Erik Schmidt
@settingfirst.bsky.social
Gen X, US Army veteran, J.D. holder, bicyclist, reader of books. See my #ttrpg stuff at https://settingfirst.com and https://www.youtube.com/@SettingFirstRPG
Pinned
Erik Schmidt
@settingfirst.bsky.social
· Nov 23
What is Setting First Tabletop Roleplaying?
YouTube video by Setting First
youtu.be
In-person campaign play that emphasizes verisimilitude – that’s the Setting First approach to #ttrpg. youtu.be/uJ-i2Clsa70?...
Instant backing, no questions asked. Yes, Play Unsafe is that good.
It's amazing that so many people have followed the Kickstarter for Play Unsafe, my book about play, storytelling and TTRPGs, in the first 24 hours.
Go and follow it if you haven't already. And please spread the word, it helps!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/gra... #ttrpg #kickstarter
Go and follow it if you haven't already. And please spread the word, it helps!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/gra... #ttrpg #kickstarter
Coming soon: Play Unsafe
An all-new edition of Graham Walmsley's classic book about playing tabletop roleplaying games.
www.kickstarter.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:21 AM
Instant backing, no questions asked. Yes, Play Unsafe is that good.
Reposted by Erik Schmidt
As public games with strangers have value, having a permission model has value - in that context. Outside of that, however, our gaming has a tendency to build friendships and these grow & change over time. Using that as a strength by gaming as peers in consensus, is an act of real inclusion, I find~
December 18, 2025 at 2:27 AM
As public games with strangers have value, having a permission model has value - in that context. Outside of that, however, our gaming has a tendency to build friendships and these grow & change over time. Using that as a strength by gaming as peers in consensus, is an act of real inclusion, I find~
Reposted by Erik Schmidt
Started the Small Business Weekend Sale early! Use code SMALLBIZ for 25% OFF* through Dec 1st!
mouseguard.bigcartel.com
*offer excludes books
mouseguard.bigcartel.com
*offer excludes books
November 28, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Started the Small Business Weekend Sale early! Use code SMALLBIZ for 25% OFF* through Dec 1st!
mouseguard.bigcartel.com
*offer excludes books
mouseguard.bigcartel.com
*offer excludes books
The Facebook holiday ad is hilarious example of corporate gaslighting. Facebook isn't turning people into antisocial freaks, it's bringing them together in the physical world!
November 27, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The Facebook holiday ad is hilarious example of corporate gaslighting. Facebook isn't turning people into antisocial freaks, it's bringing them together in the physical world!
Not really digging the Fisher-Price look of OS 26, Apple.
November 26, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Not really digging the Fisher-Price look of OS 26, Apple.
A view from the player’s side of the table – Playing to Lose in Delta Green
youtu.be/s3ePDmPpiQw
youtu.be/s3ePDmPpiQw
Playing to Lose in Delta Green
YouTube video by Setting First - Tabletop Roleplaying
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 4:26 PM
A view from the player’s side of the table – Playing to Lose in Delta Green
youtu.be/s3ePDmPpiQw
youtu.be/s3ePDmPpiQw
Sometimes nothing beats a nice cool glass of water.
September 25, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Sometimes nothing beats a nice cool glass of water.
Quote this with your reaction to getting left behind during the rapture...
September 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Quote this with your reaction to getting left behind during the rapture...
No matter how useful, or at the very least informative a post might be, there's always someone ready to use it as a springboard to share whatever negativity is rolling around in their brainpan. That filtering it out requires so much effort is proof of how primitive our social media tools still are.
September 24, 2025 at 2:01 AM
No matter how useful, or at the very least informative a post might be, there's always someone ready to use it as a springboard to share whatever negativity is rolling around in their brainpan. That filtering it out requires so much effort is proof of how primitive our social media tools still are.
Current mental state: Full Igorrr. open.spotify.com/album/3Z3jBK...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
September 23, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Current mental state: Full Igorrr. open.spotify.com/album/3Z3jBK...
I personally can't wait for the rapture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCd...
Blondie - Rapture (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by BlondieVEVO
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 12:20 AM
I personally can't wait for the rapture. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCd...
In the early 80s, me and my teenage buddies used to joke that in the future, the world would be dominated by two corporations: Coca-Cola and Disney. At the time we figured Disney was the long shot of the two.
September 22, 2025 at 11:17 PM
In the early 80s, me and my teenage buddies used to joke that in the future, the world would be dominated by two corporations: Coca-Cola and Disney. At the time we figured Disney was the long shot of the two.
Reposted by Erik Schmidt
In original RuneQuest (1978), an Intelligence score of 13+ helped you with most skills. Not just Perception and Knowledge but also Manipulation, Stealth, Defense, and even Attack. It was as useful as Dexterity and better for Attack skills than Strength was. I think about that a lot.
