tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91284920355510428782024-03-15T19:23:59.605-06:00The Excessive GamerThe Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-23389079027519386732014-06-30T09:23:00.001-06:002014-06-30T10:34:18.275-06:00LARRYCON Begins!! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZASGVZuJYKI/U7F_dgN8JtI/AAAAAAAAFgw/gjPPVcG8Tt4/s1600/IMAG1029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZASGVZuJYKI/U7F_dgN8JtI/AAAAAAAAFgw/gjPPVcG8Tt4/s1600/IMAG1029.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really nice scene I caught on my phone the other night while out for a stroll. The harvest is upon us!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well it has been a wonderful spring and early summer, lots of hiking and generally being active and outside every day. Hence my lack of posts.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That said the time of gaming harvest is upon me once again via my annual micro-con hosted at my house since 2009. Yes this is the big LARRYCON V!! Five years and still alive!! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My friend Scott Anderson from Las Vegas has just departed (he is driving up this year, normally they all just fly up) with a carload of Nevada booze, games, etc. and should be here this afternoon. My friends Will and Rob are also trekking up later in the week and then all of my local friends residing up and down the Wasatch front will be making appearances throughout the week. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The general format is basically I have time slots just like a real convention, we have a morning game slot, and afternoon and then an evening. Generally we have a single game going the entire time and then in the evenings we have enough people for two and sometimes three games to be running simultaneously. I have a converted garage that we normally game in but for LARRYCON week I ship the rest of the family off to the in-laws in Oregon and I convert the entire house into a gamer dormitory and have games running in the kitchen, front room and even on the back deck. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some of the games we hope to play are:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>7 Wonders</li>
<li>Agricola</li>
<li>Eldritch Horror</li>
<li>Castles of Burgundy</li>
<li>Eminent Domain</li>
<li>Flash Point</li>
<li>Hanabi</li>
<li>Firefly </li>
<li>Spartacus </li>
<li>Lords of Vegas</li>
<li>City of Iron</li>
<li>Power Grid: Japan Map</li>
<li>The Resistance</li>
<li>Russian Railroads</li>
<li>Smash Up</li>
<li>Timeline</li>
<li>Terra Mystica </li>
<li>Brass</li>
<li>Eclipse </li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.999999046325684px;">Marvel Legends </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.999999046325684px;">Pathfinder Card Game</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.999999046325684px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">In addition to that we might toss out a game or two of Warmachine and maybe get some wargaming in (probably some nostalgic Axis and Allies or perhaps Attack! ...). There will likely be some party games and light fun little games (stuff like Love Letter, Zombie Dice, Kill Dr. Lucky, etc.) as well as some one shot RPG action (we are doing a Warhammer 40K Space Marine themed hack of the Margret Weiss Marvel system for example).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.999999046325684px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLyWEewZ8Uk/U7GDSBX3EHI/AAAAAAAAFg8/vpeu3qNVnGg/s1600/IMAG1020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rLyWEewZ8Uk/U7GDSBX3EHI/AAAAAAAAFg8/vpeu3qNVnGg/s1600/IMAG1020.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again ... what most of my spring has been spent doing ... hiking and climbing. Great fun, but this week I am ready for beers and games >:)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.999999046325684px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Lots of BBQin, BSin and Beer >:) ... ah life is good this week! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.999999046325684px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.999999046325684px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-45280680536027215502014-05-20T08:59:00.002-06:002014-05-20T09:48:03.238-06:005th edition D&D<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zd1q8yxk_zg/U3tsVsmBSuI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/YR9mOCtzk4o/s1600/nelson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zd1q8yxk_zg/U3tsVsmBSuI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/YR9mOCtzk4o/s1600/nelson.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15.3pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">Is it really just schadenfreude? For me I don't think so, for many out there probably. I know many people felt betrayed/burned by WoTC/Hasbro somewhere between 3.0 and 4e. I felt it early, I didn't like 3.0 era grid based D&D. I've gone to great detail in past posts on that so I won't belabor that here. But I still played my fair share of 3.5-4e. I played ALOT of 4e actually. I played a fair amount of Pathfinder as well. I don't dislike those games if they are run well with a good GM and group. I will not run those games, it just is not my cup of tea. I'm not built that way. I love wide open story driven games where combats are quick and decisive, not long, drawn out and tactical. If I want miniature based combat I'll play a mini game is my take on that. Anyway I eventually made my peace with it all and moved on to Dungeon World and also just came to realize I don't have the kind of time to really be a serious RPGer anymore anyway. I have too many other gaming/life interests ... too many kids ... too many papers to grade and write ... too many trails to hike to worry too much about a given RPG anymore. </span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
But I WILL SAY ... I dearly hope 5th ed is a smashing success! Why? It would be good for the hobby, good for tabletop gaming, good for pen and paper RPGing. D&D is too venerable to let die!</div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15.3pt;">That said, sadly, I think
WoTC is in an impossible situation, they need to please the Grognards, the new
kids, attract people away from Paizo (which is a well-run, much beloved little
company that seems to have a knack for getting things right and listening to
its fans/customers) … WoTC is in one of those unenviable positions where they
need to not just get on base they need to hit a home run … or it is game over.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux36fq8FshI/U3tr6neQ0YI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/nQR12jkGhQs/s1600/dnd_products_dndacc_starterset_pic3_en.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux36fq8FshI/U3tr6neQ0YI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/nQR12jkGhQs/s1600/dnd_products_dndacc_starterset_pic3_en.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">I don’t
see this ending well. They initially said they were going to create a “modular”
system that would allow GMs/players to layer in levels of complexity, etc. and
they initially had some really cool flexible character creation ideas (allowing
players to have a healing fighter or a lock picking/trap disarming cleric,
etc.) and those quickly got locked down and tossed out. As the playtests went
on flexibility fell by the wayside. Somewhere in there I lost interest as it
seemed the game was turning back towards fat 400 page rulebook levels of
complexity, low flexibility, etc. and for that I’ll just play games like Pathfinder/Shadowrun/etc.
pick a 400 page rulebook, inflexible monster of your choice. I’ll play those
games with a very proficient DM but I really have no inclination to run them
anymore, as who the hell has that kind of time?!?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">I’m sad
to see the venerable old franchise fall this far, but with what happened
between 3.0 and 4th I don’t see any other way for this to end than with the
slow, painful death of pen and paper D&D. I don’t know why Hasbro doesn’t
just license out the pen and paper to Fantasy Flight (or just let it go totally
dormant) and then spend their time and energy developing video games with the
IP. Pathfinder is too entrenched and all the Grognards are happy playing 1st
ed./clones … stuff like Labyrinth Lords, Lamentations of the Flame Princess,
etc. all the 3.5 guys are either still playing that or playing Pathfinder and
any new players are just as likely to end up playing a new “indie/small press”
title as not (Dungeon World, etc.) so what room is there at the table for
D&D anymore … especially given most people are still pissed about 3.5/4e,
etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.3pt; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Does
WoTC have a snowball’s chance in hell on this one … personally I think not. But
hey on this I’d honestly like to be wrong, I really would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-78057129882319226372014-05-12T13:32:00.001-06:002014-05-12T13:39:30.382-06:0040k 7th edition ... too little too late ... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/uEzMzL-nC_Y/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/uEzMzL-nC_Y&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/uEzMzL-nC_Y&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20.399999618530273px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
As they say: Disappointment = expectation divided by reality ... </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
This sums up where I am with GW these days! </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Ok so the world of mini gaming is abuzz with talk about a new edition of 40K (already?!?!). </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
At first I thought ... wow ... maybe finally they will do something to the game to make it more accessible for me and the people I know who all used to love 40K but just don't have room in their lives for it anymore ... maybe ... just maybe! </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Then I see the descriptions and I see where this is going, as expected down the GW sales driving rabbit hole. GW is just opening things up to more required spending, more time sink and more required space to stay in the game. Nothing is changing for the better and pretty much things are just going to get worse. Oh sure "unbound" lists give people more flexibility, yada yada, but the point levels, the gi-fucking-gantic, super expensive apocalypse models are here to stay in regular games, etc. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I don’t have time, nor do I know anyone (that I’d care to hang out/play 40K with) that is willing to play 6th style, apocalypse 40K. Needing a 4×6 table, needing 100+ models, 3-4+ hours, etc. to play a single game against a single opponent. All this means that a busy adult with kids, a significant other, a job, in short a life, is just not going to be able to play this monster of a game. I’ve been in that place for about five years now. There are all sorts of options for playing 40K on a skirmish level, but those rulesets are “fan” rulesets that aren’t very well balanced, not well playtested and of course not very well supported. Necromunda is super dated and getting new people into that is impossible, same with Mordheim. I still have a glimmer of a hope that I might be able to do some of the LoTR/Hobbit stuff sort of board game style with my gaming group … but even that is a long shot.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
