First of the month, time for clean up.
I want to add some new sites, but Google puts a limit on how many I can follow, so some have to go.
Normally it is very easy. But as I deleted older blogs and replaced them with newer ones I have added more than fall out naturally.
So have to make some hard cuts. I am not lobbying for one site or another, I am just bemoaning that Google limits how many I can follow.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
White Dwarf Wednesday #26
Summer of 81 is ending but White Dwarf 26 is ready with all sorts of new ideas! Let's get started.
First off, how awesome is this cover?
In this issue's editorial Ian Livingstone discusses the prospects of a monthly White Dwarf. Bottom line they need more to write about (and more people to do the writing) to make it work. We know that they will, but that is a bit off yet.
First up is "The DM's Guide to the Galaxy" or Space Travel in D&D by Marcus Rowland. Two pages of what looks like the genesis of the Spelljammer products or even Space: 1899. Very interesting to my eyes now, but back then I would have rejected it as being too odd. I never mixed my D&D and SciFi back then. ;)
Open Box is next with our reviews. We learn about the Apocalypse board game for 2-4 players from Games Workshop. John Olsen gives it 9/10, downgrading the otherwise superb game due to the amount of time it takes to play. Book 5 High Guard for Traveller is up. It also gets a 9/10 from Robert McMahon. Up next is a favorite of mine, and an admission. I mixed Sci-Fi and D&D all the time and Marcus Rowland knows this. He reviews module S3 The Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. The hours I spent reading and re-reading that module. He gives it a 9/10. Knights of Camelot reviewed by Charles Vasey only fairs a 7/10.
Roger Musson is back with the Dungeon Architect. Prat 2 is The Constructed Dungeon. Two pages of various physical features of the dungeon. Such items like traps, one way doors and use of vertical space are covered. Lots of great ideas and certainly worth a look the next time you are designing an old-school dungeon crawl.
Star Base details the problems with Jump Drives in Traveller.
Letters covers topics from the last issues (24 & 25).
Character Conjuring is next with one of those articles I think everyone had a copy of or knew some one that did "Lizardmen as Player Characters". Simply put Roger E. Moore and Michael Brown spell out how to use the Lizardman as a player race. I remember using this a a template for all sorts of odd-ball races. What I like is they get everything onto one page. Easy to read and use. We should be seeing more stuff like this in the OSR.
Neil Cheyne presents his winning Traveller scenario, Amber to Red. Three pages long. I always admired how Traveller did more with less when it came to scenarios.
Lew Pulsipher is back with "An Introduction to Dungeons & Dragons" with part 4, fighters and thieves. In both cases we are asked to look at these characters a bit differently and play to their strengths. I can't but help think of the old Dragonlance modules/books here which had in their group 5 fighter types, but each acted differently from the other and had different strengths in the group. That was this article in action.
Treasure Chest is back with some good treasure this issue. The Potion of Quiet Spell casting is so cool I am disappointed I never thought of it myself. A magic dagger, a curse potion that makes your words come out wrong, a tarot like deck and all sorts of other useful items.
This issue's Fiend Factory continues with the themes, in this case the Dire Tribes. We get spell casting Shadow Goblins (which I have used before), the Asrai (water elemental or fey types), Forest Giants and Winter Kobolds. All of these are really cool monsters and the type of thing I bought WD for back in the day.
We have the results of both the White Dwarf questionnaire and the Monster Quiz. The results were as expected really. More coverage of other games, go to monthly. Most people loved the cover to issue 23. I likes 22 and 24 better myself. The top three games are still the same, D&D, Traveller and RuneQuest.
Some news. Some Classifieds/Small ads. Then many pages of ads. Cover to cover 36 pages.
In truth a solid issue and one that has a lot of material that stands up to the test of time.
In fact I might drop a couple of Shadow Goblins into my new 4e game just mess with the players some.
In this issue's editorial Ian Livingstone discusses the prospects of a monthly White Dwarf. Bottom line they need more to write about (and more people to do the writing) to make it work. We know that they will, but that is a bit off yet.
First up is "The DM's Guide to the Galaxy" or Space Travel in D&D by Marcus Rowland. Two pages of what looks like the genesis of the Spelljammer products or even Space: 1899. Very interesting to my eyes now, but back then I would have rejected it as being too odd. I never mixed my D&D and SciFi back then. ;)
Open Box is next with our reviews. We learn about the Apocalypse board game for 2-4 players from Games Workshop. John Olsen gives it 9/10, downgrading the otherwise superb game due to the amount of time it takes to play. Book 5 High Guard for Traveller is up. It also gets a 9/10 from Robert McMahon. Up next is a favorite of mine, and an admission. I mixed Sci-Fi and D&D all the time and Marcus Rowland knows this. He reviews module S3 The Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. The hours I spent reading and re-reading that module. He gives it a 9/10. Knights of Camelot reviewed by Charles Vasey only fairs a 7/10.
Roger Musson is back with the Dungeon Architect. Prat 2 is The Constructed Dungeon. Two pages of various physical features of the dungeon. Such items like traps, one way doors and use of vertical space are covered. Lots of great ideas and certainly worth a look the next time you are designing an old-school dungeon crawl.
Star Base details the problems with Jump Drives in Traveller.
Letters covers topics from the last issues (24 & 25).
