An epic battle is underway over one of the oldest super-hero roleplaying games, but sadly it won't be settled by muscle-bound men in tights. The creators of the game Villains & Vigilantes, Jeff Dee and Jack Herman, have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Scott Bizar, the longtime publisher of the game. The suit, filed July 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, claims that Bizar has no right to publish the game or any related products and illegally profits from their sale.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Villains & Vigilantes Creators Sue Game's Publisher
Saturday, August 06, 2011
More On Neverwinter and D&D
There has already been some controversy over the above-linked press release due to their wording of the "It is the first-ever RPG book focused solely on one city" statement in the press release. There's been a number of negative comments about the release and it's language in the comments of the above-linked post, internet forums like RPG.net, and other places around the internet. While unfortunate, I don't think it was an intentional slight against the many, and the many classic, game books that have been created about the various city settings in gaming.
So, let's move on.
Talking with Shelly Mazzanoble, she told me about the new angle on organized play for D&D, the Lair Assault. From the press release: "Beginning this September, devoted Dungeons & Dragons players worldwide will have the opportunity to gather at their local participating game stores as part of a new, highly tactical D&D Organized Play program named D&D Lair Assault. The first challenge, Forge of the Dawn Titan, will feature thrilling “convention-style” play that players and spectators alike are drawn to, challenging players on two levels – character building and tactical knowledge." Lair Assaults will be two hour programmed events in retails spaces (like the existing organized play). The interesting thing about them is that they will be customizable adventures. This means, for example that a trap in the adventure could be a pit one time taking the adventure, and it could be a poison spray or some other danger the next time after. This is an innovation that I like because it means that you can get multiple uses out of the same adventure. I find this a fascinating idea. I'm not a 4E player but I have to say that I am curious to check this out, and will definitely stick my nose into an adventure after September first.
I did ask Mazzanoble about a common concern of some D&D gamers (both on and offline). That concern is that the tabletop origins of D&D could be abandoned for greener pastures. With canceled 4E products and more and more board games being announced, there are a number of gamers who are concerned about D&D not being a tabletop RPG game one day. When asked, Massanoble said "D&D at its core will always be a tabletop RPG." She went one to say that the shared, multilevel experience of D&D had too much depth and history behind it to ever disappear.
Below is a video trailer for Neverwinter that was provided by Wizards of the Coast. Watch and enjoy.
Edit: I did ask my contact for a followup on the controversy over the "first-ever RPG book focused solely on one city" statement in the initial press release and I was told that they did not have the capacity for a formal response. I don't know if this is a dead end, or if I will be able to track someone down or not. I did want to post a progress report.
Quick Word On The New Marvel RPG
Those following m Twitter feed will have seen what the big Margaret Weis Productions (MWP) announcement on Friday was that they now have the rights to produce an RPG based on the Marvel Comics universe. I think that this was the big announcement of the convention. Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars announcement was big as well, but since that happened before GenCon started, they do not get the coveted "big announcement of the convention" prize.
Outside of the fact that they will be using a variation of the Cortex system (what MWP calls the Cortex Plus system), we don't know much in the way of specifics. Last night I was supposed to talk to Cam Bank of MWP after the ENnies, but the chaos of the moment (and the fact that MWP won a Judge's spotlight award for Smallville). Once I can arrange another meeting with him, I will find out the details that he can release to me.
Here is what we do know from the announcement and discussion at the panel:
- There will be a release of a "basic" book featuring all of the rules for play in February of 2012. This will be a complete game, and it will feature some of the Marvel Heroes, but which ones have yet to be determined.
- The license covers only the comic books. Movies, cartoons and other spin-off media will not be covered under the license.
- The packaging of the books will closely follow that of what Marvel uses for their compilations so that the games can be shelves along side of trades and hard cover compilations. I am assuming that they will be using trade dress similar to that used by Marvel Comics.
