David F Chapman

@autocratik

TTRPG Game designer (Vortex, Doctor Who, WILD, Conspiracy X 2.0, Buffy, Star Trek Adventures, The Laundry), writer, X-Phile, and WILD Dreamer www.autocratik.com he/him

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David F Chapman@autocratik· Jul 2

Every August, I try to get people talking in a positive way about tabletop roleplaying games with #RPGaDAY. We try to give everyone a bit of a head start in case you're planning a podcast or videos and such... so here are this year's prompts for #RPGaDAY2026. www.autocratik.com/2026/07/anno...

Torn calendar page for August 2026 with each day showing a single word prompt for the RPG a DAY challenge. You can find a plain text list of the prompts, as well as translations, here - https://www.autocratik.com/2026/07/announcing-rpgaday2026-in-august.html

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jun 23

Oh, I’d forgotten about that. This one?

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jun 23

So, it's getting near that time... anyone fancy doing #RPGaDAY again this year?

Temporary graphic for the initiative RPG a Day, in front of a drawing of a shelf of books.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jun 7

New blogpost about last weekend's UKGamesExpo - www.autocratik.com/2026/06/reco...

Photo of the banners above UK Games Expo advertising the RPG "Aegean"

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 26

Just a reminder - I'll be at #UKGE2026 at the weekend, wandering aimlessly and looking confused. If you see me, come and say 'hi', and forgive me if it takes a few minutes to process who you are... I don't get out much!

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 21

Today is my last day at Cubicle 7. What's next? I am not sure... You can find me here: autocratik.carrd.co I'll also be at UK Games Expo 2026, wandering the halls and looking confused. If you see me, say hi!!

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 11

I’m really not interesting enough.

Facebook “marked safe” meme with the words “marked safe from appearing on an AI slop site today”

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 9

If The X Files taught me anything…

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jan 6

Even worse, my wife makes 'dice graves' for the *really* bad dice. miserymakesshop.etsy.com (they should be on there soon)

Dice grave, matchbox sized, with interchangeable headstones.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jan 6

Struggled a bit with that for WILD, but had 1d6 to determine if it was Major/Minor (suit)/Court, then roll 2d6 for Major, reroll 6s (and reroll on some)... in the end, it did end up being easier to have a random card draw on the website. www.wildrpg.com

Tables for generating Tarot cards using d6s.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Dec 29

I know a lot of you have stopped looking at blogs because of all the AI slop, but no AI was used at all in producing my end-of-the-year review. I'll never use AI. www.autocratik.com/2025/12/this...

Some very old and battered copies of the original Star Frontiers RPG on a table.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Dec 17

Star Frontiers. I mean, that cover sold itself. I couldn't resist. Dude with shades, crashed spaceship, cool girl with a gun, flying monkey-bat thing. Hell yes.

Cover of the legendary TSR RPG from the 80s Star Frontiers, with a crashed space ship, a guy with massive sunglasses and a big gun, a girl with goggles and a pistol, and a flying bat-monkey thing with a gun. It's so darn cool.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Oct 26

Next in the series of blogposts of "every TTRPG I've ever played", looking at 41-50. www.autocratik.com/2025/10/side...

Cover of the RPG "Hard Wired Island", all cyberpunk and stuff with people standing on the roof of a futuristic landscape.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Oct 19

New blogpost continuing the look at every TTRPG I've played. This time, it's numbers 31-40... www.autocratik.com/2025/10/side...

Cover of the TTRPG Tales from the Loop by Free League, featuring four kids looking through the mist at the three cooling towers of the Loop facility.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Sep 29

Ooooh, I love the smell of printed matter in the morning. Smells like victory! #wyrdscience

David F Chapman@autocratik· Sep 5

We’re at @tabletopscot.bsky.social - come see us!!

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 27

I'll be at @tabletopscot.bsky.social in just over a week! Come and find me! I'll be helping @miserymakes.bsky.social on her stand, selling her gothy and nerdy wares, sharing a table with @stoogoff.com 's 'we_evolve'

Map of Tabletop Scotland's floorpan, marking V1-03 as the table we're at

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 17

I've been keeping up with #RPGaDAY2025, but haven't managed to do every day on time (catching up at the weekends). Due to being a bit late on a few days, I've collected the first half on my blog (days 1-16). Do excuse my art, I'm using it as motivation to get better. www.autocratik.com

The graphic for RPGaDAY - a book case of various prompts to inspire your posts throughout August.
Text Version of the Prompts

