Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike) header
Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike) profile picture

3 Ennie Noms, 1 Win (Silver) for best RPG blog!, Writer of RPG games & articles, MIDI composer, lover of F1, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, and all-around nice (single) guy!

Sydney, Australia
Joined January 2011
Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)Photo by Mike Bourke (@gamewriterMike)
#New #RPG #DnD #Fantasy #SciFi Blog Post: The October 26 blog carnival asks. My offering is the Klein Wand - and that name either means everything or nothing to you! 978 Words. Read about it: The Klein Wand: October 2026 Blog Carnival wp.me/p1toiD-eoF
1
31
#New #RPG #DnD #Scifi #Universal Blog Post: Raw plot ideas can always be hard to translate into structured adventures, but this process is as straightforward and comprehensive as it gets. 6721 words. Plot Sequences: An Event-based view wp.me/p1toiD-eoW
1
43
#New (belated) #RPG Blog post: Back from stroke recovery, I offer a roundup of the submissions to the Sept 2026 Blog Carnival, my thoughts, and links. What's the backstory behind money in your campaign? 1128 words. Carnival Roundup: The Color Of Money wp.me/p1toiD-eor
129
Tim Curry AND Dolly Parton, both RIP at almost the same time. The world is truly a little darker today.
3
73
#New #RPG #DnD #SciFi Blog Post: The Anchor for the Sept 2026 Blog Carnival, which CM is hosting. The subject: using in-game Money for Worldbuilding. Plus bonus content for Sci-Fi GMs. 2825 words. The Face Of Money: Blog Carnival Sept 2026 wp.me/p1toiD-enD
63
#New #RPG #RealLife #Scifi Blog Post: A look at the fundamental concept of risk management leads to something that will profoundly influence ALL sci-fi societies. 6898 words. The Calculus Of Probability: Risk Management in Sci-Fi Societies wp.me/p1toiD-enr
93
#New #AI #Blog Post: Because the contributing AIs insisted, here is the unadulterated behind-the-scenes of writing last week's article. With bonus AI tips! 20372 words. Writing 'Getting The Most From AI 2026' wp.me/p1toiD-emL
79
#New #AI #Blog Post: AIs are tools that can be very useful if applied correctly. This post compiles expert tips on getting the most out of an AI collaboration. 17202 words. Getting The Most From AI - 2026 wp.me/p1toiD-emu
50
#New #Political #AIcontent #Blog Post: Midterms <100 days, so I offer two real-world analytic tools, also useful in any RPG with politics, all genres. 14750 words. Political Physics and Margins Of Error wp.me/p1toiD-elJ
53
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog Post: Relating the anatomy of a skill roll to the difference between learned technique and natural ability. All Genres. 680 words. The difference between Skill and Talent wp.me/p1toiD-elw
35
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog Post: When a plot problem threatens to derail your entire campaign, what do you do? I explore the choices... 2583 Words The Elephant In The Gray Room, Pt 5 of 5: Critical Repairs wp.me/p1toiD-elm
34
The article I just published takes my 2026 word tally over the 1,000,000 mark. For the whole of the last year, add 450,000 words to that. Will I set a personal record and top the 1.5 Million by the end of the year? Maybe....
2
2
51
#New #RPG #Dnd #Universal Blog Post: How to build your world using encounters. It's easier than it sounds! Any system, any genre (only the example is D&D/Pathfinder). 3528 words. Worldbuilding Through Encounters wp.me/p1toiD-elb
1
2
41
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog post for players and GMs alike: a trio of tips +1 (especially useful for beginners) about the conveying of character emotions. All genres, 1643 words. Tones Of Voice: 3(+1) emotional tips wp.me/p1toiD-ekW
1
27
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog Post: Game mechanics for discomfort that aren't dull and boring. Almost any game system, any genre. 1677 words. Shades Of Discomfort: Mechanics for Misery wp.me/p1toiD-ekQ
21
#New #RPG #DnD #Fantasy #SciFi Blog Post: a way to create unique original names on the fly, selecting for, and building in, cultural relevance as you go. 2324 words. Unique Cultural Markers: Names On The Fly wp.me/p1toiD-ekx
21
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog Post: Can you imagine an adventure that works with almost ANY campaign, ANY genre? Today, I offer one. 1165 words. When it's NOT time to Railroad wp.me/p1toiD-eks
23
#New #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog Post: Practical measures to improve the delivery of languages (real or alien) and accents at the game table. 8210 words. A Twist Of The Tongue: Accents and Foreign Languages wp.me/p1toiD-ekc
32
#new #RPG #DnD #Universal Blog post: Parallels exist between Perspectives in art and the way events are viewed in a RPG, leading to a lot of useful advice. 5706 words. Perspectives Of Plot wp.me/p1toiD-ek2
1
38
#New #RPG #Writing #Fantasy #Sci-Fi Blog Post: How to create and culturally integrate new technology in a more science-based RPG. 11937 words. Strange-tech Worldbuilding Dominoes Of Sloppy Thought Pt 1 wp.me/p1toiD-ej7
1
40