Science fiction author Andre Norton dies
"MURFREEBORO, Tenn. Science fiction author Andre Norton, who wrote the popular 'Witch World' series of books, died today at her home in Murfreesboro. She was 93.
Her death was announced by friend Jean Rabe, who said Norton died of congestive heart failure.
"Norton was born Alice Mary Norton on February 17th, 1912 in Cleveland. She penned more than 130 novels during her career of nearly 70 years.
"The 'Witch World' series, which detailed life on a planet reachable only through metaphysical gateways, included more than 30 novels.
"Her last complete novel, 'Three Hands of Scorpio,' is set to be released next month.
"The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America recently created the Andre Norton Award for young adult novels, and the first award will be presented in 2006.
"Rabe says Norton requested before her death that she not have a funeral service."
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Whedon Woos "Wonder Woman"
Whedon Woos "Wonder Woman"
"Joss Whedon has tackled ghastly aliens and dastardly vampires. So, why not work on something Wonder-ful?
"The Buffy the Vampire Slayer mastermind has officially lassoed the writing and directing job on Warner Bros.' big-screen version of Wonder Woman, the studio announced Thursday.
"'We are excited about working with Joss,' Warner Bros. Pictures President Jeff Robinov said in a statement. 'He brings great energy and creativity to the process.'
"Added Whedon: 'Wonder Woman is the most iconic female heroine of our time, but in a way, no one has met her yet. What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power.'"
"Joss Whedon has tackled ghastly aliens and dastardly vampires. So, why not work on something Wonder-ful?
"The Buffy the Vampire Slayer mastermind has officially lassoed the writing and directing job on Warner Bros.' big-screen version of Wonder Woman, the studio announced Thursday.
"'We are excited about working with Joss,' Warner Bros. Pictures President Jeff Robinov said in a statement. 'He brings great energy and creativity to the process.'
"Added Whedon: 'Wonder Woman is the most iconic female heroine of our time, but in a way, no one has met her yet. What I love most about icons is finding out what's behind them, exploring the price of their power.'"
Sunday, March 13, 2005
D&D re-enactment vid remixed to Bon Jovi tune
Lightning Bolt!
D&D re-enactment vid remixed to Bon Jovi tune
"Someone posted [this Stileproject] video clip of adults dressed up and re-enacting a Dungeons and Dragons melee to our forums, then decided to remix it in slomo to the tune of Bon Jovi's Blaze of Glory.
"The result is fantastically humorous. An homage to all things geek." [via Boing Boing]
D&D re-enactment vid remixed to Bon Jovi tune
"Someone posted [this Stileproject] video clip of adults dressed up and re-enacting a Dungeons and Dragons melee to our forums, then decided to remix it in slomo to the tune of Bon Jovi's Blaze of Glory.
"The result is fantastically humorous. An homage to all things geek." [via Boing Boing]
Black Crawling Systems Archive
Black Crawling Systems Archive
"The Black Crawling Systems Archive was founded by Brian Oblivion. Originally a Boston based BBS from 1990-1993, Black Crawling Systems moved to the web in '93 and had a home at LØpht where Brian was a member.
"When LØpht ceased to exist on December 27, 1999, the Black Crawling Systems Archive soon followed.
"We really liked this archive and could not bear to see it die. Although some of the files may be outdated, and may only pertain to Americans, most of it will always be relevant and interesting to everybody. Not to mention its historical significance in our culture. "So, we've scrounged up a fairly complete mirror of it and put it back online. It is pretty much the way it was when it died. We've cleaned up all of the HTML and hunted down many of the files that were missing. We're still missing a few, so if you find any of those, please let us know. We had a difficult time finding a decent copy of the "Cellular Telephony Utilities" section of the archive, so we decided to merge what we could find with our own collection of cellular files while keeping it as much like the original as possible.
"We may add to this archive from time to time, but only when a file meets the old-school spirit of the rest of the archive. Many respects to the former LØpht for their enormous contribution to the scene. Long live the BCSA."
"The Black Crawling Systems Archive was founded by Brian Oblivion. Originally a Boston based BBS from 1990-1993, Black Crawling Systems moved to the web in '93 and had a home at LØpht where Brian was a member.
"When LØpht ceased to exist on December 27, 1999, the Black Crawling Systems Archive soon followed.
