Matt Forbeck's Blog, page 2

Off to Gamehole Con!

Wow, what a wild summer that was. Three books I worked on came out — which I haven’t even mentioned here yet. I hit Origins, Comic-Con, and Gen Con. And I caught Covid (again).

I recovered well, but that and some family health issues put me way behind on deadlines, so I’ve barely looked up from my keyboard for the past several weeks. I canceled trips, concerts, and catching up with friends to get it all done.

But it worked! Which means I can skate into Gamehole Con 11 this weekend with a clear conscience.

Gamehole Con is one of my favorite shows of the year. Alex Kammer, Andrew Hitchcock, and the rest of the amazing crew there do such a fantastic job with it and have built a wonderful show. I’m just lucky that it’s right up the road from me, making it an easy trip too.

I’ll be there all weekend, and if you’re in the area, come on out and say hi! Here’s where you can find me:

Thursday, October 173 – 7 PM: Gamehole Con is running a bunch of D&D demos to help celebrate 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons, and I’m pitching in to help with a few of them. 9 – 11 PM: The 608th Annual Baron Munchausen Charity Ball: A charity game run by Rob Wieland, featuring Sarah Babe, Ethan Eichstedt-Anderson, Jordan Fishburn, Thomas Gofton, Jenny Higgins, LaTia Jacquise, Crystal Mazur, Elisa Teague, Tawnie Thompson, and me. Friday, October 18Noon – 4 PM: The Poker Knights. A Marvel Multiverse RPG adventure written by Kevin Melka with a bit of help from Marty and me. I’m running this session, and Kevin’s taking over right after that for another run. 3 – 5 PM: Catacombs & Comedians presents Catacombs & Creators. Featuring Dan Taylor, Tommy Gofton, Matthew Sargent, John Kovalic, and me. Maybe. (Yes, there’s an overlap here. Marty might be subbing in for me if I can’t figure out how to warp space-time by then.) 5 – 7 PM: Planet of the Apes w/ creator Andrew Gaska. Plus Matt “KC Rift” Everhart, Erik Frankhouse, James Lowder, Toni Winslow-Brill, and me. 7 – 8 PM: How Did You Get Published. A panel about writing fiction, with Peter Brett, Monica Valentinelli, and me. Saturday, October 19Noon – 4: The Poker Knights. A Marvel Multiverse RPG adventure written by Kevin Melka with a bit of help from Marty and me. I’m running this session (again), and Kevin’s taking over right after that for another run (again). 8 – 10 PM: Catacombs & Creators – The Cthulhu Edition. Featuring Dan Taylor, Sarah Babe, Skeeter Green, John Kovalic, and me.

Whew! During my downtime, I’ll be wandering about the show, catching up with friends, and playing games with my kids (who are all adults now). If you see me, be sure to say hi. I hope to see you there!

Gen Con 2024!

I’m off to Gen Con on Wednesday for my 43rd time in a row. It’s my favorite time of year, and I hope you can all join me there. It’s going to be packed with the Diana Jones Award ceremony, Marvel games and signings, an all-star slate of 50 Years of D&D panels, MCing the Costume Contest, and playing the Andrew Hackard Memorial Munchkin Game.

Here’s what I have planned for the show. Note that several of these events are sold out, and others might be soon. The seminars and panels are all free. Come out and join us for the fun!

