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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Unofficial Games blog, and G+

Zzarchov of Unofficial Games blog, and author of the Neoclassical Geek Revival posted THIS a couple of days ago.

I'm glad that there are so many opportunities these days for all of us to find the sorts of games (let alone blogs and podcasts) that suit our personal tastes and styles, as a one-size fits all policy is rarely a good fit for anyone. This embarrassment of riches is bound to link-up players who are better matches for tone, style, and system better than ever before.

I just hope that the clannish tendency of the human race as regards our speck of the Web doesn't scare off prospective gamers who see the mob v. solo, um, discourse and then head for the woods at top speed. Since right now G+ is about as f2f as many of us will get and still be able to find kindred souls, it seems like a nifty way to break down artificial barriers by allowing players to try one-shots with folks they'd normally never game with.

Of course, as a realist, I'm keeping the SCUBA gear* handy, just in case.

* 'don't hold your breath'

Sunday, August 28, 2011

About as personal as I care to get on a blog

Recently, I have had the pleasure of doing a lot of online Urutsk gaming via Google+. We've had folks I know from the blogs, as well as many that I never had any idea were out there. I have met several players that really make me wonder what better sort of games I could have had all these years if I had gamed more outside of Florida (not knocking Fl. gamers). More than a few of the players I've run for this past week happen to be Canadian, and I'm inclined to think that may have something to do with it, but, this was also the case when I gamed with the really groovy Aethervox crew at Jeff 'Chirine baKal' Berry's last/this year over New Year's with C., and both NTRPG cons in which I've had the pleasure of participating.

It is heartening to know.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Airswimmers RC Flying 'fish'-



Via RetroRoleplaying

Checkershadow Illusion Video-



Via: TYWKIWDB

BADGES-

I've come down hard on the OSR-Scout Badges in the last 24 Hours, but after a nice sleep, I think I'm seeing the merit in this.

I will begin work immediately. :)

In more serious news, the URUTSK Google+ Gaming Tour is rolling on into a Time and Date near you.
--More, here: Google+

Monday, August 22, 2011

Uber GMs (My Take)-

Here are the best points I've yet read on the matter:
These are the "3" I feel most strongly promote that balanced goal:

1. Each person is different, thus you have an obligation to identify that difference and nurture it in the best way that you can for their benefit. This specific tact will benefit the whole group.

2. That this course is best served by specific approaches rather than inundating each individual with a shot-gun blast of information and choices. This will allow each person the time to grow, understand and communicate their needs and interests, which thereafter can be honed by your participation in a mentoring situation.

3. Through this course you as the DM and your players will grow and excel, not just in the game, but in life as well. It will prepare your players for DMing with a courage they have won, a knowledge they have gained, and all through your patience, perseverance and subtle guidance.
Rob Kuntz at his Lord of the Green Dragons


I don't feel comfortable describing what I feel I do well as a GM, as I estimate my players are a better judge of it.
--If someone comes forward to describe my GMing ability and folks want to hear my analysis of 'how I do it', then I'll go from there.


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Following Snail Trails, or 'I Hit the Snail With My Flail'-

As Seen On Your Monitor, HERE.
--
Here we have the same critter in AEDIENDI format

Name-(Size Category)[Number of 4" Moves)

HD: Hit Dice
HP: Hit Points
AC: Armour Class
ATK: Attack

Effect Dice-(Don't worry that's just for conversion completeness)
Violet (d2), Blue (d4), Green (d6), Yellow (d8), Orange (d10), Red (d12)

LETIUUMASI-(L)[16"]
XP: 325 | HD 3+3 | HP 50 | AC 08 | ATK: Musket 2d6 | ATK: Dagger 1d10 | ATK: Bite 1d6
* Special Abilities: Intelligent, Tracking Instinct Use: +3d/Day, 1x/8 Hours, Feral
Description: The hairy beasts are humanoid, but by adolescence, grow to stand as tall if not taller than the average Vrun. Adult males have been measured at over 13'5”, while females stand a little shorter on average. They tends towards the coppery-bronze end of the spectrum, but coats of dark sable and umber have also been reported in the deepest mossy woods. Reliable trackers of even the most difficult of prey, the Letiuumasi' long-barrelled muskets are most vexing. Even bare-handed, the Letiuumasi is deadly. They are rumoured to be a rogue subject race of the Abbekqorru, and it is fact that they are fully feral and only partly civil.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Last Night's Google+ Hangout Game-

Google+ user Ulek Xek joined C. for the Thursday night game via G+ Hangout on audio only. Sadly, Greg Backus was unable to join us due to computer issues. We'll have to sort those issues out for the next epi.

Here is Ulek Xek's LINK

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Seriously!

I'm wondering when Ken St. Andre's recognition in the earliest days of the RPG hobby will be better known, as his version of The Game was already being sold while what would become known as D&D LBB were still relatively obscure, if actually in LBB format at that time.

In an e-mail on a computer a decade gone by now, I spoke with Ken, who related that he was selling copies of T&T in comb-bound format while Gary still hadn't gotten his game rules out (at least on the West Coast). In this account, Gary was a bit peeved that Ken was already capitalising (*laff*) on T&T before D&D was hitting the Arizona gaming scene. No one at the stores had even heard of polyhedral dice, so we can use that to date the event.