For years I’ve hoped that GW would see the handwriting on the wall, that people are now spending 10+ hours a week messing around on the internet, which means fewer people painting, playing, etc. due to the really stupid levels of cash and time someone would need to devote to 6th ed. style 40K., simple common sense dictates that there will be fewer players and those players are going to be unemployed kids, stinky store trolls/anti-social types, etc. The cool working professional 40K player is something that was common 10-15 years ago and something that is a exceedingly rare these days. That means that any interesting players are either in small garage groups or they have just moved on to other gaming options. I have hoped GW would realize this and create an official “option” for people to play the game at smaller point levels, but alas they have not. Also I guess things in the UK and Europe are very different than they are here, their model with their huge number of stores in the UK, etc. is very different there. In the US with our sparely populated gamer concentrations (at least out west) GW does no favors to those of us who would like to see more people get into the hobby in fact GW seems to be actively doing whatever it can to dissuade new players (or cool former players) from getting into the hobby. </div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Anyway clearly nothing to address any of the core problems are going to happen with 7th ed. from everything I’ve read it is simply more of the same old GW. Their expectation is that 40K is your ONLY hobby, that you are going to spend 10+ hours a week on the game and spend thousands annually supporting your addiction. For me, this is the final nail in the coffin for 40K. It just isn’t viable for me personally and I will now continue to slowly eBay off my massive collection. I do have to say though that the silver lining of GWs endless price hikes is that I can sell all my old stuff off and get most of my money back. So there is that, and I can’t complain about that at all. I’ve been able to buy lots of board games and Privateer Press stuff (a game I enjoy at the boxed set level, on 4×4 tables, with game that can easily be played in under an hour … including BSing). I am sad to see the old friend that 40K is fade from my life … but it just isn’t viable anymore for me … best of luck to those of you who still have room in your life for it, I envy you …</div>
</div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-1230612716265504952014-04-01T15:10:00.002-06:002014-04-03T06:30:03.510-06:00SALTCON!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bu7ajJaSyk/UzofckzdZUI/AAAAAAAADZM/H5de21UuP2g/s1600/SaltCon_021713~1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Bu7ajJaSyk/UzofckzdZUI/AAAAAAAADZM/H5de21UuP2g/s1600/SaltCon_021713~1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ON13TSPOR4g/UzogsENTkAI/AAAAAAAADZU/4A2VjKWk4jA/s1600/Saltcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ON13TSPOR4g/UzogsENTkAI/AAAAAAAADZU/4A2VjKWk4jA/s1600/Saltcon.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
Well a great local game convention has come and gone, it was a BLAST!!! I played wall to wall games from early Friday morning until Sunday afternoon with very little down time. I think I played around 15-20 games. I lost count and honestly can't remember everything I played ... its all kind of a blur ...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We had a four person crew that attended, mostly euro game fans. So that is what we played primarily, though we dabbled into some Ameri-trash, some war games and party games as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The vendors at the con were a little sparse but many small press game companies were in attendance like Red Raven games, Gamelyn games, 5th Street Games, Crash Games, etc. There was a huge gamer flea market, a math trade, game swap, tons of drawings, etc. etc. and I'd say several thousand total attendees during the course of the weekend. Again no Spiel/Gencon/Comicon/Adepticon ... but it was a great locals con being hosted within ten miles from my house.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So here are my top 10 plays of the convention:</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUzzji75i8I/UzsrFgM5J2I/AAAAAAAADZk/v0WZp-5nGb4/s1600/IMAG0415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUzzji75i8I/UzsrFgM5J2I/AAAAAAAADZk/v0WZp-5nGb4/s1600/IMAG0415.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
1) Russian Railroads</div>
<div>
2) City of Iron</div>
<div>
3) Eminent Domain</div>
<div>
4) Belfort </div>
<div>
5) Marvel Legendary (I had never played this ... its a licensed title ... but for a deck builder which isn't really my normal cup o' tea ... I really enjoyed it)</div>
<div>
6) Small World (I've played Underground before but never the core game)</div>
<div>
7) Empires of the Void (great game, but a little too much like Eclipse for me to consider purchasing for my library)</div>
<div>
8) Forbidden Desert (I enjoyed it more than Forbidden Island, which I like)</div>
<div>
9) Council of Verona (reminiscent of Love Letter)<br />
10) RAMPAGE! (a fun little party board game involving buildings supported by meeples ... not a deep strategic game more a little dexterity/party/family game). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FUT_M_Xam6U/UzyeBwdqQmI/AAAAAAAADcA/xTAQ-Yb5_Mc/s1600/rampage_videogame.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FUT_M_Xam6U/UzyeBwdqQmI/AAAAAAAADcA/xTAQ-Yb5_Mc/s1600/rampage_videogame.gif" height="187" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Next year I think some of the guys from Vegas might trek up. I think they might move the con back down to Salt Lake City. Which means I'll probably get a room wherever they are hosting it. Other than that I'll be back. It was a blast and a great little locals con! </div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-31097926874817957422014-03-12T11:51:00.001-06:002014-03-12T11:51:56.568-06:00HOBBIT TALES! I'm in! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K3GPqFkhW3w/UyCdD0BioJI/AAAAAAAADCs/55KVuUH9VUE/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K3GPqFkhW3w/UyCdD0BioJI/AAAAAAAADCs/55KVuUH9VUE/s1600/download.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well this just looked interesting enough to take the plunge. It looks like a fun sort of light RPG/story telling game. It just sounds really fun. The components look decent and for $23.00 US on Amazon (with free shipping thanks to Prime) it didn't break the bank.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm going to try to get it out once I get it and get a few rounds of play and then I'll be running it at my annual summer Microcon. LARRYCON! Which will be in its fifth year this year! LARRCON V!!!!!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here is a lil' promo video: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BkzPQvqQu5M?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here is a great unboxing video on it: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nYVLvI4VtqM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Here is a round of play:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/Be_XDZLYet8/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Be_XDZLYet8&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Be_XDZLYet8&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-42381651650800372862014-03-09T18:30:00.001-06:002014-03-12T16:22:06.380-06:00A beautiful spring day ... wonderful day to walk with the bison <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qh9_LHl-Ek0/Ux0GdIYo_oI/AAAAAAAADCA/ybEQDTuTrkE/s1600/IMAG0320-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qh9_LHl-Ek0/Ux0GdIYo_oI/AAAAAAAADCA/ybEQDTuTrkE/s1600/IMAG0320-PANO.jpg" height="124" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Slightly unrelated topic here, but then again maybe not. I mean perhaps one has interest in gaming in the old west, right?<br />
<br />
So today was a splendid spring day, and a great day for a hike out at <u>A</u><a href="http://stateparks.utah.gov/park/antelope-island-state-park">ntelope Island</a>. Many people were out taking advantage but we managed to have much of the trail to ourselves.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozDoNz7L1sw/Ux0HR3NoxsI/AAAAAAAADCI/tAcyjufdZMo/s1600/IMAG0318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozDoNz7L1sw/Ux0HR3NoxsI/AAAAAAAADCI/tAcyjufdZMo/s1600/IMAG0318.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
The bison seemed to be enjoying the day as well. Lazily grazing as we passed on the trail. Though when I stopped to take some pictures they seemed to take notice. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-16414660926052346732014-03-08T15:38:00.000-07:002014-03-08T15:38:03.924-07:00Dreadball ... to back or not to back ... <div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKH_LgTYyEA/Uxubiq8LFKI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/w5VS3E8uOvM/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aKH_LgTYyEA/Uxubiq8LFKI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/w5VS3E8uOvM/s1600/download.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So I tend to be pretty excessive when I go in on a Kickstarter. I'm in at the Frenzy level of Dreadball. I ended up opting not to go in on either Slaughterball or Guildball. Both were fine looking games, I'm just more into mantic's stuff than either of those projects. Though I really do for sure hope Slaugherball funds, it is a four player BB clone, which sounds way more appealing for my gaming group than a two player.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway so the plan is to use this stuff to jump into Dreadball at some point, probably 2015. I keep questioning my excessiveness though on this one, wondering if I can ever get this off the ground in the gaming group. We'll see I guess and I still have a week to decide. I could scale down my buy in, but it seems a good enough deal that if I'm going in at all I might as well go in at the Frenzy level. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm pretty excited about the kickstarter itself, it is just dripping with awesome stuff. I just worry about my own ability to get the group into this at some point ... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YFCT6ToixA0/UxuaDL67s4I/AAAAAAAAC9E/oBjP-lt0zPY/s1600/c93a3b2a5158e57b38630a72730cca26_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YFCT6ToixA0/UxuaDL67s4I/AAAAAAAAC9E/oBjP-lt0zPY/s1600/c93a3b2a5158e57b38630a72730cca26_large.jpg" height="276" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-91405651902532945562014-03-02T11:11:00.002-07:002014-03-02T16:24:52.335-07:00Eldritch Horror Boardgame Night <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ38oFn7Nw0/UxNv6cyYc_I/AAAAAAAAC2A/LQmMde73yQM/s1600/eldritch610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQ38oFn7Nw0/UxNv6cyYc_I/AAAAAAAAC2A/LQmMde73yQM/s1600/eldritch610.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i>