Wednesday 9 PM: Hosting the Diana Jones Award ceremony. (This is an industry-only event, not open to the public.)Thursday10 AM: Matt Forbeck Presents: Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe. A 2-hour run through the first part of the new adventure for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. SOLD OUT!2 PM: New Books! New Games! New Love! Writer and host S.E. Lindberg asks Howard Andrew Jones, J. B. Garner, and me about the inspirations and challenges behind our new books, games, and works. 3 PM: Signing in the Marvel Room4 PM: Catacombs & Comedians Presents Catacombs & Creators. Mirth meets myth. Dan Taylor, Dungeon Master of the live show featuring comedians playing Dungeons & Dragons on comedy club stages, will task Alex Kammer, Jim Zub, Zeb Cook, and me with playing as characters in the “Catacomediaverse” D&D setting. There will be audience participation and giveaways. Roll for hilarity! Friday10 AM: Matt Forbeck Presents: Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe. A 2-hour run through the first part of the new adventure for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. SOLD OUT!2 PM: Getting into Visual Writing: Comics, Cards, Graphic Novels, and Games. Join our panel of experts as they discuss how to get into the business of writing for visual media. Featuring Dedren Snead, Carlos Hernandez, Lucien Soulban, Toiya Kristen Finley, and me. SOLD OUT!3 PM: Signing in the Marvel Room4 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — Endless Quests. Rose Estes (the writer of many of the original Endless Quest books) — joins me (the writer of the latest Endless Quest books) to talk about the development of early D&D fiction.5 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — Ravenloft. Join Tracy and Laura Hickman (the creators of Ravenloft), James Lowder (Ravenloft novelist), Anne Browne (Ravenloft writer), and me to discuss the scariest of the official D&D settings and how it first spawned. SOLD OUT!6 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — History. Join Dungeons & Dragons historians Ben Riggs, David M. Ewalt, Jon Peterson, Mike Witwer, and me to discuss the history behind the design and development of D&D. SOLD OUT!6 PM: Catacombs & Comedians Presents Catacombs & Creators. Mirth meets myth. Dan Taylor, Dungeon Master of the live show featuring comedians playing Dungeons & Dragons on comedy club stages, will task Jeff Richard, Chris O’Neill, Jesse Brady, and my son Marty Forbeck with playing as characters in the “Catacomediaverse” D&D setting. There will be audience participation and giveaways. Roll for hilarity! NOTE: I’m not in this one, but my son Marty is! It’s his first live play event!Saturday10 AM: Signing in the Marvel Room11 AM: Autograph Session with Rose Estes, Jeff Grubb, Jeremy Bernstein, and Matt Forbeck. Rose and Jeff aren’t listed in the program for this, but Jeremy and I are bringing them along anyhow. Join us in the back of the exhibit hall!12 PM: Matt Forbeck Presents: Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe. A 2-hour run through the first part of the new adventure for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. SOLD OUT!3 PM: Non-Fiction For, Not About Genre. Featuring Mikki Kendall, Alexander Bevier, James Lowder, and me. 4 PM: 38th Annual Gen Con Costume Contest. I’m MCing this for the fourth year in a row. Come see all the amazing cosplayers on the big stage! 4 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — Forgotten Realms. Join Ed Greenwood (the creator of the Forgotten Realms) and Forgotten Realms novelists Jeff Grubb and James Lowder to discuss how some of D&D‘s most legendary stories came to be. Hosted by Steven Schend. SOLD OUT!NOTE: I was going to host this, but it conflicts with the Costume Contest, so Steven Schend is stepping in for me. 5 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — Comics. Join D&D comic-book writers Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, and Jim Zub, along with editor James Lowder, to talk about how D&D made the leap from collaborative storytelling to sequential storytelling. Hosted by Ben Riggs. NOTE: I was going to host this, but it conflicts with the Costume Contest, so Ben Riggs is stepping in for me. 6 PM: 50 Years Of D&D — Fiction. Join us for an all-star panel discussing D&D fiction throughout the years, featuring Rose Estes, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, James Lowder, and me.Sunday10 AM: Matt Forbeck Presents: Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe. A 2-hour run through the first part of the new adventure for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. SOLD OUT!12 PM: Signing in the Marvel Room1 PM: Andrew Hackard Memorial Munchkin Game. Every Gen Con Sunday for a full decade, Andrew Hackard hosted a game of Munchkin for me and my kids at the Steve Jackson Games booth. While Andrew passed away in 2021, we continue the tradition in his memory by playing Munchkin every year at the show. Come join us as we stab each other in the back and laugh to close out this year’s Best Four Days in Gaming. Steve Jackson Games has donated loads of promos and prizes for the audience!

After that, I probably collapse in happy exhaustion — hopefully after I get home. Whew!

Off to Comic-Con!

I just got back from a week and a half in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and Michigan, and I’m off to Comic-Con International this week. You might have noticed that Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe came out for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game while I was gone, and that World of Warcraft Chronicle IV (which my son Marty wrote most of) released too. If those are your kinds of things, I hope you enjoy them!

