A blog about tabletop hobby and or strategy games, with a side order of electronic turn based goodness here and there. Now with tons of retro gaming content both electronic and tabletop. Also with 20% more self loathing douchebaggery!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Words for every RPG character to take to heart.

And their players and the GMs who hold their fates behind the screen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyrKbgtr5x8
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For those unwilling to watch, the content is this:

It will be a hard life.
One without reward,
without remorse,
without regret.

A path will be placed before you,
the choice is yours alone.

Do what you think you cannot do.

It will be a hard life.

But you will find out who you are.
------------------------------------

Pretty impressive stuff from a Star Wars commercial, but it fits what I think RPGs should be so damned well.

PCs should be adventurers and heroes, striving for the impossible. It will not be easy, enemies are around every corner.
But the characters are heroes and will go above and beyond, if only to soar high before the fall.
Yet, this is each character's choice to make. They have the freedom to be a hero, a villain, or somewhere in between.
And in the end, we will all know who that character really is, and maybe even a bit about the player themselves, since we all put a little of ourselves in every creation we make.

And this is why I put up with all the obstacles that RPGs throw up just to get a game going.

Something to think about next time you get ready to play an RPG.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Driving to games

People wanting to game but being too lazy to drive anywhere?

Its come up recently with me. Now I grew up in an area where it was largely 20-30 minutes to anything outside of a tiny downtown or groceries. You had to drive for anything else. Want comics? Drive. Want games? Drive. Want to go to a normal department store? Drive.

I still have to even with all the current expansion. The closest mall is 30 minutes away. Its 15 minutes to McDonald's or Wendy's. Its 20 to Burger King, Taco Bell, and KFC. The closest comic shop is 20 minutes way, the GOOD comics and game shop is 30-35.

Bear this in mind.

The last week has shown that I, a totally lazy slacker are willing to drive further to game than many. I am beginning a Call of Cthulhu campaign that started today. A friend tried to get some folks to play. One dude and his girlfriend live in an area I used to drive twice a week to play 40K. Its too far for them and they won't come and play. (I would also like to note that for many years my father drove down there 5 days a week to work, and he also had a part time job as well.) I also had my Cthulhu book with me at the good game shop mentioned above. Some folks showed some interest. Which immediately evaporated with a laugh when I mentioned my location.

Now both situations of NO WAYS may have honestly been due to other reasons (the first is just one of a metric shitload of people my friend tries to get to join us who never actually show up, or if we are lucky show up once than never come back...), but taken at face value that's some lazy old.. laziness. Slackers.

Is a half hour's drive REALLY that bad for people? I've driven twice that distance to play Uncharted Seas. (And made nearly 30 minutes worth of wrong turns I am embarrassed to say!) I work at a casino and know most of our customer base is driving 1-2 HOURS to come play. (I once had a customer proclaim he came down with his family for a few hours with a 3 hour drive. He then returned them. AND CAME BACK.)

Are people really that lazy, or are some folks too used to not having to go more than 15 minutes to anywhere to even want to get in a good game of something?

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Hail to Glorious People's Army!

Mighty Red Blok soldiers bought mostly at a heavy discount in order to defend collectivist bliss!

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Yep, that's my entire Red Blok collection for AT-43. Outside of the flocked bases, the models come exactly as you can see.
That's a lot of miniatures at a cheap price, and ready to play right out of the box.

My purchase plan went to get all the character figures, and an infantry unit they could command, plus 2 of the various infantry units I liked, and their attachment boxes. For the Kolossus units they are 2 different types of 3 star infantry, but one can have a character bringing their numbers up to 4, and the other has superior firepower.

Outside of the biggest Red Blok walker which is not out yet (Dotch Yaga) and a couple singles I would have to buy at a premium thanks to the way the older attachment boxes were set up if I want to be able to build almost any possible army configuration using my selected forces, I have a complete army.

2 full units of Dragonov Kommandos.
2 full units of Spetsnatz Kommandos.
2 full units of RPG Soldaty.
A full 1 star strider unit, in this case the Molot dual flamethrower version.
2 Kossak 2 star striders.
Urod, a character strider that could be used as a different weapon 2 star strider. (Hetman, I believe.)
The 2 3 star Kolossus units.

Overall its a mighty and somewhat varied force, yet with enough synergy and numbers to not be a haphazard collection of models the way my UNA and Therian forces mostly are.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Hey 4th ed D&D Fanboys! QUIT WHINING YOU NINNIES!