If RQ2 praised Ken for 'having done it again' or some such, in the intro (as well as digging on the Saving Roll mechanism which would see light in RQ as the Opposed Roll mechanism), his importance in the field is clearly understated. Ken and I aren't even that close any longer, and I'm still steamed that his contributions are relegated to a cutsie/satirical treatment of D&D. Hogwash.

Where are the Andreas Davours, the Tori Bernquists, etc., to give Ken St. Andre his due in the RPG field's historical significance?

:: crickets ::

FLAILSNAILS Conventions

Please comment regarding the necessity of the 'FLAILSNAILS Conventions'.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Monday Offering-

Name-(Mass)[Moves](ea. roughly 7')
FD: Fight Dice
DP: Disruption Points
Def: Defence
ARM: Armour STOP & Type [H]ard/[S]oft
ATK: Attack

Cd: Colour Dice
V.iolet (6), B.lue (5), G.reen (4), Y.ellow (3), O.range (2), R.ed (1)

LETIUUMASI-(L)[4mv]
Menace Rating: 65 | 3FD+3 | 150DP | +0Def | -2S ARM | ATK: Musket 5Cd @ G | ATK: Dagger @ O | ATK: Bite @ G
* Special Abilities: Intelligent, Tracking Instinct Use: +3d/Day, 1x/8 Hours, Feral
Description: The hairy beasts are humanoid, but by adolescence, grow to stand as tall if not taller than the average Vrun. Adult males have been measured at over 3 Msnk (13'5”), while females stand a little shorter on average. They tends towards the coppery-bronze end of the spectrum, but coats of dark sable and umber have also been reported in the deepest mossy woods. Reliable trackers of even the most difficult of prey, the Letiuumasi' long-barrelled muskets are most vexing. Even bare-handed, the Letiuumasi is deadly. They are rumoured to be a rogue subject race of the Abbekqorru, and it is fact that they are fully feral and only partly civil.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

DEMESNE CARD SYSTEM PLAYTEST-



C.'s friend, S. was in town and she dropped by and I ran them through a typical 'get to know your island' adventure, complete with Mind-Controlling Sleeper Aelbaan and Living Ancients coming to realise what they thought was to be only 3 Weeks of Cold Sleep travel turned out to be longer. 90% of the stars in the sky were simply gone, replaced with rainbowed ribons and streamers of dust and stellar fragments still spilling outward from the exploded core.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

A random hand is assigned to each player and the Demesne Hand. The house received 3 cards, while S. received 4, and C. 5. These were replenished regularly, and the total only went down. Eventually a rest spot was found in overland trekking and a new Hand total was determined with the house drawing fewer by one.

I'll skip the actual mechanics involved, save that I didn't miss dice one lick.

The battle with grotto fish people spilled out as a conjured storm helped to blot out the setting sun, as the fishies were not fond of bright light. A siege resulted in the PCs being sent out in search of a good camp for the entire community of Saltwick to fall back to. The fish-folk employed bio-weapons in the form of shellfish explosives and launched shell-dwellers, with each creature's bio-properties acting upon those affected by shrapnel.

Savannah animals in that typical close-quarters non-conflict where the prey are simply watching the predator walking by, glancing at them disinterestedly. No conflicts were encountered and the animals simply scattered or moved slowly as suited them, and the party (2 PCs, 3 NPCs) pressed on, choosing not to enter the cloud and mist-choked, rain-forest/jungle clinging to the dormant volcano inner slope.

So, then they found the ship wreckage and a nearby shaft leading down to the craft covered by layers of quick deposition sediments and ash covered by sod. Since the folk of Saltwick are/were civilised folk with Imperial Caste training, the PCs: Kether Medical/Survival, and Marrumi Ship's Weapons/Scout Services, and NPCs were not ignorant of what a bulkhead was nor that the door could potentially be cranked open.

Accidentally Activating cryo units, two blondes, and three dark-haired (2 males, 1 female) spilled out nude from their blue-goo tanks. Soon it was time for the 'older' Aelbaan woman to try and assert dominance, which failed, resulting in her death -- riddled with bullets. The three Vrun shouted for the other blonde to be killed, and the NPCs obliged them after she lunged either at them or the newly thawed Vrun-Ancients.

By utilising the cards the player/house is able to initiate conflict, or make friendly gestures, with trumping power evident by the comparison of cards. My old system from the '90's.

As S. is down from elsewhere, it is unlikely we'll soon continue, unless we run a G+ hangout game or something like that.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Media Whores-

Offered without commentary:

via Allen Varney on G+

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Monday, August 1, 2011

Friday Vanguard Antics-

Friday we switched things up, and I ran C. and BB through a Space Age era game, set on a backwater, tide-locked world racked by storms at the twilight boundary.

The two made Hero figures with a cost equal to two or three (or more) Squads, each. Better stats and gear, including a Metroid-type suit for C.'s character.

The scenario we started to play around 10pm was a pit fight, using GW Necr*munda building cards and plastic doors to form a two-level area. The Metroid-suit tested a few fiddly bits of the Simultaneous Activation as modified by Attack Rank, having her roll up and then interrupt their Close Combat by disengaging and then firing. BB's Satchel Charge only clipped a figure or two, and then they had to move in closer to get good angles.

I (as usual) couldn't hit the PCs to save the NPCs' lives, and they won handily, beginning the RP of being courted by fight managers and so forth. I think this will be the period in which the Friday game will be set. Travel, dangers, and local colour.

TL;DR: Things go boom.