September 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
In original RuneQuest (1978), an Intelligence score of 13+ helped you with most skills. Not just Perception and Knowledge but also Manipulation, Stealth, Defense, and even Attack. It was as useful as Dexterity and better for Attack skills than Strength was. I think about that a lot.
Reposted by Erik Schmidt
It is a little known fact that before any armour system is implemented in a RPG it is legally required that it is tested in real life for accuracy. Here for example is the BRP head location being certified.
#ttrpg
#ttrpg
September 21, 2025 at 3:33 PM
It is a little known fact that before any armour system is implemented in a RPG it is legally required that it is tested in real life for accuracy. Here for example is the BRP head location being certified.
#ttrpg
#ttrpg
A publicly-traded company exists to make money for shareholders. A CEO that fights Trump is a CEO that likely gets canned by its board. The only way to influence a public company in any meaningful way is by affecting its revenue.
September 21, 2025 at 2:27 AM
A publicly-traded company exists to make money for shareholders. A CEO that fights Trump is a CEO that likely gets canned by its board. The only way to influence a public company in any meaningful way is by affecting its revenue.
My wife is looking at me like I'm a total loon, because I can't stop laughing at this.
Damn, check your egg nog everyone. I just looked at the date on mine and it's expired
September 21, 2025 at 12:19 AM
My wife is looking at me like I'm a total loon, because I can't stop laughing at this.
This is invaluable advice. I've learned over the years that I know less than I thought I did about most things, but time has proven that the effort I've put into real life (as opposed to parasocial) relationships really has paid off tremendously.
September 20, 2025 at 11:41 PM
This is invaluable advice. I've learned over the years that I know less than I thought I did about most things, but time has proven that the effort I've put into real life (as opposed to parasocial) relationships really has paid off tremendously.
Speaking of a fantasy #ttrpg setting that can serve as the foundation for years of engaging campaign play, has magic baked into every nook and cranny, and feels lived in and vibrant, here's a little intro to #Glorantha (and by extension, #RuneQuest). youtu.be/K8R7Zhqsd5k
Foundational Setting: Glorantha
YouTube video by Setting First - Tabletop Roleplaying
youtu.be
September 20, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Speaking of a fantasy #ttrpg setting that can serve as the foundation for years of engaging campaign play, has magic baked into every nook and cranny, and feels lived in and vibrant, here's a little intro to #Glorantha (and by extension, #RuneQuest). youtu.be/K8R7Zhqsd5k
I can't even tell you how many times my friends and I played "Butch & Sundance" as kids. I also remember my dad's take – he appreciated Redford's desire to be known as a real actor, when he could have just cashed in on his looks.
September 16, 2025 at 9:21 PM
I can't even tell you how many times my friends and I played "Butch & Sundance" as kids. I also remember my dad's take – he appreciated Redford's desire to be known as a real actor, when he could have just cashed in on his looks.
I agree with you. When soldiers aren't griping (which always involves swearing), you know their morale is truly low. In 2025 we're all in the trenches. To not have a lowered swearing threshold would be an acquiescence, a pretending that everything is OK when it absolutely isn't.
September 15, 2025 at 9:47 PM
I agree with you. When soldiers aren't griping (which always involves swearing), you know their morale is truly low. In 2025 we're all in the trenches. To not have a lowered swearing threshold would be an acquiescence, a pretending that everything is OK when it absolutely isn't.
Ars Technica home page showing me a 403. Now that's not something you see every day.
September 15, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Ars Technica home page showing me a 403. Now that's not something you see every day.
Stumbled across Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019) and I'm glad I did. Really fascinating stuff about how the movie came together and how the minds of its creators meshed. www.imdb.com/title/tt8974...
Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019) ⭐ 6.8 | Documentary, Biography, History
1h 35m | Not Rated
www.imdb.com
September 15, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Stumbled across Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019) and I'm glad I did. Really fascinating stuff about how the movie came together and how the minds of its creators meshed. www.imdb.com/title/tt8974...
Reposted by Erik Schmidt
Looked at my data collections for state-backed activity. If the report were a picture:
September 13, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Looked at my data collections for state-backed activity. If the report were a picture:
In 2011 I gave Eclipse Phase players handouts like these whenever PCs used a muse to get info. I figured constant info warfare would mean automated info-gathering would have to include accuracy estimates. Nope, bad for business. theconversation.com/why-openais-...
Why OpenAI’s solution to AI hallucinations would kill ChatGPT tomorrow
The cure is likely to be worse than the disease.
theconversation.com
September 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM
In 2011 I gave Eclipse Phase players handouts like these whenever PCs used a muse to get info. I figured constant info warfare would mean automated info-gathering would have to include accuracy estimates. Nope, bad for business. theconversation.com/why-openais-...
We’re no longer using the term “lone wolf gunman” and are now using the term “lone loser gunman.” Thank you for your attention on this matter.
September 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
We’re no longer using the term “lone wolf gunman” and are now using the term “lone loser gunman.” Thank you for your attention on this matter.