Friday, October 22, 2010
Sweet Art
Thank you to Thomas Denmark of OEF for highlighting this little treat. I have never heard of Down in the Dungeon before, but the art is fantastic. Everyone who plays the older editions needs to see this work.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I Can List Them with the Best of 'Em!
Is there any point to discussing this phenomena? I think that there is, but just can't seem to get my thoughts in order enough to do so.
I think somewhere it started with computer games, then someone decided to try it with boardgames, someone else said rpgs, then someone said games--of any kind. Well, I'm going to expand the reach of mine, to not only include specific titles but more general games. If that doesn't explain it adequately, you'll see what I mean when you look below.
Yes, you know what I am talking about: 15 Games in 15 Minutes. Everybody and their Grandmother has done this now. Well, now everybody and their grandmother and ME!
I'm listing these in the order that they come to me. Theoretically, that implies some level of importance in my life, or gaming existence. Or perhaps all that it really implies is some strange train of associations. Let's see where it takes us, shall we?
1. AD&D - It's basically required, isn't it?
2. Risk - Almost another requirement.
3. Monopoly
4. Atari 2600: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark - I never got into Adventure, but this one had some puzzles, some task resolution, and a bit of a plot. I gotta say that I was damn proud the first time that I uncovered that Ark.
5. Atari 2600: Yar's Revenge - A CLASSIC!
6. Atari 2600: Demon Attack - A better and more advanced version of Space Invaders.
7. Atari 5200: Space Dungeon - Come on--a megadungeon in space! And I never got close to completing all 99 levels.
8. Atari 5200: Dreadnaught Factor - A single fighter against massive starships bristling with weaponry. Nice!
9. X-Wing (For PC) - This game single-handedly destroyed any chance of success at my finals first semester of my freshman year in college.
10. Axis & Allies - Wasn't introduced to it until college, but came to love it.
11. Payday, the boardgame - The thing that I remember most is its funky art, but I played a lot of it.
12. Life, the boardgame - Blue peg in a green little car.
13. Spades - Cause of many academic problems later in college.
14. Blackjack - Sit me at a table with a pile of plastic in front of me and time ceases to have meaning.
15. Pictionary - Say what you will about this one, but I've had tons of great fun with this.
After having typed that, I'm not sure how one led to the next, necessarily. But at the very least, this little exercise has prompted all sorts of great memories.
I think somewhere it started with computer games, then someone decided to try it with boardgames, someone else said rpgs, then someone said games--of any kind. Well, I'm going to expand the reach of mine, to not only include specific titles but more general games. If that doesn't explain it adequately, you'll see what I mean when you look below.
Yes, you know what I am talking about: 15 Games in 15 Minutes. Everybody and their Grandmother has done this now. Well, now everybody and their grandmother and ME!
I'm listing these in the order that they come to me. Theoretically, that implies some level of importance in my life, or gaming existence. Or perhaps all that it really implies is some strange train of associations. Let's see where it takes us, shall we?
1. AD&D - It's basically required, isn't it?
2. Risk - Almost another requirement.
3. Monopoly
4. Atari 2600: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark - I never got into Adventure, but this one had some puzzles, some task resolution, and a bit of a plot. I gotta say that I was damn proud the first time that I uncovered that Ark.
5. Atari 2600: Yar's Revenge - A CLASSIC!
6. Atari 2600: Demon Attack - A better and more advanced version of Space Invaders.
7. Atari 5200: Space Dungeon - Come on--a megadungeon in space! And I never got close to completing all 99 levels.
8. Atari 5200: Dreadnaught Factor - A single fighter against massive starships bristling with weaponry. Nice!
9. X-Wing (For PC) - This game single-handedly destroyed any chance of success at my finals first semester of my freshman year in college.
10. Axis & Allies - Wasn't introduced to it until college, but came to love it.
11. Payday, the boardgame - The thing that I remember most is its funky art, but I played a lot of it.
12. Life, the boardgame - Blue peg in a green little car.
13. Spades - Cause of many academic problems later in college.
14. Blackjack - Sit me at a table with a pile of plastic in front of me and time ceases to have meaning.
15. Pictionary - Say what you will about this one, but I've had tons of great fun with this.
After having typed that, I'm not sure how one led to the next, necessarily. But at the very least, this little exercise has prompted all sorts of great memories.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wierd Fantasy and Bards
So I received in the mail a few weeks ago my (two, ha ha ha) copies of James Raggi's Wierd Fantasy Roleplaying. I'm not going to provide you with a review of it, because, frankly there are a ton of them out there already. I'm fairly certain that googling it would yield you a bunch of results. Suffice it to say that I agree with most of the 'good' reviews that you have probably read of it. (I may get around to posting more thoughts on it at some point, but none of my thoughts strike me today as so original that I need to type them.)