- This will be followed by sixteen (16) campaign books. These campaign books are going to be based around various events from the history of the Marvel Universe. During the announcement, Cam listed events such as the Secret Wars, Ultimates, Annihilation, Secret Invasion and Civil War. I know that Ultimates isn't really an event, but if we get a game book and stats for it, that will make me happy at least
- The event/campaign books will come in two formats: an "essential" edition that will be used with the core book released in February that will feature the campaign plot, character write-ups and information, but will not contain the rules that are in the basic game. A "premium" edition of each event/campaign book will also be released that will contain all of the rules needed for play, for those who would rather just have a specific event and play it out of the book, rather than collect all of the various events. I have to say that I like this strategy, and I will probably do a mix of the basic game, essentials of interest and the premium versions of events that were particular favorites of mine (I can see wanting stand alones for the original Kree/Skrull War and Annihilation, perhaps). This is a nice approach because using premium editions with various essentials as supplements will allow groups to customize the creation of their own Marvel Universes.
- MWP and Marvel are working in what they referred to as a close partnership, and once was called "working in tandem," giving MWP an unprecedented level of closeness when it comes to approvals (this last bit is paraphrasing on my part). I think this is important for a release schedule of sixteen books in fifteen month. Having synergy with Marvel will make, or break, this project.
- On the topic of synergy, MWP has already been in talks with Barnes & Noble and Hastings about sales synergy that will see the game sold in close proximity to the Marvel trades and hardcover editions of story lines.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
GenCon Day One Early Impressions
So, impressions.
This place is busy. The Will Call line was huge and stretched out the door. I heard conflicting stories about the length of the line. One person said it was a block long, while another said the line was four blocks long. Regardless, it was long.
Cubicle 7 has a good booth. The One Ring slipcover edition looks gorgeous. The variety of the books that they produce is staggering. Sadly, Airship Pirates had not yet arrived. If you haven't heard of Airship Pirates, it is a steampunk RPG using a variant of the Hersesy Engine that powers Cubicle 7's Victoriana game that is based upon concepts from the albums of steampunk band Abney Park. I've been looking forward to this he since it was first announced.
I have also spoken briefly with Cam Banks of MWP and got a copy of the quickstart of their upcoming fantasy version of the Cortex system, based on a setting created by Margaret Weiss. The art is great looking and I am eager to read the quickstart. I will be talking to Cam Friday, to discuss the new Cortex+ license coming up from them.
Palladium has new books for a variety of their limestone. Armaggedon Unlimited for Heroes Looks fun, in a Swinging 70s sort of way.
The con has been good also for meeting with and putting faces to some of the names that I have been talking with online. Sarah Newton, of Cubicle 7, and I got to meet and chat, after talking on Facebook and Twitter for a while.
There's a lot of cosplayers and people dressed in a variety of looks. It makes for a fun environment. Not so much fun are the Cosplay Deviants booth, representatives of an adult website that sell access to "geeky" women taking their clothes off. Not the best for a convention trying to show itself as being family friendly.
More to come...
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
And the Star Wars License Is Revealed!
Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to announce that it has entered a comprehensive licensing partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd. for the worldwide rights to publish card, roleplaying, and miniatures games set in the popular Star Wars™ universe!
Find out more at the FFG website.
At first I thought that announcing this now was an odd choice, being two days before the start of GenCon and all, but as I thought about it I realized that now FFG will have the big buzz for the duration of the convention (even without a Star Wars game at the con). Gamers love their Star Wars and this news will eclipse all the big releases in my opinion.
What is now going to be interesting to see is what Margret Weiss Productions are going to be announcing as their new license in a couple of days. No where near as big, to a lot of gamers, I'm sure but still interesting to watch for.
Dungeons & Dragons Returns to the Legendary City of Neverwinter; Fans Vie for Glory in the City of a Thousand Fates
AUGUST 2, 2011 – INDIANAPOLIS – Wizards of the Coast today announced that its iconic roleplaying game of fantasy and imagination, Dungeons & Dragons®, will return to one of the most well-known and fascinating cities within D&D lore and the Forgotten Realms novels – the city of Neverwinter. Along with the new D&D Neverwinter Campaign Setting comes an extensive suite of products and in-store play offerings, including a new comic mini-series, a board game, organized play sessions, and a new novel from New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore. Wizards of the Coast will showcase new Neverwinter product offerings at Gen Con Indy 2011 on August 4-7 at Booth #2031, and fans can also get in on the adventure at www.ExploreNeverwinter.com.
Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS), is the leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast Web site at www.wizards.com.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Spin Master to Debut at Gen Con 2011 as Sponsors & Family Fun Pavilion Exhibitors Redakai™ and Spin Master Games Will Host Tournaments Daily
Gen Con with the launch of its exciting new Trading Card Game, Redakai™ as well
as featured games from Spin Master Games; Stomple™ and the 50th Anniversary of
Stratego™.
