From the Livejournal of game designer Mike Mearls. He is usually a source for interesting ideas, and this bit of discussion isn't a disappointment.
Required Reading for Open Gaming Developers
"If you work with any of the material released under the OGL you must read The Cathedral & the Bazaar, by Eric S. Raymond.
"There's an online version available.
"It's long enough that the print version from O'Reilly is a good resource.
"I'm two-thirds of the way through it, and I feel that I finally understand both the potential of the OGL and how the gaming industry has managed to bungle that potential. In short, RPG companies have been given a powerful tool yet their reliance on closed development styles keeps them from seeing it."
[Back to me now...] I don't see what he proposes happening. The example that he sites, and the model that he seems to be groping towards may work for open source software development, but I don't see it as a model that would work for RPG publishers. No one is going to follow the model because it flies in the face of "nobody is going to buy the cow if the milk is free" logic. Too many business models are built to follow the "cow model," and I don't think that enough people are going to think changing to an open source model will work. Hell, I don't think it would work.
I don't know, I think that it is yet another case of someone letting philosophizing get ahead of pratical concerns. While Mike Mearls is a very good game designer, it should be pointed out that he isn't a business owner. Perhaps he would feel differently about business models if he were. Who knows...
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Israeli Army frowns on Dungeons and Dragons
The pictures with the article are great. Someone, somewhere down the line over there seems to think that S.C.A. stuff is D&D...because all of the pictures of people playing D&D shows a bunch of guys in fake armor having sword fights.
Israeli Army frowns on Dungeons and Dragons
"Does the Israel Defense Forces believe incoming recruits and soldiers who play Dungeons and Dragons are unfit for elite units? Ynetnews has learned that 18-year-olds who tell recruiters they play the popular fantasy game are automatically given low security clearance.
"'They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence,' the army says.
"Fans of the popular role-playing game had spoken of rumors of this strange policy by the IDF, but now the army has confirmed that it has a negative image of teens who play the game and labels them as problematic in regard to their draft status."
Israeli Army frowns on Dungeons and Dragons
"Does the Israel Defense Forces believe incoming recruits and soldiers who play Dungeons and Dragons are unfit for elite units? Ynetnews has learned that 18-year-olds who tell recruiters they play the popular fantasy game are automatically given low security clearance.
"'They're detached from reality and suscepitble to influence,' the army says.
"Fans of the popular role-playing game had spoken of rumors of this strange policy by the IDF, but now the army has confirmed that it has a negative image of teens who play the game and labels them as problematic in regard to their draft status."
RPG Company List Entries:
It is nice to start to be listed for my work...
RPG Company List Entrie
"Battlefield Press
Small-press makers of the Luftwaffe 1946 RPG, Eric Flint's 1632 Resource Guide and Role Playing Game, and the superhero rules system Beyond Mortal Men (by Christopher Helton). All three are based on Gold Rush Games Action! system. In addition, they publish a number of 3rd edition D&D (aka 'D20') adventures and supplements, including 'Cityscape' (2002) and the upcoming 'Sherwood' and 'Pulp Fantasy'. Founded in 2001 by editor Jonathan M. Thompson with authors B.L. Sisemore and Adam R. Thompson."
RPG Company List Entrie
"Battlefield Press
Small-press makers of the Luftwaffe 1946 RPG, Eric Flint's 1632 Resource Guide and Role Playing Game, and the superhero rules system Beyond Mortal Men (by Christopher Helton). All three are based on Gold Rush Games Action! system. In addition, they publish a number of 3rd edition D&D (aka 'D20') adventures and supplements, including 'Cityscape' (2002) and the upcoming 'Sherwood' and 'Pulp Fantasy'. Founded in 2001 by editor Jonathan M. Thompson with authors B.L. Sisemore and Adam R. Thompson."
Monday, March 07, 2005
Dwarfstar Games
Way....way back in the day, there were these cool things called Microgames. Not really role-playing games, but also not really minatures games either, they still have a niche in the history of the development of games in this business.