But what I have realized is that I want to produce gaming material for this game. Of course, compatibility would be there, but his game has enough of its own personality that trying to write material for it would be a fun and interesting challenge. Some of the material has been bubbling in my consciousness for quite some time and hasn't been inspired directly by his work, but other material is a direct result of reading WF.
Case in point: I commented here that I would love to write a bard class for his game. Reading the majority of the other comments to that post indicate that most people don't care for the bard. I don't really care for the AD&D bard (the version with which I am most familiar) but surely a class that relies on charisma can be of value in the 'wierd' world.
But how do you make the new class distinctive enough and wierd enough to fit into that game? If you own the game, you understand that James worked very hard to make each class unique/useful/interesting (from a game mechanic perspective) in its own way: Only fighters get better at fighting. Halflings have great saving throws. Magic-users cast spells. Etc. What aspect of the bard do you formalize in a game mechanic to make it worth existing as a class?
Someone in the comments to that post said that, in their game, they added a few skills to the specialist skills list that matched their conception of the 'bard', thereby making the bard merely a specialist who allocated his points toward those skills. That is one way to do it. I had actually been thinking of also making the bard similar to the specialist, but instead coming up with several different skills that only the bard has access to. Problem with that is you might then introduce new rules to account for or make use of those skills. Not necessarily a big deal, but I don't want to start writing new rules for WF.
Perhaps a combination of spell-like abilities governed by a skill system similiar to the specialists'? Or is that more of what I just said I didn't want to do?
Back to the earlier question of what does the class do in the game: Perhaps he makes his allies better and his enemies weaker, during combat or elsewhere, through wit, song, special abilities. Does there need to be a wierd twist? Not sure.
(Apologies for the stream of consciousness writing--sometimes I have to follow it to where it takes me.)
Case in point #2: I like so-called 'Vancian magic' as much as the next old time D&D player, but how can it be made (beyond interesting spell descriptions) wierder? And if not wierd for the DM, at least for the players. I have some ideas.
There are other cases. Things that have been sitting on the shelf waiting for a reason to make an appearance. Perhaps WF provides the catalyst to get them rolling.
But what I have realized is that I want to produce gaming material for this game. Of course, compatibility would be there, but his game has enough of its own personality that trying to write material for it would be a fun and interesting challenge. Some of the material has been bubbling in my consciousness for quite some time and hasn't been inspired directly by his work, but other material is a direct result of reading WF.
Case in point: I commented here that I would love to write a bard class for his game. Reading the majority of the other comments to that post indicate that most people don't care for the bard. I don't really care for the AD&D bard (the version with which I am most familiar) but surely a class that relies on charisma can be of value in the 'wierd' world.
But how do you make the new class distinctive enough and wierd enough to fit into that game? If you own the game, you understand that James worked very hard to make each class unique/useful/interesting (from a game mechanic perspective) in its own way: Only fighters get better at fighting. Halflings have great saving throws. Magic-users cast spells. Etc. What aspect of the bard do you formalize in a game mechanic to make it worth existing as a class?
Someone in the comments to that post said that, in their game, they added a few skills to the specialist skills list that matched their conception of the 'bard', thereby making the bard merely a specialist who allocated his points toward those skills. That is one way to do it. I had actually been thinking of also making the bard similar to the specialist, but instead coming up with several different skills that only the bard has access to. Problem with that is you might then introduce new rules to account for or make use of those skills. Not necessarily a big deal, but I don't want to start writing new rules for WF.
Perhaps a combination of spell-like abilities governed by a skill system similiar to the specialists'? Or is that more of what I just said I didn't want to do?
Back to the earlier question of what does the class do in the game: Perhaps he makes his allies better and his enemies weaker, during combat or elsewhere, through wit, song, special abilities. Does there need to be a wierd twist? Not sure.
(Apologies for the stream of consciousness writing--sometimes I have to follow it to where it takes me.)
Case in point #2: I like so-called 'Vancian magic' as much as the next old time D&D player, but how can it be made (beyond interesting spell descriptions) wierder? And if not wierd for the DM, at least for the players. I have some ideas.
There are other cases. Things that have been sitting on the shelf waiting for a reason to make an appearance. Perhaps WF provides the catalyst to get them rolling.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Two Takes
So, as I commented earlier, I am going to try to get back to posting a little more often.