“Spin Master has a strong history of launching hits. Their balance of innovation and
love for classic gaming is a great fit for Gen Con. Seeing children react to Redakai™ is
awesome; we are glad to have such strong support in the Family Fun Pavilion,” says
Scott Elliot, senior director of sales for Gen Con.
Featured in the Family Fun Pavilion, Spin Master will be hosting a variety of events over
the course of convention. The Redakai team will spearhead Learn to Play techniques,
Sealed Pack Events, Constructed Events, and a Championship Tournament while The
Spin Master Games team will host Adult and Junior Tournaments for both Stratego and
Stomple.
“Gen Con is extremely important to the game industry,” says Mark Sullivan, EVP of
Marketing for Spin Master Ltd. “Supporting the Family Fun Pavilion will be a great
opportunity for so many people to learn our new games, Redakai & Stomple as well
as play old favorites, such as Stratego. After all, they say it’s The Best Four Days In
Gaming.”
Redakai™ is an all-new boys action property, which features fresh new strategic
gameplay, amazing Blast3D™ technology and a televised series on Cartoon Network
produced by Spin Master Ltd and Zodiak Kids/Marathon Media.
50th Anniversary Stratego™ for half a century, the red and blue armies of Stratego
have battled in homes across America. The Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition honors the
heritage of Stratego with the original nostalgic theme, an elegant folio package and
all the strategy and excitement that have made Stratego a family favorite. Experience
exclusive never-before-seen cannon game pieces that allow you to name and destroy
your opponents pieces. Enter the epic strategic battle with the 50th Anniversary edition
of Stratego!
Stomple™ is a strategic marble stomping game. Outwit your opponents by stomping
their marbles before they stomp yours and out maneuver by leading their stomper
trapped with no escape. If you outstomp the competition, you win!
Schedule of Events:
Redakai
Learn to Play
• All new players can stop by the Events area or their Booth in the exhibit hall to
learn how to play the game.
Sealed Pack Events
• Any player who buys a structure deck or championship tin product at their booth
or events area is eligible to participate for free in one of their many sealed pack
events throughout the show
Constructed Events
• They will also have daily constructed events for Redakai experts to bring their
custom collection of cards to take on all challengers.
Redakai Championship
• The whole event culminates in their first ever Redakai Championship on
Saturday morning
• The winner will be named their first Champion and win an ipad2!
• Other exciting prizes, online coverage of the event and winning players/decks,
and appearances by the design team behind Redakai make this an event not to
be missed.
League Prizes all con long!
• Everyone who plays in any events in their Events area during Gen Con is eligible
to win league exclusive prize cards just for playing!
• Earn stamps for each game you play and get achievement cards as you play
more!
Stratego
• Players win two rounds and they advance to the championship on Sunday (Junior
& Adult)
• Winner of Tournament receives – $500 American Express Gift Card, Games Prize
Pack and the EXCLUSIVE Stratego 50th Anniversary Edition
• 2nd Place – Exclusive 50th Anniversary Stratego Game & Stomple Game
• 3rd & 4th Place – Exclusive Stratego 50th Anniversary Edition
Daily gaming events culminate into a championship event on Sunday for Stratego
Stomple:
• Each Stomple game is a stand-alone tournament played daily
• Meet and play the inventor of Stomple each day
• Each day in the training room, play the giant game of Stomple every day!
All finalists get a t-shirt for the Stratego and Stomple events
For more information please visit www.spinmaster.com and visit them at The Spin
Master Booth #219.
About Gen Con
Gen Con, LLC produces the largest consumer hobby, fantasy, sci-fi and adventure game
convention in North America. It was acquired in 2002 by former CEO and founder of
Wizards of the Coast Peter Adkison, who owns the company headquartered in Seattle,
Washington. Gen Con is a consumer and trade experience dedicated to gaming culture
and community. For more information visit the website at www.gencon.com. For up-to-
the minute details, find us at www.facebook.com/genconindy and at www.twitter.com/
gen_con
About Spin Master Ltd.
A multi-category children’s entertainment company since 1994, Spin Master has been
designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer products for children
around the world and is recognized as a global growth leader within the toy industry.