Character Conjuring is next with one of those articles I think everyone had a copy of or knew some one that did "Lizardmen as Player Characters". Simply put Roger E. Moore and Michael Brown spell out how to use the Lizardman as a player race. I remember using this a a template for all sorts of odd-ball races. What I like is they get everything onto one page. Easy to read and use. We should be seeing more stuff like this in the OSR.
Neil Cheyne presents his winning Traveller scenario, Amber to Red. Three pages long. I always admired how Traveller did more with less when it came to scenarios.
Lew Pulsipher is back with "An Introduction to Dungeons & Dragons" with part 4, fighters and thieves. In both cases we are asked to look at these characters a bit differently and play to their strengths. I can't but help think of the old Dragonlance modules/books here which had in their group 5 fighter types, but each acted differently from the other and had different strengths in the group. That was this article in action.
Treasure Chest is back with some good treasure this issue. The Potion of Quiet Spell casting is so cool I am disappointed I never thought of it myself. A magic dagger, a curse potion that makes your words come out wrong, a tarot like deck and all sorts of other useful items.
This issue's Fiend Factory continues with the themes, in this case the Dire Tribes. We get spell casting Shadow Goblins (which I have used before), the Asrai (water elemental or fey types), Forest Giants and Winter Kobolds. All of these are really cool monsters and the type of thing I bought WD for back in the day.
We have the results of both the White Dwarf questionnaire and the Monster Quiz. The results were as expected really. More coverage of other games, go to monthly. Most people loved the cover to issue 23. I likes 22 and 24 better myself. The top three games are still the same, D&D, Traveller and RuneQuest.
Some news. Some Classifieds/Small ads. Then many pages of ads. Cover to cover 36 pages.
In truth a solid issue and one that has a lot of material that stands up to the test of time.
In fact I might drop a couple of Shadow Goblins into my new 4e game just mess with the players some.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
And Another Kickstarter
Just when you thought your wallet was safe there is another "must join" kickstarter, and this one has some serious Old-School roots.
Jeff Dee is recreating all his old art from the old B/X Basic and Expert sets.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffdee/re-creating-my-artwork-from-original-dungeons-and
Here is one of my faves.
And of course he did the immortal Morgan Ironwolf.
So check it out and you too can get some cool art from and old-school master.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffdee/re-creating-my-artwork-from-original-dungeons-and
Jeff Dee is recreating all his old art from the old B/X Basic and Expert sets.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffdee/re-creating-my-artwork-from-original-dungeons-and
Here is one of my faves.
And of course he did the immortal Morgan Ironwolf.
So check it out and you too can get some cool art from and old-school master.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jeffdee/re-creating-my-artwork-from-original-dungeons-and
Band of Zombies Kickstarter
The newest Kickstarter is now up for Eden Studios' "All Flesh Must Be Eaten" Zombie RPG.
Band of Zombies is coming for your WWII Zombie fun!
I was a playtester for this one and I can tell you it was a lot of fun. But what makes this one cool are all the add-ons, stretch goals and things you can get for being a backer.
Eden has a history of high quality products and this book looks like it will live up to that.
Band of Zombies is coming for your WWII Zombie fun!
I was a playtester for this one and I can tell you it was a lot of fun. But what makes this one cool are all the add-ons, stretch goals and things you can get for being a backer.
Eden has a history of high quality products and this book looks like it will live up to that.
Monday, July 30, 2012
OSR Monster project
Re-blogging this from Rended Press.
http://rendedpress.blogspot.com/2012/07/status-update-osr-ogl-blogosphere.html
http://rendedpress.blogspot.com/2012/07/status-update-osr-ogl-blogosphere.html
As of today, the OSR OGL BLOGOSPHERE MONSTERS PROJECT has 26 entries.I have sent a couple of monsters in. It would be nice to see some more!
I'll close the file sometime during the afternoon of August 1.
Remember: This is open to any creature you've posted on your blog at any point in 2012!
So come on, people. Do the cut & paste!
Note: Please only share material that you feel comfortable appearing in a half-assed, crazy, DIY fan compilation.
Edits
Eldritch Witchery and The Witch are both back from the editors.
Which means that I am working on edits and in some cases rewrites. Nothing major, but if I want to do it correctly it will cut into my blogging.
So please don't mind the silence here this week.
Which means that I am working on edits and in some cases rewrites. Nothing major, but if I want to do it correctly it will cut into my blogging.
So please don't mind the silence here this week.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Zatannurday: Zatanna and Raven
There is another character that honestly I like just as much, but never really focused on around here and that is Raven.
Since we are getting a new, renewed, Teen Titans on TV ("Teen Titans Go!") I thought I'd talk a little abotu Raven.
Raven is the daughter of Trigon the Terrible, one of the most powerful demons in the DC universe.
In fact when we are first introduced to Raven in "The New Teen Titans" she goes to the Justice League first. Where she meets Zatanna. Zee tells the league not to trust her because she can sense Trigon's evil in her.
Raven has had some ups and downs. She went evil, tried to kill her teammates, she died, came back as a teen again, been a target for sacrifice and/or marriage by a cult. Daddy issues are the least of her issues.
Outside of some special editions though Raven and Zatanna have never really worked together. There was speculation that she might be in Justice League Dark (she would fit) but I guess she is now back with the Titans.
Anyway here some pairings of the two, official, other worlds and cosplay.
Of course who could forget this one. Sort of a prelude to JLD.
Some Deviant Art pieces.
Here are some cool Cosplay.
Looks like I'll have to create an adventure that includes both Zee and Raven for DC Adventures/Mutants and Masterminds 3.
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