This is generally an exciting wheel of time. When I designed the Detective game, I used all of my 30 years of experience in RPG games. I managed to create a board game that is very close to what RPGs are. It offers just as exciting, engaging an experience but does not require a Dungeon Master. Two years ago, when we played Detective again and I saw how much players enjoyed it, it hit me like a bolt of lightning – I can reverse this! Just as RPGs improved Detective and gave it a lot of solutions and ideas, I can have fun the other way around – take a few solutions from Detective and introduce them into my RPG sessions. This twist changed the style in which I currently run RPG sessions.
I have to admit to my biggest weakness as a Dungeon Master. I can’t improvise. When players come up with an idea that surprises me, and I have to come up with something on the spot, I feel very uncomfortable with it. I’m a perfectionist in this regard – I like when the scenes, meetings, NPCs that appear during the session were previously prepared, thought through, and nicely presented.
I strongly believe that good board game is the one that tells a good story. You play it and suddenly you are sucked into it, you feel chills on the skin. Emotions grow. In a moment you defend castle. You hear roar of warriors. You smell boiling oil. You are into it.
That's how I design my games. I always want to tell a good story. I want players to be into it. As deep as possible.
