AMA with Monte Cook (Numenera, D&D, Monte Cook Games, Malhavoc Press)

[Monte At Home]

Hey, Monte!

I would like to ask about a specific project that just recently finished up: The Grande Temple of Jing. There are many of the "heavyweights" of D&D that became part of that book, including you, Jonathan Tweet, Ed Greenwood, and Skip Williams. How did that come together?

The guy behind that was Danny O'Neil. He knew all of us and contacted us. For me, it sounded fun, happened to fit into my schedule, and paid well, so I said yes. It was a long time in the making, though. I think I wrote my small part probably... 3 years ago? Maybe 2 years ago. A while, though. It's big and it must have been a lot of work to put it all together.

 

[Monte At Home]

Hi Monte, I'm going to ask the question that I know all creative type (and Stephen King in particular) hates.

Where do you get your ideas? I don't mean how do they pop into your head, but more along the lines of all the little tidbits. For Numenera you have all these little weird happenings, and rumours for each area of the world. They are unique and creative. But even more-so, you have written a ton of material for Numenera and contributed a lot to The Strange, and No Thank You, Evil as well. All in three years. How do you keep that pace?

I never know how to answer that question. The truth is probably, that's just the way my mind works--lots of weird little ideas. It probably helps that ideas are what I value most in what I write, what I read, what I watch, and so on. Probably like a professional chef's relationship with food.

 

[Monte At Home]

Hello! I'm a big fan of your work, especially Numenera.

Questions:
1. I'm a big fan of the stripped-down design of the monsters of Numenera where they seem to only have the minimal number of necessary pieces to work as monsters. Can you explain a little of the design philosophy behind that decision?

2. Another Numenera question. What made you choose to set characters on various advancement paths rather than go with a "choose off a list" style that is common in games like DnD?

3. I apologize if this is a rude question, but how much money do game designers at WotC make? Did making your own game company turn out to be the better option financially? Is licensing a tabletop game to a video-game a good way to offset the diminishing sales of tabletop products?

4. As a designer, did you find it restricting to work with the "sacred cow" mechanics of DnD like +1 swords that seem a little archaic now?

Thanks for your time!

1. First and foremost, I wanted Numenera (the Cypher System) to be low GM prep and yet really encourage GM's to create their own stuff. The way to do that, it seemed to me, was to create a system where the mechanical elements were very simple, and thus the GM could focus on the ideas behind the creature or NPC. That meant having a few elements (in this case level) carry a lot of weight but also to allow for an infinite number of exceptions. Thus, this creature is level 5, but level 3 for defense because its big and slow, and level 6 for interactions because it's quite charming. Or whatever.

2. Simplicity. There's still some choice involved at each tier, but the game helps you direct yourself on a thematic path at the same time (mostly through the focus you choose). That said, it's all so simple and straightforward that you can mix and match as you want to, sub in other abilities, or whatever. This is discussed in the optional rules chapter.

3. I haven't worked there for quite some time, but as my friend Bruce Cordell said recently in a podcast, enough to live a very comfortable middle-class lifestyle, even in Seattle, which is a very expensive city. However, when I left WotC in 2001 to create Malhavoc Press, this was a good choice financially, and even though they paid me as a contractor in 2012 much more than they did as a designer in 2001, when I left and created Monte Cook Games, this was also a step up financially. Particularly because of the license to do the video game, but that was really sort of icing on the cake in that regard. But honestly, how much money I make is far less important to me than the work I get to do and the environment in which I get to do it. I would never have gone back the second time if it weren't for the fact that D&D meant so much to me on a really fundamental level.

4. No. I love D&D and all its core elements.

 

[Monte At Home]

I was inspired by your weigth loss a few years back and actually got my weigth down by 50 pounds. I've been able to maintain it, but never able to shake more pounds.

How much weigth did you loose?
What advice do you have for somebody that struggles with motivation?
I think you were a consultant on an activity tracker a few years ago. What happened to that?

I'm glad you were inspired. I lost about 50 pounds about 4-5 years ago. Although I'll be honest, I'm struggling right now because I've gained a bit of that back just due to working too much (for me, working means sitting on my butt, so that makes it hard).

I think realistic goals are the key. Don't strive to lose 50 pounds, strive to lose 5. And then when you do, celebrate that achievement and go for another 5.

