Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thank goodness for gift cards
My family tries, I have to give them that.
My mom knows I play D&D, but she knows nothing of D&D so I can always count on some type of pewter dragon holding a crystal ball or a porcelain wizard figure.
“She who must be obeyed” doesn’t game, but she’s well versed in all the peripheral accoutrements that are “must haves” for gamers - DVD sets of Sci-Fi shows, nice books on ancient civilizations, action figures of favorite licensed characters, etc. so she’s able to fill my stocking with cool stuff even though she doesn’t know the difference between GURPS and D20.
Fortunately, a recent development has taken hold during the holidays that is proving to be the best thing since pre-painted for gamers; the gift card.
Thanks to the gift card and the internet, it’s now possible for us to get those gifts we dream of, but knew Uncle Fred and Aunt Inez would never have the savvy to get for us.
This year amongst my colognes, sweaters, DVD’s, Pewter Wizards and stuffed dragons I got a healthy number of gift cards. The last couple of nights have been spent merrily shopping the internet and making my own holiday wishes come true.
Here’s what the Evil DM got in his virtual stocking…
First off of course gamebooks.
GURPS. I own dozens of RPG's and hundreds of Modules, splatbooks and accessories. But at the end of the day there are only a handful of tried and true favorites AD&D is #1, and right behind it is GURPS.
Solomon Kane is a "no brainer" How could I call myself a REH fan and S&S gamer and not have this volume?
I haven't played any Hero system games in years. But I still buy their products. Their pulp line of games is one of the best for source material, no matter what system you use. Valdorian Age is a Sword & Sorcery campaign book for Fantasy Hero- need I say more?
Why I waste 3.99 a pop on comics these days is beyond me. Especially when they do stupid shit like kill Captain America? I would get more satisfaction by going bronze and collecting all the great titles from my youth. That's one of my new years resolutions: stop buying new comics and get back to the good stuff- I just picked up the entire run of Marvel Presents featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy for less that the price of four current titles. It makes no more sense for me to keep buying the new stuff when there is so much good old stuff at lower prices.
And while on the subject of comics my next fanboy project is to recreate three of my favorite teams from yesteryear the Defenders, Champions, and Bronze age Avengers. Here is my starter kit:
So once again, thank goodness for gift cards. They made the Evil DM's Holidays just a bit brighter!
My mom knows I play D&D, but she knows nothing of D&D so I can always count on some type of pewter dragon holding a crystal ball or a porcelain wizard figure.
“She who must be obeyed” doesn’t game, but she’s well versed in all the peripheral accoutrements that are “must haves” for gamers - DVD sets of Sci-Fi shows, nice books on ancient civilizations, action figures of favorite licensed characters, etc. so she’s able to fill my stocking with cool stuff even though she doesn’t know the difference between GURPS and D20.
Fortunately, a recent development has taken hold during the holidays that is proving to be the best thing since pre-painted for gamers; the gift card.
Thanks to the gift card and the internet, it’s now possible for us to get those gifts we dream of, but knew Uncle Fred and Aunt Inez would never have the savvy to get for us.
This year amongst my colognes, sweaters, DVD’s, Pewter Wizards and stuffed dragons I got a healthy number of gift cards. The last couple of nights have been spent merrily shopping the internet and making my own holiday wishes come true.
Here’s what the Evil DM got in his virtual stocking…
First off of course gamebooks.
GURPS. I own dozens of RPG's and hundreds of Modules, splatbooks and accessories. But at the end of the day there are only a handful of tried and true favorites AD&D is #1, and right behind it is GURPS.
Solomon Kane is a "no brainer" How could I call myself a REH fan and S&S gamer and not have this volume?
I haven't played any Hero system games in years. But I still buy their products. Their pulp line of games is one of the best for source material, no matter what system you use. Valdorian Age is a Sword & Sorcery campaign book for Fantasy Hero- need I say more?
Why I waste 3.99 a pop on comics these days is beyond me. Especially when they do stupid shit like kill Captain America? I would get more satisfaction by going bronze and collecting all the great titles from my youth. That's one of my new years resolutions: stop buying new comics and get back to the good stuff- I just picked up the entire run of Marvel Presents featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy for less that the price of four current titles. It makes no more sense for me to keep buying the new stuff when there is so much good old stuff at lower prices.
And while on the subject of comics my next fanboy project is to recreate three of my favorite teams from yesteryear the Defenders, Champions, and Bronze age Avengers. Here is my starter kit:
So once again, thank goodness for gift cards. They made the Evil DM's Holidays just a bit brighter!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Pulp Thursday
Pulp Thursday is a bit sparse this week. But what we lack in quantity is more than made up for in quality.
“Yours in a white wine sauce!” is just an amazing resource of articles, tips, links and general information. It’s geared towards the Victorian era but many of the applications meld into the pulp genre quite nicely. The list of links will keep you occupied for days. And his lost world / dino hunting sections are a godsend. A tip of the hat to the referrer at the Exile Game studio forum for the heads up on this Simply excellent blog.
My thanks to Hank of "Cleireac's Journal" for giving us the skinny on the old time radio serial:
“The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen” a great adventure to listen to as I drone my way through the workday.
Episode #4 is up for your enjoyment!
And that is your Pulp Thursday report!
