Author: Spencer

Wisps of Time is the intersection of my passions for games, family, writing, and the web — a place where I can explore these topics for my own enjoyment and share them with you. When it comes to our interests, it’s not about “having” time, it’s about making time. I hope I can help you to make time for these things in your life, too.

Rolling Solo – Chapter 1: Beginnings

Spencer 2017-09-01 46406 2 Comments
Resources

So, I’m going to try playing a pen & paper role-playing game by myself. Crazy, right? You need a Game Master (GM) and at least one player — probably more, to make it interesting — don’t you? Otherwise, it’s silly talk?! Apparently not! What is Solo Role-playing? With a little help, one person can fulfill both the player(s)’s and GM’s roles for most any role-playing game! How is this possible?!, you ask. Some of your duties as GM simply get outsourced — to chance. You relinquish control of certain outcomes and the answers to certain questions, just as you would playing…

Hero Kids Compatible Game Master Screen

Hero Kids Compatible Game Master Screen
Spencer 2017-08-09 14174 Comments Off on Hero Kids Compatible Game Master Screen
Family Gaming

Hey everyone! As you may well know, I play the Hero Kids role-playing game frequently with my “elder” two kids, ages 3 and 4. I’ve also used it with great success while learning the ropes for solitaire play — I already knew the rules, so it was super easy to let them fade into the background while I focused on writing, asking questions, and generating random elements. Stay tuned for more posts detailing my experiences with both styles of play sessions. Meanwhile, you can be playing with these freebies! Hero Kids Compatible Game Master Screen In the course of such events,…

My First Time Roleplaying with the Kids

Follow that Rabbit!
Spencer 2017-08-05 4603 Comments Off on My First Time Roleplaying with the Kids
Family Gaming

I’ve mentioned several times now how I came to find myself reinvested in tabletop games as a working adult after not having played for nearly two decades. It all started because of my eldest two children, who I’ll call Sarah (girl, age 4 and three quarters-ish) and James (boy, aged 3 and a half-ish). We sat around James’ train table, playing with wooden trains and My Little Pony characters, interrupted only by the occasional bout of interference from a roaming space ranger or tyrannosaurus. I was essentially leading them in their play, and they would ask questions or respond in…

Prologue, or Something Like That

Dice Pool
Spencer 2017-07-29 4605 Comments Off on Prologue, or Something Like That
Family Gaming

ometime around age 10 or 11, I was turned on to my first Fantasy novels by some friends. DragonLance — The Legend of Huma, by Richard A. Knaak, to be exact — was my introduction to the genre, so that setting became my bread and butter and I soon devoured nearly every title under that banner, though RavenLoft, Forgotten Realms, and even the odd Greyhawk, Spelljammer, or Dark Sun paperback crept its way into my hands. Published by TSR, Inc. (you know, those D&D people before Wizards of the Coast), the DragonLance novels were commissioned to help realize the world and…

Family and Solitaire Tabletop Gaming

Wisps of Time
Spencer 2017-07-24 3196 Comments Off on Family and Solitaire Tabletop Gaming
Family Gaming

  o any of those sound like you? I can certainly identify with all three, and that’s why I created this website. We all know that moments are precious and time is fleeting. The responsibilities, passions, and mishaps of life are constantly vying for our attention. If you’re a working professional, perhaps your free time is limited by your schedule. If you’re a parent, too, then you may laugh at the idea of having time for yourself, but you wouldn’t wish away one second of quality time with your children. If you love tabletop games, but struggle with the social…

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