Quote from: Cathal on April 12, 2023, 10:03:49 AM
In other forums I see some people recommend DM books The Lazy Dungeon Master, or books from "James D'Amato"? They are any good? On Amazon the books have 5 star.

I agree with everyone; AD&D DMG is hard to beat.

Lazy Dungeon Master I found good, not great. Review here:

https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2022/09/return-of-lazy-dungeon-master-review.html

FWIW, I wrote lots of tables and short essays about specific dark fantasy aspects (the dark fantasy line) and a book about generating, understanding and role-playing D&D monster types that I'm really proud of (Teratogenicon). But most GM advice I share is in my blog.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/12430/Chaos-Factory-Books

BTW, here is an interesting book on GMing from a friend:
https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-disoriented-ranger-talks-musings.html

Quote from: S'mon on April 11, 2023, 01:21:11 PM
Most useful I ever read was "What is Dungeons and Dragons?" from 1983.

Thank you for the recommendation, it is a very interesting book. Specially because is from 1982, I found a similar book "Dicing with Dragons" from Ian Livingstone (You may know the name) same year, from 1982.

Do you know other similar books from those years?

Quote from: Cathal on April 13, 2023, 06:24:20 PM

Quote from: S'mon on April 11, 2023, 01:21:11 PM
Most useful I ever read was "What is Dungeons and Dragons?" from 1983.

Thank you for the recommendation, it is a very interesting book. Specially because is from 1982, I found a similar book "Dicing with Dragons" from Ian Livingstone (You may know the name) same year, from 1982.

Do you know other similar books from those years?

Well if you've not read Moldvay Basic D&D from 1981, I highly recommend it. It's the cleanest explanation of the D&D play loop there is, I think.

If you can get hold of PDFs of White Dwarfs from that era, there is a lot of great stuff. Best of White Dwarf Articles have great series on GMing, notably The Dungeon Architect" by Roger Musson;  Lew Pulsipher's stuff is good too.

Quote from: rytrasmi on April 11, 2023, 12:46:44 PM
I found these books very helpful. They are more directed to the mechanics of running a game than creating adventures or campaigns:

- Angry GM's book

- Verner's How to GM like a Fucking Boss

+1 for the Angry GM. Even if you've been DMing forever, his advice on action resolution and structures is useful. I reread it every so often as a reminder not to slip into bad habits.

Quote from: S'mon on April 14, 2023, 02:13:07 AM

Well if you've not read Moldvay Basic D&D from 1981, I highly recommend it. It's the cleanest explanation of the D&D play loop there is, I think.

If you can get hold of PDFs of White Dwarfs from that era, there is a lot of great stuff. Best of White Dwarf Articles have great series on GMing, notably The Dungeon Architect" by Roger Musson;  Lew Pulsipher's stuff is good too.

Thank you, yes sure, I read Basic D&D 2E (Moldvay) but I'm not interested. I know it is a little off-topic. What caught my attention from the book you recommended, is that it is from that era and is focused on beginners to teach you how to play an RPG and how to DM without the "modern" influence.

Lately I have been interested in RPGs history and this book will become part of my reading list. Actually I already started reading it 

I'll try to search for White Dwarfs. BTW, is it a magazine?

Thanks.

Another AD&D DMG rec...it's like if you want to learn quantum mechanics so someone says check out the Richard Feymann lectures. Yeah, it's gonna be hard and incomprehensible at times, but you WILL learn how to be DM and you will be the best.

Mentzer Red Box is #1A. Holds your hand, and if you're in 7th grade  your dad is showing you how to shoot a buck or catch a bass. Some people think it's condescending, when in reality it's some older guy trying to make sure his offspring carry on the legacy.

Quote from: Cathal on April 14, 2023, 09:47:41 PM
I'll try to search for White Dwarfs. BTW, is it a magazine?

White Dwarf is a magazine, for about the first 100 issues it was the UK's premier RPG magazine. Then it became Games Workshop's Warhammer minis battle magazine.