Nostalgia games indeed!
Dwarfstar Games
"The Dwarfstar Games were a line of small-box science fiction and fantasy themed boardgames published in 1981 and 1982 by Heritage USA.
"Reaper Miniatures has graciously granted limited permission for you to download and print six of these games, for your personal use.
"While this site was created in conjunction with permission granted by Reaper Miniatures, this site was not created by Reaper Miniatures and they are not responsible for the content posted here.
"The page devoted to each Dwarfstar game contains the descriptive text from the back of the game box, scans of the front and back of the box, selected quotes regarding the game, links to other websites related to the game, references to vintage magazine articles, and a set of game files for download."
Check these out, and enjoy. Obviously, in order to Download you click on "Download," and then go to the "Index" page. A few hoops to jump through, but worth the effort.
Nostalgia games indeed!
Dwarfstar Games
"The Dwarfstar Games were a line of small-box science fiction and fantasy themed boardgames published in 1981 and 1982 by Heritage USA.
"Reaper Miniatures has graciously granted limited permission for you to download and print six of these games, for your personal use.
"While this site was created in conjunction with permission granted by Reaper Miniatures, this site was not created by Reaper Miniatures and they are not responsible for the content posted here.
"The page devoted to each Dwarfstar game contains the descriptive text from the back of the game box, scans of the front and back of the box, selected quotes regarding the game, links to other websites related to the game, references to vintage magazine articles, and a set of game files for download."
Check these out, and enjoy. Obviously, in order to Download you click on "Download," and then go to the "Index" page. A few hoops to jump through, but worth the effort.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Flame Warriors
A humorous listing of online "archetypes." I am sure that you have encountered at least some of these individuals.
Flame Warriors
Flame Warriors
T.E. Lawrence
I saw a movie about him last night on television (one of Ralph Fiennes' early movies) about his life after Arabia. Great movie, and it made me realize how under-utilized Lawrence is/was as a character in RPGs. Sure, the "notorious" individuals like Crowley becoming gaming cliches, but someone like Lawrence never gets used, despite his importance to Middle Eastern history. Well, here is some information for all of those people running games (or writing them) for that period betweent the World Wars.
T.E. Lawrence
"British archeological scholar, adventurer, military strategist, and the writer of THE SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM (1927), an ambitious work, which combines a detailed account of the Arab revolt against the Turks and the author's own spiritual autobiography. T.E. Lawrence's enigmatic personality still fascinates biographers and his legend has survived many attempts to discredit his achievements. T.E. Lawrence was better known in his lifetime as 'Lawrence of Arabia' because of the dashing role he had in helping Arabs against the Turks during World War I. At 31 Lawrence was an international celebrity but embittered by his country's policy he chose obscurity and died at the age of 46 after a motorcycle accident."
T.E. Lawrence
"British archeological scholar, adventurer, military strategist, and the writer of THE SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM (1927), an ambitious work, which combines a detailed account of the Arab revolt against the Turks and the author's own spiritual autobiography. T.E. Lawrence's enigmatic personality still fascinates biographers and his legend has survived many attempts to discredit his achievements. T.E. Lawrence was better known in his lifetime as 'Lawrence of Arabia' because of the dashing role he had in helping Arabs against the Turks during World War I. At 31 Lawrence was an international celebrity but embittered by his country's policy he chose obscurity and died at the age of 46 after a motorcycle accident."
Friday, March 04, 2005
Gone But Not Forgotten - Dead 80s Pop Stars
Interesting lists...
Gone But Not Forgotten - Dead 80s Pop Stars
"The world of rock and roll never fares well when the Grim Reaper comes calling. In fact, it seems like it does worse! So, curl up in the fetal position in front of your computer with a libation, perhaps a Bloody Mary, and find out how many of our favorite 80's Musicians shook off their mortal coil."
