Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 17h

Want a method to prep exciting #TTRPG One Shots? You need something as easy as 1-2-3; check out Three Step Prep
burnafterrunningrpg.com/2025/10/14/t...

Three Step Prep – my new method

I’m always looking for ways to approach my game prep that results in great gaming experiences that are fun for my players – and, importantly, easy for me at the table. I’ve used a few methods…

burnafterrunningrpg.com

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 19h

Just finished editing and uploading the latest Unconventional GMs #actualplay release - we're taking @modiphius.bsky.social Star Trek Adventures to the Final Frontier! Out on 25th Oct, subscribe to never miss a release!
youtube.com/@unconventio...

Unconventional GMs

youtube.com

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 2d

#furnacerpg Slot 5 was me facilitating @evilhat.bsky.social Stewpot - our coastal tavern near the smugglers caves (and the mad alchemists tower) was a success - especially with our sea cheese sandworm special! Great cozy fantasy vibes to end the con with

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 3d

#furnacerpg game 4 - @mythworks.bsky.social Good Society! Sally Hemingway has at least 3 men wanting to marry her, and she has no intention of marrying any of them!

A game table for Good Society, with character sheets, tokens, and reference sheets

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 3d

What happens when you mash up two of @chaosium.bsky.social 's biggest recent releases? Find out with our one-shot #actualplay of @icooper.bsky.social #Questworlds #AgeOfVikings over on Unconventional GMsa
youtu.be/0R1QtixmQRw?...

Questworlds | Age of Vikings : One Shot | King of the Bears | Actual Play

YouTube video by Unconventional GMs

youtu.be

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 3d

Game 3 at #furnacerpg was @cubicle7games.bsky.social Warhammer: The Old World, a chance for me to play while my co-UGM @evilgaz.bsky.social GMs - great stuff!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 3d

#furnacerpg Slot 2 - Run Out The Guns. I have a book of critical hit tables, and an awful lot of skills to do sums with. Hornpiping the poop deck with @paulbaldowski.bsky.social at the helm (?)

A games table with a ttrpg in progress with a cardboard ship in the centre

A booklet "The Combat Book" with lots of critical hits

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 4d

#furnacerpg slot 1 - ran #daggerheart, first time using background Qs in a one shot to adapt the adventure on the fly. Reincorporation ftw!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 4d

Session minus one of #furnacerpg (the 20th one) complete - setting the gaming world to rights in the bar!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 4d

On the contrary, the very best TTRPG ever written is based on a licensed property - Mouse Guard!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 6d

"They go to a different server"

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 6d

Were you brave enough for the breakfast kebab?

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 6d

Just get the rules right - you don't need to be an expert. I dont think I'd consider myself "expert" at any systems - but I know how to run them!

We've had enough of experts!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 7d

Yes! You don't have to be expert in every system - often the best way to first run a TTRPG is as a one-shot

(I'm assuming by public spaces you mean conventions, and not just in some park somewhere)

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 10d

It's not the failure that bothers me, it's the lack of stakes. And the "everyone rolls" which guarantees somebody will make it (thanks to binomial probabilities)

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 10d

Rolling Perception / Spot Hidden / etc

Tab Creations @tabcreations.com · 10d

Hey #ttrpgCommunity!

What's a common GM habit that you think should be reconsidered or even eliminated?

#ttrpgs #dnd #rpg #gaming

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 10d

Top game of @jesseross.com and @jaymeantrim.bsky.social 's R'leywatch just now, ably GMed by @mikeferdinando.bsky.social - check it out if you think mashing up Baywatch and Cthulhu is a great idea (and if you don't, you're wrong) hedgemazepress.itch.io/rlyehwatch

R’lyehwatch by Hedgemaze Press

Baywatch vs. Cthulhu

hedgemazepress.itch.io

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 11d

I find ammesia / blank slate one shots really frustrating as a player, to the point where I'll actively avoid them - I need something to play my character with, even if its just "Dwarf Fighter"

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 14d

Just realised it's ages since I've done a "How to Run X As A One-Shot" post on Burn After Running - any requests?

(example below - how to run FATE as a one-shot: burnafterrunningrpg.com/2017/10/24/c...)

Counters and Cards – how to run a great Fate one-shot

A couple of weeks ago I went to Furnace, the original and biggest RPG con based at The Garrison Hotel in Sheffield, UK. One of the games I ran was a Justice Society game using the Fate system &#821…

burnafterrunningrpg.com

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 15d

Do you like #TTRPG #DnD #Pirates? Check out my (play-informed) review of #MTBlack 's The Dawn Chasers, a best in class one-shot
burnafterrunningrpg.com/2025/09/29/t...

The Ultimate Fantasy Pirate One-Shot? – Review: The Dawn Chasers

It’s been a while since I offered a review of an adventure instead of an entire game. But in truth I’m much more interested in reading and buying adventures – they offer all the usefulness of…

burnafterrunningrpg.com

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 16d

A strong choice! I'm a fan of it mixed 1:1 with creme de menthe; a tonic for the roughest of times that will put hairs on your chest

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 16d

Tractors for everyone!

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 17d

Reposting for the Sunday crowd - check out our new #SciFi #ActualPlay of Ex Tenebris

Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 17d

Terrifying sci fi horror, with an innovative mystery system? You want to check out our latest #TTRPG #actualplay of Ex Tenebris, currently kickstartering, from Black Armada!

youtu.be/aHiHuFXNFqg?...

Ex Tenebris : One Shot | Too Greedily And Too Deep | Actual Play

YouTube video by Unconventional GMs

youtu.be

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Reposted by Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs)

Gaz @evilgaz.bsky.social · 17d

🎬 It's mystery in space time as we head to the stars with @armadajosh.bsky.social and @beckyannison.bsky.social in Ex Tenebris! What nefarious secrets await our interstellar investigators and how will they cope with with the revelations? Find out in our pacy Actual Play!

youtu.be/aHiHuFXNFqg?...

Ex Tenebris : One Shot | Too Greedily And Too Deep | Actual Play

YouTube video by Unconventional GMs

youtu.be

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Guy Milner (BurnAfterRunning / Unconventional GMs) @burnafterrunning.bsky.social · 17d

So the first two are absolutely of the TV era where an episode was a one-shot.

I think "go big," while slightly hand-wavey, is probably the best advice I can offer. Extend the scope of threats, stakes, and failure.

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