So last night we fired up a game of Eldritch Horror (<a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=244">Fantasy Flight Games</a>) and it was surprisingly fun! I thought I'd just do a little intro post about the game itself. This isn't a review, just my rambling about my experience.<br />
<br />
To start here is FFGs blurb on the game:<br />
<i>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Eldritch Horror <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Across the globe, ancient evil is stirring. Now, you and
your trusted circle of colleagues must travel around the world, working against
all odds to hold back the approaching horror. Foul monsters, brutal encounters,
and obscure mysteries will take you to your limit and beyond. All the while,
you and your fellow investigators must unravel the otherworldly mysteries
scattered around the globe in order to push back the gathering mayhem that
threatens to overwhelm humanity. The end draws near! Do you have the courage to
prevent global destruction?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Eldritch Horror is a cooperative game of terror and
adventure in which one to eight players take the roles of globetrotting
investigators working to solve mysteries, gather clues, and protect the world
from an Ancient One - an elder being intent on destroying our world. Each
Ancient One comes with its own unique decks of Mystery and Research cards,
which draw you deeper into the lore surrounding each loathsome creature.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Discover the true name of Azathoth or battle Cthulhu on the
high seas. With twelve unique investigators, two hundred-fifty tokens, and over
three hundred cards, Eldritch Horror presents an epic, world-spanning adventure
with each and every game.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q0BTAY-hF6g/UxN0LN13RxI/AAAAAAAAC28/a7_5CIHcPew/s1600/EH01-InvestigatorCollage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q0BTAY-hF6g/UxN0LN13RxI/AAAAAAAAC28/a7_5CIHcPew/s1600/EH01-InvestigatorCollage2.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So to preface my post here, I own Arkham Horror, and I really do not know what to say about that game. For hardcore Lovecraft fans (who don't mind the typical commercialized cartoony/third party/ized offerings) it is something that one should own. But the game itself is really a tall order to pull off in anything but the most dedicated board game group. It can take as long as four or five hours (or more with expansions) it is fiddly, it is frustrating and it is at times drawn out. Don't get me wrong I've had much fun with the game if I'm playing with a group who is really focused on the game and knows what they are doing collectively. Yet I've had some very bad experiences with the game as well, with groups that weren't really into it and doing too much sideline BSing and not staying focused on the game.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
SO ... what does that have to do with Eldritch Horror?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Eldritch Horror seems aimed at dispensing with the really steep setup, mechanics curve that Arkham throws at you. It is much more like the game Pandemic than it is like Arkham. That said there are more fiddly bits in Eldritch than in Pandemic. But overall the game plays and feels like Pandemic.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was my first play of the game and we managed to finish out in about 3 hours, which sounds bad but we had a player have to leave in the middle of the game, we had the inevitably fumble through moments, etc. and it still played faster than the fastest play-throughs of Arkham I've ever had. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-anq-ooQouEs/UxNycVVQ5UI/AAAAAAAAC2M/us5wUazKMTE/s1600/IMAG0289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-anq-ooQouEs/UxNycVVQ5UI/AAAAAAAAC2M/us5wUazKMTE/s1600/IMAG0289.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So here was our messy table after about 2/3s of the game(ish).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y5Xz15y3DJY/UxNzI8yMumI/AAAAAAAAC2k/p03Ww4SxthQ/s1600/IMAG0279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y5Xz15y3DJY/UxNzI8yMumI/AAAAAAAAC2k/p03Ww4SxthQ/s1600/IMAG0279.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Above: this was my character the "reformed" cultist, who proceeded to become an insanely powerful sorcerer who stayed in Arkham the entire game, teleporting other players around, casting protective spells on them and using her dark powers to acquire items for others, etc. I really enjoyed the character though I doubt that I'll ever get that many spells in a single game again .. lol.<br />
<br />
We did win, but just barely. Again this has a very similar feel at some points to Pandemic and things just start to "pop" in the game and you feel you are about to get overwhelmed. In our case the tide changed in our favor right at the last turn of the game and we managed to pull out a nail biter of a victory.<br />
<br />
The game does seem pretty challenging to beat, in a similar vein to Arkham. I like that actually but that might not be for all groups, as it might be frustrating if your looking for more laid back and casual play. Again though the game mechanics are simple, standard FFG style, so its not insanely complex or strategic really. The party just has to work together and play to their strengths and if they do that, the average group of 12 year old players could easily put together a victory with this. So it is something you can play with a mixed group of gamers, non-gamers, adults and older kids. Game play is probably going to average 2.5-3.5 hours for most groups I would guess. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway it was fun and certainly worth a look if Cthulhu calls to you ...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-J2KzQb5lI"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-douZMLeauqs/UxN0DqEnrRI/AAAAAAAAC2w/_ZybUqwiRYI/s1600/1000px-cthulhu_rising_by_somniturne1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-7651487909910259862014-02-28T11:00:00.001-07:002014-02-28T11:50:12.352-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Final Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_tkZm3z2rg/UxDJ8Na0K8I/AAAAAAAACxs/2MovAeD5Ano/s1600/youre-awesome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_tkZm3z2rg/UxDJ8Na0K8I/AAAAAAAACxs/2MovAeD5Ano/s1600/youre-awesome.jpg" height="640" width="510" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The Single Most Important Lesson I've learned from playing D&D ...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
This is a very challenging question to be honest. It is difficult to boil down the sum total of my D&D experience to a single lesson. I honestly thought about this for a little while and I think my last post really sums up what D&D is about for me and what I have learned from it and why I keep coming back.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
D&D is about fun. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Yes that is an ultra simplistic breakdown of a role playing game. Ya ya ... games are supposed to be fun.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
But that is a zen like mantra. When you play a bad game, sure the first time you play maybe it is sort of fun, maybe even the second, or the fifth time (I'm looking at you Monopoly). At some point though bad mechanics are going to shine through and your going to get bored. Stay with me here ... that never happened with D&D. I caught the bug at age 10 and even though I left D&D for years and years, I came back to it ... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
When I did. What did I find?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Fun.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
That simple.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
D&D is one of the pivotal things in my life that taught me to just stop sometimes and have fun. Just do something purely for fun. Hell it doesn't have to be D&D it can be anything that provides you with pure unadulterated fun. Again this is not an earth shattering revelation I'm giving here, but be honest. As we age and acquire that mortgage, those car payments, that demanding boss/girlfriend/spouse/kids more and more of our time is claimed doing un-fun stuff. It is easy to sacrifice your own happiness, take some time and have some fun for yourself.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
For me I learned that D&D, with a little effort (not too much) is a source of fun. That is why I keep coming back to it. It has provided me with more fun than any other game I've ever played. It isn't even close. D&D hands down has given me at this point, probably several thousand hours of fun. The fun to money ratio of D&D is amazing. The fun to time ratio isn't honestly that bad either (given that so much of the time you invest is actually fun). I could go on and on, rambling about this very simple concept that is so plain it doesn't really need to be said. But I have a penchant for stating the obvious! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I'll leave you now with amazing words of wisdom (appropriately unrelated) from one of the greatest thinkers of our age ... THE DUNGEON BASTARD! The lesson here is, again, have fun and don't take any of this too seriously. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/zI63KGdcGvU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
D&D as an adult gave me a good reminder that fun is a necessary element of life! I really do believe that we all <span style="text-align: justify;">need fun in our lives. Don't forget to have fun, every single damn day if possible! </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6UHtEQ7V2BY/UwT9sVYLwQI/AAAAAAAAChc/tUSVVkuRauw/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6UHtEQ7V2BY/UwT9sVYLwQI/AAAAAAAAChc/tUSVVkuRauw/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="640" width="568" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-26626213294930544492014-02-27T10:10:00.001-07:002014-02-27T10:21:05.270-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Post 26 -- Any regrets about D&D?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqOxUqr48P8/Uw9xYdR3dpI/AAAAAAAACxc/EM2wPBR2m-k/s1600/no_regrets-4717.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqOxUqr48P8/Uw9xYdR3dpI/AAAAAAAACxc/EM2wPBR2m-k/s1600/no_regrets-4717.png" height="236" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">