Spin Master is best known for such popular brands as boy’s action phenomena and
2010 Boys Toy of the Year winner Bakugan Battle Brawlers™, and award-winning
brands Air Hogs®, Aquadoodle™, Tech Deck™, Moon Sand™, Liv™, and Zoobles™. The
company has also marked an entry into children’s media with the launch of Spin Master
Entertainment, a subsidiary focusing on the design, development and production of
television and other media properties. Spin Master employs 900 people with offices in
Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico, Munich, and central Europe.
For additional information please visit: www.spinmaster.com.
For more information, please contact:
Spin Master Ltd.:
LLC
Rachel H. Griffin
Director of Global Communications
T. 310-871-3919
E:RachelG@spinmaster.com
Gen Con
Stacia Kirby
Media Contact
T: 206-363-1492
E: Stacia@speakeasy.net
Dear Syfy and Alphas
I really want to like your show. Really, I do. I admit that I started watching it because David Stratham was in the commercials, but I thought you had some cool concepts.
Thought.
Sadly, you seem intent to keep up this pseudo-scientific claptrap to make the show "believable." In a show where a guy can "see" Youtube videos and "hear" cellphone conversations, or where a guy can bounce bullets through air conditioning ducts, realism isn't the buzzword that you should be looking for. Also, if you're going to use an "ability" with an existing name (Synaesthesia I'm looking at you), please use it properly.
Look, you have a great concept for a show here, and that is already putting you one up on on Heroes already, but you really need to fine tune things if this show is going to keep going. If you're going to give us Wanted meets The X-Men then rock on and give us everything you've got...just quit trying to rationalize the show into something that you think we need an excuse to like. I want to like Alphas, and I've enjoyed the first two shows....but I am really not sure if I'll keep watching it at this point.
Oh, and as long as you're listening....please don't add time travel to the plot. Thank you. :)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Let's Talk About Unspeakable Oath #18
I have fond memories of the original print run of Unspeakable Oath. I was lucky enough to find the issue introducing Delta Green on a news stand when it came out, and that is what introduced me to Pagan Publishing and books like Golden Dawn and the Delta Green sourcebooks. While I have never been overly enamored with Golden Dawn, it just has too much Arthurian material that borders on the cliched, I have been a fan of Delta Green since that issue, having been lucky enough to run a few of my own DG campaigns over the years.
All of this brings us to Unspeakable Oath number eighteen, which is the triumphant return of the magazine. Arc Dream Publishing, the new home of the works of Pagan Publishing, has had some ups and downs in getting the Pagan Publishing material back into the public eye, but they have managed to overcome these problems and return to producing some of the best material for Call of Cthulhu available. Yes, that might be a little biased, but as someone who has a preference for the contemporary era in my Call of Cthulhu gaming, it's nice to see published material that is as close as the Delta Green material. All we need now is a post 9/11 update, and I think I will be happy with the setting for the rest of my life.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Live at GenCon 2011
I will be doing liveblogging, photography and hopefully some audio interviews as well. I am going to be combining this blog with the resources of other social media sites around the internet to bring you what I hope will be some of the best coverage of GenCon out there. In addition to this blog, be sure to also follow my Twitter feed (look to the right side of this blog for a link to my Twitter feed), as well as the Dorkland blog over on Tumblr (http://dorkland.tumblr.com) for supplemental posts. Audio interviews will be posted to this blog, as well as the Tumblr site, via the Soundcloud website.
It is (hopefully) going to be a busy four days around here. If anyone has any suggestions for things they would like to see (in photos mostly) drop me an email at christopher.helton at gmail dot com and I will see what I can do about getting photos. If you are an RPG publisher or professional who would like to arrange an interview, or perhaps provide material for review purposes, also please contact me at the above email.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Random Musing: Old School Modern (And Not What You Think...)
What would some like d20 Modern have looked like if it had been made at the same time as OD&D?My one problem, for drawing influences, is that I can't really think of any contemporary "fantasy adventure" fiction or shows that could have been an influence. All of the stuff that I personally remember from the late 70s that had a contemporary setting was much more SF-oriented. Unless I use the SHAZAM/Isis television shows as a model. I don't know if anyone wants that. I know there has to be something, but either I didn't see it, or it shot by me completely.