For Comic-Con, Marty and I have a signing at the Dark Horse Comics booth on Wednesday night, plus a few huge events set up with MAVERiC Studio and UCSD on Thursday and Friday. I also have a panel on Saturday.

Here’s a cool promo video for the UCSD event:

Details for all events here:

Wednesday, July 246 PM: Signing for World of Warcraft Chronicle IV in the Dark Horse Comics booth (#2615), inside the convention center. Thursday, July 25Noon – 9 PM: A Day with Matt Forbeck. This is at Park & Market, a short walk from the convention center, and it’s free! No badge required! Marty and I and a fantastic cast are doing an actual-play game — set in my Shotguns & Sorcery world — to celebrate 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons. That runs from 1 –5 PM. Afterward, there’s a steampunk cosplay mixer with music and wild new drinks, including (hopefully) a dragonfire cocktail. Tickets are free, but you should grab them here to guarantee you can get it. Friday, July 2610 AM – 1:30 PM: A book signing at the UC-San Diego Bookstore. This is also free, and no ticket necessary. Just come out and say hi! 1:45 PM – 3 PM: A live discussion being recorded in The Basement, Room 151. This is free too, and you can get tickets for it here. Saturday, July 2710 – 11 AM: Celebrating 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons. Room 6DE, in the convention center. Industry experts Anjali Bhimani (Desi Quest, Critical Role), Kailey Bray (producer), Luke Gygax (founder, Gary Con), Jim Zub (author, Dungeons & Dragons, IDW Publishing), and Matt Forbeck (writer, game designer, Endless Quest) share how Dungeons & Dragons has taken its place on top of the pop culture dungeon. Moderated by Ross Thompson.

Whew! That seems like enough! Anyhow, I hope to see you there — and if you’re not there, I hope to see you at Gen Con next week instead!

(If you get this via email and don’t see any images, I’m not sure what’s going on, but you can go to my website to read it in all its color-splashed glory. If you know how to fix such things, let me know. I’m too busy getting ready for the show to tackle it now.)

My Origins Schedule

I just realized that the Origins schedule I linked to yesterday is missing a few things, so here’s my full schedule for the show. When I’m not at one of these events, you can likely find me in the Authors Alcove in the exhibit hall (Booth 1918) — at least when it’s open. I’ll have copies of the Marvel Multiverse RPG books with me, plus Shotguns & Sorcery game books too, so be sure to stop by and say hi!

THURSDAY

11 AM – 12 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)3 – 4 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)

FRIDAY

11 AM – 12 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)3 – 4 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)

SATURDAY

10 AM – 11 AM: From Game to Story (Room A212) 11 AM – 12 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)1 – 2 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)3 – 4 PM: Writing for the Ages (Room A213)

SUNDAY

11 AM – 12 PM: D&D: Celebrating 50 Years of Adventure and Imagination (Short North Ballroom A)12 – 1 PM: The Intersection of Games and Books (Room A212)1 – 2 PM: Meet the Game Designers (Booth 1752)2 – 3 PM: Tips and Tricks of the Trade (Room A212)

Join Me at Origins!

Next week — June 19–25 — I’m heading back to the Origins Game Fair for the first time in 17 years. I used to hit it every year, starting in 1988, when the show merged with Gen Con for a year, up until 2000 or so. Then the quadruplets came along, and I started writing novels, video games, and such, and I had to cut back on the number of gaming conventions I hit.

The last time I was at Origins was back in 2007, when I was a guest of honor for the first time. This year, they invited me to be a guest of honor again, and I eagerly accepted. (And now we apparently know what it takes to bring me back!)

I’m pulling double duty as a gaming guest of honor and as the author guest of honor as well. You can find my schedule at the show listed here. On top of all that, I’m going to have a table in the Authors Alcove where my minions kids and I will be selling books and games. That includes some of the newer stuff, like the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game and Shotguns & Sorcery: The 5E Sourcebook books, plus some older stuff that’s been sitting in my attic for years — like copies of the Brave New World Roleplaying Game, which is 25 years old this summer!