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2023, 09:58:11 PM
Another AD&D DMG rec...it's like if you want to learn quantum mechanics so someone says check out the Richard Feymann lectures. Yeah, it's gonna be hard and incomprehensible at times, but you WILL learn how to be DM and you will be the best.

I'll do it, so I need Richard Feymann to help me in the process? 

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2023, 09:58:11 PM
Mentzer Red Box is #1A. Holds your hand, and if you're in 7th grade  your dad is showing you how to shoot a buck or catch a bass. Some people think it's condescending, when in reality it's some older guy trying to make sure his offspring carry on the legacy.

Mentzer for teaching to someone with none experience in RPG is one of the best, the other one is Lamentation of the Flame Princess. Everything else expects you to have knowledge. For instance, me, I grow up playing different games, never an RPG in my life, during 2022 For some reason I heard about OD&D did my research, the PDFs, read the history, etc.... Suddenly I fell into OSR community, which is a growing mess. I asked their recommendations, then all the bots OSE, OSE, OSE for Christ's sake. Then I read the downvoted comments (Lamentation of the Flame Princess) and the lowest votes (Mentzer), I did try the original B/X and OSE as a beginner of course, truth be told those games are not for beginners. I asked a couple of times similar result then I move to other communities. Anyway long story short after that I played different games and system now, even Holmes  I'm not influence by any other RPGs or modern Editions.

Quote from: S'mon on April 15, 2023, 02:44:31 AM

Quote from: Cathal on April 14, 2023, 09:47:41 PM
I'll try to search for White Dwarfs. BTW, is it a magazine?

White Dwarf is a magazine, for about the first 100 issues it was the UK's premier RPG magazine. Then it became Games Workshop's Warhammer minis battle magazine.

Oh man I think is not possible to find that magazine anymore. I read there is a compilation "The Best of White Dwarf" maybe this will my best chance.

If you know where to find it please send me a message.

Greetings!

Yes, I still have my collection of White Dwarf magazines, all original, all in mint condition. They are a valuable treasure for sure!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: Cathal on April 15, 2023, 11:32:54 AM
Oh man I think is not possible to find that magazine anymore. I read there is a compilation "The Best of White Dwarf" maybe this will my best chance.

If you know where to find it please send me a message.

The PDFs seem to have been removed from the Internet, which is ironic as Games Workshop does not own copyright in the articles, and their typographical arrangement right expired after 25 years, long ago now.

Alas pdfs of White Dwarf Magazine from 70s exists in depths of internet. Just seek them.

Quote from: Wrath of God on April 19, 2023, 10:58:40 AM
Alas pdfs of White Dwarf Magazine from 70s exists in depths of internet. Just seek them.

Anakin: "Is it possible to download these PDF's?"

Palpatine: "Not from Games Workshop."

Quote from: rytrasmi on April 11, 2023, 12:46:44 PM
I found these books very helpful. They are more directed to the mechanics of running a game than creating adventures or campaigns:

- Angry GM's book

- Venger's How to GM like a Fucking Boss

Thanks, hoss!  I just came out with a follow-up to that book, yesterday, in fact.  Here's a link to Advanced Game Mastering Like A Fucking Boss: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/434328/Advanced-Game-Mastering-Like-A-Fucking-Boss

Quote from: Palmer Eldritch on April 14, 2023, 06:32:38 AM

Quote from: rytrasmi on April 11, 2023, 12:46:44 PM
I found these books very helpful. They are more directed to the mechanics of running a game than creating adventures or campaigns:

- Angry GM's book

- Verner's How to GM like a Fucking Boss

+1 for the Angry GM. Even if you've been DMing forever, his advice on action resolution and structures is useful. I reread it every so often as a reminder not to slip into bad habits.

Angry is very good at putting into words stuff I already knew, but didn't realize I knew and was acting on.

And that is useful, because being able to put it into words and examine it helps you do it better.