“Yours in a white wine sauce!” is just an amazing resource of articles, tips, links and general information. It’s geared towards the Victorian era but many of the applications meld into the pulp genre quite nicely. The list of links will keep you occupied for days. And his lost world / dino hunting sections are a godsend. A tip of the hat to the referrer at the Exile Game studio forum for the heads up on this Simply excellent blog.
My thanks to Hank of "Cleireac's Journal" for giving us the skinny on the old time radio serial:
“The Voyage of the Scarlet Queen” a great adventure to listen to as I drone my way through the workday.
Episode #4 is up for your enjoyment!
And that is your Pulp Thursday report!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Standing Watch
Today, while we are opening our presents and watching the kids play with their toys, while we set up the new Xbox 360 and sneak in that extra slice of apple pie, let’s take a few moments to think of those men and women that are standing watch from Korea to Omaha to Britain to Baghdad and a thousand posts in between. Freedom is never free.
Thanks guys, and Merry Christmas.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
It was a good gaming day
The other day I was ranting about getting ripped off on eBay by a gal who did her homework AFTER she sold me a copy of the basic D&D boxed set for $1.99
She promptly refunded me my payment and said her daughter had ruined the set of books in a nasty grape juice accident. Yeah right.
Well needless to say I haven’t been in too much of an eBay friendly mood as of late. My mood has mellowed a bit since then. Part of the reason had to do with dealing with another eBay seller.
As I also mentioned here the other day I’m back in a gaming group that will be running a Pulp flavored Top Secret /SI game after the New Year. As a result, I’ve been on eBay trying to tie down the loose ends in my Top Secret/SI collection. I found a real great price on a bunch of books from a local seller. After winning the auction I found that the seller actually had a game store in the small town of Colfax about 40 minutes up the hill from Sacramento. He agreed to waive the shipping if I wanted to come by and pick the books up. I’d never been to Colfax and what red blooded gamer would turn down an offer to visit a game store? So I tossed one of the minions in the backseat of the Sonata for company, cranked up the .38 special greatest hits CD, and headed for the hills.
Colfax turns out to be a clone of Mayberry from the Andy Griffith show. Not a stoplight in the whole town. From what I saw of it the word most fitting Colfax would be quaint.
The EBay seller (Chris) has a small (Quaint) store called “Ship it!” Which you may think is an unusual name for a game store until you see that 1/3 of the store is actually a mailing outlet for local parcels the other 2/3 of the operation is dedicated to games, action figures, and comics. Chris knows his stuff when it comes to managing a store (he's been selling games in a town the size of "Hooterville" for 5 years so he must be doing something right). Not a foot of space was wasted, but you didn’t feel cramped. All the games were nicely displayed, with a good selection of board games; RPG’s, cards and clicks. There were also racks of action figures and bins of back issue comics. It was a little slice of geek paradise. He has a room off to the side where some local kids where gaming and he has the business sense to sell snacks and sodas to keep them nicely sugared up during their stay.
He greeted me with a handshake and had my items ready to go. He won extra cool points for loading my son up with some freebies for him and his brothers. We talked shop, gaming, comics, 4th edition, old school games, EBay, and more. I could have stayed there all day. When we finally did leave, not only did I have some great Top Secret /SI books (a couple still in shrink-wrap) but also a Marvel dice game for the kids, a stack of comics, 5 boosters of Mage Knight figures (I don’t play Mage knight but he was selling them for two bucks a pop. I can always use more miniatures), and two sets of Chessex dice for the upcoming D&D game with the minions. I went over budget to be sure, but what the hell. All in all it was a good trip and I will be back-I have my eye on several comic runs I saw in one of his bargain bins, so I know I’ll be making another run up there after New Years.
For those of you in the area; the store is called
Ship it!
34W Church Street
Colfax, Ca.
10-6 M-F
10-2 Sat
(530) 346-7374
She promptly refunded me my payment and said her daughter had ruined the set of books in a nasty grape juice accident. Yeah right.
Well needless to say I haven’t been in too much of an eBay friendly mood as of late. My mood has mellowed a bit since then. Part of the reason had to do with dealing with another eBay seller.
As I also mentioned here the other day I’m back in a gaming group that will be running a Pulp flavored Top Secret /SI game after the New Year. As a result, I’ve been on eBay trying to tie down the loose ends in my Top Secret/SI collection. I found a real great price on a bunch of books from a local seller. After winning the auction I found that the seller actually had a game store in the small town of Colfax about 40 minutes up the hill from Sacramento. He agreed to waive the shipping if I wanted to come by and pick the books up. I’d never been to Colfax and what red blooded gamer would turn down an offer to visit a game store? So I tossed one of the minions in the backseat of the Sonata for company, cranked up the .38 special greatest hits CD, and headed for the hills.
Colfax turns out to be a clone of Mayberry from the Andy Griffith show. Not a stoplight in the whole town. From what I saw of it the word most fitting Colfax would be quaint.
The EBay seller (Chris) has a small (Quaint) store called “Ship it!” Which you may think is an unusual name for a game store until you see that 1/3 of the store is actually a mailing outlet for local parcels the other 2/3 of the operation is dedicated to games, action figures, and comics. Chris knows his stuff when it comes to managing a store (he's been selling games in a town the size of "Hooterville" for 5 years so he must be doing something right). Not a foot of space was wasted, but you didn’t feel cramped. All the games were nicely displayed, with a good selection of board games; RPG’s, cards and clicks. There were also racks of action figures and bins of back issue comics. It was a little slice of geek paradise. He has a room off to the side where some local kids where gaming and he has the business sense to sell snacks and sodas to keep them nicely sugared up during their stay.