As part of being the author guest of honor, I chipped in a short story to the Origins anthology, edited by my pal Aaron Rosenberg and featuring stories from all the fantastic writers in the authors program. Mine is a Deadlands story called “The Devil You Know” that’s a direct sequel to the yarns I spun for the Dealands Dime Novels back in the ’90s. This is a book available only at Origins, so be sure to grab a copy if you can.

On top of all that, the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game is up for the Origins Award for the Best Roleplaying Game. That means I’ll be sure to hit the Origins Awards ceremony on Friday night. (Side note: I commissioned the sculpture for the statue for the Origins Awards many years ago, from Hall of Famer Julie Guthrie. She did a fantastic job, and I’m honored to have several copies on my mantel.)

So, come on out and help me make this a triumphant return to Origins. I’m looking forward to getting back to it again, and I hope to see you there!

Go Get Shotguns & Sorcery 5E!

Shotguns & Sorcery: The 5E Sourcebook is finally ready for you! This is a campaign setting for the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game, based upon a series of stories and novels I’ve written.

You have three standard options for making it yours:

DriveThruRPG: You can get the PDF and the POD (print-on-demand) editions here. If you buy the POD book, you get the PDF for free!Backerkit: You can get a traditionally printed copy of the book here. If you do, you also get the PDF for free, but if you just want the PDF, it’s easier to grab it through DriveThruRPG. Shard Tabletop: This is an electronic version of the book, all set up for use with Shard’s VTT (virtual tabletop) system.

On top of that, I’m going to have a table at Origins next week, and I should have several of the traditionally printed books with me there, along with all sorts of other things from the depths of my author’s copies closet.

Anyhow, here’s the text from the back of the book. I hope you like it!

Welcome to Dragon City 

It’s a grim, gritty metropolis ruled over by the Dragon Emperor, with legions of zombies scratching at the city walls by night.

Whether in the streets of Goblintown or the prestigious halls of the Academy of Arcane Apprenticeship, people try to scrape by, make a living, and survive from one day to the next. You, however, are looking for something more than simple survival. And in this city, if you don’t make your own adventure, another adventure is sure to find you.

Based on the fantasy noir novels of New York Times bestselling author Matt Forbeck, Shotguns & Sorcery: The 5E Sourcebook contains everything you need to move your game straight into Dragon City. 

Grab a wand, a shotgun, and hold on tight to your flying carpet. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Shotguns & Sorcery: The 5E Setting is a 280-page book packed with all sorts of details about Dragon City and the people who live in it. This includes details on:

CulturesMagic ItemsFirearmsMonstersOrganizationsPlayer RacesIconic CharactersGeneric NPCsand much more

It also features a full 36-page starting adventure for low-level heroes, perfect for launching your adventures in Dragon City. 

In addition to all that, the PDF edition of the book comes with a full set of electronic extras for your game. This includes: 

A set of blank character sheets, both in color and black and white, standard and fillable. A set of printable inserts for your customizable GM screen (portrait orientation). A set of 4k-resolution wallpapers for your computer. A set of high-resolution backgrounds for your phone or tablet. 

Shotguns & Sorcery 5E Is Here! And at Origins!

Yes, it’s been way too long! Yes, I should have done this months ago! (I’ve been wildly busy with the Marvel Multiverse RPG, kids graduating from college, and many other things.) BUT NOW IS FINALLY THE TIME!

On Tuesday, June 11, I’m releasing Shotguns & Sorcery: The 5E Sourcebook to the public. At that point, you can order it through DriveThru RPG in both hardcover ($74.99) and PDF ($29.99) formats. In fact, if you order the hardcover that way, you automatically get the PDF for free. I’m also releasing the Shard Tabletop edition of the game, if you want to play it on a snazzy virtual tabletop.

The regular 5E editionThe deluxe 5E edition. (Shiny!)

However, I still have a few leftover boxes of the hardcovers that I printed for the Kickstarter, both in the regular and deluxe formats. If you want those, you can order them through Backerkit. The regular hardcover is only $60 that way, while the deluxe is $100. (You get the PDF for free with each kind.) Since I’m shipping those from my home, I can autograph them for you — upon request — before they head out the door.