I wanted to start by linking to two blogs, both of whom appear on My Daily Read, who have interestingly divergent views on a third blog article from several weeks ago. It is fairly common for people in our little niche to comment on similar things, but I don't think I've ever seen a case before where two blogs that I follow but who do NOT exist in our little niche comment on something.
So for me, that was pretty cool.
Okay, so you can read this to see what people are taking about. Then you can go here to see what James Raggi has to say about it. Okay, he didn't say much, but his point is pretty clear. Then you can go here to see what Jeff Vogel (of Spiderweb Software) thought about it as well.
For me personally, I'm not sure which side I fall out on. I think my views are closer to Vogel's. Of course, in the case of both blogs, there is great wisdom to be found in the comments following.
After considering it for awhile, I have come to this conclusion: Ultimately, the kids like things that are similiar to what they are familiar with--at least in terms of what they are or are not able to do in a certain situation, i.e. a kid will like computer games that generally give them the amount of personal choice and options (or more) that they are used to. If personal choice and options are less than what they are used to, other factors in play have to be amazing enough to overcome this.
I wanted to start by linking to two blogs, both of whom appear on My Daily Read, who have interestingly divergent views on a third blog article from several weeks ago. It is fairly common for people in our little niche to comment on similar things, but I don't think I've ever seen a case before where two blogs that I follow but who do NOT exist in our little niche comment on something.
So for me, that was pretty cool.
Okay, so you can read this to see what people are taking about. Then you can go here to see what James Raggi has to say about it. Okay, he didn't say much, but his point is pretty clear. Then you can go here to see what Jeff Vogel (of Spiderweb Software) thought about it as well.
For me personally, I'm not sure which side I fall out on. I think my views are closer to Vogel's. Of course, in the case of both blogs, there is great wisdom to be found in the comments following.
After considering it for awhile, I have come to this conclusion: Ultimately, the kids like things that are similiar to what they are familiar with--at least in terms of what they are or are not able to do in a certain situation, i.e. a kid will like computer games that generally give them the amount of personal choice and options (or more) that they are used to. If personal choice and options are less than what they are used to, other factors in play have to be amazing enough to overcome this.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Followers?
This whole blogging thing...
...
Nice thought, eh? SO much could be said to finish that sentence. Excitement, misery, rejection, acceptance--all sorts of good things.
But for now, a mystery: You see, it has been my common belief that a blog attracts followers over time by regularly posting interesting articles, opinions, views, etc. 'Interesting' is subjective, but it has to be interesting to someone. My thinking went that, if you don't post, you don't attract followers.
But for some strange reason, the last several that have signed up have done so during what has been my slowest posting period since this blog was started. I've posted very little recently, and yet a few people have still wandered in. Don't get me wrong: I am thankful and flattered but also a bit flummoxed.
Of course, the whole 'followers' aspect of blogging is a strange beast in and of itself. I mean, what does it really mean anyway?
And now to change topics entirely. I apologize for not posting more often. Life has been extremely hectic recently. I find that when I enter the blogosphere, I spend the vast majority of my time reading what is going on out there. There are so many good blogs these days. And so many interesting topics to comment on. So by the time I finish reading all of my favorites, my limited 'me' time is up, and I don't have time to post anything of mine. I am going to try to rectify that--wish me luck.
...
Nice thought, eh? SO much could be said to finish that sentence. Excitement, misery, rejection, acceptance--all sorts of good things.
But for now, a mystery: You see, it has been my common belief that a blog attracts followers over time by regularly posting interesting articles, opinions, views, etc. 'Interesting' is subjective, but it has to be interesting to someone. My thinking went that, if you don't post, you don't attract followers.
But for some strange reason, the last several that have signed up have done so during what has been my slowest posting period since this blog was started. I've posted very little recently, and yet a few people have still wandered in. Don't get me wrong: I am thankful and flattered but also a bit flummoxed.
Of course, the whole 'followers' aspect of blogging is a strange beast in and of itself. I mean, what does it really mean anyway?
And now to change topics entirely. I apologize for not posting more often. Life has been extremely hectic recently. I find that when I enter the blogosphere, I spend the vast majority of my time reading what is going on out there. There are so many good blogs these days. And so many interesting topics to comment on. So by the time I finish reading all of my favorites, my limited 'me' time is up, and I don't have time to post anything of mine. I am going to try to rectify that--wish me luck.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Now THIS is the way to start a campaign!
Go read this. THAT is the way to start a campaign!!