Gone But Not Forgotten - Dead 80s Pop Stars
"The world of rock and roll never fares well when the Grim Reaper comes calling. In fact, it seems like it does worse! So, curl up in the fetal position in front of your computer with a libation, perhaps a Bloody Mary, and find out how many of our favorite 80's Musicians shook off their mortal coil."
"We Are The World" Celebrates 20 Years
Maybe it's not dorky, but I thought that I would throw this up on my blog in light of the Tsunami Relief project PDF that I am working on (currently in editing/layout...hopefully to be done very soon). Actually it was a line from this song that helped me to decide to organize this project, "There comes a time when we all must lend a hand."
Twenty years ago? Wow...I was 17 way back then and I had never heard of the Internet. I'm not sure if Al Gore had invented it yet...yes that is sarcasm.
"We Are The World" Celebrates 20 Years
"This week marks the 20th anniversary of 'We Are the World,' a song that made music history. To commemorate the occasion, a new DVD is being released with behind-the-scenes footage of the recording session."
I would probably buy a copy of this, I always thought that it was a good thing (whether I liked some of the artists or not). It is always good to do something to help others.
Twenty years ago? Wow...I was 17 way back then and I had never heard of the Internet. I'm not sure if Al Gore had invented it yet...yes that is sarcasm.
"We Are The World" Celebrates 20 Years
"This week marks the 20th anniversary of 'We Are the World,' a song that made music history. To commemorate the occasion, a new DVD is being released with behind-the-scenes footage of the recording session."
I would probably buy a copy of this, I always thought that it was a good thing (whether I liked some of the artists or not). It is always good to do something to help others.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Planetary Photojournal
Another good image resource for publishers. This page is a repository of royalty-free images from the Jet Propulsion Lab/NASA archives. Some interesting stuff here.
Planetary Photojournal
Planetary Photojournal
Steve Darlington's Role-Playing Website
This site has some pretty good general articles on role-playing games, as well as being the home of the free Matrix RPG (There Is No Spoon). A site that is well worth checking out.
Steve Darlington
"In 1997, I founded the now infamous internet fanzine Places to Go, People to Be, and worked as editor for it for four years. I have also written many articles for PTGPTB, one of which was published in the now-defunct British RPG magazine Arcane, and nine of which formed the quite well-renowned History of Roleplaying. More recently, I have work appearing in the Eden Studios magazine, Eden Studios Presents and penned one of the settings for the print version of Spectrum Games Studios' Cartoon Action Hour.
"On top of this is a large number of reviews written for RPGNet (email me if you would like me to review your game). Plus some rules for Unisystem and other games I have come up with.
"And my Matrix RPG, There is No Spoon, which is proving very popular, can also be found on the rules page."
Steve Darlington
"In 1997, I founded the now infamous internet fanzine Places to Go, People to Be, and worked as editor for it for four years. I have also written many articles for PTGPTB, one of which was published in the now-defunct British RPG magazine Arcane, and nine of which formed the quite well-renowned History of Roleplaying. More recently, I have work appearing in the Eden Studios magazine, Eden Studios Presents and penned one of the settings for the print version of Spectrum Games Studios' Cartoon Action Hour.
"On top of this is a large number of reviews written for RPGNet (email me if you would like me to review your game). Plus some rules for Unisystem and other games I have come up with.
"And my Matrix RPG, There is No Spoon, which is proving very popular, can also be found on the rules page."
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
QuestWorlds
Interesting announcement from Issaries, Inc. regarding their new generic game. I've never played the new HeroQuest, and I am only familiar with the old RuneQuest because of it sharing the BRP (Basic Role Playing) system with Call of Cthulhu.
QuestWorlds: "Issaries, Inc. is pleased to announce our forthcoming game, QuestWorlds.
QuestWorlds is a poly-genre roleplaying adventure game in which players portray characters from any imaginable genre of fiction. From the seedy alleys of noir detective stories, to the dusty, sun-baked streets of an Old West town at high noon, to the deathly silent cryo-chambers of a ship lost among the stars, QuestWorlds allows you to experience adventure like no other.
