Last half. #Aprilttrpgmaker

13. Biggest influences?
Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone of the fighting fantasy game books. I love the world they created.

14. What are yer dreams and plans?
Egad,so much. I want to try and put out more than one adventure a year! I would like to release a adventure module for mutant future, a D100 tables book, a hexcrawl, and a compilation of all my stuff in pod.

15. Do you design in public or private?
I suppose both, sometimes I post here and it becomes something. More often than not I work on things while having lunch.

16. Any designer partners?
Lots! I bounce ideas off Johua Santo and frank Turfler all the time. All the cats involved in the blue baron series. My wife, my gaming groups.

17. Favourite form of feedback?
Constructive criticism.

18. Current inspiration?
There is so much. The heroes of Olympus series, old captain America, Oceania by the smashing pumpkins, he-man.

19. Game that is most essential to your design?
Probably Holmes and b/x dnd.

20. Favourite design tools?
Browning images on art websites, Inkarnate and pyromancers.com, obviously publisher, word and font sites.

21. How many playtests?
Most of my stuff comes from home games so it at least gets one test. I wish I could do more somedays!

22. How do you document your ideas?
Google docs and drive! It's getting full.

23. People who have helped you?
See #16, plus all the wonderful people who have reviewed my stuff.

24. Most notable achievement?
I'm not sure if I have anything notable yet?

25. Being a ttrpg designer means?
Never falling asleep early, always having something rattling around your head.

26.  Blogs, Streams, Podcasts? 
Myself personally I do not have any podcasts.  Obviously this blog.  However here's a list of places and things that I watch and read.

Blogs
http://3toadstools.blogspot.ca/p/sites-i-frequent.html

Youtube
Uncle Matts D&D Studio
God Emperor Leto II
Eric from Bloat Games
Ivanmike
Samwise Seven RPG

Podcasts
Heros Brew
Roll for initiative 
Save or die
Hobbs & Friends

27.  Feature a TTRPG Designer?
Tim Shorts over at Gothridge Manor makes some awesome stuff!

28.  Favourite Interview? 
I've done a pile that I really enjoyed.
Old School Interviews 1
Old School Interviews 2 

29.  Your Community? 
The OSR Community on G plus 
The Blueholme Community on G Plus

30.  Top tips and advice?
Not sure if this is supposed to come from me or I am supposed to provide a link? My top tip is DO NOT OVER PREP! Because the players will always blow holes in whatever you write! Have a bunch of handy tables ready to go to help you out when you get stuck in a jam.  Including a good list of Names for NPCs, because that happens so friggin often!

First half of #aprilttrpgmaker

Not that anyone really cares, but here's the first half of the April TTRPGmaker for me.  First off, I'm not really a RPG maker, I create adventures for the most part.  Although I've released a few half baked rules hacks.

1.  Who are you?
Shane Ward, sometimes I go by the nickname "Gilligan" or "Shaner".  But don't call me that.

2.  Where ya at?
The great white north kids! Specifically the city of Winnipeg, which is currently in a "white out" situation.  ie the Jets are in the playoffs.  The city is nuts.

3.  How did you start creating ttrpgs? 
I honestly fell into it I think.  I started this blog in 2013 (holy shit!).  Shortly after that I wrote "caverns of ugard" and it sort of spiraled from there.  I normally put out one to two adventures a year and they are almost all PWYW.

4.  Describe your work? 
In my adventure writing I try for a "swords & sorcery" feel, but I think it comes off more as low magic vanilla fantasy.

5.  Favorite game you've worked on? 
I'm guessing this is based on a set of rules I've written, which I really haven't.  I really like writing for Blueholme as a game.  Favourite thing I came up with is probably "Invitation from the blue baron" collaborative dungeon project.

6.  Favourite game mechanic? 
I'm a big fan of old school reaction and morale checks, I really should have used them more when I was a kid.  Makes the game a little less hack and slash sometimes.

7.  Your workspace? 
While I attempt to write at home on the couch with my laptop, nine times out of ten I get all my writing done at lunch at work.  Pretty much everything I do starts in google docs and then eventually get's ported to word or publisher.

8.  Describe your routine? 
I get an idea, usually when I'm feeling a bit manic and creative.  Write as much as possible on that, then totally forget about it when the next ADD moment crops up, and rinse and repeat.  Eventually things come out, but I don't really schedule myself at all, it just sort of happens in time. I currently have about 5 projects on the go in various states of completion (one of which I haven't even started, but I think about on a regular basis).

9.  Describe your process? 
As above.  ADD kicks in, usually on my walk to work (that's where I get all my ideas from).  I get a coffee and sit down and write the ideas while they are fresh (when I should be working.... like now).

10.  Favourite game to relax with? 
I can run b/x or blueholme all day.  Relaxing wise it's totally mexican train.  Put on an album, grab a beer and play for 4 hours.

11.  What's yer brand?
3 Toadstools publishing, which is a stupid name.  It's basically a tavern name in a hobbit village somewhere.  That was the name that I came up with for the blog, and then later used for the publishing end of things.  (cuz cross branding I guess?).  I think my stuff is sort of in the "old school" aesthetic as far as looking like a revamped TSR product and a bit of DIY RPG thrown in for good measure.  Reading other designers stuff gives me good ideas to incorporate.  So I'm learning.

12.  How do you get your work out there? 
Mostly google plus, posting in some communities.  Just talking with people.  I don't push as hard as I could.  At some point if I get something super exciting maybe I'll pour the coals on.  I do have a facebook page for the publishing company as well.  Once in a blue moon I'll email my customers thru drivethrurpg.com

Find my stuff here. 

Grab my latest adventure "Dusty Door" here.