He greeted me with a handshake and had my items ready to go. He won extra cool points for loading my son up with some freebies for him and his brothers. We talked shop, gaming, comics, 4th edition, old school games, EBay, and more. I could have stayed there all day. When we finally did leave, not only did I have some great Top Secret /SI books (a couple still in shrink-wrap) but also a Marvel dice game for the kids, a stack of comics, 5 boosters of Mage Knight figures (I don’t play Mage knight but he was selling them for two bucks a pop. I can always use more miniatures), and two sets of Chessex dice for the upcoming D&D game with the minions. I went over budget to be sure, but what the hell. All in all it was a good trip and I will be back-I have my eye on several comic runs I saw in one of his bargain bins, so I know I’ll be making another run up there after New Years.
For those of you in the area; the store is called
Ship it!
34W Church Street
Colfax, Ca.
10-6 M-F
10-2 Sat
(530) 346-7374
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Dragon Tiles / BAM #2
Dragon Tiles
I’m a very visual person. When I game I enjoy having a tabletop full of miniatures and props. Back in my early gaming days that meant a Chessex battle map and painted lead miniatures and whatever props we could scrounge up from toy bins and such. Now in the age the Internet it’s possible to obtain high quality props to dress up your gaming table for less than you would think.
One of the newest players in the paper miniature market is Fat Dragon Games. They have an impressive line of paper miniature sets for a variety of genres from classic fantasy, four-color superhero, and golden age pulp to science fiction. They offer both printed two dimensional tiles as well as full 3 dimensional paper models, and all of their individual products are priced under $15.00 (My personal cut-off point for ANY type of PDF product). Today I’m gonna write about their latest offering: Dragon Tiles. Dragon Tiles (Dungeon set 1 & 2) combine the best of both worlds, 2D tile sets with 3D props. There are currently two sets in the line and are priced at a very reasonable $7.99
I started by printing off a few sheets from set 1 and set 2. The pages printed up very nicely and had a rich color to them. I was very pleased with their appearance. I’m very much a novice at building paper models, but I knew enough to have the proper tools at hand (X-acto knives, cutting board, metal ruler, glue stick pen, etc.) so that if my results were less than satisfactory I couldn’t be blamed for lacking the proper tools. I decided to start with a bookcase and a small crate. The crate came out okay- I blame myself, lack of experience mostly; I should have started with a larger piece and then graduated to the smaller ones as I became more skillful at the process. The bookcase however came out wonderfully. I then assembled a table, a doorway and a few chairs, and all came out rather well.
Now be advised- paper modeling is not something to be rushed. It’s a Zen kinda thing. Play some nice music, have a beverage and relax, take your time and enjoy the creative process. You can’t rush this kind of thing and expect to get optimum results.
You can’t start to build a dungeon at 4:00pm and have it ready when the guys show up to play at 6:00pm. But if you follow the instructions, use the proper tools, and take your time- you will have very impressive results. I give the Dragon Tiles sets a hearty two thumbs up! You can get more information on their various product lines at Fat Dragon’s website or purchase them directly at RPGNow.
BAM #2
Basic Action Magazine (BAM) is a support publication for the Basic Action Super Heroes (BASH) RPG. BAM is a free download available at RPGNow. Now this is a good move for the publisher Basic Action Games (BAG- are you seeing a trend here?) it will hopefully drive some traffic to their game by folks who are leery to spend their money on systems they know nothing about. Not that BASH is gonna break your wallet. The basic game comes in at a nice price of just $5.00
There are two issues of BAM so far and they are filled with the standard fare found in most gaming magazines- NPCs, new skills and powers, etc. Issue #2 of BAM specifically covers new powers, new optional rules (including a point-buy system), combat options, an NPC spotlight, TWO mini adventures, and a preview of using the BASH Sci-Fi expansion for your favorite space-pulp campaign. Quite a healthy offering for a free Magazine. In fact, it might be too healthy. At 32 pages BAM is quite a bit to print up. I’ve seen complete PDF games that come in at a lower page count. My worry is that people will glance at it and then toss it in the PDF game folder with all the other freebies. I would keep the offerings shorter maybe 15 pages at the most. 15 pages can be printed at the office printer without causing any eyebrows to be raised, when you start printing out 20 or more pages people may notice and you may find yourself in the boss’s office explaining to him why your printing games during working hours. I would suggest taking the extra content and offering it up at the BAG website which is woefully in need of new content and a possible overhaul. Note to publisher: check out the Star Frontiers website for a look at a “WOW” support site.
But back to BAM, it’s worth the download. And the system gives you a lot of BANG for your buck. Like I said earlier, the core rules come in at $5.00 and the expansions go from there up to $15.00 (careful BAG, I’m not the only one out there that caps their PDF purchases at $15.00).