Daily Prompts

1) Patron

2) Prompt

3) Tavern

4) Message

5) Ancient

6) Motive

7) Journey

8) Explore

9) Inspire

10) Origin

11) Flavour

12) Path

13) Darkness

14) Mystery

15) Deceive

16) Overcome

17) Renew

18) Sign

19) Destiny

20) Enter

21) Unexpected

22) Ally

23) Recent

24) Reveal

25) Challenge

26) Nemesis

27) Tactic

28) Suspense

29) Connect

30) Experience

31) Reward

Question Prompts (roll D6)

1) Who

2) What

3) Where

4) When

5) Why

6) How

Mood Prompts (roll D10)

1) Envious

2) Nostalgic

3) Proud

4) Enthusiastic

5) Confident

6) Optimistic

7) Lucky

8) Grateful

9) Contemplative

10) Excited

Subject Prompts (roll D8)

1) Adventure

2) Character

3) Genre

4) Rule

5) Accessory

6) Art

7) Person

8) Lesson

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 9

Stop scrolling and post two characters who bring you joy and happiness

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 3

DAY THREE of #RPGaDAY2025 and it’s a crappy anniversary for me, so distracting myself with a TAVERN. A crappy drawing of a wonky tavern. Anyway, I’ll also be distracting myself by working a stall at a goth craft fair, but do join in with the RPG chat!

Drawing in a sketchbook of a pint of drink on a coaster, with the word Tavern written on it. Next to it is a battered paperback book titled RPGaDAY2025 and on the spine is the number 3.

Pen and inj doodle of a wonky tavern with a sign that is a picture of a tattered scroll.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 2

DAY TWO of #RPGaDAY2025 and the prompt for today is... well... PROMPT. You could take this multiple ways - what prompted you to play? What prompted your characters to take action? I took it a different direction and drew a Monitor Lizard who is making sure everyone is on time...

A drawing in a sketchbook of a book, whose title is RPGaDAY2025 with the words Day 2 and "Prompt" on it.

A drawing of an anthropomorphised monitor lizard, wearing a watch, checking the time, and making notes of who is late.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 1

Finally had chance to finish off my #RPGaDAY2025 post for PATRON. I had something in mind initially but this one got away from me…

Illustration of a mage who is an anthropomorphised cat person, holding a glowing staff and carrying a huge book.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Aug 1

It's DAY ONE of #RPGaDAY2025, and I foolishly decided to continue the theme of the graphic and draw all of my responses - I did one for today, I just haven't inked it yet (that'll be tonight), but wanted to make sure everyone knew it has kicked off - join in, today's prompt is PATRON.

Illustration of a book cover with the words #RPGaDAY2025 and Day 1: Patron written on it. The illustration is still in the sketchbook, and around it is a pen, pencil, and eraser.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jul 25

Ooooooh Star Frontiers. That cover is why I bought my first RPG, first game I GM'd...

The cover for Star Frontiers by Elmore - crashed space ship, cool dude with goggles, cooler girl with goggles, flying monkey alien, so darn cool.

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jul 7

Announcing #RPGaDAY2025 this August. www.autocratik.com/2025/07/anno...

Click the link in the post for the full description and plain text list of the prompts!

David F Chapman@autocratik· Jun 7

New blog post about our experiences at this year's UK Games Expo. Was it everything I'd hoped it would be? www.autocratik.com/2025/06/reco...

Debs (my lovely wife) at UK Games Expo with a couple of Ghostbusters and someone from starfleet.

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 27

What’s the cover art that got you started in the TTRPG hobby?

Larry Elmore’s amazing art from the cover of TSR’s Star Frontiers RPG. Crashed spaceship, cool dude with shades, hot girl, flying monkey alien… doesn’t get much better

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 26

It's #UKGamesExpo at the end of the week, and we're hoping to be there. I'll be wandering aimlessly or cowering in a corner somewhere, but if you want to, feel free to say hello. www.autocratik.com/2025/05/uk-g...

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 21

Just a quick blogpost - I know, it's not about RPGs, though the lore would make a cool setting, but I thought I'd write a little about the #twentyonepilots gig we went to last week (which was epic). www.autocratik.com/2025/05/my-t...

Stage at the Clancy Tour, with the screens saying "Clancy" over and over, with the city of Dema looming in front, while the band (Twenty One Pilots) play on the stage in front to a crowd.

David F Chapman@autocratik· May 20

I may be able to find out...