D&D ... if I had it to do all over again what would I do anything differently when I first started gaming?</span></h2>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I think I have no regrets at all about my early experiences with D&D. In fact I think I was blessed with a near optimal entry into the hobby for so many reasons. First it was the literal "golden age" of D&D, second it was the analog age. I had no distractions of technology calling me away to spend hours on YouTube or on the latest Call of Duty title. Third I had a great version of the game to start into D&D with, basic red box D&D. I can't imagine being a ten year old kid today and just starting D&D for so many reasons I do not see how children could possibly pull off D&D the way we were able to as kids in the 1980s.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We approached the game with a sense of adventure, wonder and even a little awe. We took it seriously, yet we let it be fun. When we came together to game, we did so with the spirit of having a good time. Our DM was serious and applied the rules, but he didn't let that get in the way of that spirit of adventure, or our collective fun. Those are very simple things, but I cannot tell you how many times I've been in a game where those things just didn't materialize or weren't respected from the beginning.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So honestly I can say I have nothing I'd do differently when I first started gaming. I have plenty of regrets with how we approached things in various games over the past five or six years, but nothing from my early years. I think in general the biggest faux pas one can make with D&D or really any game is to take it too seriously. I also think that when one plays and RPG they need to have a giving attitude. By that I mean be you a DM or a player you are part of a shared, collective experience. You are responsible for adding to the fun, for helping breath life into the character and world in which you are playing. Respect your DM, respect your fellow player, respect the game and respect yourself and above all don't forget to have fun! All simple fortune cooking kind of advice, but to me that is what it all boils down to.<br />
<br />
Never lose your sense of wonder and adventure ... if you can hang onto that ... not just in gaming, but in life, I believe you will have a much better time of it all :)<br />
<br />
Here is a great little video that sums it all up I think ...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kkAYze6ae18?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-6UmnEe3h8/Uw9uM7RsGrI/AAAAAAAACxU/0f1uP10IuCU/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-6UmnEe3h8/Uw9uM7RsGrI/AAAAAAAACxU/0f1uP10IuCU/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-19594872519252166412014-02-26T18:39:00.001-07:002014-02-26T18:39:22.255-07:00Fun oldhammer/pulp army - Kallistra PYGMIES!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nYOHSm544Iw/Uw6VUPsJqKI/AAAAAAAACww/iu_nOTvPi9w/s1600/IMAG0274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nYOHSm544Iw/Uw6VUPsJqKI/AAAAAAAACww/iu_nOTvPi9w/s1600/IMAG0274.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Today I got a cool package from the UK, my Kallistra Pygmies arrived!<br />
<br />
Somehow 2014 has become the year of jungle gaming for me for whatever reason. I have decided to revisit my old school rogue trader era Catachan army, I'm working on a lizardmen army and sort of as part of that project I decided to pick up a reasonably sized pygmy army.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_IyiCBNDJk/Uw6V3oOPwKI/AAAAAAAACw4/irNlH9Z_oPE/s1600/IMAG0273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_IyiCBNDJk/Uw6V3oOPwKI/AAAAAAAACw4/irNlH9Z_oPE/s1600/IMAG0273.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
That roughly 140 pygmies, roughly a unit with blow guns, a unit with hand weapons and shields and a couple units with spears and shields. I have a couple of palm tree catapults and about 16 boar riding pygmies. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOSzYB6CuiQ/Uw6WKoLvprI/AAAAAAAACxA/CHrx8T491EM/s1600/IMAG0275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FOSzYB6CuiQ/Uw6WKoLvprI/AAAAAAAACxA/CHrx8T491EM/s1600/IMAG0275.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
To give an idea of size here is a GW fig. Honestly these guys could work as large sized 15mm figs (maybe ogre sized or some giant sized jungle warriors). <br />
<br />
I am aware these figs are a little non-PC, but they are a fantasy range and did not acquire them in that spirit nor do I really see them like that. I honestly really love them, they have so much character! I can hardly wait to get them based and painted.<br />
<br />
I'm a little on the fence about how to base them. I think I'm going to avoid basing them on square bases and instead base them on pennies. I'll then make square movement trays for them if I want to field them in blocks. <br />
<br />
They'll probably see more play in Song of Blades and Heroes, etc. than in WHFB games, granted I don't see myself fielding 150 of these guys in any SBH games ... EVER ... but I wanted to have the option of using them in WFHB, Kings of War, Armies of Arcana, etc.The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-67491953969822080072014-02-26T10:11:00.001-07:002014-02-27T09:56:28.457-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Post 26 -- What happened to my original D&D group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SFXVndcTf0I/Uw4eWF_7EVI/AAAAAAAACvU/AZ36nnb_b_Q/s1600/batmanknighthawkslg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SFXVndcTf0I/Uw4eWF_7EVI/AAAAAAAACvU/AZ36nnb_b_Q/s1600/batmanknighthawkslg.jpg" height="344" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sadly I've gone it my own way. My first group I played with were a bunch of great guys. I was twelve the last time I played D&D with that group. When I was a kid we move around a lot as my dad worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and as he moved up in the company it seemed we had to go somewhere else. Anyway about every three years we moved. So I lost contact with those guys pretty much. I saw them in high school and had some quick emails to them here and there in early college. But its been well over ten years since I've heard from any of them. Last time I heard they were all off to the four corners of the Pacific Northwest, here and there doing different things. Again though that was well over a decade ago, I'm sure their all married with kids and whatnot now, working for the man, mortgages, car payments and life ... set in upon them. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The funny thing is I think that experience caused me to do what I've done ever since I was done with my first round of graduate school. That is to create a home gaming group that is more or less some recreation of that first group. I don't mean literally, I'm not out searching for people who look like my childhood pals all grown up. No I just mean that having that weekly group, no matter where I live, has sort of been a thing for me since my mid-20s.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've never really thought about it but it is sort of me chasing nostalgia I guess. I have good times for sure and I'm glad I do it ... but I can't help but feel like a loner sometimes chasing things that I might never find again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But I sully on, and have no regrets. I have a great group right now and we are making our own gaming fun and charging off in new directions. So maybe this time around I'll create a new archetype for a gaming group for myself ... only time will tell I guess ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-6UmnEe3h8/Uw9uM7RsGrI/AAAAAAAACxQ/Rr7qdjU-dbU/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g-6UmnEe3h8/Uw9uM7RsGrI/AAAAAAAACxQ/Rr7qdjU-dbU/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-46939750506532606942014-02-25T00:07:00.005-07:002014-02-25T00:13:36.044-07:00Battle of the blood bowl clones!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QiJoF45NBNY/UwxB9Bgv4JI/AAAAAAAACvE/gVeo8yXMLpg/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QiJoF45NBNY/UwxB9Bgv4JI/AAAAAAAACvE/gVeo8yXMLpg/s1600/download.jpg" height="400" width="331" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So all of a sudden we have this glut of blood bowl clones on Kickstarter! What is up with that! I'm calling unnecessary roughness on this one! Someone could lose their pants!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GR5haABBjeI/Uww-0DFNdaI/AAAAAAAACuc/f6Z3Mgb2E9M/s1600/87a67abbd00dced6846ba6086f7a8222_large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GR5haABBjeI/Uww-0DFNdaI/AAAAAAAACuc/f6Z3Mgb2E9M/s1600/87a67abbd00dced6846ba6086f7a8222_large.jpeg" height="640" width="202" /></a> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't back the original Dreadball and I do wish I had. But I am currently backing Dreadball Xtreme at the crazy frenzy level (that might change though the project has awhile to go yet and if the math doesn't work out on it I'll drop down to the uproar level probably). I don't know I'm somewhat excited about the project. BUT ... there happens to be two other alternatives up right now which are both a little tempting.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUT8EzqfqtQ/Uww_ncnlVEI/AAAAAAAACuw/H7jQdR-Aor8/s1600/42263a54bc6dbc297b9079d7fae43711_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUT8EzqfqtQ/Uww_ncnlVEI/AAAAAAAACuw/H7jQdR-Aor8/s1600/42263a54bc6dbc297b9079d7fae43711_large.jpg" height="640" width="130" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we have Slaughterball. I'm backing it too. Again I'm going to wait and see what the end payoff is ... right now it looks like they are going to struggle to get very deep into their stretch goals. I think they should fund they have 19 days left and they are half way to their $40,000.00 goal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehqzQcu_ibI/UwxALql8AII/AAAAAAAACu4/ENx94eRuGgo/s1600/23f6921eb521f1feb2bca51bd9cecbbe_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehqzQcu_ibI/UwxALql8AII/AAAAAAAACu4/ENx94eRuGgo/s1600/23f6921eb521f1feb2bca51bd9cecbbe_large.jpg" height="640" width="244" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So the one that I am not backing, mainly just due to not getting as much for the cost, Guildball does look interesting and they have funded. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dreadball Xtreme is the clear frontrunner, they seemed to just automatically fund to several hundred thousand and could easily crack the 1 million dollar mark knowing how popular mantics offerings tend to be. I think Slaughterball and Guildball are going to struggle by comparison, which is sad because I'd love to see more games like these. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope they do succeed because I think a good, very clean,
fast playing Blood-Bowl-esq game could be really awesome. If the design has
enough fun and doesn't boil down to too much random or just a total chess game.