Don't like science-fantasy? Who cares? Take that general mold and fit it into the style of campaign that you want to run.
For instance:
You want to run a modern-day rpg? Have the characters wake up in an overturned SUV, injured all to hell, not remembering who they are or how they got there. Have several ambulances arrive to treat them OR have another identical SUV arrive with people in it offering to help them if they move quickly. (Are the people in the SUV friends, foes, or something else?)
You want to run a superheroes rpg? Have the characters wake up scattered in the destroyed remains of your campaign's version of the 'Hall of Justice'. They don't remember what their powers are; they don't remember anything about themselves. (Are they all good guys or are some of them villains? Who did this? Why?)
You want to run a standard fantasy rpg? Have the characters wake up in a room, each in a bed, with no memories and with various physical injuries. A man enters the room who seems suspicious. He tells them that he found them in the (woods, ravine, dungeon corridor, etc) lying amidst a dead group of (pick your monster--but perhaps he doesn't tell them) and that he brought them back to his abode. (All sorts of good question possibilities.)
You want to run a straight sci-fi rpg? Frankly, very little to do differently.
You could follow steps 1-3 of that article exactly. The rest will have to be altered as necessary to match your theme, but you need to use the attribute checks, some major combat encounter, and the clues that point to 'another one'. Who is that other one and what is the connection to the player's party? Those questions may never be answered or they might be the point of it all. But THE POINT of all of this is that the players will start this campaign feeling the way that we all did the first time that we played an rpg.
This was probably the best blog post that I've read in the past week, and I just had to write something to complement it.
...
Although I have to be completely honest: Tonight has been a most fruitful blog reading evening. Two other posts that I have to highlight are this one and this one. The first talks a little about the megadungeon in your campaign; the second talks about something that most people who run wilderness campaigns probably never think of. Both posts are excellent! Hopefully, when I have time, I'll write a little something to go with each of those as well.
Don't like science-fantasy? Who cares? Take that general mold and fit it into the style of campaign that you want to run.
For instance:
You want to run a modern-day rpg? Have the characters wake up in an overturned SUV, injured all to hell, not remembering who they are or how they got there. Have several ambulances arrive to treat them OR have another identical SUV arrive with people in it offering to help them if they move quickly. (Are the people in the SUV friends, foes, or something else?)
You want to run a superheroes rpg? Have the characters wake up scattered in the destroyed remains of your campaign's version of the 'Hall of Justice'. They don't remember what their powers are; they don't remember anything about themselves. (Are they all good guys or are some of them villains? Who did this? Why?)
You want to run a standard fantasy rpg? Have the characters wake up in a room, each in a bed, with no memories and with various physical injuries. A man enters the room who seems suspicious. He tells them that he found them in the (woods, ravine, dungeon corridor, etc) lying amidst a dead group of (pick your monster--but perhaps he doesn't tell them) and that he brought them back to his abode. (All sorts of good question possibilities.)
You want to run a straight sci-fi rpg? Frankly, very little to do differently.
You could follow steps 1-3 of that article exactly. The rest will have to be altered as necessary to match your theme, but you need to use the attribute checks, some major combat encounter, and the clues that point to 'another one'. Who is that other one and what is the connection to the player's party? Those questions may never be answered or they might be the point of it all. But THE POINT of all of this is that the players will start this campaign feeling the way that we all did the first time that we played an rpg.
This was probably the best blog post that I've read in the past week, and I just had to write something to complement it.
...
Although I have to be completely honest: Tonight has been a most fruitful blog reading evening. Two other posts that I have to highlight are this one and this one. The first talks a little about the megadungeon in your campaign; the second talks about something that most people who run wilderness campaigns probably never think of. Both posts are excellent! Hopefully, when I have time, I'll write a little something to go with each of those as well.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
One Map Dungeon Contest?
I'm sure that most of the readers here have heard of the One Page Dungeon Contest, wherein a nice template for outlining a dungeon on one page was used as the basis for designing dungeons. It started off as an idea (Sorry--I can't remember whose idea it originally was.) to free the DM from overly-detailed settings and the prep time necessary and to force a different experience in gaming. The concept then grew into a contest in 2009 and then a second one in 2010.
Brilliant idea, and a lot of people executed it brilliantly.
I'm wondering if there is any interest in a slightly different kind of contest? As the title implies, I am talking about a One Map Dungeon Contest. How would it work? Basically, I would draw a map of a dungeon--you know, some passageways, some doors, perhaps some rooms and caverns and some other stuff. Then, YOU the reader would write the text for it to turn it into an actual dungeon. (Obviously, the map would have to be really good to inspire people to write something for it. THAT burden would be on me.)