I want something that is specifically fantasy in a (then) contemporary setting, and not just the fantasy fiction/movies of the time. I also don't want science fiction or science fantasy. I am thinking something along the lines of OD&D Modern, an equivalent to the d20 Modern core book but in old school terms.
Thoughts?
Update
What if OD&D Modern was influenced by Phillip Jose Farmer? #oldschoolmodernless than a minute ago via Spaz Favorite Retweet ReplyChris Helton
dorkland
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
ICv2 - No Titles Over 100K Again
In spite of the debut of DC’s Flashpoint event comic there was no periodical comic that sold over 100,000 copies once again in May and only 3 out of the top 25 comics posted gains in circulation. DC’s Flashpoint’s debut at #2 has to be considered disappointing. Several retailers contacted by ICv2 have indicated that they sold out of their initial orders, which means that Flashpoint might well have been under-ordered by retailers who are increasingly suspicious of the never-ending parade of comic book “events.”
Marvel’s Fear Itself event, which debuted with sales of over 125,000 copies last month, dropped a whopping 32,000 copies from issue #1 to #2, though it should be said that two of the three top 25 titles that actually posted gains, Avengers #13 and Secret Avengers #13, were both Fear Itself tie-ins.
Father’s Day Tribute To Jack Kirby From His Son
Two weeks ago we ran a blog post here at CO2 Comics titled The King and The Man that compared excerpts of interviews with Stan Lee and the late Jack Kirby who recollected their dramatically opposing perspectives of the creation of the FANTASTIC FOUR and much of the Marvel Universe.
The post sparked an animated debate throughout the internet in forums and discussion boards on comic related sites, highlighted for us at CO2 Comics by a brief and pleasant correspondence with the son of a legend, Neal Kirby who politely defended the validity of his father’s position.
This week as, we prepare to celebrate Father’s Day, Neal Kirby has delighted us again by offering CO2 Comics the opportunity to post a very touching Father’s Day letter that he has written as a tribute to his dad."
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Double Agents and Moles: Options For Agents of SWING
With NPCs, this is easy enough to do...in fact the upcoming Nefarious supplement will no doubt have some villainous double agents and defectors to plague your SWINGers. So, how do you add the drama of double agents to your play group?
Ever Agent of SWING character has a cover. This is even more important for a double agent that it is for a "straight" operative. Your character, the double agent, is walking a tightrop of truth and deception every day of their personal and professional lives. The Deceit skill is a job requirement, a survival skill, for your character. Important stunts from the core rules for a mole could be: Disguise of the Mind, Eye For Detail, Five Minute Friends, Hide In Plain Sight, and Honest Lie. Aspects that you might use to create a character who is a mole: More Than Meets The Eyes, Deceptive, Keeping It Bottled Up, and Strangely Sympathetic. You should have a double meaning to aspects that directly deal with your character's nature as a double agent, after all they shouldn't give things away to easily and you want to be able to activate them during play without getting your character into trouble.
The important thing to remember, particularly if you are planning on keeping your character's status as a mole secret from the other players, is to not lay it on too thick with methods of deception, or overly obvious hints about your character's true nature. For example, the "Keeping It Bottled Up" aspect mentioned above could have to do with the pressures your character faces in hiding their double life, or it could be that they close up and bottle all of their stresses in their life. On the surface, both of these choices could be justified by the same behavior.Keep in mind that your character will still have to do their day to day cover job within SWING and the group, so the bulk of their aspects, skills and stunts will need to reflect that. Their secret bosses won't like it if your character's cover is blow too easily, after all.
You also need to inform Control of your desire to create a character that is a mole. They may wish to approve any character concepts like this, to make sure that it fits in with the concept of the game and the campaign they wish to run for you and the other players. Remember that role-playing is a group activity and your idea for a fun character shouldn't ruin the fun for the other players.
There is a consequence to being a mole. Yes, that was intentional. Whenever you take any Mental or Social Consequences for your double agent character, it is a good idea to take consequences that flirt with or jeopardize your character's standing within SWING and/or the group of characters. This is particularly true of when you take a Severe or Extreme consequence for your character. You do not have to reveal you are a mole, even with an Extreme consequence, that would be too easy, but you can give broad hints. Being a double agent means straddling a razor's edge, and sooner or later your character will slip up.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Alternate Character Creation For Legends of Anglerre: Sword & Sorcery
This post assumes that you own a copy of Legends of Angelerre (that is, by the way an affiliate link that helps support my gaming habit, if you are interested in purchasing a PDF copy of the game) and is not intended to be self-contained. If you don't know about Fate, or the system that these games are derived from, check out this SRD (system reference document) for the base system.
