Today we hear from Tom Nelson AKA MIDWEST MINIATURE GUY. You can find him here:
www.facebook.com/midwestminiatureguy
www.twitch.tv/midwestminiatureguy
Twitter @MidwestMiniGuy
Instagram @MidwestMiniGuy
Let’s see what he has to say!
Stuff You Do:
I’m a mini painter for gamers & collectors. I’ve been playing ttrpgs since 1990 and gming since 92. I’ve been painting minis for 24, and doing it professionally for 13. I’ve done work for Luke and Ernest Gygax, Tim Kask (writer for TSR), Alyssa Faden (Cartographer for Frog God Games), Zack Glazar (Lesser Gnome Games), and I was the lead studio painter3for Center Stage Miniatures until they went out of business. Im also the drummer for the Serfs, an Irish Pub rock band based in Minneapolis, MN. I’ve been married 23 almost 24 years, with a 23 year old daughter who’s engaged!
Do you prefer GMing or Playing, and why?
I like doing both really. For me it’s two different aspects of storytelling. If I’m the player, it’s trying to figure out the DM/GMs plans. Where are they wanting the story to go, who’s the real BBEG, and what are their motives? As a DM I like sandbox/West Marches kinda storytelling. What are the players backgrounds? How can I weave those into the world? What’s MY BBEGs motivations and why? Combat is secondary to anything else.
What other hobbies are you interested in?
I listen to a lot of music. Play drums, read, and drawing. Outside stuff, love to go fishing, and just day or weekend trips around our state.
What advice do you give to players looking to try TTRPGs?
Pick something that interests you, read the book, and play it! Have fun. It’s just a game!
Favorite non-mainstream ttrpg system?
Nightlife. A small publisher put it out years ago. You play as monsters in a gang in New York city in the late 1970s. Think the movie The Warriors but your a ghost or other classic monster.
What do you think is absolutely essential in creating a safe space for all in a TTRPG game?
Talk to your players. Find out what they want out of the game. Make them aware the style and type of game you’re wanting to run, and make sure they’re all comfortable with that.
