WJ MacGuffin

Online Nickname: WJ MacGuffin

Introduction 

Hi there! I’m WJ, and I’ve been playing RPGs since the Holmes edition of D&D. (Yep, got old without realizing it.) I’ve also been a freelance game designer for 16+ years and have worked for Mongoose, Atlas, Cubicle 7, and more. With both combined, I have a ton of experience as a player, DM/GM, game designer, and publisher. This will help with judging because I know how the sausage gets made (is that still a clever reference?) by seeing gaming from different perspectives, and I know the difference between “That bit of design doesn’t work unfortunately” and “That bit of design works great but I don’t like it.”

Why do you play/run RPGs?

I love RPGs for several reasons. First, I love sitting around and talking with friends (even brand-new friends at cons), and RPGs facilitate just that. Second, stories have always been important to me in any media. and it’s utterly amazing to watch as a story emerges organically from gameplay. Lastly, I am fascinated on how rules/mechanics generate specific experiences while playing. There are many initiative mechanics out there, but the one used in Doctor Who AITAS helps people feel like they’re really in an episode.

The ENNIES requires a major commitment of time and energy. What resources do you have that will help you discharge these responsibilities? Will your gaming group or other individuals be assisting you? Does your family support you?

Like many people these days, I work from home and have a dedicated, private office space with modern tech. My wife is a huge gamer and has dabbled in game design, so she would be my go-to for advice, sound boarding (very different form water boarding, I promise), and support. (She has literally cooked dinner so I could spend more time writing.) As for a gaming group or others, that all depends on how y’all handle privacy and NDA-level stuff. If I can share, I would absolutely have short discussions before each semi-monthly game to get other ideas.

Judging requires a great deal of critical thinking skills, communication with other judges, deadline management, organization, and storage space for the product received. What interests, experience, and skills do you bring that will make you a more effective judge?

I’ve worked for many years as a project manager. That means I have training and experience in managing deadlines, workflows, communications, and so on. In addition, I know how to set milestones, track progress, and keep things moving forward. Prior to that I worked as a teacher and then principal, meaning I understand how to communicate politely but clearly.

As I said above, I’ve been playing RPGs for almost 40 years by now and I’m one of those gamers who feels compelled to try new games, mechanics, and settings. I would be a more effective judge because I know how to get things done and have experience playing more RPGs than I can list.

What styles and genres of RPGs do you enjoy most? Are there any styles or genres that you do not enjoy? Which games best exemplify what you like? Do you consider yourself a fan of a particular system, publisher, or genre?

These days, I really enjoy games that try something different. I’ve played D&D for decades, so while I’m always up for a 5E session, I’d prefer something with different takes on initiative, damage, or setting concepts. For settings, I lean towards sci-fi and horror, but it’s not like I’m turning down chances to play fantasy, western, steampunk, or what have you. To me, the rules and people you play with are more important.

Here’s an old example: Underground. It combines Tarantino-level gun violence with science fiction, Vietnam War analogies, superheroes, neurodiversity, and critiques of free market capitalism. Where are you going to find all of that in one RPG? Similarity, Thirsty Sword Lesbians is an amazing game because 1) it treats queer characters as regular people and 2) the conflict is much less combat and more about navigating friendships and romantic entanglements. (It’s hard to do romance right in a tabletop RPG, and this one does it.)

I will always be a Paranoia fanboy! I love it because it’s one of the only games I’ve ever read that told the GM, “You can fudge rolls or rules if that makes the game better for the players.” It puts people first, and I think that’s the way it should always be.

List (up to 5) games you’ve played in the last 2 years. What drew you to playing them? Which did you like best and why?

Paranoia Perfect Edition: I write for it, so I do a ton of playtesting. That said, I enjoying playing just for fun and my friends often ask for sessions, so this is my go-to RPG. I really enjoy how it turns RPG tropes on their head and encourages entertainment over blindly following rules.

Thirsty Sword Lesbians: Beyond the cool setting concepts, I really enjoyed how conflict here didn’t mean combat. We focused more on relationships and emotions, which made for some great queer scenes. PtbA is a fun system too, and it worked really well for these kind of stories.

D&D 5E: I visit my FLGS and play 5E with other folks. Sure, I’ve played D&D A LOT over the years, but 5E remains a solid game and I won’t hate on it just because it’s ubiquitous. I try to use less combat and more roleplaying, but there’s something undeniably fun about planning combats in this game.

Mork Borg: I bought it due to the hype, but besides having a gorgeous interior, the rules are clean and work well. It was fun going from 5E (which has a ton of rules and content) to Mork Borg and its minimalism.

Fiasco: I know it’s been around for a while, but it’s still great as a pick-up game with little to no prep. Plus, all those different settings means you can play session after session and never get bored. I can enjoy crunchy games, but I mostly enjoy the act of roleplaying a character—and this game does that in spades.

Have you been a game master in the past 2 years? If yes, what games have you run? What made you decide to run those games?

Except for playing 5E at my FLGS, I am always the GM. Games I’ve run include D&D, Paranoia, Deadlands, Thirsty Sword Lesbians, Fiasco, Mork Borg, Call of Cthulhu, Hot War, Misspent Youth (such an underrated game!), Dogs in the Vineyard, and much more. If I want to play and there is no game running, I step up and make one happen.

I love being the GM because 1) I get to support my friends and help them have a great time and 2) I love the challenge of improv as a GM. (I’m the kind of person who loves visiting other people’s parties but feel a little more comfy throwing my own.)

Summarize the criteria you would use to determine if a game deserves to be nominated for Best Game.

To me, a Best Game nominee should excel in: creative ideas, clear and compelling writing, relevant and good artwork, solid layout choices, rule choices, and overall approach to the setting. A game that’s essentially D&D but with worse artwork and slightly different grappling rules wouldn’t qualify.

I’d likely pay attention to sales figures to spot possible Best Game candidates, but I know popularity does not always mean quality. Lastly, it would also have to be a complete game and not a supplement or something because it wouldn’t qualify.

How will you judge supplements or adventures for game systems whose core rules you are unfamiliar with or you believe are badly designed?

I start by reading the rules and playing the game. I might not create a full four-hour game session, but between solo play and a very patient wife, I can run quick tests on how the rules work in reality. While there can be clearly, objectively bad design choices (like the “quick and fast” combat mechanic that had 27 separate steps that must be done each turn), I prefer to see them in action before judging.

One other thing: I know there’s a difference between “Ugh, that rule simply doesn’t work” and “Ugh, I hate that rule so it must be bad”. I can look at a rule I personally dislike and still say it’s well-designed and does what it’s supposed to do.

How would you like to see the ENNIEs change? What should remain inviolate?

This might sound surprising, but I’d like to see more outreach and marketing. Each year, I don’t realize the ENNIES are happening right then and there, so I miss out on stuff. I get a list of winners off social media… and that’s about it until next year. I’d love to see these awards become more famous and well-known. Besides, it always highlights some amazing games I wouldn’t hear about otherwise!