Both of these companies are creating quality products in an an industry that isn't especially known for having appreciative clientele (demanding and critical yes, appreciative- not so much), so when you download the magazines and the other freebies- utilize them, don't just toss them in a folder on your hard drive and forget about them. And if you find the free products to your liking, then pony up some cash and buy the real deal. And remember, these products easily go hand in hand. Run a game of BASH fantasy using Dragon Tiles props, your players will be impressed.
I’m a very visual person. When I game I enjoy having a tabletop full of miniatures and props. Back in my early gaming days that meant a Chessex battle map and painted lead miniatures and whatever props we could scrounge up from toy bins and such. Now in the age the Internet it’s possible to obtain high quality props to dress up your gaming table for less than you would think.
One of the newest players in the paper miniature market is Fat Dragon Games. They have an impressive line of paper miniature sets for a variety of genres from classic fantasy, four-color superhero, and golden age pulp to science fiction. They offer both printed two dimensional tiles as well as full 3 dimensional paper models, and all of their individual products are priced under $15.00 (My personal cut-off point for ANY type of PDF product). Today I’m gonna write about their latest offering: Dragon Tiles. Dragon Tiles (Dungeon set 1 & 2) combine the best of both worlds, 2D tile sets with 3D props. There are currently two sets in the line and are priced at a very reasonable $7.99
I started by printing off a few sheets from set 1 and set 2. The pages printed up very nicely and had a rich color to them. I was very pleased with their appearance. I’m very much a novice at building paper models, but I knew enough to have the proper tools at hand (X-acto knives, cutting board, metal ruler, glue stick pen, etc.) so that if my results were less than satisfactory I couldn’t be blamed for lacking the proper tools. I decided to start with a bookcase and a small crate. The crate came out okay- I blame myself, lack of experience mostly; I should have started with a larger piece and then graduated to the smaller ones as I became more skillful at the process. The bookcase however came out wonderfully. I then assembled a table, a doorway and a few chairs, and all came out rather well.
Now be advised- paper modeling is not something to be rushed. It’s a Zen kinda thing. Play some nice music, have a beverage and relax, take your time and enjoy the creative process. You can’t rush this kind of thing and expect to get optimum results.
You can’t start to build a dungeon at 4:00pm and have it ready when the guys show up to play at 6:00pm. But if you follow the instructions, use the proper tools, and take your time- you will have very impressive results. I give the Dragon Tiles sets a hearty two thumbs up! You can get more information on their various product lines at Fat Dragon’s website or purchase them directly at RPGNow.
BAM #2
Basic Action Magazine (BAM) is a support publication for the Basic Action Super Heroes (BASH) RPG. BAM is a free download available at RPGNow. Now this is a good move for the publisher Basic Action Games (BAG- are you seeing a trend here?) it will hopefully drive some traffic to their game by folks who are leery to spend their money on systems they know nothing about. Not that BASH is gonna break your wallet. The basic game comes in at a nice price of just $5.00
There are two issues of BAM so far and they are filled with the standard fare found in most gaming magazines- NPCs, new skills and powers, etc. Issue #2 of BAM specifically covers new powers, new optional rules (including a point-buy system), combat options, an NPC spotlight, TWO mini adventures, and a preview of using the BASH Sci-Fi expansion for your favorite space-pulp campaign. Quite a healthy offering for a free Magazine. In fact, it might be too healthy. At 32 pages BAM is quite a bit to print up. I’ve seen complete PDF games that come in at a lower page count. My worry is that people will glance at it and then toss it in the PDF game folder with all the other freebies. I would keep the offerings shorter maybe 15 pages at the most. 15 pages can be printed at the office printer without causing any eyebrows to be raised, when you start printing out 20 or more pages people may notice and you may find yourself in the boss’s office explaining to him why your printing games during working hours. I would suggest taking the extra content and offering it up at the BAG website which is woefully in need of new content and a possible overhaul. Note to publisher: check out the Star Frontiers website for a look at a “WOW” support site.
But back to BAM, it’s worth the download. And the system gives you a lot of BANG for your buck. Like I said earlier, the core rules come in at $5.00 and the expansions go from there up to $15.00 (careful BAG, I’m not the only one out there that caps their PDF purchases at $15.00).
Both of these companies are creating quality products in an an industry that isn't especially known for having appreciative clientele (demanding and critical yes, appreciative- not so much), so when you download the magazines and the other freebies- utilize them, don't just toss them in a folder on your hard drive and forget about them. And if you find the free products to your liking, then pony up some cash and buy the real deal. And remember, these products easily go hand in hand. Run a game of BASH fantasy using Dragon Tiles props, your players will be impressed.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Suspicions
I’m getting ready to introduce my younger Minions to the joys of gaming. In fact, I have a special Christmas day "first game" all set up. After quite a bit of thought on what rules I should use for their first venture into the hobby, I went the conservative approach- the "Red Box" edition of Basic D&D. I’m planning on running "Keep on the Borderlands
Followed up with Horror on the Hill.
I figured I could find a couple of boxed sets add a couple of bags of dice and other goodies to kinda Jazz it up for them.
The problem is of course finding two decent sets of the venerable Red Box editions to wrap and give to my boys on Christmas day.
I found one auction on eBay.