Over the last few months the Internet has been ablaze with the nerdrage of 4th ed Dungeons & Dragons haters like me, and even more ablaze by its ever louder screaming defenders of the faith. Thus here are my thoughts not about the game, but about the wars that have erupted.

Over a commercial product.

Yeah.

Its funny I can mock 4e all the time with my actual group and they still happily play it without being butthurt and requiring my approval. They play it and I go play the Warhammer 40K and make with the pew pew.

Which is really what this all comes down to. Some of us hate 4e, for many reasons some of which are even legitimate. Others love it, for reasons I don't understand but people like Nascar too so whatever.

The problem is the lovers seem unable to accept or deal with any negative statements being thrown at their precious consumer product designed by a company who does not love them, but merely wants their hard earned cash, and more of it if at all possible.

Look at how many RPGnetters or other sites who flip out over Mr. Weigel's Youtube review, or folks getting whiney on forums, or at Grognardia or the other retro RPG bloggers giving their opinion.

Its like the 4e brigade has been so RPGnet style pussified that they just can't handle anyone disliking what they do as it has not been given the mass approval to hate it. (Like Palladium. Its ok to hate it, but how DARE anyone hate a new WOTC product? THIS DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. Like Chewbacca living on Endor with the Ewoks.)

One forum I am on hates every new episode of BSG and Terminator: MILF Chronicles. I don't really care. I just say I still like it, maybe why, and move on.

Corporate made products don't really need me to White Knight them. Its great those of you who enjoy it do, really. I mock it because I think its dumb, and its a good pressure valve. I can bitch about the real world and real problems, or just indulge my inner stupid by taking the piss out of a stupid RPG and having a bit of childish glee when its fanboys are devolved to the point of elementary school 80s console or computer system playground wars.

Its fun and amusing. I kind of chuckle most of the time when Macs get talked smack about, the only irritation being I know some of the chuckleheads really do take their computer preference seriously. (I usually correct them that Macs only suck for their price and if you like, actually want to play a videogame on them. And remind them we are also snooty and pretentious. And are also turtleneck wearing hipster douchebags. Get your hatred RIGHT by golly gee!)

So you guys who like 4e keep playing. Just know that I, a long time gamer who is massively generous with my time, money, and enthusiasm on stuff would rather not game than play that pile of butt.

I think we can handle that. Maybe when Group X tries something new or wants to I will hop back on. I have my Warhammer 40K. My AT 43. My Uncharted Seas. My Wings of War. My More Games Than I Will Ever Get to Play.

We will all be fine. I know I am a great roleplayer and all (or so 20ish or so folks voted me as at a con LARP last year anyhow) and a damn good GM when I am not being ADD or Emo (according to the people who still worship my 3.0 game from Summer 01), and all, but we can make it through this trying time.

And I am probably not half as great as anyone has said anyhow. I am aware that I in fact suck. Nobody knows this better than me. Why else would I have heard it pretty much nonstop from the age of 1 all the way to my mid 20s?

You guys buy 4e, I will buy more Rackham minis. Hi Grognards.txt.  I love you. I need more Space Commies and amoral desert biologist mans for my ever increasing hordes. And that Dark Heresy collection won't complete itself, nor will getting more pretty biplanes for Wings of War.

Plus I keep finding old games I missed like Traveller and FASA Trek that want me to drop some coin on it. And the old faves like D6 Star Wars, Battletech, Ogre, Paranoia, and Basic D&D love to get new goodies to join the old goodies I have yet to use with em.

Just whenever we do, keep the snacks away from me. They are bad for my figure!

Monday, March 9, 2009

I Love the Rackham Sales!

It lets me get a 300+ dollar 3000 point Dirz army for 104:

100_1150

Plus the photo lets me see stuff I needed to clean! I swear my camera has better vision than I do...

The only thing is now I already want to buy more for this Dirz army, Confrontation's popularity be damned!

With my 3000+ forces for both Griffin and Wolven armies I can have some nice multiplayer games going on.

If and when I can get more, I plan on upping this army by another 2000 points or so. With the slot system Rackham games now use, another Aberration Prime fills one slot for 275, another by a 2 pack of Phemera Alphas (600), one more by a 2 pack of Clones (600), and another full unit of Hybrid Alphas with attachments. (600) As that takes me 65 points over, I just remove 2 or 3 Phemeras from either the Alpha or Omega units, as the price for a full unit is cheaper than buying the individuals at 40 points a model. (An 8 Phemera unit is 300 points, and a 16 is 600. You get savings by buying a full unit. You effectively get an extra Phemera for free. So for me to build a legal 5000 point army I would lose 3 if I take them out of one of the 2 units, bringing it to
a 520 point unit. I could also take a smaller unit of Hybrid Alphas, but lose 2-3 elite soldiers, or lose 3 suicide Phemera who you sacrifice to attempt to kill units in close combat. Hmm.. if I wanted to be silly I could repaint the Phemera to look like Lemmings from the classic computer game series..)