I also have a few boxes of hardcover books left of the Shotguns & Sorcery Cypher System game. You can buy those on eBay for $60 each, which is cheaper than the DriveThruRPG hardcovers go for these days too.

The regular Cypher System editionThe rare alternate cover edition. (I might have a couple left.)

I’m bringing whatever I have left with me to Origins Game Fair, at which I’m pulling double duty as a gaming guest of honor and the author guest of honor. If you want to pick up one of the books from me there, let me know, and I’ll set one aside for you. I’ll have a table in the Authors Alcove, where my kids and I will be hanging out for most of the show.

I’ll be selling all sorts of stuff there, mostly author’s copies of books and games that have been taking up space in my attic. I’m also bringing copies of the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game Core Rulebook and The Cataclysm of Kang, and I’ll be happy to sign those too. Grab them while you can!

Thanks for all your support!

Gary Con XVI

It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since Gary Gygax passed away, but despite that I’m heading out to Gary Con XVI tomorrow to run some games, play in some other games, and catch up with all sorts of friends. Fortunately, it’s in Lake Geneva, which is not that long of a drive for me. Here’s my schedule for the weekend:

Thursday, March 21

2 PM: Enter: Hydra. A demo of the Marvel Multiverse RPG. SOLD OUT

Friday, March 22

12 PM: Enter: Hydra. A demo of the Marvel Multiverse RPG. SOLD OUT9 PM: Baron Munchausen with Rob Wieland. A team of top-notch creators — including Anjali Bhimani, Banana Chan, ElisaTeague, Keith Baker, LaTia Jacquise, Sarah Babe, Todd Stashwick, and me — is playing to raise money for the Jennell Jaquays memorial fund. SOLD OUT

Saturday, March 23

12 PM: Enter: Hydra. A demo of the Marvel Multiverse RPG. SOLD OUT6 PM: Catacombs & Creators. Dan Taylor runs his Catacombs & Comedians adventure, but with creators instead, including Levi Combs, Ed Greenwood, Tommy Gofton, and me. SOLD OUT

You might notice all the events are sold out, but if you spot me wandering the halls or hanging out in the lobby at any point, don’t be afraid to say hi!

Dragonmeet 2023!

I am heading out soon to be a guest at Dragonmeet, a legendary one-day gaming convention held at the Novotel Hammersmith in London. My schedule at the show (so far):

Saturday, December 3

Noon: What Board Games Mean to Me. Why are board games so important to so many of us, and why have they become so popular? Inspired by the new book of the same name from Aconyte, games expert James Wallis is joined by a panel of games industry experts and enthusiasts, including Sir Ian Livingstone and Matt Forbeck, to explore the many ways in which games have shaped all our lives. 4 PM: Learn about the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. Come hear writer/designer Matt Forbeck talk about the Marvel Multiverse RPG and its development through its public playtest to the full game that debuted in August.

I’ll likely have a signing at the Modiphius booth at some point too. If all goes well, they should have a good stock of the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game: Core Rulebook and The Cataclysm of Kang.

I haven’t been back to the UK since I left Games Workshop back in 1990, so I’m looking forward to wandering about a bit in the week beforehand, seeing the sights, and catching up with old friends.

Anyhow, if you’re in the London area around then, join me at the show! It’s bound to be great fun.

U-Con!

I have a couple trips coming up in the next few weeks. First off, I’m going to be a special guest at U-Con in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Michigan from November 17–19. Then it’s Thanksgiving, which I’ll spend at home, but the Saturday following that weekend — December 2 — I’ll be a special guest at Dragonmeet in London too.

I’ll post more about Dragonmeet soon, but at U-Con, my schedule looks like this:

Friday, November 17

5 PM: U-Con Talk: Leonard Balsera interviews me and other guests.

Saturday, November 18

10 AM – 1 PM: Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

Sunday, November 19

9 AM – Noon: Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

Those Marvel Multiverse RPG events are sold out but you should be able to find me wandering around the hall and playing games most of the weekend. I went to school at the University of Michigan and lived in Ann Arbor for 9 years, so I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and wandering around my old haunts — and maybe finding some new ones. I hope to see you there!