Here was what the seller had to say:
“I BOUGHT ALOT OF THESE BOX SETS AT AN ESTATE SALE, I KNOW ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING ABOUT THEM, YOU WILL GET EVERYTHING THAT IS PICTURED,THEY ALL HAVE BOX DAMAGE BUT NOTHING DAMAGED INSIDE THE BOXES. THEY ALL WERE IN A NICE SEALED CREATE. PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM. THANKS AND GOOD LUCK!!I DO COMBINE SHIPPING!!”
The “Buy it Now” price was $1.99, so of course I “Bought it now”. I was so jazzed! Not only did I find a decent looking set but also at an amazing price.
I've been eagerly awaiting it's arrival.
It sounded like the classic situation we have all heard around the gaming table: the treasure trove of gaming goodies found at a flea market for a buck apiece.
Too good to be true huh?
Yup, it was.
This morning I get an email from paypal refunding me my money. The seller states that she’s refunding me the money because the items were too badly damaged to sell.
I shot her an email right back asking her to elaborate on the extent of the damage and that the deal may still be salvageable.
She emails me back that “my duaghter spilled grape juice all over them they are totaly no good not even readable.”
Uh-huh. That must have been a big fucking glass of grape juice to have ruined a boxed set of books so thoroughly as to render them useless.
Maybe she was drinking it through a high pressure hose.
You know, it’s Christmas and I really should be more understanding and believe that my fellow man (woman) wouldn’t make something like this up because she found out she could sell it for more than $1.99.
I have one boxed set ready to go, but if you have kids you know perfectly well I cant give to one and not the other, even with a promise that the second one is on it's way. that just doesnt work with siblings (espescially brothers). So the red box thing will just have to wait. GRRRR!
The story may be true, but it just doesn’t resonate as on the up and up to me.
I’m still going through with the adventure. I have a couple of beat up copies and a rules cyclopedia to use. But it just would have been so cool to see the look on their faces Christmas morning when they unwrap their first D&D game-“just like Daddy has”.
A potential Kodak moment apparently ruined by a gallon of grape juice.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Pulp Thursday!
She was a Beauty and a Geek
She was Hollywood royalty, and one of the most beautiful women on the silver screen. She was the wife of a major arms manufacturer in pre-World War II Europe, where she hob-knobbed with the likes of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and Francisco Franco. She escaped from a Castle in Austria where her husband kept her in seclusion and made her way to America. In Hollywood her beauty, charm and fame enabled her to raise millions of dollars for the war effort. She was also a brilliant mathematician who co-designed and patented an early form of "frequency hopping" to aid in guiding torpedoes and is still a basic component of modern cellular and WiFi technology.
Sounds like a Pulp character huh?
Well, Hedy Lamarr was very real.
And she's the inspiration for the character I'll be playing in the upcoming Top Secret: SI game.
Retro Rocket attack
Back around Christmas of 2005 I got an email from a pulp list that linked to an advertising company which was giving away a paper model PDF of a classic "Flash Gordon" style rocket. I ran across the PDF the other day, and lo and behold the website is still active. But just in case they ever take it down, you can go here and grab it from the "Forgotten Files" site. Re-color them in Photoshop, add a couple of bells and whistles, then print up a dozen and you have your own Pulp space armada!
Free Magazine
Last week I mentioned That Basic Action Games had just released BASH Sci Fi. I also mentioned that it could be an ideal system for a Retro space pulp campaign. Well it appears I was on the right track. BAM! (Basic Action Magazine). Is up at RPGnow for free. The second issue has an article on the space pulp genre. Check it out!
And that is your "Pulp Thursday" report!
She was Hollywood royalty, and one of the most beautiful women on the silver screen. She was the wife of a major arms manufacturer in pre-World War II Europe, where she hob-knobbed with the likes of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and Francisco Franco. She escaped from a Castle in Austria where her husband kept her in seclusion and made her way to America. In Hollywood her beauty, charm and fame enabled her to raise millions of dollars for the war effort. She was also a brilliant mathematician who co-designed and patented an early form of "frequency hopping" to aid in guiding torpedoes and is still a basic component of modern cellular and WiFi technology.
Sounds like a Pulp character huh?
Well, Hedy Lamarr was very real.
And she's the inspiration for the character I'll be playing in the upcoming Top Secret: SI game.
Retro Rocket attack
Back around Christmas of 2005 I got an email from a pulp list that linked to an advertising company which was giving away a paper model PDF of a classic "Flash Gordon" style rocket. I ran across the PDF the other day, and lo and behold the website is still active. But just in case they ever take it down, you can go here and grab it from the "Forgotten Files" site. Re-color them in Photoshop, add a couple of bells and whistles, then print up a dozen and you have your own Pulp space armada!
Free Magazine
Last week I mentioned That Basic Action Games had just released BASH Sci Fi. I also mentioned that it could be an ideal system for a Retro space pulp campaign. Well it appears I was on the right track. BAM! (Basic Action Magazine). Is up at RPGnow for free. The second issue has an article on the space pulp genre. Check it out!
And that is your "Pulp Thursday" report!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
GEEK ALERT! - Peter Jackson to produce "The Hobbit" and more...
ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER PETER JACKSON AND NEW LINE CINEMA JOIN WITH MGM TO PRODUCE “THE HOBBIT,” EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED FANTASY ADVENTURE EPIC
NEW LINE AND MGM TO CO-PRODUCE AND SHARE WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS
PETER JACKSON AND FRAN WALSH TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE TWO FILMS BASED ON “THE HOBBIT”
Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:
* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.
* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on “The Hobbit.” New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.
* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.
Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”
“Peter Jackson has proven himself as the filmmaker who can bring the extraordinary imagination of Tolkien to life and we full heartedly agree with the fans worldwide who know he should be making ‘The Hobbit,’” said Sloan, MGM’s Chairman and CEO. “Now that we are all in agreement on ‘The Hobbit,’ we can focus on assembling the production team that will capture this phenomenal tale on film.”
Bob Shaye, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO comments, “We are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences, and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively involved with ‘The Hobbit’ movies. We know they will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films that they so ably accomplished with ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy.”
“Peter is a visionary filmmaker, and he broke new ground with ‘The Lord of the Rings,’” notes Michael Lynne, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO. “We’re delighted he’s back for ‘The Hobbit’ films and that the Tolkien saga will continue with his imprint. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Harry Sloan, who has been instrumental in helping us reach our new accord.”
The two “Hobbit” films – “The Hobbit” and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Principal photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the intention of “The Hobbit” release slated for 2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.
The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office. In 2003, “Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the eleven categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The Trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.
For more information about “The Hobbit” films, please visit www.TheHobbitBlog.com.
About New Line Cinema Corporation:
Celebrating its 40th anniversary year, New Line Cinema is the most successful independent film company in the world. Its mission is to produce innovative, popular and profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. In addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, the fully-integrated studio has divisions devoted to home entertainment, television, music, theater, merchandising and an international unit. In 2005, New Line partnered with HBO to form Picturehouse, a new theatrical distribution company to release independent films. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line’s Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most successful film franchises in history. New Line is a division of Time Warner, Inc. (TWX).
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution In, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
About Peter Jackson/Wingnut Films:
Peter Jackson is one of the world’s most successful filmmakers. His monumental achievement co-writing, co-producing and directing The Lord of the Rings trilogy (with fellow Academy Award winners and frequent collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) earned a total of 30 Academy Award nominations and 17 Academy Awards. Jackson and Walsh received their first Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for their acclaimed film Heavenly Creatures. Jackson, through his New Zealand-based Wingnut Films banner, also was responsible for the globally successful 2005 remake of King Kong which earned over $500 million worldwide and 3 Academy Awards. Currently, Jackson is directing an adaptation of The Lovely Bones, from the acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold. He is also developing a trilogy of films with Steven Spielberg based on Tintin, the world renowned comic book series by Herge.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Thoughts turn to gaming
Top Secret / SI –Taking another look
I mentioned the other day that I am scheduled to start gaming, as a player no less!
Chris our prospective GM is an experienced Gamer who has spent time on both sides of the screen. He hasn’t played Top Secret /SI before but in the spirit of trying new things he has agreed to run a Pulp style game using the TS/SI rules set. As I was doing research for several proposed characters I really started to take a close look at the TS/SI rules and a couple of the Sourcebooks that TSR came out with for the game. This may not come as news to you older guys, but man TS/SI is a really sweet system. The character Generation is fast and straight forward (with an optional “point buy” which I’ll be using) the combat is uncomplicated and the rules for Hand to hand combat actually looks fun to try out (since it’s Pulp I’m looking to have My character go “Mano a Mano” as often as I can).
I went online and scored the rest of the TS/SI line that I was missing and found them very affordable on EBay.
Supernatural Chill
Since the writers strike, “She who must be obeyed” and I have been watching a lot of DVD’s. We recently started watching the first season of a TV show called “Supernatural”.
It’s the story of two brothers who come from a family of modern day “Monster Hunters”. Their dad, who was out on a “Hunt”, has gone missing, and now the son’s are following dads trail-trying to locate him and helping folks plagued by supernatural phenomena along the way. Basically they blow into town on dad’s trail and find some weir phenomena of the week (ghosts, demons, monsters, etc.) blow it to hell, and move on to the next town, still looking for dad. It’s a fun show.
Anyway, the gamer in me was already thinking of how to make it into a game, and while almost any set of modern horror rules would work, I personally would like to try this with the Mayfair version of Chill.
We have a secret, loose organization of Monster Hunters, traveling the land like modern-day Paladins, fighting the monster of the week, saving the town, kissing the girl, and then heading off into the sunset. Linear? Yes, but sometimes linear is okay, Especially when you want to just roll some dice and blast the shit out of a monster.
Jack of all Trades (Savage worlds, Unisystem, Bloode Island XPG)How the hell did I miss this show on TV? Probably because it only lasted two seasons, on a network I never watched, and they only showed it at 2:00AM on Sunday night.
The King of Cult Cinema himself- Bruce Campbell stars as a Colonial era American spy working under cover in a fictitious island nation, thwarting the nefarious plans of Emperor Napoleon’s inept lackey’s. Historically it’s flawed as all hell, but from a gamers angle it’s “Manna from Heaven”. Take your favorite rules light system (Hopefully something that has info and rules for the Pirate/ Colonial period) and have at it! And don’t sweat the details too much; it’s Bruce Campbell fer God sakes!
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Magnamund Companion
Hey, you want to learn how to make these?
All you need is a copy of this:
Whaddaya mean you don't have $50.00 for that copy on ebay?
Tell ya what, go here and download a copy for free!
