Time To Catch Up

Wow...these last few weeks...just...wow.

Anyway, enough of the mundane. Here are some things I have ran across in the 30 seconds I've had each time I tried to sit down and catch up.

First good news for those who were disappointed when WotC dropped their mini lines.

http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/2011/05/25/46865/

And then Troll in the Corner added a Q&A on the subject:

http://trollitc.com/2011/05/more-info-on-paizo-and-wizkids-forthcoming-mini-line-with-a-handy-qa-section/

And the press release:

Paizo and WizKids Launch Pathfinder Pre-Painted Minis

http://wizkidsgames.com/blog/2011/05/25/paizo-and-wizkids-launch-pathfinder-pre-painted-minis/

And since we are talking minis:

A Cheapass Solution for Miniatures

http://swordsofathanor.blogspot.com/2011/05/cheapass-solution-for-miniatures.html

Book an Advert in Oubliette 6!

After the success of the Oubliette Issue 5 giveaway, I'd like to continue to offer future issues as free downloads for several weeks after they come out.

Issue 5 of Oubliette has reached over 800 people so far, which gives me every confidence that Issue 6 will have a circulation of over 1,000 copies - within one month of publication.

Commencing with Issue 6, I have decided to offer a limited amount of space to advertisers interested in reaching our readership.

(Get all the details at: http://oubliettemagazine.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-advert-in-oubliette-6.html )


I thought there was a certain irony here:

Hasbro Doesn't Even Sell the Latest Version of D&D on Its Webpage http://wondrousimaginings.blogspot.com/2011/05/hasbro-doesnt-even-sell-latest-version.html


The D&D Lair Assault promotion from WotC continues to heat up on both sides:

Wizards of the Coast Acknowledges 4E is Aimed at Min-Maxing Twinks

http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2011/05/wizards-of-coast-acknowledges-4e-is.html

Ok, enough for now. A lot of ground to cover but that will have to wait till next time...

Enjoy!

Happy Post-Armageddon Day!

Considering today is the beginning of year zero just a few thoughts.

There are times when this whole world of gaming drives me mad. I try to practice tolerance but there are times.

But then I remember why I like it, love it even.

I read a lot of posts, as many as I can everyday from the gaming blogosphere. I built The Eternal Keep just to try and keep up and love reading something that is just purely inspirational. I may not use every idea I read but it acts like oil to lubricate the bearings, to keep me focused on the fact that we make it what it is.

I remember back in the day if we went out to eat at a restaurant and knew we might have a bit of a wait we would just start playing right at the table. We always carried dice in our pockets and someone usually had pen and paper or we could get some from the waitress. (We would have LOVED having the ability to make pocket mods back then...that would have rocked!).

And to play that was all you needed. All RPGs are built around dialogue with bits of random events that are resolved with common sense or a die roll. That's it. Have fun. It was about imagination.

I feel sorry for many modern players that hate their game and blame the company that makes it for ruining it for them. No one can ruin my game but me. No set of rules is perfect. It's what you do with the concept that matters.

The looks we would get, especially from the waitress when the food came out, was worth its weight in gold.

And combat became so much easier (and healthier) when they started putting condiments out in packets. Plenty of minis and variety. Nothing like a horde of angry mustard orcs to make for some heroic tarter sauce action! :)

Hell Has Frozen Over

Totally non-rpg related but I had to post about this.

Hell has frozen over and I'm sliding over to give the devil a scratch behind the ear because now I know how long forever is.

23 years.

The band broke up in 1988, and Ocasek had always discouraged talk of a reunion since then, telling one interviewer in 1997 "I'm saying never and you can count on that."

Yes, the latest album from The Cars, the real Cars, drops on Tuesday and god help me it's even good.

The first single is Blue Tip. The video is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJQWGA1O8s

The second is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxqxNzlEFM4

If you were ever a fan (and trust me, I burned through 3 copies of Candy-O on vinyl during my peak gaming period-you are one or you're not, you'll know) then show the love and have a slice of pure 80s synth pop.

(If only Benjamin had been here it would be a perfect moment. I hope if he is near a listening station he gets a little smile from this beast.)

Enjoy!

Lawful Indifferent: Slenderman

Lawful Indifferent: Slenderman

Go check this post out. I did this thing till 3:30am and am still creeped out. As LI says 'not RPG related' but very cool.

Enjoy!

Yeah, I Know...

Posting has been way off of late, what with Mother Nature trying her best to blow us off the map and holes in roofs and insurance adjusters and contractors.

Every spare minute has gone into finishing the alpha of Forsaken Souls Basic Edition / Fast Start. There are days...

(2 days later)

And now even more time has passed. AARRGGHH!

Ok...finish this time:

Working
Working
Working
Madness
Pass out from no sleep
Repeat

POST NOW!

Happy Anniversary To...Me?

There's been a lot of posting recently about which issue of the Dragon was your first and it got me to go look mine up. I always remembered covers but not numbers...and realized that April marked 30 years that I have been a part of this other universe where dragon's dwell, magic is real and heroes lived and died by their wits and their blades.

