| Good Time at Phantasm, and Prize Alert! |
[Sep. 28th, 2009|04:18 am] |
That's our local convention, a great tradition that was very successful this year. Unlike many cons it's RPG-centered, with other games in the minority.
I ran an improvised WoD game using elements from upcoming books, played Knights of the Hidden Sun and hung out. Ed Greenwood was enormously cynical but in a fun, insightful way that didn't break any agreements he has to only say nice things about his employers. Chatted briefly with Lawrence Whitaker and reps from Mind Storm Labs (Who I asked right out, "Where the hell is all that money coming from?" because their presentation is fairly awe-inspiring for a starting RPG company in the 21st Century.)
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) pyat and kores_rabbit, you both won door prizes for free pizza! Unfortunately, now that I actually *look* at them it appears they're redeemable at local pizza joints. Geez, this makes me look like some kind of swindler, but I honestly didn't know! (They're Domino's and Pizza Hut, so when Dave announced them I assumed they were transferable.) So . . . what do you want to trade for them? I have lots and lots of game books . . . .
Some interesting things:
1) I was the only guy at the con in a playing 4e game with my group, though the majority of the 40 or so people in attendance owned the core books. It's not representative of anything, just interesting, especially the own vs play thing. No 4e games at the convention, BTW.
2) The WoD fans were split between the LARPers (who barkman managed quite well as usual) and high school and younger college/uni-aged kids. I donated a copy of Geist as a door prize and the kid who won it, who was a fan, was one of the younger non-young kids in attendance. The big game in this crowd? Changeling. Changeling changeling changeling.
3) One kid (like, an 11 year old) OWNED me, like so:
Kid: "Wanna play Munchkin?"
Me: "We're getting a chat-seminar thingy started here."
Kid: "But I'm the MUNCKINEST."
Me: "Oh yeah? Then where's your horned helmet, kid?"
Kid: (Points) "My Dad's holding it." (True!)
4)Knights of the Hidden Sun, which I'll be publishing next year, is pretty goddamn awesome. I hadn't had a chance to get a proper adventure in for it and playing in Chris' was a real pleasure. I cut a panther golem in half while running on a castle wall wearing a magical antigravity belt (standard issue) and got in a sword duel with the main antagonist while we were both running at 600 KPH, because you *can do that* in this game. Also, Chris' use of cutscenes really is terrific. It brought home several elements that need exploring in development that only a full-bore adventure could bring out.
I know it's self-interested to talk about it like this, but man.
Jenny, the game's visual designer, had a booth as well where she sold art and paper minis. The minis were nifty because they were side view instead of front like many of them are, and were drawn to match the scale they're printed in better than many other examples.
I'll be posting with links and analysis and such at mobunited.com. |
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| Kuang Grade Mark 11 |
[Sep. 21st, 2009|08:23 pm] |
"Data transfer from Bockris Systems GmbH, Frankfurt, advises, under coded transmission, that content of shipment is Kuang Grade Mark Eleven penetration program. Bockris further advises that interface with Ono-Sendai Cyberspace 7 is entirely compatible and yields optimal penetration capabilities, particularly with regard to existing military systems..."
"How about an AI?"
"Existing military systems and artificial intelligences."
"Jesus Christ. What did you call it?"
"Kuang Grade Mark Eleven"
"It's Chinese?"
"Yes."
So I've been looking for a PDA-like thing for a while. I would've loved to use an iPod Touch but I need to do word processing - not take "notes." So after hemming and hawing I ordered a SmartQ 5 -- a Chinese MID that runs Ubuntu - and can run Linux or WinCE, too, since it has no barriers to that sort of thing. It isn't a phone, but it does do WiFi and Bluetooth, has an external speaker and a nice (though resistive) 400x800 touchscreen, all a bit bigger than the iPod Touch for $50 less.
I figure I can install Abiword, get a folding or rollup keyboard and do some writing with Kuang Grade Mark 11. The tricky bit will be customizing it, since most of the literature is organized for high-functioning Linuxers - and I'm not one of them. I'll probably start asking for help once it gets off the plane and into my hands.
Maelcum produced a white lump of foam slightly smaller than Case's head, fished a pearl-handled switchblade on a green nylon lanyard out of the hip pocket of his tattered shorts and carefully slit the plastic. He extracted a rectangular object and passed it to Case.
. . . and of course, I need a Kuang Grade Mark 11 sticker. |
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| Beat Takeshi's Tomb of Horrors |
[Jul. 25th, 2009|11:26 pm] |
In the 80s Beat Takeshi was asked to create a video game. He disliked
video games, and spent a significant number of development meetings drinking heavily. The result: Takeshi no Chousenjo - Takeshi's Challenge.
To understand the tone of the game start with the commercial. This features Takeshi shredding a radish with a look of vague distress, singing into a Famicom (Japanese NES) controller and returning to the radish shredding.
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Gameplay involves visiting various buildings where virtually everyone attacks you. Quests include getting a divorce, signing karaoke (quality counts!) and doing nothing from anywhere from one hour to four hours (for the "watching TV" quest). There's a side scrolling shooter where you can only move down. You play a salaryman looking for and then following a treasure map.
Here's a documentary of a quest to finish the game (2 parts):
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This is essentially the NES' Tomb of Horrors. Beat Takeshi: Actor, Director, Comedian, Author -- Killer DM. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 25th, 2009|09:07 am] |
I have something up for an ENnie this year but I'm not going to say what it is. I know the ENnies are important to some people and having worked on a winner is a nice thing to throw on a website or whatever. As an award By Gamers For Gamers the awards are a bit of a crock; the judge selection process is a corrputible piece of crap that favours incumbents.
But if you want to ignore my cynicism, at least don't vote for a slate. That's weak. If you haven't read, played or in the case of art/visuals *alone*, seen a book, don't vote for it.
Oh yeah: This is just my opinion and not reflective of anybody I work/do business with. I'm not saying I'm part of a current of thought here. I wish. |
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| Me and Socialized Medicine |
[Jul. 23rd, 2009|11:36 pm] |
Hey folks,
Here are some things the Canadian health care system did for me:
In 1992 it saved my life. I was nearly killed due to bacterial meningitis. Wait time: None.
In 1993 after someone tried to kill me, it paid for plastic surgery to repair my skull and jawbone. Wait time: less than 24 hours.
In 2006 it got my left knee arthroscopic surgery. In 2008 it got my right knee taken care of. Wait time: about three months each.
The system saved me from death, disfigurement and the need to walk with a cane.
There's been other stuff. Tests, sleep studies, doctors' appointments, medication. A handful of MRIs. But I'm alive, I can get around and my face is symmetrical.
If you benefited from government-run health care, why not share a story like this one? Pick what you feel comfortable talking about. |
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