Back Burner Games

22/07/2024

I wasn't gonna watch the final Deadpool trailer, I said to myself.
I wasn't gonna watch it.
I didn't want anything to get spoiled.

I wasn't gonna watch it.

I watched it.
Shoot.
I should have waited.

11/06/2024

ATTENTION BRIDES & GROOMS!!
You can now GUARANTEE the DJ you want!
( . . . pssst . . . it might even be me!)

At Complete Weddings + Events St. Louis, we now have a Premium DJ package that allows you to select which Premium DJ you would like for your event. For an additional fee, our Premium DJ package **guarantees** you one of our Premium DJs for your event! This means that if you want to book Zack "Attack" Lorton for your wedding or other event, you can, so long as I'm not already booked!

With our Signature DJ service, you don't get that guarantee. Yes, you can request a DJ, and it's usually first come, first served, but there's always a chance they could be out of town, or assigned to a different event, or end up training another DJ, etc.

But now that we have a PREMIUM package available, you can ask for—AND GET—the DJ you want for your event (availability pending).

I've been with Complete since 2005, and I've got over 1,000 events under my belt as a DJ with Complete. Plus, with my background in theatrical, improv comedy, and music performance, you have a professionally minded performer with a knack for fun and interaction in your corner that can help you realize the wedding reception of your dreams (or other party, if you like).

I am booked through a great deal of 2024, and I only do Friday events for Premium clients. A few dates in 2025 have already been snatched up. So if you're looking for a DJ for your event, don't wait!

Book the best TODAY!
Hire Zach Lorton with Complete Weddings + Events by calling 314-991-5656.
Serving Metro St. Louis, the Metro East, Central & Southeast Missouri, and Central & Southern Illinois.

Entertain your next corporate event, wedding, school dance, and more with the best DJs in St. Louis from Complete Weddings + Events.

01/06/2024

Guys, tonight (Friday) is the LAST NIGHT to get discount tickets using promo code "ABBY24" for this show I'm in next week in support of Abby Stahlschmidt for the release of her new EP!
Tickets go up to regular price on Saturday.

Come check it at The Sheldon in St. Louis this Wednesday night!

Scan the QR code to get tickets, or got to MetroTix.com and enter the promo code by clicking at the top of the page.

25/05/2024

Man, it's been a while since I've designed or written an RPG scenario. But with Fear The Con coming up in St. Louis in June, it seemed a perfect opportunity to combine two of my favorite things—RPGs and the one and only "Weird Al" Yankovic. And today, I spent some time developing some characters and defining elements that will go into the scenario I'm writing. I guess we'll see how this thing develops.

08/04/2024

28/02/2024

I was given some gift cards to Miniature Market not long ago, so I took advantage of them.
Twilight Imperium 4 and Brass: Birmingham are now in collection. Time to cull a few titles.

09/02/2024

I'm listening to '80s metal.
I'm wearing a shirt with the aesthetics of both Tron AND Voltron.
I'm digging quarters out of our change jar that we can use at the arcade today.
No, it's not 1984.
But it IS a great time to relive the best things about the '80s.

26/12/2023

Christmas #2 with my wife's family—TACO TUESDAY!!

24/10/2023

And a very happy birthday to one "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The real one.

11/07/2023

20 years.

20 years ago, I made a promise to be faithful to you, to love you in every circumstance, and to support you in everything important to you.

20 years ago, we pledged our love and devotion to each other over all others.

20 years ago, we had no idea what time would bring, but we dove in headfirst, and decided we'd rather find out together than apart.

This morning, I woke up more grateful than ever that we did what we did 20 years ago.

You're my favorite.
Happy anniversary, my love.

07/07/2023

I got Hunted: Wode Ridge to the table this week in a couple games. The card activation mechanic is really interesting, and not like what I've seen in too many other games. As I was approaching the final boss, The Chupacabra, my energy dice were running low, so I had to recharge them and risk having my life cut down. The adventure book, the part that I contributed to, adds some thematic flavor to the game, and when Trouble comes up, it's stressful. Flipping the deck is a BRILLIANT way to add variety and replayability to the game, and helped to ratchet up the tension. Highly recommend for solo players and 2 players!

04/07/2023

So Grey Gnome Games ran a crowd sale on The Game Crafter and I got in on the action for DustRunner, a post-apocalyptic solo race game. The artwork and graphic design is what drew me to this one, as well as the fact that I was able to snag this for under $13.00, thanks to over 1,000 other gamers that jumped onto the spiked chrome bandwagon.

29/06/2023

IT HAS ARRIVED! The first published game for which I was a contributing writer has finally arrived. Hunted: Wode Ridge is the 3rd game in the 1-2 player Hunted series, designed by Gabe Barrett of the Board Game Design Lab Community Board Game Design podcast. This might hit the table at tonight's game night, or I may wait until next week so that I can better teach someone how to play.

19/06/2023

This past weekend, I spent three days telling stories through tabletop RPGs (like Dungeons & Dragons, but different, and in some cases, better). Some of the stories felt cinematic in scope, and they reminded me of going to the movies. One conversation I had at dinner was even about some of our favorite movies.