So we'll see ... right now I'm backing 2 of 3 and I'll likely drop one if not
potentially both ... just depending on how the projects develop. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span>The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-64255005543552572012014-02-24T23:24:00.003-07:002014-02-24T23:24:40.066-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Post 25 -- Longest Running RPG I've been involved with. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5pklgew4a8/Uww1d0fnkZI/AAAAAAAACuM/jjo31kg6zdA/s1600/espnw_cw_endurance_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5pklgew4a8/Uww1d0fnkZI/AAAAAAAACuM/jjo31kg6zdA/s1600/espnw_cw_endurance_10.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A years long D&D campaign is sort of like a marathon in the snow, but up hill both ways.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well. I have honestly been in far more 3-5 shot campaigns than not. In fact I believe there is a "law of RPGs" that is something along the lines of never plan for more than 12 sessions. In the span of 12 sessions there is always some sort of life changing event that occurs if you have say a five player group and a DM. Someone's girlfriend/boyfriend has a work schedule change, one of the players or the DM has a work schedule change, a new semester starts with different class schedules, etc. You get the point. It seems that over the 20 or so active years I've had as a gamer that every RPG campaign I've been involved in seems to have had a maximum realistic trajectory of 12 sessions. So as a DM I plan for only 12 sessions to start and then go from there.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So to answer the initial question. The longest game I every played in was actually the very first a red box basic game. It lasted about two years technically. We played in the same home brew campaign setting. The second longest was about 20 months I think, 2nd ed. D&D. The longest game I've ever run is actually the one I just wrapped up, which was a mere 30 sessions (ish), Dungeon World. We might pick up again in the game perhaps next fall. The players have interest. The reason the campaign ended was me. I have some big stuff coming with school and work so I thought it best to have a nice "chapter 2" end point and allow someone else in our group to run a game for awhile.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have some ambition to possibly run an Iron Kingdoms game over the summer and some one shot fun stuff here and there. If I fire up a long term DW game again it will probably be next October and then I'd run it through the winter into the late spring probably. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-83722611015960559162014-02-24T12:41:00.002-07:002014-02-24T16:12:59.588-07:00Say it ain't so ... Egon Spengler is gone. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql-Q67cX_PU/Uwuf5PHbNgI/AAAAAAAACt8/JKlb0waV7nU/s1600/5d165265c3dd7c7edcf7e3f36294832c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ql-Q67cX_PU/Uwuf5PHbNgI/AAAAAAAACt8/JKlb0waV7nU/s1600/5d165265c3dd7c7edcf7e3f36294832c.jpg" height="408" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Really very sad to hear that Harold Ramis passed away yesterday. Sad news.<br />
<br />
Rest in Peace Egon ... rest in peace ... if you don't you might end up in the containment unit.<br />
<br />
May it be said you only crossed the streams when you had to!<br />
<br />
Man I'm really busted up about this. I dearly loved Ramis, he was a true icon. More as a writer than an actor but those films were really a big part of my childhood. Probably as much as the Raiders or Star Wars films to be honest.<br />
<br />
--------------<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unrelated, but sort of cool as Harold is interviewed here
... <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HQ38lNWi1jo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1000000px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br style="max-height: 1000000px; word-wrap: break-word;" /></span>The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-70166364765912733452014-02-24T11:11:00.001-07:002014-02-24T12:07:02.856-07:00Gamer Archetypes according to Dr. Richard Garfield ... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEuuXvsdOqw/UwuH8HIhjVI/AAAAAAAACts/wc4szKlqSiY/s1600/Richard-Garfield-Magic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEuuXvsdOqw/UwuH8HIhjVI/AAAAAAAACts/wc4szKlqSiY/s1600/Richard-Garfield-Magic.jpg" height="640" width="462" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
Gamer ADD does it exist?</h2>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Having read a really cool article from of all places <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/an-interview-with-richard-garfield-creator-of-magic-the-gathering">Vice Magazine</a> with Dr. Richard Garfield the creator of Magic the Gathering (go read the interview it's good) I started thinking about "gamer ADD" that dreaded curse which can afflict a gaming group/club.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
One of the interesting points Dr. Garfield brings up is this notion that there are three types of gamers; innovators, honers and champions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The innovator is someone who tinkers with the rules, enjoys learning what a game can do and then experimenting with those rules in an attempt to innovate. Presumably though at a certain point though these people sort of hit the maximum amount of "innovating" potential and move on to other games. Garfield's quote in the article that sums this up is "I take pleasure in trying to think outside the box in games," the innovator in a nutshell. Figuring out how to use the rules differently or make the game play/feel different, etc. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The honer, hones the rules. They aren't so much concerned with the innovation part of things but more with complete rules mastery. They seek to perfect the rules and master the game. It seems like there is certainly overlap with the innovator, but I see his point that they are not one and the same.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Speaking of being one and the same, the third archetype Garfield lists is the champion can presumably combine both the qualities of the innovator and the honer to learn to both innovate with the rules but also master them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm probably 90% an innovator, 5% honer, 5% champion. I've had a few flashes of game honing and even combining the two and reaching the champion level with a game. What I mean by that is back in the day with Warhammer 40K for example, and no I don't mean I just was a champion at tournaments. I was incessantly reading the rules creating army builder lists, looking at the rules from every angle, practicing the game (playing as many as a dozen full games a week, etc.). But my general MO is that I get bored once a game gets to the honing stage and move on to other games. It isn't that I can't continue to enjoy a game, it is that I need to have new challenges beyond just grinding out that last 10-15% of proficiency with a game. Some people live for "honing" out that last big of game mastery and that is cool but just not my cup of tea.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This article really gets to the core of what many people see as gamer ADD. For some people who can't play the same character in an RPG for more than a session, or people who just endlessly bounce from thing to thing ... yes there really is a gamer ADD. But that is probably more a case of clinical ADD. For me I do not have that (though if there is a powerful vector ... I can catch the contagion) with games so much, I think if a game is good and well designed it will hold my interest for a reasonable amount of time. But I usually see pretty quickly if a game is deep enough to allow for some extended "innovation" and if it is it can hold my interest for months or potentially even years. If the innovation potential is quickly exhausted though and I reach what I perceive as a "grind" ... in order to master this game you need to "practice" ... I'm out. I don't like to have to do that with games, I just get bored at that stage. Its is the same regardless of the game, from video games (RTS, MMOs, etc.), mini games, RPGs, or board games when I hit the honing stage I get bored. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So open ended RPGs where things are really open and up to interpretation (Vincent Baker games are a good example, FATE is another example) tend to hold my interest. Big mini games with regular releases does as well because the games constantly change but also there are other opportunities for innovation. Even the elements of modeling, painting and creating terrain become opportunities for innovation. So those hold my interest as well. <br />
<br />
All this got me thinking about my own early involvement with games, particularly around the 5th grade I think, I played chess very frequently, I was pretty good, I'm not claiming I was the next Bobby Fisher or anything though. I just won almost every game I played. I was the chess champ of my school, I went to a regional competition and won. When I hit the state level (Oregon) I got bored, I didn't want to practice and learn historical chess matches, learn individual opponents, etc. So I played in the one state level event way back in the mid 80's and then just quit (I did well actually though from what I recall, somewhere I have a little certificate) and just remember I really disliked it. I always wondered why I did that. I really don't give up easily on things, I always stuck things out in sports, gods know I do that with academics ... I get obsessed with completing a course, degree, etc. to such an extent I have two masters degrees, I'm heading into a third one soon and then I will finish out with my PhD. I get obsessed like that. I never knew why with games though I didn't seem to have the same attitude. Well after reading this interview I think I do now understand it. I like how he put things, a very interesting breakdown of different kinds of ways gamers see games.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway great article it was really an epiphany for me.</div>
<br />
