We might be focusing on different parts of the DMG. The parts I focused on and remember well are the parts that have nothing to do with D&D. Take Chapter 4: Creating NPCs. The first half of it is about fleshing out memorable characters quickly, which is a skill useful for any tabletop game (or just general fiction writing). It advises you to flesh out occupation & history, appearance, abilities, talent, mannerism, interactions with others, useful knowledge, ideals, bonds, flaws and secrets, with sections of examples and tables for quick generation, as well as advice for what to focus on really quickly. Most of the rest of the chapter is the same for villains, with little D&D-specific bits filling the remainder.

Or the play style section in chapter 1, which is about how different people play for different reasons, and you should get to know whether which of your players are looking for hack and slash, versus immersive storytelling. That's even more important in other kinds of games than it is in D&D!

I haven't actually played D&D in a long time, but it's been very useful for me in other very different kinds of games, and even fiction writing. I'd recommend you take another look.

I think you may be half-right. I don't recollect the guidance on fleshing out NPCs quickly, so that's definitely something I should revisit.

> Or the play style section in chapter 1, which is about how different people play for different reasons, and you should get to know whether which of your players are looking for hack and slash, versus immersive storytelling. That's even more important in other kinds of games than it is in D&D!

I think other kinds of games these days take for granted, "this is what this game is about - you and your group should be on board for this style of play and, if not, you should definitely play a game that is suited to your tastes." Trying to use one RPG mechanical chassis for wildly disparate gaming styles is definitely part of what I think of as "classic D&D".

Agreed. There's tabletop outside of D&D and Adventure fantasy. Don't get me wrong: the genre is popular for a reason. Still, it's nice to give other worlds a try. One of my friends occasionally GMs a system of his own creation, which is pretty fun.

One example I'll shill is Erika Chappell's recent Flying Circus, which is about being a mercenary pilot in a postapocalyptic, Ghibli-esque world. It's quite good, and if I remember correctly, an airplane designer helped with a couple bits of the design.

https://opensketch.itch.io/flying-circus https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/310013

I kept overlooking that game because, admittedly, I found the title highly underwhelming. But that sounds super-cool - I'll check it out! Thank you!