I am still on the advisory board for a program called FIX, which has a game called Utilifit which is great for encouraging daily physical activity. http://www.fix-fit.com/

 

[Monte At Home]

You mentioned liking progressive rock/prog metal in an earlier post, and specifically cited Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard, and Yes in the Ptolus core. What other bands in that genre do you like?

Off the top of my head, Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, ELP, Transatlantic, Rush, Pink Floyd... there are probably others.

 

[Monte At Home]

Hi! Longtime fan, we actually met back at GenCon 2000 and discussed the DMG a bit, but you probably don't remember. Dave Noonan heckled my platypus at the psionics seminar, that would probably be the most memorable thing involving me.

1. I have a highly ambitious RPG most of the way to being designed/written, with some (but not nearly enough) art and graphics, which I'll eventually Kickstart. I discussed it and showed some of the art to Charles, Tammie, and Stan! at your GAMA booth in 2014 and they were very encouraging. Is there any way you'd be interested in giving feedback on this sort of thing, and if so, what would be the best way to facilitate that?

(My current financial means don't allow for much con-going. Had I been at GenCon, I'd have approached you in person about this.)

2. For an unknown in the early stages of trying to publicize a project like this, what's the best way to get my - or more importantly, the game's - name out there?

3. You mentioned earlier that editors are in greater demand than writers or designers. What's a good way to get into that? Any particular companies you'd recommend approaching? Would there be any chance of helping out MCG with a small project such as a Glimmer, or does Shanna pretty much have that covered for you?

1. I'm afraid I have almost no time to devote to serious consultation. I'm sorry. I do wish you luck! And if you have specific questions, well, I'm doing this AMA through this Friday.

2. Give away stuff for free. Write blog posts that get read and shared by a lot of people. Work on something for someone else and do such a good job that people take notice.

3. Develop an editing portfolio of stuff you've edited, and query companies you want to work with, offering to submit your samples to show your skills. People want editors, but they need to know you can do good work. If you get work, (with permission) use your employers as references so the next employer knows you're good to work with. Monte Cook Games is not currently looking for freelance editing work, but it's good that you asked. Just because we're covered doesn't mean others don't need your skills.

 

[Monte At Home]

Hi Monte,

After weeks of being green with envy watching Americans open their new Reliquary box, mine finally turned up in Melbourne, Australia - and boy, was it worth the wait! And speaking of the weight...

I guess what struck me most was how it simultaneously made me nostalgic for the old boxed campaign settings of the 90s, whilst being completely innovative with its presentation and communication of information. Is there any chance we'll be seeing a Reliquary for another product - say The Strange or No Thank You, Evil?

I have a group of friends that have never played an RPG in their lives - and I want to run a session of Numenera for them! How would you go about running a session for people that have never played an RPG before?

You've mentioned in the past that Planescape ended a little more abruptly than you had expected, and you would have liked the opportunity to reunite the Factions after the Faction War. Can you elaborate on what that story might have been?

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

1. Never say never! We have no current plans, but a box like that for The Strange could happen if people wanted it.

2. What I'd do is premake characters for them (use the pretty pregens in the box you just got). The best way to jump in for the first time is by playing, not by making a character. Don't load them up with lots of setting details. Give them the general ideas and the sort of mood of it all. The rest will come later. As much as possible, teach them the game rules as you go along instead of all up front. Learning by doing is much better than learning by listening. And don't make the first session long. Just enough to give them an idea of what it's all about. Hopefully, they'll come back eager for more later.

3. Too much time has passed to remember those details, I'm afraid, but the general idea is that the Factions would come back and restore peace in Sigil, but because they will have made compromises, alliances, and so on, they would have changed. Some would have combined with others while others would have split off into two. A shake up, but one that would have put things mostly back together again, just in a different way.

 

[Monte At Home]

That's it for today!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Dark Kain]

What are the chances for a fractal all about of the Estate?
Worlds numberless and strange was great and developed well pretty much the entire "Strangeverse"... except for the Estate.

 

[DragonMasterDean]

Luckily I was able to find a hard copy on Ebay and bought it. Didn't get a chance to run it in 2e but it sure is giving the players attacks of shock and awe. I am hoping Ghostwalk will translate to 5e with as much fun. Thank you again for all that you have contributed to D&D. Wouldn't need another player for your OD&D? And thank you for taking the time to answer as well.