I am a fan of Sword & Sorcery fantasy, much more than I am of the epic, high, traditional, or whatever we are calling it today school of fantasy. Blame Michael Moorcock for that, and for introducing me to the works of Robert E. Howard and others in this genre of fantasy fiction. With this alternate character creation system I am going to gear the Phases towards the creation of a Sword & Sorcery character, as I see it of course.
Each Phase still assumes that the player picks two (2) Aspects that are tied to the events of that Phase. Characters also still start with a number of Stunts equal to half the number of starting Aspects. This should give a starting character eight (8) Aspects and four (4) stunts, equivalent to a Great character (LoA 17).
Phase One: The Idylls of the Past
All Sword & Sorcery characters have a Before that tells us who they were before the blood and magic and savagery changed their life and their world. For many S&S characters, who they once were is what they are fighting to return to...or to avenge its loss. Sword & Sorcery characters can come from any sort of background within the world, ranging from the simplest commoner to the most important noble.
This Phase should be a peaceful one, providing a contrast to the horrors of the world to come, or perhaps demonstrating that there really is no safe place in a world of Sword & Sorcery and sooner or later the darkness and horror reaches everyone. Aspects tied to this phase should represent that peacefulness, or at least show the sense of longing or loss that the character may have for that time of their life. Much of the moody introspection of Sword & Sorcery characters can be tied into this Phase of their lives.
Phase Two: By The Prickling Of My Thumbs...
Sooner or later the horror, magic and blood of the greater world (or multiverse!) creeps into the world the character. It may just be harbingers of the greater darkness, enough to introduce the weird into the character's world and give them a hint at what is to come. Often at this point the character dismisses the coming darkness, or thinks that it is not powerful enough for them to trifle with. Often, for the S&S character, this is a Phase marked by arrogance on their own part, a Phase that brings the first whispers of evil and darkness into their lives and opens the door for the next Phase...
Aspects tied to this Phase should deal with the creeping darkness and blood into the previously idyllic life of the character. The scars from this Phase typically were not physical, but they last long and serve to remind the character of how what they did lead from the Idyll to the Doom.
Phase Three: The Doom
All Sword & Sorcery characters have their moment of downfall that leads to their entry into the greater world of horrors and darkness, and their upcoming life of adventure and savagery in that world of darkness. The character's Doom changes their world, and their life, forever. The Doom varies with the character, but it is always a personal thing...from the destruction of their homeland by the forces of darkness in the world, or the loss of their most loved at the hands of those same forces (or even their own hands). Pride comes before the fall, and this Phase represents that downfall in the character's life.
Aspects tied to this phase should represent that loss and destruction in the life of the character, due to their actions or inaction in the world. Where the Aspects of the previous Phases are often emotional and psychological, the Aspects of this Phase are mostly physical: the loss of their home, of their love, and of the scars and physical damage done to them during this loss. Now is when the character in a Sword & Sorcery story truly learns that they have to fight for what is important to them in this world.
Phase Four: Into The World of Blood and Darkness
The previous Phases of the character's life has informed who they were, what they have lost, and why they have ventured out into the greater world. Now, they set out upon a restless and rootless path, either trying to keep the blood and horror at bay for themselves and for others, or they are seeking a vengeance upon those who took everything from them.
Aspects from this Phase should be tied to the transition to becoming a warrior in a world of blood and savagery. Their old lives are over, but can never be forgotten, and now they seek a peace, or revenge, to quiet the voices and the ghosts of their past that still echo within them.
You now have created the life of your Sword & Sorcery character for Legends of Anglerre. I would suggest taking one of the Fighter or Rogue Occupations from Chapter Five, as they have more of a Sword & Sorcery flair to them. Some of the Magic User Occupations (except perhaps Wizard) can be used for more magic-oriented characters (Elementalist characters in particular fit well in a Sword & Sorcery world where the heroes use magic).
