Yes, the blog sits here like a faithful dog, waiting by the door, waiting for me to come back. Blogs...mans second best friend. :)
Thought I would just give a brief update. I haven't forgotten about this place, I've just been trying to make up for a crappy first 6 months to the year.
Anyway, FORSAKEN SOULS slowly makes its way through a third draft. I realized I have some really good stuff in there but my presentation was poor and needed to be re-worked.
It got to the point of being gibberish so I took a break from it and have nearly completed an introductory rpg, DEEP DELVE, that took me out of my comfort zone and into a more open concept behind design methods. It has been a good learning experience.
Meant to expose non-players to the concepts of role-playing without scaring them off with pages of math and phrases that are alien to them, the mechanics are simple but if a new player leaves and can sit down at another game table and have at least a basic understanding of language and general concepts in role-playing then I will feel like I have done my job.
And realizing that maybe I'm not cut out to be a full time designer I am shifting over to a format that I am much more comfortable with-the ezine. With pdf publishing allowing me to do things I have never had the chance to do with older formats I look forward to being able to cover what is turning out to be a very vibrant scene that is growing so fast that it's becoming tough to keep up with.
So CLASSIC REALMS OF ADVENTURE (which is also the name of the blog that will be the zines home base along with other projects like DEEP DELVE) will start off with an open ended publishing schedule (eventually settling into a weekly format) with a page count ranging between 32 and 128 pages (the wide range allows for a lot of wiggle room-I see the base model being a 64 page weekly but don't want to back myself into a corner).
It will cover news, previews, new releases and contain game content as well, along with 'guides' to various parts of the hobby like the emergence of 'Weird' and 'Swords & Spaceships' or what I call 'The John Carter Template'. Since blogs play a key role in this community I will be highlighting not only great posts but series that may span multiple posts or blogs and taking a lesson from Rob MacDougall I will go Paleo-Blogging, highlighting older posts from the more established blogs that might have been overlooked by new readers.
I just know that I miss the weekly update from The Underdark Gazette and want to do something that not only is of use to me but can hopefully provide others with a portable one stop mobile medium that can be carried around and read easily where ever you go.
So, please email me if I miss something or if you have a new release or news in general to include. I look forward to an overflowing inbox :)
Ok, next cup of coffee and back to it.
Till next time...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Obituary for Michael S. Hart (1947-2011)
The founder of Project Gutenberg and creator of the ebook has died.
I was stunned. This didn't even make the news...sad times we live in indeed:
Michael S. Hart
From Project Gutenberg, the first producer of free ebooks.
Obituary for Michael Stern Hart
Michael Stern Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington on March 8, 1947. He died on September 6, 2011 in his home in Urbana, Illinois, at the age of 64. His is survived by his mother, Alice, and brother, Bennett. Michael was an Eagle Scout (Urbana Troop 6 and Explorer Post 12), and served in the Army in Korea during the Vietnam era.
Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years.
Hart was an ardent technologist and futurist. A lifetime tinkerer, he acquired hands-on expertise with the technologies of the day: radio, hi-fi stereo, video equipment, and of course computers. He constantly looked into the future, to anticipate technological advances. One of his favorite speculations was that someday, everyone would be able to have their own copy of the Project Gutenberg collection or whatever subset desired. This vision came true, thanks to the advent of large inexpensive computer disk drives, and to the ubiquity of portable mobile devices, such as cell phones.
Hart also predicted the enhancement of automatic translation, which would provide all of the world's literature in over a hundred languages. While this goal has not yet been reached, by the time of his death Project Gutenberg hosted eBooks in 60 different languages, and was frequently highlighted as one of the best Internet-based resources.
A lifetime intellectual, Hart was inspired by his parents, both professors at the University of Illinois, to seek truth and to question authority. One of his favorite recent quotes, credited to George Bernard Shaw, is characteristic of his approach to life:
"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable
people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress,
therefore, depends on unreasonable people."
Michael prided himself on being unreasonable, and only in the later years of life did he mellow sufficiently to occasionally refrain from debate. Yet, his passion for life, and all the things in it, never abated.
Frugal to a fault, Michael glided through life with many possessions and friends, but very few expenses. He used home remedies rather than seeing doctors. He fixed his own house and car. He built many computers, stereos, and other gear, often from discarded components.
Michael S. Hart left a major mark on the world. The invention of eBooks was not simply a technological innovation or precursor to the modern information environment. A more correct understanding is that eBooks are an efficient and effective way of unlimited free distribution of literature. Access to eBooks can thus provide opportunity for increased literacy. Literacy, and the ideas contained in literature, creates opportunity.
