Welcome to Roadworthy! This is a chance to show off a Road Crew Judge and allow them to share their experience and wisdom. We provide these profiles to help provide insight into their personality and style, and maybe give up-and-coming Judges some advice on improving their game.
The Road Crew theme for 2018 is Strange New Worlds! Head out and find unique places to run games for willing participants. Do something that makes us take notice! Who knows, maybe we’ll put you up on our website. Jump on into the Road Crew program for your chance!
This time we go to the northern wilds of Indiana to meet Judge David “Sluggo” Shaefer!
Roadworthy: Judge David “Sluggo” Shaefer
What’s your name, where do you live (and game), and how would you describe yourself?
I’m David Shaefer, I live in Elkhart, Indiana (so far north, if I sneezed hard enough I’d be in Michigan), and I describe myself a neurotic worrier about details in DCC adventures. Why is the adventure happening here? Why are there people and things in this area? How does the geography contribute? Like I said, neurotic.
How did you first discover DCC?
My son wanted some comic books, so we headed down to Secret Door Games. I saw their role-playing games and mentioned them to Mandy (the manager), who then started telling me about DCC, adventuring like it’s 1974, and that (formerly profiled) Judge Joan Troyer ran a game. We decided to give it a go, and here we are now. Her group got a bit unwieldy in size, so we split it up into three games!
As of “right now,” how many Road Crew games have you run in 2017? Or 2018?
I didn’t run any games in 2017. Our game split was effective this winter. I’ve run all of four games in 2018, all home-brewed. We’re having fun, though, despite my shortcomings. I’m learning a lot in a hurry.
What’s your favorite Road Crew game experience so far?
My first game, “Gnashgnab’s Gauntlet” was a lot of fun because it was a one-off and was written with some serious encounters and some silliness as well. However, in “The Scuttling Swarm of the Sands” when an explosion sent guards and players flying through the air, one of the players at the table (btw, all my current players are 12 years old) said, “It’s Raining Men!” Possible quote of the year stuff there.
Tell us where you run your Road Crew games.
I run my Road Crew games at Secret Door Games, 215 Main Street, Elkhart, IN 46516. We’ve been running every other Saturday night, but we’re going to switch to every other Friday night because Saturdays are getting so popular there that it’s hard to find a table! Pretty great place to run games, and I think it’s pretty impressive that there are three different DCC games being run there. I think that says a great deal about Secret Door’s promotion of DCC!
What advice would you give to other Road Crew judges?
I heartily recommend writing your own material. The creative outlet is very satisfying to me. Appendix N is a great place to start, although I try to take cues from tv, movies, news, and casual conversations to guide me in my ideas for adventures. Remember to make sure to put some silliness in adventures, and HAVE FUN. If you’re not having fun, why are you doing it?