Who loves ya baby?
All you need is a copy of this:
Whaddaya mean you don't have $50.00 for that copy on ebay?
Tell ya what, go here and download a copy for free!
Who loves ya baby?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Thursday Pulp
The big news for me this week is that I hooked up with a gaming group! Not only are we going to start a regular campaign, it’s gonna be a PULP campaign! Top Secret: SI / Agent 13. Life is good.
So in celebration, here are a few of the newer offerings in the world of Pulp Gaming-
THRILLING TALES: The Golden Idol of Sikral $5.00I'm usually a bit leery of Adamant's offerings, but this appears to be a reprint of a Hero games product. I enjoy the stuff put out for Pulp Hero.
Pulp Hero: The Golden Idol of Sikral $3.00 (Same adventure-lower price)
Boomtown Planet - Saturday Edition
I never heard of this game until today. if I hadn't spent my gaming allowance on stuff for the Top Secret game, I might have picked this up. I probably still will, just not this week.
BASH! Sci-Fi EditionNot really Pulp Per se- But I really like the BASH line of games. And anyone can build a retro Flash Gordonesque campaign using these rules. This is another purchase that's gonna have to wait. At $15.00 BASH is starting to get a little pricey for a PDF offering (no pdf should cost more than $15.00).
Fantastic Worlds: Pulp Action in the Far Reaches of SpaceI don't play miniatures games, but if I did- this would be the one. It looks way fun!
Bumbles Pounce
The Cimmerian has posted this amusing tale of that great polar explorer / prospector Yukon Cornelius!
Enjoy!
And that's your Pulp Thursday report!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Games I wish I could play; or why The Evil DM cries himself to sleep
It has been MONTHS since I rolled the dice. And man, am I Jonesing for a game. The thing is:
#1 I want to play, not GM
And
#2 I don’t want to play anything I’ve played before.
And
#3 I only want to play something from this list.
Now that’s not a tall order eh?
Ha! Guess again.
Sacramento may be the capital city of the greatest state in the most powerful nation in the modern world. But I still can’t fill a table of gamers unless I’m running D&D.
Now I love D&D, always have, always will. But I have a ton of games on my shelf that I may never get to play in my lifetime. This coming year I want to make a dent in those shelves. So here, in no particular order are 11 games that are not D&D that I would love to play. Of course there are more, but I want to get these knocked out first. Even if it’s just three good sessions each, enough for one good adventure. Any takers?
Here’s the list:
Legends of steel
Before the car wreck I had a group all ready to play-test my Opus. With the holidays upon us I doubt I’ll be able to get them together before the New Year. When I do I’ll most likely be the one to run it.
Hollow earth expeditions
A beautiful book dedicated to one of my favorite genres. Several times a year I make a BIG RPG PURCHASE, Hollow Earth was one of those. No regrets, but man I really want to play this. The problem is finding other folks in the area not only willing to play, but who have the books as well.
BASH Fantasy
This is a local game created by a guy who lives in Davis (about 30 miles away). The game is affordable and looks like a quick system. Since it’s a local game I might have a shot of getting in on a local campaign.
Top secret SI: Agent 13
I tried to get a TS/SI game off the ground at least twice in Hawaii. I wanted to run a TS/SI agent 13 campaign- I still do.
Cthulhu Dark Ages
I have several editions of CoC including the rare D20 version. I respect the system but I was just never into the hopelessness of it all. But in looking over Cthulhu Dark Ages I’m thinking this might be a pleasant diversion for a few sessions. I like percentile systems and I like gritty fantasy and I reckon you can’t really get much more gritty that a Cthulhu fantasy world. Did I just say reckon?
Savage worlds- Solomon Kane, Conan or Pulp
The core book is only $10.00 what’s not to love? Hell, I have TWO copies. I even have the virtual table top version. Have I ever played it? Hell no. all the guys I know who game regularly have a D20 stamped on their foreheads. I REALLY, REALLY want to try this system. The Solomon Kane book is #1 on my Christmas list. And If I don’t get it I’m ordering it on December 26th.
Chill-Mayfair edition
I played Pacesetters Chill in the 80’s and loved it. I even wrote an article about it for Knights of the Dinner Table Magazine. But when Mayfair obtained the license I wasn’t in the Horror game mindset anymore, and it didn’t help that I absolutely hated the art in the new edition. But recently I picked up a couple of Mayfair Chill lots for real cheap on EBay. Two copies of the core rules, the companion, CM screen and several splat books all for under $20.00
The gaming Gods are trying to tell me something, I still think the art sucks but I’ve been looking over the rules and they have really improved them over the original Pacesetter ones. I’m ready to play.
Army of Darkness
I just bought this tonight. I should get it by next week. Anyone up for a game?
Mutants and Masterminds –Golden age
I don’t play D20 often, in fact only twice and one of those times was a M&M Golden age game it was just a pick up game to test out the system (so I still count it as a game I’ve never really played). I had fun. I would play D20 again in a heartbeat if it meant playing in a Golden age M&M campaign.
Conan D20
I am a Conan fan from waaay back. My grandfather used to pick up Conan, Kull, and Thor comics to help him learn English
“Jeff my lad, gather thy cloak and accompany an old man to yonder Safeway I must fetch a skin of milk for the feast this night.”