QuestWorlds is
* Simple yet sophisticated. One system is used for ALL resolutions, whether mortal combat, intellectual debate, torrid seduction, racing spaceships or horses or giraffes, mercantile bickering, or even (depending on the scale) a worldwide nuclear war.
* Based on the popular HeroQuest roleplaying game, designed by award-winning Robin Laws, and often praised for its cleverness, ease of learning and fun.
* Limitless. Only the players' imaginations limit their options.
* A story and narrative game, not slowed down by cumbersome mechanics.
QuestWorlds has FIVE GAMES IN ONE BOOK. The five games are:
1. Western. Cowboys, indians, cavalry and the Great American Wilderness.
2. Occult. Ghosts, zombies, strange dimensions and dark magical arts.
3. Super Heroes. Zap, bam and pow, with sinister plots to destroy the world.
4. Science Fiction. Aliens, space ships and strange worlds set across the universe.
5. Wuxia. Kung fu, karate and tree-leaping feats in the exotic Orient."
QuestWorlds: "Issaries, Inc. is pleased to announce our forthcoming game, QuestWorlds.
QuestWorlds is a poly-genre roleplaying adventure game in which players portray characters from any imaginable genre of fiction. From the seedy alleys of noir detective stories, to the dusty, sun-baked streets of an Old West town at high noon, to the deathly silent cryo-chambers of a ship lost among the stars, QuestWorlds allows you to experience adventure like no other.
QuestWorlds is
* Simple yet sophisticated. One system is used for ALL resolutions, whether mortal combat, intellectual debate, torrid seduction, racing spaceships or horses or giraffes, mercantile bickering, or even (depending on the scale) a worldwide nuclear war.
* Based on the popular HeroQuest roleplaying game, designed by award-winning Robin Laws, and often praised for its cleverness, ease of learning and fun.
* Limitless. Only the players' imaginations limit their options.
* A story and narrative game, not slowed down by cumbersome mechanics.
QuestWorlds has FIVE GAMES IN ONE BOOK. The five games are:
1. Western. Cowboys, indians, cavalry and the Great American Wilderness.
2. Occult. Ghosts, zombies, strange dimensions and dark magical arts.
3. Super Heroes. Zap, bam and pow, with sinister plots to destroy the world.
4. Science Fiction. Aliens, space ships and strange worlds set across the universe.
5. Wuxia. Kung fu, karate and tree-leaping feats in the exotic Orient."
1000 Monkeys, 1000 Typewriters
I haven't explored this site as much as I would like to, but it seems to be a pretty good resource for people looking for free RPGs. It may have a bit too much of an indie stance for my tastes, but I find most so-called "indie" games to be a bit pretentious and over-intellectualized for my tastes. But that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be a good resource for others.
Free Online RPGs
Free Online RPGs
Monday, February 28, 2005
JAGS :: It's not Just Another Gaming System
I came across this after seeing postings by the author on RPG.net, so I decided to check it out. While it doesn't look like it is my thing rules wise...it does have some interesting background material and the production values are pretty darn good. It is certainly a game system worth checking out...plus it is free. Free is always good.
JAGS
"JAGS is a free, high quality, universal, pencil and paper RPG. It's got great support and exciting things are happening for it right now! "
JAGS
"JAGS is a free, high quality, universal, pencil and paper RPG. It's got great support and exciting things are happening for it right now! "
Looking For Gamers
I posted this on RPG.net, looking for some new people to game with. If you're in the Cleveland area, and this sounds interesting. Leave a comment and let me know how to get in touch with you.
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
The system is Mutants and Masterminds, the concept is fairly open ended but it is a campaign influenced by Vertigo Comics, and comics like Planetary by Warren Ellis. It is about the world of secrets behind the veil of the standard four-color worlds of comic book super-heroes.