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

AT 43 Comic Battle Report

I never get tired of doing these things, though I do get my lazy on from time to time!

Depending on how next week's resolution goes I might even finish it!

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The game is going rough for my side, but we are making a little comeback, even if it won't win us the game. It depends on what the Therian player does with his Baal I think.

Edited Updatey-ness: We called it a tie. Therians and Red Blok were likely to win via our big AFVs, while the UNA and Karmans had all the infantry that could capture objectives had we used any. Next AT 43 game is due March 25th at Sarge's Comics in New London.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Saturday Changeling LARP Report: Rufus' War Journal Part 5

(Transcribed from an IRC conversation.)
{No, not a real one. Its my characters talking to each other.}

YOU HAVE JOINED #teamkermit
MESSAGE OF THE DAY: "Little kids shouldn't see people killing each other." - Amuro Rey, Mobile Suit Gundam
Rufimus_Primal has joined the chat
Staffmeister has joined the chat.

Staffmeister: What's up? I was organizing my music. This better be important.
Rufimus_Primal: We had another Lost meetup at TC on Valentine's Day.
Staffmeister: I HATE that day. Just means more people come cryin about the STD they got at some bar 'round 2AM.
Rufimus_Primal: If that was the worst thing that happened it would have been a good day.
Staffmeister: Oh no. What did those druggies do THIS time?
Rufimus_Primal: The area is full of drugs and scum. But we had.. problems.
Staffmeister: Well, considering my only problem is that Kari Byron is preggers and I am not the baby daddy I suppose I can listen to you whine some more. Go on. It sounds like a good time for a cup of tea anyhow.
Rufimus_Primal: Well there were LOTS of people this time.
Rufimus_Primal: Soultaker, this armored guy who just growls a lot and wants to kill and get vengeance on everyone who hurt him.
Staffmeister: So he is an emo Batman type then?
Rufimus_Primal: The problem is he is really powerful. Possibly too powerful. He doesn't believe in justice, just getting even.
Staffmeister: Hey we were in the Navy. What do you do with a cranky douche? Take him to some sleazy bar on shore leave. That will clear him up while giving some cougar a few minutes where she forgets how her life turned out.
Rufimus_Primal: That's not nice dude.
Staffmeister: But its true. Keep going.
Rufimus_Primal: There was also Halyon Rex, who mostly made dumb rude comments about me.
Staffmeister: That's my job Gaia-dammit. Someone has to straighten you out and it'll be me.
Rufimus_Primal: Roderick the weapons maker guy was back too.
Rufimus_Primal: As was Dion the ogre, and Darryl.
Staffmeister: You mean Darryl the Winter King who for some reason you think you can make a heroic type? He is a Winter. They are pansies.
Rufimus_Primal: I don't give up on anyone dude. Everyone has the heart of a hero, it just needs to be brought out. If I believe in them, maybe they will believe in themselves.
RUFUS CHANGES MESSAGE OF THE DAY: "Don't believe in yourself. Believe in the me that believes in you." - Kamina, Gurren Lagann
Staffmeister: You and your cartoons. The world isn't like a cartoon.
Rufimus_Primal: I know. But it should be. :(
Rufimus_Primal: Mia showed up later, plus this quiet spy kinda guy with wings.
Rufimus_Primal: Plus 2 other guys showed up later too, but I will get to them in time.
Staffmeister: Ok, so we have the Dramatis Personae. Let's hear what happened. Last time y'all fought some of the army by their camp and that Mirrorskin douchebag went off to try to Solid Snake up their ammo tents.
Rufimus_Primal: Well he didn't come back. And we got a visitor telling us the Goblin Market was open today for our yearly visit. Because of all the havoc we caused there were restrictions.
Rufimus_Primal: Only 2 people at a time could enter. Myself and Rex went in first while Soultaker went out to kill things.
Staffmeister: So while you were shopping this Soultaker guy was out 'Sperging like a mofo?
Rufimus_Primal: Pretty much, yeah.
Rufimus_Primal: There was a bunch of stuff to buy, some of it useful, other stuff just trinkets from plain old normal real life.
Rufimus_Primal: One item we found there was something of David's the Goblin seller said his people found in the Hedge, but he wouldn't tell us exactly where or take us to it.
