kickstarter next month doing almost EXACTLY what I've been thinking about, but in a more useful hex-crawl standard tiles sort of way....which I'll share when it goes live.

Anyway...this article from the Prusa Printer's blog details how you can download and convert the necessary digital information so you could take and print out a section of real-world terrain on your 3d printer. Most everything mentioned being used is free, but even the stuff with a cost seems to have some trial periods should you need to take advantage of that.

The article can be accessed in the normal fashion: clicking on the graphic above or by using this link. I'm looking forward to having some of my maps (I often alter real-world locations) printed up.

Quick Thoughts about the Secrets of Blackmoor: The True History of Dungeons & Dragons

Earlier this month I got my DVD copy of Secrets of Blackmoor: The True History of Dungeons & Dragons. I watched the documentary, but not all of the bonus footage I got on the second DVD as a backer perk. I thought maybe I'd do a review, but for the kind of reviews I do......yeah, that's a hard pass for me, but I thought a couple quick thoughts on the DVD would be doable.

First off, I'm a bit of a history fan and I've been gathering up several books and videos on the subject of D&D. I backed this project quickly because I thought it'd be a good fit for my library, a fun view, and maybe fill in some gaps in my knowledge.

On a couple levels, this project did fit those parameters....but maybe it was a bit short on the "fun view". It wasn't bad, a bit dry, but really.........this was NOT the "true history of Dungeons & Dragons". The connection to D&D almost felt tacked on. The Secrets of Blackmoor was a good introduction to some early Role-Playing Games and the community that Dave Arneson came from, but it was really a documentary about Blackmoor.

I mean, Blackmoor is in the freaking title.......but so is Dungeons & Dragons.

I'm hoping when I get around to reading some of my other books, and watch the video from my other Kickstarter The Dreams in Gary's Basement: A Documentary on Gary Gygax....after that a second viewing might be in order and then maybe it'll click for me.