"We really liked this archive and could not bear to see it die. Although some of the files may be outdated, and may only pertain to Americans, most of it will always be relevant and interesting to everybody. Not to mention its historical significance in our culture. "So, we've scrounged up a fairly complete mirror of it and put it back online. It is pretty much the way it was when it died. We've cleaned up all of the HTML and hunted down many of the files that were missing. We're still missing a few, so if you find any of those, please let us know. We had a difficult time finding a decent copy of the "Cellular Telephony Utilities" section of the archive, so we decided to merge what we could find with our own collection of cellular files while keeping it as much like the original as possible.
"We may add to this archive from time to time, but only when a file meets the old-school spirit of the rest of the archive. Many respects to the former LØpht for their enormous contribution to the scene. Long live the BCSA."
Seven Soliders #0 Preview PDF
A preview of the zero issue of the latest mind-blowing comic from Grant Morrison. A thirty issue "mini" series made up of seven four issue interlocking mini-series and two front and back bookend issues to introduce and wrap things up. Briefly introduced in his storyarc for the JLA Classified book, this series is going to blow from one end of the DC Universe to the next, going places that only the psychedelic imagination of Grant Morrison can take us.
Seven Soliders #0 Preview PDF
Seven Soliders #0 Preview PDF
Saturday, March 12, 2005
PlayNC: Federal Judge Dismisses Claims and Strikes Allegations in Marvel Lawsuit Against NCsoft
PlayNC: Federal Judge Dismisses Claims and Strikes Allegations in Marvel Lawsuit Against NCsoft
"LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2005—A U.S. district court judge in Los Angeles dismissed several key claims by comic book publisher Marvel Enterprises, Inc in the company’s trademark and copyright infringement case against online computer game publisher NCsoft® Corporation and game developer Cryptic Studios™. Marvel sued NCsoft and Cryptic Studios in November of last year, claiming that the City of Heroes® online computer game allows players to imitate comic book characters owned by Marvel.
"In a March 9 order, U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner agreed with NCsoft that some of Marvel’s allegations and exhibits should be stricken as “false and sham” because certain allegedly infringing works depicted in Marvel’s pleadings were created not by users, but by Marvel itself.
"The judge also dismissed more than half of Marvel’s claims against NCsoft and Cryptic Studios, including Marvel’s claims that the defendants directly infringed Marvel’s registered trademarks and are liable for purported infringement of Marvel’s trademarks by City of Heroes’ users. In addition, he dismissed Marvel’s claim for a judicial declaration that defendants are not an online service provider under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The judge dismissed all of these claims without leave to amend, meaning that Marvel cannot refile these claims.
"Although the judge allowed certain claims to survive the motion to dismiss, NCsoft and Cryptic Studios are pleased with the result and are confident that both the law and the facts will support their case. In fact, citing a 1984 Supreme Court case holding that the sale of video cassette recorders did not violate copyright law, the Court noted that “It is uncontested that Defendants’ game has a substantial non-infringing use. Generally the sale of products with substantial non-infringing uses does not evoke liability for contributory copyright infringement.” Only “where a computer system operator is aware of specific infringing material on the computer system, and fails to remove it, the system operator contributes to infringement,” the Court stated."
"LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2005—A U.S. district court judge in Los Angeles dismissed several key claims by comic book publisher Marvel Enterprises, Inc in the company’s trademark and copyright infringement case against online computer game publisher NCsoft® Corporation and game developer Cryptic Studios™. Marvel sued NCsoft and Cryptic Studios in November of last year, claiming that the City of Heroes® online computer game allows players to imitate comic book characters owned by Marvel.
"In a March 9 order, U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner agreed with NCsoft that some of Marvel’s allegations and exhibits should be stricken as “false and sham” because certain allegedly infringing works depicted in Marvel’s pleadings were created not by users, but by Marvel itself.
"The judge also dismissed more than half of Marvel’s claims against NCsoft and Cryptic Studios, including Marvel’s claims that the defendants directly infringed Marvel’s registered trademarks and are liable for purported infringement of Marvel’s trademarks by City of Heroes’ users. In addition, he dismissed Marvel’s claim for a judicial declaration that defendants are not an online service provider under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The judge dismissed all of these claims without leave to amend, meaning that Marvel cannot refile these claims.