Rufimus_Primal: The prices for the items were really wierd though. Prices like an hour of our day, and other things. I didn't take the risk even though some of the things could have come in handy.
Staffmeister: "Trust no one. Shoot straight, and never EVER make a deal with a dragon."
Rufimus_Primal: Yeah. I am not a gambler. Taking a risk for these things just isn't worth it.
Rufimus_Primal: Roderick, Dion, and Soultaker returned from their explorations in killing and brought a letter back they found on one of the patrols, listing that David was captured by the general Jonathan Burgoyne (Aka Red Jonny) and they had some sort of super weapon that can demolish wards.
Staffmeister: Holy Galactic Empire Batman. Except late 70s-early 80s Carrie Fisher I would go to the Death Star to rescue. Silvery-McDouchebag? Not so much.
Rufimus_Primal: Nobody stays behind. We ARE our brother and sister's keeper.
Staffmeister: And now I feel like a dick.
Rufimus_Primal: What else is new? Its what you get being a Corpsman and all. ^_^
Staffmeister: What's wrong with helping people? Oh right. Most people are IDIOTS. That's my problem.
Rufimus_Primal: Anyhow, Rex suggested ambushing another patrol to see if they had the same letter as that could let us know if it was a trap or not. Everyone but myself and Mia went on this one. I don't have the strength to hold back Soultaker so its best I stayed back.
Staffmeister: You finally learned something from me. Being the idealistic goodie goodie you are is great. But there is a time and a place to die for your ideals.
Rufimus_Primal: That sounds HORRIBLE. I was mostly guarding the base. I'm not fond of Hedge excursions. And if the bad guys arrived someone had to protect the freehold, as pointless as it is.
Rufimus_Primal: It was good I did. We were attacked by Jonny and 30 of his troops. I took a few shots at him with my pistol, but he went incorporeal and it went through him.
Staffmeister: How fun.
Rufimus_Primal: Mia went invisible and ran out, so I fell back, and made some phone calls.
Staffmeister: Yet another example of why you should stop putting any faith in these people.
Rufimus_Primal: I can get through to them. I know I can.
Staffmeister: Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you can Care Bear Stare them into being useful.
Rufimus_Primal: Its like the wards weren't even there. They passed right through!
Rufimus_Primal: The others found an enemy patrol and killed it, finding a map with patrol routes.
Rufimus_Primal: We then all met up to plan a counterattack.
Staffmeister: By plan you mean argue right?
Rufimus_Primal: What else is new? -_-.
Rufimus_Primal: Anyhow the assault team brought 2 more Lost with them, a sniper kind of guy and a handyman type.
Staffmeister: So you had Tim the Toolman with you?
Rufimus_Primal: I guess. Maybe. We were sort of busy. We originally planned to assault from the front and the back, except as usual the bickering lead to dallying. Mia went off to get a hold of her friend who could help us.
Rufimus_Primal: You won't believe who it was.
Staffmeister: The Pillsbury Doughboy?
Rufimus_Primal: No. April, the Spring Queen.
Staffmeister: The drunken chick?
Rufimus_Primal: Yeah, and she was dead SOBER.
Staffmeister: Who would have guessed. Maybe there is hope for those schmucks after all.
Rufimus_Primal: Since reinforcements were arriving, we went in from the back, yet some of us went into the Hedge and captured Jonny. I sorta jumped into the Freehold fight and got stuck in.
Rufimus_Primal: So as to keep Soultaker from eating Jonny's soul, I chose to take him out myself. I gave everyone a chance to speak up on his behalf, to hopefully give me some reason, ANY reason not to kill him for his crimes. Nobody said a thing.
Staffmeister: What a surprise there.
Rufimus_Primal: So I took him out. At least his soul didn't get eaten.
Rufimus_Primal: Then a goblin arrived with David's box thing. It had Maude's head in it.
Staffmeister: Ding dong the witch is dead.
Rufimus_Primal: It had a letter in it. This was all David's plan to get rid of his competition. He was playing us for fools.
Staffmeister: What a surprise there.
Rufimus_Primal: And I trusted him. I am not amused. Its like the harder I try the further I fall.
Staffmeister: Hold that thought. Its my idiot sister. She is causing trouble and I have to go deal with this. Don't get yourself killed for those dumbasses before we can talk again.
Staffmeister HAS DISCONNECTED
Rufimus_Primal HAS DISCONNECTED

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