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-19714539549846101552014-02-23T12:10:00.002-07:002014-02-23T13:03:37.717-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge Post 23&24 -- First song and film I associated with D&D<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lFjjBZ_LpU/UwpDTtiuNNI/AAAAAAAACtI/3p-8GpTMLGk/s1600/hobbit-panel-3-470x353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lFjjBZ_LpU/UwpDTtiuNNI/AAAAAAAACtI/3p-8GpTMLGk/s1600/hobbit-panel-3-470x353.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
So as a very small child, around age five I was for the first time exposed to the classic (either classic bad or good depending on your perspective) Rankin/Bass/Bakashi films. I really don't know what order I saw them in</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The Rankin/Bass Hobbit animated film was out in 1977 and the Bakashi Lord of the Rings animated film was released in 1978, and then Rankin/Bass did a Return of the King that is I guess sort of related to the first film (obviously it is all Tolkien and the same story, but the animation was different as were many of the voice actors I think) it was released in 1980. I think it was probably 1979 or 1980 when I saw them for the first time. I recall watching the Hobbit on my tiny 12 inch black and white TV in my bedroom when it aired on TV (yes I do have a vague recollection of black and white TV sets, rabbit ears and all). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
While it would be several years after that before I first encountered D&D, those films left an indelible mark upon my impressionable young mind. No matter how bad they are I have strong nostalgia for them and really I am so very glad I encountered them as they made me want to read Tolkien, which believe it or not inspired me to want to read about history. Those books inspired me to want to read more books, period. I know very odd as they aren't really great children books, I'd probably have been far better off with the Chronicles of Narnia or something. But in terms of D&D and gaming, there is flat out no way I think I'd have ever really ended up wanting to play D&D. The only reason I had a chance to play in my first game was because I had read Tolkien, my friends older "cool" middle school brother allowed me to play in his game because I could BS with him about Tolkien. That lead me down the path of becoming a gamer. Otherwise I think I'd have just been a sports fan and never been a geek. Ya ya .. what curse ... but seriously I cannot imagine how different my life would have been if I would not have encountered these cheesy films.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Now as for music. I'm sure I could make up some musical connection somewhere else. But really there is no other song that did not spring to mind first in terms of a connection to D&D. I recall actually singing this song when we were captured by orcs in our first D&D game (which I'm sure our Tolkien fan, middle school, DM was just wholesale ripping off from the LoTR).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Where there is a whip there is a way ... terrible ... classic ... always has a special place in my heart!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip,
there's a way.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip,
there's a way.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a
whip...<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We don't wanna go to
war today<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>But the Lord of the
Lash says: "nay, nay, nay!"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We're gonna march all
day, all day, all day!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip
there's a way!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip,
there's a way!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Left, right, left,
right<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The crack on the back
says we're gonna fight<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We're gonna march all
day and night and more<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>For we are the slaves
of the Dark Lord's war.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip,
there's a way!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We don't wanna go to
war today!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We don't wanna go to
war today<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>But the Lord of the
Lash says: "nay, nay, nay!"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We're gonna march all
day, all day, all day!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where there's a whip
there's a way!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Left, right, left right!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VoAfb3f04mo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-80939474226834058372014-02-22T14:59:00.001-07:002014-02-22T14:59:17.458-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge -- 1st D&D books I ever sold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VTxmUmZM-pg/UwkZjQtsJzI/AAAAAAAACs4/xSoyXDS33nc/s1600/220px-Dungeon_of_Dread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VTxmUmZM-pg/UwkZjQtsJzI/AAAAAAAACs4/xSoyXDS33nc/s1600/220px-Dungeon_of_Dread.jpg" height="640" width="374" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The first D&D related books I ever read were the endless quest books. The very first of those I read was the classic <i>Dungeon of Dread </i> as you can see by the picture there by Rose Estes fantasy author extraordinaire (sarcasm there). No it isn't Shakespeare but when I was ten this stuff was high adventure! I owned hundreds of choose your own adventure books and this one was towards the top of my list. I read this thing ragged. Somewhere down the basement book vault I still have it I believe (I was too lazy to look for it before doing this post).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Anyway I would be very remiss if I didn't at least mention the Chronicles of Dragonlance as some of the most influential books of my early childhood. I think I was 11 or 12 when I started reading them and devoured the first I don't know ... what ... 20 or so. After that things fell of the deep end and I looked to other authors. Even there though by the time I was in high school I had stopped reading fantasy and sadly haven't really been back. For a geek who likes fantasy, Warhammer, D&D, etc. I am not very well read. I guess its not a bad thing as when I hit college I majored in history and read hundreds of history books. Then I went on to graduate school and started in on anything related to public administration, health care and general management. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
But most of my adult life I've just either been in school working on another degree or during the periods I wasn't in school (and thus experiencing the leisure time reading drought one usually does when they are being required to read metric shit tons ... technical term there) when I did read pulpy adventure stuff it tended to be GW black library stuff. So to this day I've never read Jordan, Brooks, Eddings, Anthony, Goodkind. I of course have read the hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and some random stuff by more obscure authors like Raymond E. Feist (who I turned to after my Dragonlance phase had run its course).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACmw/7GALuJmVU6c/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-8718526160679875742014-02-22T14:27:00.001-07:002014-02-22T14:34:58.709-07:002014 Big Gaming project Update: Lizardmen army acquisition phase almost complete! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YgusIxWelwo/UwkTMs0XtpI/AAAAAAAACsY/nAEa32voEqE/s1600/IMAG0264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YgusIxWelwo/UwkTMs0XtpI/AAAAAAAACsY/nAEa32voEqE/s1600/IMAG0264.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So I got a package in the mail from my friend in Las Vegas, <a href="http://spillbendik.blogspot.com/">Will </a> who I am trading off some sedition wars stuff and some other random WHFB stuff that I don't have a use for but he does. We basically are just swapping stuff we aren't going to use anytime soon with each other ... lol. Anyway this pretty much puts the finishing touch on my Lizardmen force. The only models I really do not have are Kroxigors and I am on the fence about what to do. I just can't find the GW models, old or new at what I feel is a reasonable price. I'd like to have about a dozen just because. Given that, at the best price I could get GW versions for that would be over $100.00 even with a great deal on eBay or something. So more and more I'm leaning towards going with another range.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway I am really excited about this model I got from Will. He did some cool conversion work on it. Hard to make out from my cruddy phone pictures but there is a cool little crown on him. Actually this whole lot is cool because he did all the assembly work, etc. so it is really pretty much ready to be painted (Lord Kroak not withstanding). Not a single piece of failcast in the lot :)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mF5JRwg4vSo/UwkWHEWv01I/AAAAAAAACsk/3BOXntPehSs/s1600/IMAG0268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mF5JRwg4vSo/UwkWHEWv01I/AAAAAAAACsk/3BOXntPehSs/s1600/IMAG0268.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Talc8nxmrrw/UwkWHGIG0FI/AAAAAAAACsk/sXGn4TTm_tQ/s1600/IMAG0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Talc8nxmrrw/UwkWHGIG0FI/AAAAAAAACsk/sXGn4TTm_tQ/s1600/IMAG0266.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KQDYyBM5YI/UwkWHC8lJTI/AAAAAAAACsk/ZAZEmZHe-CQ/s1600/IMAG0265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KQDYyBM5YI/UwkWHC8lJTI/AAAAAAAACsk/ZAZEmZHe-CQ/s1600/IMAG0265.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-28791790121758283482014-02-21T13:01:00.001-07:002014-02-21T13:01:08.374-07:00The front porch is cluttered with packages today! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q9EkGNaWO-0/UweuXCH_TZI/AAAAAAAACqE/gagdIyObxTw/s1600/IMAG0260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q9EkGNaWO-0/UweuXCH_TZI/AAAAAAAACqE/gagdIyObxTw/s1600/IMAG0260.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So FRP games was having a sale on a few things so I picked up my first Malifaux, Kabuki and Scibor minis. I've been eyeing them for years and never have taken the plunge. They are all pretty looking. I just bought them to have, to maybe throw in with other projects. <br />
