Crank

The Crank Report

This is the home and hearth of the world famous Crank Report. an irregularly produced, hastily assembled opinion column based on Game Mastering tips, Media Criticism, and all things Geekly.

Responsibilities: A rant about being a responsible player
The Triumph and....: A few words about being flawed.
Slowed to a Crawl: What to do when the game bogs down
On Hiatus: What to do when there ain't no game at all.
What a Villain Needs: Your holiday checklist for the Evildoer in your life
In my tribe: Elements of Cool for the Geek set.
Teaching the Newbies A few tips for corrupting new souls into GamerHood
Plotting and Planning They're going down in flames!
The Propmaster at Work: A few words about fun with props and handouts and how to make your own.
Stage Management and Multimedia: A continuation of the Propmaster article with a special emphasis on technology and how it can help and hinder.
In the Beginning: First part of a 3 part series on campaign scripting
In the Middle : part 2 obviously.
Endings : the pulse pounding, nerve shattering conclusion
Small Town games : What's a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?
Rules for relationships: And you thought living in a fantasy world would mean that you would never have to answer questions like "Honey...Do i look fat in these pants?"
How to be a Badass: Tips for would-be tough guys
Dumbass Behavior : A gallon of Vitriol about gaming behavior that i never want to see again.
Bit players and walk-ons : Pregen characters, and how to use them like an opportunity.
Propmaster Goes to the Larp: Well you knew this was coming didn't you?
Newbies at the Larp: Damn....seems like i'm obsessed lately doesn't it?
How to go out of Business: A few thoughts on the gaming industry at large.
Fantasy...World of Darkness style: Angst in the world of blood and thunder.
Chaos Can be your Friend: A quick look at divination and how it can be useful to you.
Why i do what i do: I ruminate on the whole damn point.
Mining for gold: Even i am not schizo enough to have this many characters in my head. here's how i manage.
Share the Load: Wherein i speak of Co-GMing with much wailing and gnashing of teeth because i'm losing my Co-GM.
Fishmalk!: "I am only Mad north by northwest. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw."
Casting Call: In praise of Convention Games and the creative freedom they bring.
How the Other half lives: A difference between Scene and System.
Like Me Only Cooler!: Gaming as Therapeutic device.
The Not-So-Gentle Art of Improvisation : How to get loose like the goose ,baby.
ASSHOLE! : "Who me? I am the soul of affability."
Web of Darkness: basics of web design for those who may need it.
Trippingly on the Tongue: A few words on the art of Dialects.
Kill Yourself...Now!: Commentary on RPG's and the Media
The Greatest Campaigns that Never Happened: Ah, what might have been.
If you hum a few bars, i'll fake it.: new methods to help Improv.
The Girlfriend Effect: Womenfolk sometimes have a deleterious effect on the game.
Pressing the Buttons: Psychological Warfare can be so much fun.
The Bench Report Part 1: A look at how to organize con larps.
The Bench Report Part 2: A look at the in and outs of organizing an ongoing Larp based on observations in the field.
A Lathering Wall Punching Fit: An open letter to hollywood about movies based on comic books
Promises: a few words about the social contract between gamers.
Conflict: Extreme violence to snippy comments and all points in between.
One Shot: an essay in my ongoing effort to help gamers make a better first impression.