And at times over the weekend, I was reminded of my dad.

My dad enjoyed taking us to see movies. We'd often go as a family to a rush hour show (remember those?) to save money, and the theater would always be packed. Some of the best memories I have of hanging out with my dad was watching a movie, whether in the theater or at home.

There were times that just my dad and I went to see something on the big screen. Apollo 13. Robocop 2, which was terrible. Rambo III. As I grew older and got married, I would watch a movie and immediately know whether or not my dad would like it, so I always made sure to tell him which ones to track down.

When he was sick, the last movie I took him to see was Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At one point, he leaned over to me and said, "I feel like it's 1977, and I'm watching the first movie for the first time."

My dad wasn't really big on telling stories himself, at least not to me, but his love for the movies and the stories they could tell rubbed off on me so much that the idea of creating stories became part of my world. I didn't realize just how much until 2014, when I played my first RPG, and now, I make RPGs for people to help create their own stories with friends and family.

I learned a lot from my dad, but that one thing really stood out to me this weekend. I didn't want to let this Father's Day pass without marking it.

Watching movies with my dad may have been a little thing, but it brought us together. You never know when a little thing will turn into something you treasure.

Like Mikey Mason sings, celebrate the things you love before they go away. Because one day, they might.

Thanks, Dad.
We miss you down here.

01/02/2023

I'm happy to be running 3 games of my own design at Winter War Gaming Convention this weekend in Champaign, IL. I've got 1 slot with open seats on Friday at 2 pm, and one 1 slot with open seats Saturday morning at 9 am.

Come on out if you can! Registration is only $15 for the weekend, and $2 per event.

Go to www.winterwar.org for details.

Winter War is the Midwest's longest cosecutively running independant gaming convention. We are a game-centric, no frills convention focussed on providing the maximum gaming experience possible.

22/01/2023

Man, it's been a long time since I've provided anyone with any updates.

I'll be at Winter War Gaming Convention in Champaign, IL February 3-5 to run some of my games, and of the 5 game slots I'm hosting, 3 are already filled up!

If you want to get in on one of the other 2 slots, register for Winter War now! It's inexpensive, and you'll have a great time!

Winter War is the Midwest's longest cosecutively running independant gaming convention. We are a game-centric, no frills convention focussed on providing the maximum gaming experience possible.

28/10/2022

I'm fairly certain will appreciate this ... a Kickstarter I passed on a few years back, but always wanted to snag, TREASURE MOUNTAIN and its expansion, Caverns of Gandûm, now has a dwarf-friendly home at my table. Worker placement and tile laying combine as you and your dwarf companions dig deep into the mountain to build mones, find gems, and avoid dragons. Excited to get this one to the table!

24/10/2022

02/10/2022

What are your values? Your church, business, or organization should know what your values are in order to be effective.

27/07/2022

I don't post much about my RPG content, but in celebration of Gary Gygax Day, I'd like to remind everyone that I'm an game designer and RPG content creator. You can find some of my stuff on BuyMeACoffee.com/backburnergames, where you can purchase exclusive bundles or offer your support by buying me a coffee. Anything you give will be rewarded with genuine RPG content! Gather some friends and play, tell a story, and watch what happens!

09/07/2022

New (used) stuff! SwordCrafters from and Last Night On Earth from came in from . . . thank you!

02/07/2022

My day so far at ... a a family band called Destroy Nate Allen, Michael Meyers, and Narrow/Arrow. Undercover and .clayton.official later tonight...oh yeah, and one of the vendors is selling board games, among other things. Go figure.

19/06/2022

It's going down at Mighty Con.

19/06/2022

I'm hanging out at Mighty Con, the St. Louis Comic-Con at the St. Charles Convention Center today, running some RPG demos. Great artists and autjors have their stuff for sale, and you might catch Skeletor playing the RPG Rest In Pieces with me. Come by before 5!

17/06/2022

I'm running a couple of my designs at Fear the Con this weekend. So good to be back in the same room as these amazing people again for the first time in way, way too long.

If you're in the STL, come the the Drury Inn and Suites St. Louis Brentwood today and tomorrow. Games have been set, but walk-ins and pickup games are welcome. Plus, it's FREE!

I'm working a gig today, but will be there on Saturday, and there's still available space is my 9am game if you want to check it out.

11/06/2022

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

30/05/2022

When we think we have it down,
when we feel like we're on the right track,
we need to ask ourselves
"Is what I'm doing pleasing to God? Does it honor Him? Does it follow His word?"
If we can't answer that with a resounding "yes" backed up by scripture, then we might be acting outside of His will. And that will only bring destruction to us, and to those around us.

15/05/2022

Wisdom right here.

09/05/2022

I call this piece "I Was Driving In The Sun For Two Hours So I Got A Nice Charge Built Up."
Digital Photograph, 2022.

29/04/2022

Titan Race, Nmbr9, Point Salad, Sagrada, and Saboteur all hit the table last night at the monthly game night I help host. Others were played, by others, at other tables. And don't I look thrilles to have won Sagrada?