He didn’t really talk like that, but it woulda been cool huh?
Anyway, when Mongoose came out with Conan I waited and waited and hesitated and delayed. I was never sure why and as the weeks ran into months the reports started to filter in about the jacked up editing and typos, so I waited a bit longer. Eventually I found a mis-categorized copy of the Atlantean edition on EBay. I snatched it up for $13.00 ( I now have an almost complete set), which started a trend- to this date I have never paid full price for a single Mongoose Conan product. And I never will. Thank you eBay.
Broadsword
How could I not include the only game I’ve had published to date? I would love to play Broadsword. Not run it, play it. I would want to see someone else’s take on it.
So there you have it folk’s 11 games that I would love to play. So, are any of my Blog readers out there in the Sacramento area up for a game from this list? Drop me a line. According to the stats there are over 50,000 of you. Some of you have got to live in Northern California, all I need is 3 more players and a GM.
#1 I want to play, not GM
And
#2 I don’t want to play anything I’ve played before.
And
#3 I only want to play something from this list.
Now that’s not a tall order eh?
Ha! Guess again.
Sacramento may be the capital city of the greatest state in the most powerful nation in the modern world. But I still can’t fill a table of gamers unless I’m running D&D.
Now I love D&D, always have, always will. But I have a ton of games on my shelf that I may never get to play in my lifetime. This coming year I want to make a dent in those shelves. So here, in no particular order are 11 games that are not D&D that I would love to play. Of course there are more, but I want to get these knocked out first. Even if it’s just three good sessions each, enough for one good adventure. Any takers?
Here’s the list:
Legends of steel
Before the car wreck I had a group all ready to play-test my Opus. With the holidays upon us I doubt I’ll be able to get them together before the New Year. When I do I’ll most likely be the one to run it.
Hollow earth expeditions
A beautiful book dedicated to one of my favorite genres. Several times a year I make a BIG RPG PURCHASE, Hollow Earth was one of those. No regrets, but man I really want to play this. The problem is finding other folks in the area not only willing to play, but who have the books as well.
BASH Fantasy
This is a local game created by a guy who lives in Davis (about 30 miles away). The game is affordable and looks like a quick system. Since it’s a local game I might have a shot of getting in on a local campaign.
Top secret SI: Agent 13
I tried to get a TS/SI game off the ground at least twice in Hawaii. I wanted to run a TS/SI agent 13 campaign- I still do.
Cthulhu Dark Ages
I have several editions of CoC including the rare D20 version. I respect the system but I was just never into the hopelessness of it all. But in looking over Cthulhu Dark Ages I’m thinking this might be a pleasant diversion for a few sessions. I like percentile systems and I like gritty fantasy and I reckon you can’t really get much more gritty that a Cthulhu fantasy world. Did I just say reckon?
Savage worlds- Solomon Kane, Conan or Pulp
The core book is only $10.00 what’s not to love? Hell, I have TWO copies. I even have the virtual table top version. Have I ever played it? Hell no. all the guys I know who game regularly have a D20 stamped on their foreheads. I REALLY, REALLY want to try this system. The Solomon Kane book is #1 on my Christmas list. And If I don’t get it I’m ordering it on December 26th.
Chill-Mayfair edition
I played Pacesetters Chill in the 80’s and loved it. I even wrote an article about it for Knights of the Dinner Table Magazine. But when Mayfair obtained the license I wasn’t in the Horror game mindset anymore, and it didn’t help that I absolutely hated the art in the new edition. But recently I picked up a couple of Mayfair Chill lots for real cheap on EBay. Two copies of the core rules, the companion, CM screen and several splat books all for under $20.00
The gaming Gods are trying to tell me something, I still think the art sucks but I’ve been looking over the rules and they have really improved them over the original Pacesetter ones. I’m ready to play.
Army of Darkness
I just bought this tonight. I should get it by next week. Anyone up for a game?
Mutants and Masterminds –Golden age
I don’t play D20 often, in fact only twice and one of those times was a M&M Golden age game it was just a pick up game to test out the system (so I still count it as a game I’ve never really played). I had fun. I would play D20 again in a heartbeat if it meant playing in a Golden age M&M campaign.
Conan D20
I am a Conan fan from waaay back. My grandfather used to pick up Conan, Kull, and Thor comics to help him learn English
“Jeff my lad, gather thy cloak and accompany an old man to yonder Safeway I must fetch a skin of milk for the feast this night.”
He didn’t really talk like that, but it woulda been cool huh?
Anyway, when Mongoose came out with Conan I waited and waited and hesitated and delayed. I was never sure why and as the weeks ran into months the reports started to filter in about the jacked up editing and typos, so I waited a bit longer. Eventually I found a mis-categorized copy of the Atlantean edition on EBay. I snatched it up for $13.00 ( I now have an almost complete set), which started a trend- to this date I have never paid full price for a single Mongoose Conan product. And I never will. Thank you eBay.
Broadsword
How could I not include the only game I’ve had published to date? I would love to play Broadsword. Not run it, play it. I would want to see someone else’s take on it.
So there you have it folk’s 11 games that I would love to play. So, are any of my Blog readers out there in the Sacramento area up for a game from this list? Drop me a line. According to the stats there are over 50,000 of you. Some of you have got to live in Northern California, all I need is 3 more players and a GM.
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