"Although the judge allowed certain claims to survive the motion to dismiss, NCsoft and Cryptic Studios are pleased with the result and are confident that both the law and the facts will support their case. In fact, citing a 1984 Supreme Court case holding that the sale of video cassette recorders did not violate copyright law, the Court noted that “It is uncontested that Defendants’ game has a substantial non-infringing use. Generally the sale of products with substantial non-infringing uses does not evoke liability for contributory copyright infringement.” Only “where a computer system operator is aware of specific infringing material on the computer system, and fails to remove it, the system operator contributes to infringement,” the Court stated."
Steve Jackson Games 2005 Report to Stakeholders
Last year's report to the stakeholders was pretty informative. Makes me wish that more companies did this sort of things. I bet that companies like Guardians of Order would not be having some of the troubles that they are having, if they were as open as SJG is.
Steve Jackson Games 2005 Report to Stakeholders
"Steve Jackson Games Incorporated has a single stockholder . . . me. But we have a great many STAKEholders — that is, people who have a stake in the success of the business. These include our employees, our distributors, the retailers who carry our line, and, of course, the people who PLAY our games! Less obvious stakeholders, but very real, are the creative talents who produce our games, the printers who create the finished product, and the convention organizers who depend on us for game programming, prizes, and so on.
"We try to stay in good communication with all our stakeholders. The main avenues of communication are our website, the catalogs and other marketing material that we distribute, and the quarterly letter that goes to the 100+ people and companies to whom we pay royalties. But last year, as an experiment, I wrote a report not unlike the "report to the stockholders" that you would expect from a public company. It was a useful exercise for me, and I got a surprising amount of favorable feedback from all levels of the hobby. So let's do it again. Note that, unlike the typical "report to the stockholders," this report does not strictly start and finish with the calendar year 2004. There have been significant developments since December 31, and I'll discuss them."
Steve Jackson Games 2005 Report to Stakeholders
"Steve Jackson Games Incorporated has a single stockholder . . . me. But we have a great many STAKEholders — that is, people who have a stake in the success of the business. These include our employees, our distributors, the retailers who carry our line, and, of course, the people who PLAY our games! Less obvious stakeholders, but very real, are the creative talents who produce our games, the printers who create the finished product, and the convention organizers who depend on us for game programming, prizes, and so on.
"We try to stay in good communication with all our stakeholders. The main avenues of communication are our website, the catalogs and other marketing material that we distribute, and the quarterly letter that goes to the 100+ people and companies to whom we pay royalties. But last year, as an experiment, I wrote a report not unlike the "report to the stockholders" that you would expect from a public company. It was a useful exercise for me, and I got a surprising amount of favorable feedback from all levels of the hobby. So let's do it again. Note that, unlike the typical "report to the stockholders," this report does not strictly start and finish with the calendar year 2004. There have been significant developments since December 31, and I'll discuss them."
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Andre Norton Nears End
This will be a great loss indeed. She will be greatly missed as one of the greats of the genre. I'm glad to hear, though, that her name will live on through an award.
Andre Norton Nears End
"Andre Norton, who had been hospitalized with flu and pneumonia prior to her 93rd birthday on February 17, unfortunately is not expected to survive and according to her wishes has returned home under 'hospice care.'
"'She is losing the battle with her illness and is tired of fighting,' wrote Sue Stewart on a Norton message board. 'I made the decision late yesterday evening to bring her back home to be with us, her cat and her books when she departs... You're more than welcome to send your cards and flowers here. I want you all to know that she's aware that you care and she appreciates it.' The address published on the SFWA News site is: Andre Norton c/o Sue Stewart, 1007 Herron Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.
"In the meantime, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) announced on February 20 that it has created the Andre Norton Award, a new literary award to recognize outstanding science fiction and fantasy novels that are written for the young adult market."
Andre Norton Nears End
"Andre Norton, who had been hospitalized with flu and pneumonia prior to her 93rd birthday on February 17, unfortunately is not expected to survive and according to her wishes has returned home under 'hospice care.'
"'She is losing the battle with her illness and is tired of fighting,' wrote Sue Stewart on a Norton message board. 'I made the decision late yesterday evening to bring her back home to be with us, her cat and her books when she departs... You're more than welcome to send your cards and flowers here. I want you all to know that she's aware that you care and she appreciates it.' The address published on the SFWA News site is: Andre Norton c/o Sue Stewart, 1007 Herron Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.
"In the meantime, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) announced on February 20 that it has created the Andre Norton Award, a new literary award to recognize outstanding science fiction and fantasy novels that are written for the young adult market."
Required Reading for Open Gaming Developers
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...
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...
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
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