Sometimes, a person wakes up with a jolt from their everyday world to discover that everything is different. That all of the rules have changed. Or sometimes they discover that everything that they knew, everything that was safe and comforting to them was only on the surface of the world and they had fallen into the cracks. These cracks can be their own worlds, then, fractally reflecting the world of the surface while at the same time subtly hinting of darker, deeper worlds laying in wait in cracks of their own.
The cosmology of the world is built around my reimagining of the Cthulhu Mythos. The names and faces are different, but the concepts underneath are the same so that things can once again be unsettling and unknown to the players. Things are frightening once again. But the characters are still the heroes of the picture, facing an uncertain and unsettling world where, unlike with many heroes, things cannot be easily settled with a fist fight.
The game will be using a number of variant rules developed by myself. If all of this sounds interesting, and you would be available on Sunday evenings (and able to commit to a weekly game) then leave a comment. Of course, it also helps to be in Cleveland...
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
The system is Mutants and Masterminds, the concept is fairly open ended but it is a campaign influenced by Vertigo Comics, and comics like Planetary by Warren Ellis. It is about the world of secrets behind the veil of the standard four-color worlds of comic book super-heroes.
Sometimes, a person wakes up with a jolt from their everyday world to discover that everything is different. That all of the rules have changed. Or sometimes they discover that everything that they knew, everything that was safe and comforting to them was only on the surface of the world and they had fallen into the cracks. These cracks can be their own worlds, then, fractally reflecting the world of the surface while at the same time subtly hinting of darker, deeper worlds laying in wait in cracks of their own.
The cosmology of the world is built around my reimagining of the Cthulhu Mythos. The names and faces are different, but the concepts underneath are the same so that things can once again be unsettling and unknown to the players. Things are frightening once again. But the characters are still the heroes of the picture, facing an uncertain and unsettling world where, unlike with many heroes, things cannot be easily settled with a fist fight.
The game will be using a number of variant rules developed by myself. If all of this sounds interesting, and you would be available on Sunday evenings (and able to commit to a weekly game) then leave a comment. Of course, it also helps to be in Cleveland...
Dorkland!: Februar 2004
So, I was looking at my refererers and I saw that someone translated this page into German. Now, I really wish that I knew who or why. If you were the person who did this, and are still checking the blog out....post a comment on this and fill me in.
I'm just curious.
Dorkland!: Februar 2004
"Eine Erforschung aller Sachen, die ich betrachte, dorky, in dieser sonderbaren und wacky Welt von unseren merkw�rdig und ungew�hnlich zu sein. Wie die Tides, die oben auf dem Ufer waschen, ebb meine Definitionen und flie�en und �ndern mit den Phasen des Mondes."
I'm just curious.
Dorkland!: Februar 2004
"Eine Erforschung aller Sachen, die ich betrachte, dorky, in dieser sonderbaren und wacky Welt von unseren merkw�rdig und ungew�hnlich zu sein. Wie die Tides, die oben auf dem Ufer waschen, ebb meine Definitionen und flie�en und �ndern mit den Phasen des Mondes."
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Hunter S. Thompson, R.I.P.
I know that I had already put up a link to the story when it broke, but this obituary was too well written for me to not put it out. The more of this story that comes out, the stranger it gets. Of course, in the life (or death) of Hunter S. Thompson I would expect no less. "When the going gets weird...the weird turn pro."
Again, he will be missed.
Hunter S. Thompson, R.I.P.
"With Thompson's suicide, journalism lost a deeply flawed and unconventional practitioner – but one who always sought the truth with his highball."
Again, he will be missed.
Hunter S. Thompson, R.I.P.
"With Thompson's suicide, journalism lost a deeply flawed and unconventional practitioner – but one who always sought the truth with his highball."
Whitley Strieber: The Scum Rises: Peter Jennings on UFOs
Everyone's fan favorite kook Whitley Strieber (so much fun that I named my grey cat after him) weighs in with his "unbiased" opinions towards the recent UFO Special done by ABC News. I thought that it was ok, they did a good job of showing both sides of the issue and I think that the two sides alternated in looking like kooks. I find this quote from Whitley to be rather ironic: "The result is that their efforts become an exercise in hubris. They end up making judgements based on inadequate information because they believe that what they have gathered is sufficient."