<br />
I picked up the other Cyclades expansion, so I should have everything for the game pretty much now, including the promo stuff. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Zb8JE2xG9o/UweuauCrALI/AAAAAAAACqY/ZjGyEr4OTIY/s1600/IMAG0262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Zb8JE2xG9o/UweuauCrALI/AAAAAAAACqY/ZjGyEr4OTIY/s1600/IMAG0262.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
I also grabbed the Windigo stuff that I've been wanting from Crocodile (Wargods of Aegyptus/Hyperboria). I grabbed the starter group along with the giant awesome abominable snowman o' doom. He is heavy as hell!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8VRv85LZVME/UwewJ6BSjVI/AAAAAAAACqg/FINPzXReixA/s1600/IMAG0255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8VRv85LZVME/UwewJ6BSjVI/AAAAAAAACqg/FINPzXReixA/s1600/IMAG0255.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Anyway I was pretty happy that this stuff got here in one piece given the state of the box it arrived in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3w_97thQhI/UwewUmsN3UI/AAAAAAAACqo/rvcfQJSF4nE/s1600/IMAG0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3w_97thQhI/UwewUmsN3UI/AAAAAAAACqo/rvcfQJSF4nE/s1600/IMAG0252.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-1808456595841826402014-02-21T09:20:00.001-07:002014-02-22T10:22:54.861-07:00More Warhammer Fantasy stuff ... the lizardmen pile grows! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O8YyNWeTVk8/UwZtiD-qNHI/AAAAAAAACnA/FNqXHbopZ3U/s1600/IMAG0238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O8YyNWeTVk8/UwZtiD-qNHI/AAAAAAAACnA/FNqXHbopZ3U/s1600/IMAG0238.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So here is the hard to tell WTF this is pile o' bitz and whatnot. A friend treked down to Strategicon and managed to pick up a bunch of WHFB stuff at a really good price. So I snagged a bunch. What is there is:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Skaven Hell Pit Abomination</li>
<li>Stegadon</li>
<li>Lizardmen Battalion </li>
</ul>
<br />
When I'm going to get to my Skaven stuff I have no clue, but the Lizardmen are going to be my summer project. I'm pretty much done with acquisition other than probably about $40-$50 on bitz, perhaps one or two other character models and a couple of big Schleich dinosaurs. I have a final group of lizardmen coming in the mail from a friend in Las Vegas. We worked out a trade. So I'll throw some pictures up of that stuff when it gets in.<br />
<br />
I am really looking forward to painting all this stuff up honestly. I really want to do a bright army for a change. I've done so many drab, dark, dip armies. Which I've been happy with but they just all seem to blend together in my mind. I am no master painter, but just working with some bright colors for a change sounds like fun.The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-8619233394164162042014-02-21T09:10:00.003-07:002014-02-21T09:10:41.378-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge -- 1st D&D books I ever sold <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V83ERtiALio/Uwd4YETk4HI/AAAAAAAACmY/6ZbQrNytEd0/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V83ERtiALio/Uwd4YETk4HI/AAAAAAAACmY/6ZbQrNytEd0/s1600/images.jpg" height="526" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
So yes. That image sort of displays how I encountered the newer versions of D&D. I felt really great about "grid" based D&D early on and then gradually came to really not that great about it. <br />
<br />
So as for the question I can honestly say I've never really "sold" any D&D books. Not some dyed in the wool D&D purist thing, no really they just don't hold their value. You buy the stuff at a heavy discount on Amazon and as we all know the average RPGer doesn't spend anything on the hobby. Its the DM who has most of the books and the rest of the people just mooch. There are always a dedicated one or two players who owns a PHB. So there just ends up being this glut of extra core books for pretty much every system. Sure there was a spike with the core 3.5 books there for a brief while they were worth more than their initial MSRP but that was short lived. Generally the average D&D book is pretty cheap (again not talking obscure/rare modules, etc.) so unlike my constant buying and selling mini gaming stuff on eBay I've pretty much never sold RPG stuff, it just isn't really worth my time and effort to make $3 or $5 bucks and though I'm not living fat like I did back in the six figure days, I'm still not so poor that I am going to spend all the time listing stuff on eBay hauling books to the post office, etc. etc. to make a couple of dollars. So they've just sat on my shelf. <br />
<br />
Books are easy to store as well. With other hobby stuff like minis, for me anyway I get frustrated with all the stuff taking up space so I try to downsize occasionally. With all my RPG stuff I have large bookshelves in the basement and they are there expressly to store ... books. So my wife is never nagging at me to clean it all up, I'm never feeling like I could really do a whole lot more with that area, so I just don't have strong incentive to even pay attention to all that stuff.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--RjeSLWKKo8/Uwd6XA5pmkI/AAAAAAAACmk/tgxkMFjpHuA/s1600/4dndphb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--RjeSLWKKo8/Uwd6XA5pmkI/AAAAAAAACmk/tgxkMFjpHuA/s1600/4dndphb.jpeg" height="200" width="152" /></a>Anyway I did give away my 4th edition stuff. Which I just gave to a friend who was going to give all of his stuff to one of his childhood friends who was a little tight on money but looking to get into the hobby just with his son. For whatever reason that person (who I don't know and who lives half way across the country) was apparently getting into 4th. ed. So anyway long story short my friend Scott gave all of his 4th ed. stuff to him and I chucked my stuff in with his. I never saw myself ever, ever playing 4th again so it seemed like a no brainer ... help a fellow gamer out with something I was never going to use anyway (and really couldn't sell even if I wanted to ... lol). <br />
<br />
Now this isn't a bash 4th ed. piece here, please don't see it that way. I very much dislike ALL grid based D&D. I really do not enjoy it. To me it isn't D&D, it isn't even role playing. I see grid based RPGs as a bastardized hybrid board game-skirmish wargame-RPG. Its really a watered down board game, a watered down minis game all combined with a very watered down RPG. The focus is always going to be on getting into combat really quickly, and then staying there for most of the session. The mini game side of things is on one hand too tactical for my taste but then again, not really tactical enough. As for being a board game, I think 3.5/4e would be fine "Descent" emulators. In fact I sold off all my Descent stuff this last year when I cam to that realization. So someday perhaps I will use my old Pathfinder shit to run a Descent game, I"ll just pre-gen up some characters for people and run them through railroady dungeons. That could be fun with my kids I guess.<br />
<br />
Overall though I had come to the decision that I really will never go back to the grid, after several different 3.0/3.5/4e/Pathfinder games with several different groups, at conventions, and just from reading blogs, podcasts, and message board posts. Everyone who was playing at an "optimized" level sounded a hell of a lot like the guys on Bell of Lost Souls running "optimized" warhammer 40K armies. Its all about the power game, its all about combat and it rarely was about having a good time gaming. Of course most home game groups were playing 3.5/4e just like we used to play 2nd ed. Hell half of the groups out there weren't using the grid or minis (which was so laughable to me) and I recall many arguing "you don't even need minis or the grid" which always made me laugh. Sure you didn't but then you were fudging and hand waiving half the rules ... so why the hell not just go play basic, or any one of the the fine OSR options. <br />
<br />
Mind you this was all for me in the pre Dungeon World days so that was not an option yet. I never took the plunge with Castles and Crusades or Labyrinth Lord though I own printed copies of both. I have a pretty massive collection of 2nd edition D&D as well. I never could get anyone to really want to play 2nd. I just knew that the groups I was playing with wouldn't have wanted to do it. Most of the groups I've played with have honestly been 3.0era fanboys. They all started in that era and so they think that is real D&D. For some that is true, not for me. Anyway I didn't mean to turn this into a bash any particular version of D&D. All my ranting aside, I think that if people enjoy grid based RPGing more power to them. I have enjoyed being a player in 3.5/Pathfinder/4e games. I will never say never on being a player in a grid based RPG again I just know I wouldn't run one of those types of games. Thus no need to own any rulesets. I do still have my Pathfinder books which again I'm holding onto on the off chance I get a wild hair to run a home brew Descent campaign where we just do a series of one shot dungeons.<br />
<br />
This post does have me now thinking about all those books though. I have the better part of all 2nd edition White Wolf stuff. I really should get rid of all that stuff. Hmmmmm ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACms/_iVf4dABX3o/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVmY1PGTCRc/Uwd6dzr71sI/AAAAAAAACms/_iVf4dABX3o/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></a></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-5375099591259947822014-02-20T15:31:00.001-07:002014-02-20T15:35:29.476-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge -- My first non-D&D RPG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hE6uCxUO5OQ/UwZ_FwptcuI/AAAAAAAACjk/dzvNUWWgVXY/s1600/Rifts_Bikini_by_Mumah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hE6uCxUO5OQ/UwZ_FwptcuI/AAAAAAAACjk/dzvNUWWgVXY/s1600/Rifts_Bikini_by_Mumah.jpg" height="640" width="484" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge --<br />
<br />
The first non-D&D RPG I played was RIFTS. It is a venerable system that I hardly need to elaborate on. Most RPG fans have at least heard of it and it is well known enough that even non-RPG players have run across it. Kevin Siembieda is the main guy behind it all, though he has had a whose who of sci-fi/fantasy artists do work for him and many other designers have worked with him. But it is sort of a one man show from what I understand.<br />