Everybody would have the exact same map to work with. I'd have to think of some other criteria for the text--either a word or page limit. Or not--maybe it's best to leave it completely wide open. Also, I'd have to decide if any modifications would be allowed to be made to the map.
Similar to the original concept, I'd gather some people together to judge all of the entries and then we could announce the winners, etc, etc.
This idea came to me as I was thinking back on my gaming experiences. I've purchased many modules in my day. There were quite a few times when I was more inspired by the map included in the module than the written adventure itself. Am I the only person that that has happened to?
Anyway, what do you think? Is this an idea worth pursuing?
Brilliant idea, and a lot of people executed it brilliantly.
I'm wondering if there is any interest in a slightly different kind of contest? As the title implies, I am talking about a One Map Dungeon Contest. How would it work? Basically, I would draw a map of a dungeon--you know, some passageways, some doors, perhaps some rooms and caverns and some other stuff. Then, YOU the reader would write the text for it to turn it into an actual dungeon. (Obviously, the map would have to be really good to inspire people to write something for it. THAT burden would be on me.)
Everybody would have the exact same map to work with. I'd have to think of some other criteria for the text--either a word or page limit. Or not--maybe it's best to leave it completely wide open. Also, I'd have to decide if any modifications would be allowed to be made to the map.
Similar to the original concept, I'd gather some people together to judge all of the entries and then we could announce the winners, etc, etc.
This idea came to me as I was thinking back on my gaming experiences. I've purchased many modules in my day. There were quite a few times when I was more inspired by the map included in the module than the written adventure itself. Am I the only person that that has happened to?
Anyway, what do you think? Is this an idea worth pursuing?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dungeon Compilations
Awhile back, I commented that I was doing a little work with Tony Dowler, of How to Host a Dungeon and Year of the Dungeon fame.
If you aren't familiar with YotD, go take a look at it immediately. His "mini-dungeons" are really cool and are great sources of inspiration.
Anyway, I've been doing a little layout work for him--basically taking his dungeons and gathering them together in monthly compilations in pdf form. (The layout is very basic, but he is happy with it.) They are all for free at the site; if you go there, they are all available down the right column under 'my games and stuff'. If you are not familiar with his work, I highly recommend it.
If you aren't familiar with YotD, go take a look at it immediately. His "mini-dungeons" are really cool and are great sources of inspiration.
Anyway, I've been doing a little layout work for him--basically taking his dungeons and gathering them together in monthly compilations in pdf form. (The layout is very basic, but he is happy with it.) They are all for free at the site; if you go there, they are all available down the right column under 'my games and stuff'. If you are not familiar with his work, I highly recommend it.
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Business Side of Gaming
I seem to come back to it occasionally. I just can't help it. I enjoy reading about it, I enjoy trying my hand at it, I just enjoy it.
I recently came across a blog that I find very interesting: 20th Level Marketing. I really like the post here about pricing products and sales. I agree with him completely regarding his thoughts on pricing digital products. Now if only more people (in the OSR) actually bought them...
I recently came across a blog that I find very interesting: 20th Level Marketing. I really like the post here about pricing products and sales. I agree with him completely regarding his thoughts on pricing digital products. Now if only more people (in the OSR) actually bought them...
Thursday, September 9, 2010
F-22
No--not a 22nd level fighter. Depending on which version you are playing, that could be fun, stupid, or just plain impossible. I'm actually referring to the US Air Force's newest fighter jet.
Why? Well, if you were to glance below and to the right, you would see that I have a soft spot for Concept Ships. I just dig strange and creative aircraft and spacecraft. If you follow this link, you will find yourself looking at a gallery of photos of the F-22 that are incredible and just dripping with awesomtivity. Some of them would fit right at home on Concept Ships.
The other reason that I like this collection of photos is that IMHO some of the styling on the fighter would look fantastic on a suit of armor. In general, I just think that the fighter is badass. I have for a long time, and these photos prove it.
Why? Well, if you were to glance below and to the right, you would see that I have a soft spot for Concept Ships. I just dig strange and creative aircraft and spacecraft. If you follow this link, you will find yourself looking at a gallery of photos of the F-22 that are incredible and just dripping with awesomtivity. Some of them would fit right at home on Concept Ships.
The other reason that I like this collection of photos is that IMHO some of the styling on the fighter would look fantastic on a suit of armor. In general, I just think that the fighter is badass. I have for a long time, and these photos prove it.
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