In July 2011, Michael wrote these words, which summarize his goals and his lasting legacy: “One thing about eBooks that most people haven't thought much is that eBooks are the very first thing that we're all able to have as much as we want other than air. Think about that for a moment and you realize we are in the right job." He had this advice for those seeking to make literature available to all people, especially children:
"Learning is its own reward. Nothing I can
say is better than that."
Michael is remembered as a dear friend, who sacrificed personal luxury to fight for literacy, and for preservation of public domain rights and resources, towards the greater good.
This obituary is granted to the public domain by its author, Dr. Gregory B. Newby.
I was stunned. This didn't even make the news...sad times we live in indeed:
Michael S. Hart
From Project Gutenberg, the first producer of free ebooks.
Obituary for Michael Stern Hart
Michael Stern Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington on March 8, 1947. He died on September 6, 2011 in his home in Urbana, Illinois, at the age of 64. His is survived by his mother, Alice, and brother, Bennett. Michael was an Eagle Scout (Urbana Troop 6 and Explorer Post 12), and served in the Army in Korea during the Vietnam era.
Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years.
Hart was an ardent technologist and futurist. A lifetime tinkerer, he acquired hands-on expertise with the technologies of the day: radio, hi-fi stereo, video equipment, and of course computers. He constantly looked into the future, to anticipate technological advances. One of his favorite speculations was that someday, everyone would be able to have their own copy of the Project Gutenberg collection or whatever subset desired. This vision came true, thanks to the advent of large inexpensive computer disk drives, and to the ubiquity of portable mobile devices, such as cell phones.
Hart also predicted the enhancement of automatic translation, which would provide all of the world's literature in over a hundred languages. While this goal has not yet been reached, by the time of his death Project Gutenberg hosted eBooks in 60 different languages, and was frequently highlighted as one of the best Internet-based resources.
A lifetime intellectual, Hart was inspired by his parents, both professors at the University of Illinois, to seek truth and to question authority. One of his favorite recent quotes, credited to George Bernard Shaw, is characteristic of his approach to life:
"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable
people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress,
therefore, depends on unreasonable people."
Michael prided himself on being unreasonable, and only in the later years of life did he mellow sufficiently to occasionally refrain from debate. Yet, his passion for life, and all the things in it, never abated.
Frugal to a fault, Michael glided through life with many possessions and friends, but very few expenses. He used home remedies rather than seeing doctors. He fixed his own house and car. He built many computers, stereos, and other gear, often from discarded components.
Michael S. Hart left a major mark on the world. The invention of eBooks was not simply a technological innovation or precursor to the modern information environment. A more correct understanding is that eBooks are an efficient and effective way of unlimited free distribution of literature. Access to eBooks can thus provide opportunity for increased literacy. Literacy, and the ideas contained in literature, creates opportunity.
In July 2011, Michael wrote these words, which summarize his goals and his lasting legacy: “One thing about eBooks that most people haven't thought much is that eBooks are the very first thing that we're all able to have as much as we want other than air. Think about that for a moment and you realize we are in the right job." He had this advice for those seeking to make literature available to all people, especially children:
"Learning is its own reward. Nothing I can
say is better than that."
Michael is remembered as a dear friend, who sacrificed personal luxury to fight for literacy, and for preservation of public domain rights and resources, towards the greater good.
This obituary is granted to the public domain by its author, Dr. Gregory B. Newby.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Non-Game Related Music Video
I was just knocked on my ass this morning when I accidentally ran across this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVOi5Hdbd7Q
My band used to use their second album to check our stage sound set-up before a set.
Not bad for a bunch of old guys. :)
Hope you enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVOi5Hdbd7Q
My band used to use their second album to check our stage sound set-up before a set.
Not bad for a bunch of old guys. :)
Hope you enjoy
Saturday, September 3, 2011
FOR EVERYONE SAYING GAMING IS DEAD...
I offer this little piece that basically says what I have been saying all year:
http://www.austin360.com/recreation/dungeons-dragons-grows-up-1698450.html?page=2&viewAsSinglePage=true
Thanks to Sea of Stars for turning me onto this:
http://seaofstarsrpg.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/wandering-the-web-12/
http://www.austin360.com/recreation/dungeons-dragons-grows-up-1698450.html?page=2&viewAsSinglePage=true
Thanks to Sea of Stars for turning me onto this:
http://seaofstarsrpg.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/wandering-the-web-12/
Friday, September 2, 2011
DEEP DELVE – THE RPG- PROGRESS REPORT
Work progresses toward the release of DEEP DELVE - THE RPG.
I'm hoping to have the 5th alpha build up soon.
Track the progress of the system at:
http://classicrealmsofadventure.blogspot.com/
I'm hoping to have the 5th alpha build up soon.
Track the progress of the system at:
http://classicrealmsofadventure.blogspot.com/
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