I would watch throwing stones in that glass house, Mr. Strieber.
Whitley Strieber: The Scum Rises: Peter Jennings on UFOs
"The much heralded ABC special on UFOs has come and gone. Predictably, it was more of the same, a large number of lies sprinkled with a few truths. At least it wasn’t as relentlessly negative as such programs have generally been in the past. But people like Peter Jennings and his producers are cursed with the belief that they can understand—or already do understand—what they are looking at. The reality is that the UFO phenomenon is the most complex event in history, and a cursory examination of its surface by a few overworked and ill-informed television producers is not going to succeed in any way whatsoever to come to any truth about it.
"They are filled with belief in their own competence, however. The result is that their efforts become an exercise in hubris. They end up making judgements based on inadequate information because they believe that what they have gathered is sufficient. But it is not sufficient, it only fulfills their expectations and serves their assumptions. That's always where they stop, and it’s never enough.
"Jennings was somewhat open to the notion that some UFOs might be actual unknowns, and he actually told the truth, for once, about Project Bluebook: it was indeed a publicity stunt.
"But the characterization of the Roswell Incident as a hoax and the people attempting to investigate it as cultists was a grotesque lie, and, I think, an intentional one. It is classic disinformation—tell a little truth so that your lie will be swallowed along with it. Of course, how could anything more be expected from a man like Jennings? He’s a prostitute to the establishment, nothing more or less, and it is in the interest of the establishment to conceal the reality of Roswell." [via Posthuman Blues]
I would watch throwing stones in that glass house, Mr. Strieber.
Whitley Strieber: The Scum Rises: Peter Jennings on UFOs
"The much heralded ABC special on UFOs has come and gone. Predictably, it was more of the same, a large number of lies sprinkled with a few truths. At least it wasn’t as relentlessly negative as such programs have generally been in the past. But people like Peter Jennings and his producers are cursed with the belief that they can understand—or already do understand—what they are looking at. The reality is that the UFO phenomenon is the most complex event in history, and a cursory examination of its surface by a few overworked and ill-informed television producers is not going to succeed in any way whatsoever to come to any truth about it.
"They are filled with belief in their own competence, however. The result is that their efforts become an exercise in hubris. They end up making judgements based on inadequate information because they believe that what they have gathered is sufficient. But it is not sufficient, it only fulfills their expectations and serves their assumptions. That's always where they stop, and it’s never enough.
"Jennings was somewhat open to the notion that some UFOs might be actual unknowns, and he actually told the truth, for once, about Project Bluebook: it was indeed a publicity stunt.
"But the characterization of the Roswell Incident as a hoax and the people attempting to investigate it as cultists was a grotesque lie, and, I think, an intentional one. It is classic disinformation—tell a little truth so that your lie will be swallowed along with it. Of course, how could anything more be expected from a man like Jennings? He’s a prostitute to the establishment, nothing more or less, and it is in the interest of the establishment to conceal the reality of Roswell." [via Posthuman Blues]
BRRRAAAIIIIIIINNNNNNNSSSSSS!!!!
Just when you think that the powers that be can't get any more stupid...
(Although the kid's grammar isn't that great either.)
Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening Says Incident A Misunderstanding
"A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested Tuesday for making terrorist threats told LEX 18 News Thursday that the 'writings' that got him arrested are being taken out of context.
"Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.
"Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.
"'My story is based on fiction,' said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. 'It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies.'"
(Although the kid's grammar isn't that great either.)
Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening Says Incident A Misunderstanding
"A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested Tuesday for making terrorist threats told LEX 18 News Thursday that the 'writings' that got him arrested are being taken out of context.
"Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.
"Poole told LEX 18 that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.
"'My story is based on fiction,' said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. 'It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies.'"
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