It ain't all that much to look at, but in 1981 is was the Holy Grail to me.

So, Happy 30th anniversary...to me.

The Wizards Community - The Jester Blog -The Death of D&D

Ok, I'm not even going to comment on this one but if I could spin like this I could roto-puke all the way to the moon :)

The Wizards Community - The_Jester Blog - The Death of D&D

I will share my favorite quote with you though:

"Still, the trade magazine ICv2 reported Paizo tied WotC in sales in Q3 of 2010. And Paizo also has a strong showing on the Amazon above list. But, really, this is still a sign that D&D is doing fine, as even when WotC slips a little, a game that is really D&D rebranded moves up a spot."

Ok...translation...the competition is outselling D&D and that is ok because they do D&D better than WotC...wtf?

14th Century RPG Campaign | Christian Warrior

A 14th Century campaign set in Europe using the KnightCleric&Rogue rules based on WR&C by Stargazer.

Find the file linkage here:

14th Century RPG Campaign | Christian Warrior

More on MicroGames

Dwarfstar, the makers of my personal favorite - Barbarian Prince, have kindly posted legitimate downloadable and printable versions of :

Barbarian Prince
Demonlord
Goblin
Grav Armor
Outpost Gamma
Star Smuggler
Star Viking

Along with some history and info. I still have my copy of BP and it is sitting three feet from where I'm typing this from. (Get the errata for it if you d / l it. It is very handy.)


Find them at:

http://dwarfstar.brainiac.com/

(BTW: check out the Goblin that someone did...very nice :)

The Classic Microgames Museum

The Classic Microgames Museum

Being a fan of micro games ever since I stumbled upon a little game called Barbarian Prince back in the day I have been interested in all the releases, most of which I have never seen in person, during that time period.

So here's a little treat from simpler times...

Enjoy.

Mythmere's Blog: AD&D vs OD&D in Knockspell

I've noticed something quite interesting with the various submissions to Knockspell Magazine over the course of five issues. This is that despite the massively wider audience of AD&D, despite the fact that Fight On! is focused on OD&D, and despite the fact that there is not a corresponding AD&D magazine, the vast majority of articles I receive have been designed and/or statted for OD&D rather than AD&D.

continue reading at:

Mythmere's Blog: AD&D vs OD&D in Knockspell

Dragon Magazine Greyhawk Article Index

Dragon Magazine Greyhawk Article Index

This is a great index for Greyhawk fans and is maintained at:

http://www.cmc.net/~rtaylor/greyhawk/dragon_index.html

(I have not checked this one for accuracy-YMMV)

Enjoy!

Words To Live By

After a day of ducking bad weather and then being hit by a microburst (80mph winds was the guesstimate) that managed to drive a hole through the roof of the house and laying against the crown trying to do a temporary patch while lightning started in the distance it didn't leave a whole lot of time to work on things fantastic.

So I just started catching up some reading and ran across this in my bookmarks.

From: Old School Heretic

It is important and valuable to go back to the roots of things, if indeed your intention is to acquire some understanding of what was done and how, to learn from the past and devise your own strategies which you then take forwards and outwards and set into motion on your own terms. Going back is only useful if it facilitates our inspiration and spurs us to action. Endlessly revising, re-interpreting and regurgitating what has already been done is not what it is about --and it never was-- going back to the roots cannot be perverted into a retreat into some peculiar hegemonic orthodoxy. That way lies madness, sterility, barrenness and self-deceit. Going back is about learning, understanding and then moving on, going your own way, doing it on your own terms, using what has come before as a creative springboard or launching pad.

That is how we honor creators and innovators: by becoming our own creators and our own innovators.

Self-declared pontiffs and purveyors of empty opinions have no place in any creative undertaking, be it a movement of artists, a school of thought, or a swarm of nerds armed with colorful dice.

We're better than that.

All of us are better than that.

Look deeply into the roots of things, drink deep and then cast your lot.
It is the oldest way to bring something really and truly new into the world.

Read the complete article at:

http://oldschoolheretic.blogspot.com/p/going-back-to-roots-is-not-enough.html

Fame & Fortune: doing it differently and growing pie

I read with interest Mike Mearls' article on the past and the future of Dungeons & Dragons. There have been a variety of responses appearing in the blogosphere. Wizards have a chequered history of fan interaction and organised play including mixed messages about fan sites, tiered organised play bias toward larger FLGS and forcing customers to register with their site to make a simple e-mail query. They have made significant progress with online community and D&D Encounters. Other industry players offer alternative views, involving active engagement with players and adapting existing assets to new formats. Yet Wizards have got a few tricks up their sleeve yet, as we shall see.

continue reading at:

Fame & Fortune: doing it differently and growing pie

Hack & Slash: On the OSR Required Reading List (Have You Read It?)

This is a great reading list and part of my permanent printed binder collection (I should change that to wall :)

Hack & Slash: On the OSR Required Reading List (Have You Read It?)

Enjoy!