| XDM: X-treme Dungeon Mastery | |
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XDM: X-treme Dungeon Mastery |
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| Author(s) | Tracy Hickman & Curtis Hickman |
| Cover artist | Howard Tayler |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing game |
| Publisher | Tayler Publishing (US) |
| Publication date | August 15, 2009 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 160 |
| ISBN | 9780977907465 (US) |
XDM: X-treme Dungeon Mastery is a role-playing game book by American writers Tracy Hickman and Curtis Hickman. It is illustrated by Howard Tayler.
Purporting to be the work of a 'secret society' of extreme game players, the book both casts a satirical eye on role-playing games and offers practical application advice on improving the design and play of role-playing games. It includes its own complete role-playing game system as well.
Contents |
In the spring of 2009, Tracy Hickman met Howard Tayler at the Life, the Universe and Everything Symposium (LTUE) at Brigham Young University. Tracy and his son Curtis had been working on a book about radical game techniques for over three years but had been unable to secure a game publisher for their work. After discussions with Howard Tayler and his wife and publishing partner Sandra Tayler, it was determined that the book could be produced through Tayler's own publishing imprint. Due to the requirements of having the book ready for release by the following August, both the writers and Howard, as the artist for the project, launched into producing both the art and a viable text within the space of two months. The deadlines were made and the book was produced and delivered on time for its release at the Gen Con Convention held in August of that same year.
The book is written as though from the humorous perspective of a 'secret society' of game masters passing on 'ancient secrets' of role-playing games beginning in Babylonian times and extending to the present. Within the satire, the text offers advice on performance techniques, adventure game design and classical story structures.