<br />
Anyway none of that had anything to do with why I played RIFTs. It was actually pretty late in my RPG career before I departed from D&D. After I had returned to RPGs as an adult I was fortunate to have a really stable group that played a weekly game for about two years. After that game finally ran its course, we were up for a change. So the DM suggested he run a RIFTs game. He was rightfully concerned about the really gigantic amount of material available and restricted us to the collation stuff. He also had a pretty novel approach to dealing with the "I want to play a Glitterboy!" phenomenia and that was we all started out as vagabonds and had to earn our O.C.C somehow. The campaign lasted for about three months and it was pretty fun. Every successive attempt at making the actual game of RIFTs work (only as a player, RIFTs is not the kind of game I'd ever want to run) has never really panned out well. <br />
<br />
What RIFTs really did for our group and me personally was it broke the ice. I realized that really any genre could be just as fun as D&D. So I became much more willing to try new systems. I eventually would gravitate towards indie/small press RPGs, stuff like FATE, Vincent Baker games, etc. etc. I think I owe my willingness to do so all to RIFTs. <br />
<br />
These days I play anything but D&D to be honest. I have come to prefer Dungeon World to any version of D&D. Not because it is somehow inherently better, but because it is for me as a DM pretty much just as satisfying and far easier to pull off, taking 10% of the prep time, etc. etc. Again I am not bashing D&D, OSR or any other RPG out there I just have found that this year anyway DW is filling the D&D void rather nicely.<br />
<br />
There is talk in our group of an Iron Kingdoms foray so that might end up being the next game I run. So who knows. I'm not holding my breath for 5th ed. but I will take a look at it and give it the benefit of the doubt rather than just auto hating it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioEZPfPYOi0/UwPMPNxb2hI/AAAAAAAACgM/ekETThYbrvE/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioEZPfPYOi0/UwPMPNxb2hI/AAAAAAAACgM/ekETThYbrvE/s1600/D%2526DBloghop%255B1%255D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-68135801502016687602014-02-20T14:19:00.003-07:002014-02-20T14:19:45.611-07:00Woohoo! I love it when a delivery comes in ... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCqOGMf-8bI/UwZw2wQnllI/AAAAAAAACjI/q2msXBPuNxo/s1600/IMAG0235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCqOGMf-8bI/UwZw2wQnllI/AAAAAAAACjI/q2msXBPuNxo/s1600/IMAG0235.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Always fun when you get a special delivery!! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I got the two player battle set for Hordes. Honestly don't know why I picked it up, other than I really love the Everblight and Circle of Orboros minis. Hordes is a "maybe" thing for this summer. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also grabbed two board games I've been meaning to pickup forever, Kemet and Cyclades. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOBLlQcJnxw/UwZxUc3IvzI/AAAAAAAACjQ/oly14LK6Bs4/s1600/IMAG0237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOBLlQcJnxw/UwZxUc3IvzI/AAAAAAAACjQ/oly14LK6Bs4/s1600/IMAG0237.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9128492035551042878.post-72212727742226177632014-02-19T11:54:00.001-07:002014-02-19T15:28:26.853-07:00D&D 40th Anniversary Blog Hop Challenge -- First Gamer who annoyed the hell out of me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-26RV5-5ZWho/UwT4H4L6vxI/AAAAAAAAChI/znu-cZpLi2U/s1600/planes-trains-automobiles-original.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-26RV5-5ZWho/UwT4H4L6vxI/AAAAAAAAChI/znu-cZpLi2U/s1600/planes-trains-automobiles-original.jpeg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
To me this is a post about gaming being a social activity and how we navigate an often prickly issue of individual behavior, personality and character. So I'm approaching it from that standpoint.<br />
<br />
So being annoyed by fellow gamers ... hmm ...<br />
<br />
Of course I have been. Haven't we all?<br />
<br />
For example I've been to conventions where you get in the elevator with THAT GUY who doesn't apparently understand how to take a shower and/or use soap. I've been in many RPG groups with THAT GUY who is an abusive jerk of a power gamer whose sole intent in life seems to be just to break the game and make the GM physically attack him. Hell I've even had a thief in my home gaming group who absconded with about $300.00 in games workshop bitz (and it was a bits by the gram order no less meaning that it was probably more like $500-$800 worth of stuff). I could go on, but we've all probably had these sorts of experiences in one form or another.<br />
<br />
But rather than cast blame on others let me elaborate on why I'm probably annoying at times ..<br />
<br />
I am a grumpy guy at times. I get tired and punchy late at night and my patience wears thin and at those times if we are playing some sort of involved game and someone starts up with some rules equivocation or something I have been known to blow my stack. I would say my most annoying trait is probably my occasional "Donald Duck" episode. Now mind you I do not normally have a short temper, but under the right circumstances it happens.<br />
<br />
Really in all but the case of the thief, I have tried to look past people's shortcomings and see that people come to gaming for many reasons. Many people do it because they struggle in life somehow, many people do it for social activity, for camaraderie. We are all human. No one is perfect. A person who steals just cannot be trusted in your home so you have to boot that person, a guy with utterly repulsive body odor would be another case of nope not going to deal with that (fortunately that has never been an issue really in any game group I was with ... well we had a guy in the Las Vegas gaming club I was in who would show up to club meetings occasionally ... but that wasn't very often), but quirky and very mildly annoying behaviors I think are par for the course with geeks in general. Lots of know-it-all types, lots of folks who have mildly anti-social tendencies, and I can over look those traits if they aren't extreme and if those people are genuinely friendly, nice, dependable people I happily overlook minor personality flaws and focus on what we all have in common. But even then for me to really want to have someone in my own home gaming group I need to have enough in common with the person that we can have a good conversation and get along. Because to me gaming is as much about socializing as anything and if we can't socialize why in the world would we want to be in a gaming group together that meets regularly. I don't do gaming to build my self esteem or to self actualize, I do it to relax and just have a fun pass time so the people I choose to game ideally have a somewhat shared philosophy.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Now all that said I have had several people over the years I have just not gelled with in terms of gaming. One is a great friend of mine who is just an abusive power gamer and has some mad Jekyll and Hyde thing going on when he games. Everyone we gamed with back in the day disliked him. But you get the guy out of the game, invite him over for dinner and the reaction would be just opposite people really like him, find him witty, kind hearted and really funny. He is not a bad guy at all, not generally a selfish person, he is a liberal so at least in principal he cares about his fellow man, etc. etc. yet you get him on a table with a 40K army, or running a character in a D&D game and he goes nuts and gets way too competitive, he clams up, he won't have friendly conversations, he just becomes obsessed with winning and not just winning, kicking his opponents ass as hard as he can. That might be a great way to be in competitive sports, back when I played college football that was how I was.<br />
<br />
So more on my inner "Donald" to this day I don't take to any sort of trash talk at all. I honestly don't know why. The only thing I can really think of is it must stem to my time in competitive sports during my youth. I do recall as a defensive lineman/linebacker that stuff fueled my inner rage and I channeled it into smashing the shit out of my opponent. All these years later, a big old beer be-gutted gamer dad that I am now, and I guess at times I still have that inner linebacker that is just waiting to use the trash talk rage to plant my opponent on their backside. Problem is, naturally, that doesn't mix well with a friendly game of something. So I always warn my friends when I game, don't trash talk me, please, I'll get ticked fast. I am not a poor loser though generally, and I can handle some light ribbing or teasing, but if someone starts to really get in with the "yo-mamma" and "that was a stupid move" kind of comments that's when I just have to step away from the table. Fortunately in my gaming groups it has never been a problem as I've been blessed with mostly laid back gamers who are just there for generally casual play, fun, socializing and having a good time.<br />
<br />
I guess the bottom line is I don't like focusing on the negative in other people unless they just stand right in my pathway and force me to confront it. Otherwise I try to give people wide latitude and have a live and let live attitude. One of my favorite holiday/comedies of all time is Planes, Trains and Automobiles and I find much in common with the plot of that film and many gamers out there. John Candy's character is THAT GUY yet he has an endearing side too. I think that even THAT GUY usually has some redeeming quality and for me it just comes down to ... legitimately ... do those redeeming qualities truly outweigh the bad stuff. For some people the answer is yes, for others no. <br />
Anyway ramble over ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UHtEQ7V2BY/UwT9sVYLwQI/AAAAAAAAChY/6OlWyVTM7i0/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UHtEQ7V2BY/UwT9sVYLwQI/AAAAAAAAChY/6OlWyVTM7i0/s1600/D&DBloghop%5B1%5D.jpg" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
The Lord of Excesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12844701226225155792noreply@blogger.com1