A very good friend of mine is a HUGE Dungeons and Dragons gamer. He has played since 1987 to present. He has played alongside your truly as well, but most of the time without. That being said, I wanted to do a brief interview for all of you gamers and D&D players who have played over the years and thought it would be cool to ask him a few questions. He was kind enough to take the time to answer my questions.
The interview is with Nicholas Titano of Infernal Titans, a company that he established this year in an attempt to provide gaming maps (at first) to the gaming community as he felt there were very few to choose from. Check his website out here...go now! And then come back here to see what Nick had to say!
We here at INFERNAL TITANS have been avid gamers for over two decades and as such, have had our finger on the pulse of the gaming community the entire time. Being mindful of your income, our goal is to not only provide the gaming community with quality products at an affordable price, but to satisfy what our own players have been clamoring for in the past few years: new gaming products! We strive to produce the highest quality role playing supplements that we can and look forward to producing many more in the future. These products are the first in a line of what we hope will be MANY products that make your game (and ours) a more enjoyable experience.
What drew you to Dungeons & Dragons?
I was always a fan of swashbuckling sword and sorcery stories. My favorite toys as a child were the castle themed Lego sets, and anything Star Wars. So Dungeons & Dragons was a natural progression.
What is the most important element of the game in your opinion?
The social element. Dungeons & Dragons is inherently a group activity, if you don't like the people you play with, you are not going to enjoy yourself.
Did anyone ever ask you if you won or lost a game of Dungeons & Dragons?
Yes, on several occasions. It's usually a waste of time to try to explain the game to them, so I usually just say "Yes, yes I did."
How would you attract new gamers in the video game age?
Make a video game. If the game accurately simulates the tabletop experience, that would generate interest in the tabletop game. Then couple the video game experience with an in depth online community that caters to the video gamers, and the tabletop gamers. Thereby creating an interconnected community of gamers.
Making the game more dynamic, accessible, and user friendly is also a good idea.
What do you like best as a player in Dungeons & Dragons?Being a part of a team. I generally lean towards characters that fill more of a supporting role when I play.
What do you like best in the role of Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons?
Creating memorable experiences for my friends.
Why do you still play after 20+ years of playing?
Because I still enjoy it. As I grow and change, so does the game. That's the beauty of a tabletop RPG, it can be anything you want it to be. There are no constraints.
What is your favorite edition of Dungeons & Dragons?
4th edition is my favorite. Its elegant mechanics are far easier to work with than any previous edition. At the same time it brings back the feelings I had as a 12 year old back in 1987 paging through the old Red Box Basic Edition- "Anything is possible in this world".
What is your most memorable event in Dungeons & Dragons as either a player or a Dungeon Master?
Surprisingly my most memorable events occur away from the table, as opposed to at it. The fact that my wife named her cat after an NPC from one of my campaigns is awesome. Obviously that campaign, and that NPC in particular, had a profound impact on her. That's just one of many. My players remembered minute details about a minor NPC whose purpose was purely comic relief. The party was close to Epic levels, so I figured one of the "famous" heroes should have a stalker. They remembered that his "spirit companion" (The PC he is stalking is a 4E shaman) was a plush badger attached to a string. Things like that stand out to me more than anything specific that happens at the table.
What do you think of the internet wars of Pathfinder vs. Dungeons & Dragons?
I don't, and neither should anyone else. Internet "Wars" are a waste of time.
Nick can be reached here:
Oh, before I forget, go like Nick's facebook page found here. It is so easy! Follow the link here, click the 'Like' button! It is super simple!Thanks in advance for you assumed compliance and cooperation in this matter. :-)
NICK'S FACEBOOK PAGE
Also, I would encourage any of you who are interested to take one of the questions, copy it and paste your answer in the comments!
See you in Wothlondia! (And maybe at the gaming table!) Cheers!
Please visit: www.ashenclaw.com to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!
All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.
I know that guy!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and questions guys!
ReplyDeleteAs for the 4e vs. PF war. I didn't even know it was a war. Here I am trying to get both systems down and play/run both of them. LOL
Very interesting article though. Looking forward to seeing how the map building/selling business works out for Infernal Titans as well.
@cfallsgamer
Maybe there isn't a war.... Nick tells me there is internet 'battles' about it all the time...which he ignores!
ReplyDeleteThe battlemaps are pretty cool, I have seen them in person, so if you or your friends use them, buy them up and help a brother out! :)
Thanks again for the comments, Chad, As always.