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Skills in Castles & Crusades: Take 2
This is actually my second attempt at a skill system. My first (found here) was based off of the StarSIEGE game and hewed closer to the Siege Engine. This version is (to me) a bit simpler and is influenced by skill systems in more old school games.
I've uploaded a PDF to Google Docs that you can find here. I'm curious to hear comments and feedback, either in the comments for this post or in my Twitter or Facebook feeds.
Enjoy.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
MASHURRECTED 2011 :: m i x t a p e
01. Mashup-Germany - Everybody speaks no Americano [Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP vs. Backstreet Boys vs. Phantom of the Opera vs. Bob Sinclair vs. Benny Benassi]
02. A Plus D - Don't You Want My Bad Romance [The Human League vs. Lady Gaga]
03. DJ Morgoth - Carry On My Wayward Island [Pendulum vs. Kansas]
04. Pheugoo & Bo the MAN - TwilightBack (Pheugoo 2011 RMT Edit) [2 Unlimited vs. Justin Timberlake]
05. Dr.Waumiau - Let Me Think About Losing Control [Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand vs. Missy Elliott]
06. mash2mix - Beat Rio In The Material World [The Police vs. Duran Duran vs. Michael Jackson vs. Black Eyed Peas]
07. Dylan Vasey - Blind Faith (One Day Bootleg) [Chase & Status vs. Matisyahu]
08. DJ Schmolli - Give It Away Bitch [The Prodigy & Sub Focus vs. Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. Bob Marley]
09. G3RSt - Kennys Last Rhythm [Mint Royale vs. Johnny Cash]
10. [MMM] MadMixMustang - The Double Dutch Jump [Malcolm McLaren vs. Van Halen]
11. Simon Iddol - Malibu Scene [Troels Abrahamsen vs. Good Luck at the Gunfight]
Compiled and mixed by DJ Morgoth
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Inspirations and Game Design: Part One
For this post, I'm going to do something a little different than usual. Hopefully this works.
I am going to start with an inspiration, in this case a video that I saw linked in an RPGNet thread. This video is from Liquid Televsion, an old MTV experiment in animation that brought us Aeon Flux and the animated version of The Maxx. Here's the video:
Karma police, arrest this man
He talks in myths
He buzzes like a fridge
He's like a detuned radio
- Radiohead, Karma Police
An interesting video and I have to admit that I don't remember it, but with my memory that doesn't mean a lot. To the contemporary me, I see this as something that can be given a bit of Grant Morrison-esque strangeness with the backdrop of Hindu religion superimposed against the Noirness of the main character.
Dharma, voiced by Dick Rodstein, was a private detective who lived in Timbuktu sometime in the near future. The city is very heavily populated (with a population of 30 million people) and apparently ruled by an elite called the "Hipster Elders". Dharma is depicted as a trenchcoat- and fedora-wearing man with long, stringy hair and eyes that appear, like Little Orphan Annie's, to have no pupils. He seems to have psychic abilities. The plotline pits Dharma against corrupt public officials (including what appears to be the French Foreign Legion) and a mysterious organization called The Beelzebub Brotherhood.
Now, since this post is named inspirations rather than adaptations, the idea isn't to directly convert the setting and characters of the video into a game, but to rather build a flavor of this setting and turn it into something that is interesting and playable.
The first step is to talk about system. For the purposes of this post I am going to pick something released under the OGL (which for those few who still may not realize this is more than just the old d20 System) because for a blog post I don't want to have to worry about licensing or anything like that. A good free license suits my purposes just fine.
As a game designer my primary goal these days is KISS. Not that band but the principal of Keep It Simple, Stupid. I prefer to err on the side of simplicity anymore in my game design. I just don't have the time for endless hours of gaming like I did, so a game that gets to the point and gets to the gaming is what I want and need. This desire spills over into my game design. As a game designer, if you don't design the game you like you won't like the game you design.
So, while I ponder the bits and pieces of how I want to take the next step (i.e. the system design) I leave you with this first post. If you want to make system suggestions (please don't just list a system if you make a suggestion, tell me why it would be a good fit for the idea of the setting) go ahead, in the comments, but just make sure they are a system available under the OGL.
I'm not sure if my next posting in this series will be about setting or system. I guess it depends on which comes up in my head first.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
T.A.Z. - The Temporary Autonomous Zone
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Another Old Fuzion Netbook: The Grendel Saga
Enjoy!