The Other Side blog

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!

For my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving!
For everyone else, Happy Thursday!

See you.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Owl & Weasel Wednesday #19 October 1976

Issue 19 represents a shift in Owl & Weasel. This issue has more D&D related content than any other issue so far. The front cover also takes on a more magazine like feel. Lets see what is inside.
The editorial is noticeably longer this issue, a precursor to the long White Dwarf editorials to come. But a fully half of it is devoted to a long and odd joke about mouse having sex with an elephant. It was a different time.

Page 3 covers the D&D Society news. More names but also some house rules on which race you can choose. Basically there are new minimums for some scores to be demi-humans. Strength for Dwarves, Dexterity, Wisdom and Intelligence for Elves and Dex for hobbits. Hobbits are still used in place of halflings at this point. Rules similar to these show up when OD&D converts over to Basic.

The new D&D supplements "Gods, Demi-gods and Heroes" and "Swords & Spells" are mentioned, but only get about a paragraph each. I am not sure if longer reviews will appear, but that was the impression I got from the last issue. Also paragraph on how the new issue (#3) of The Dragon is the best yet.

Page 5 revisits Ian's and Steve's fascination with American Baseball and they discuss the Avalon Hill baseball simulation game where they pit their fantasy Mets (Steven) and fantasy Red Sox (Ian). While I have not played this game, I might check it out. I have been a life long St. Louis Cardinals fan and this sounds fun. Plus having some of my favorite historical players like Smith, McGuire, McGee and Stan the Man on the same team with some of the better newer players would be a lot of fun.

Later on we get an overview and discussion on 3 player games. Interesting, but not my thing.

Maybe there is a bit of professional jealousy or just natural progression of how these things work, but O&W has some new D&D house rules on keeping time in D&D and another on magical uses in D&D.

Page 9 to 10 covers alignment in D&D. The first of several thousand never ending discussions. Though to be fair this is one of the first.

The "News" page is a cross between actual news and classified ads.
Back page covers items for sale at Games Workshop's store.

Owl & Weasel is not just yet a pure RPG zine, or even a pure-ish D&D one, but it's wargame and even board game roots are more in it's past than it's future.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Strange Brew Updates

Thought I would spend some time today talking about Strange Brew.

For my part (the writing) I am moving along. Maybe not as fast as I would have liked, but 12+ years of playing around with this material has given me new perspectives.
For example last night I rewrote the Hermetic Mage Prestige Class to work a little better if your initial path to it was an Alchemist or an Oracle.

Today I am on track to finish up the magic items, though that might take longer depending work and how many pages it ends up.

The art is looking great and I love what I have seen so far. I have not seen the spells chapter in layout yet, but that is what is happening to it now.

So we are moving along. We had a team meeting a couple of weeks ago to see where all the departments are at and things are good.

I am really looking forward to getting this into your hands. It is going to be a massive volume.

Monday, November 24, 2014

How Dungeons & Dragons Became A Game Changer

I am moving offices today and don't really have time for a full on post.

But this came across my newsfeed today and I thought I would share it.

http://artery.wbur.org/2014/11/24/dungeons-dragons

Very interesting read.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

What Makes a Good Adventure?

I have been asking around various places and now I want to bring it home.

What makes a good adventure?

Here is my problem. I want to make a new adventure for complete newbie DMs and Players. I know there are several out there that do this, but I would like one I can print out and give away along with a set of rules. Likely OSR, but a good adventure should be easy to adapt.

I want something that also takes on some of the tropes of the game. I am perfectly happy to have the "you all meet in the tavern/inn" starting IF that is a good thing to do for this adventure.

Personally I like a nice mix of puzzles, combat, mysteries to solve and role-playing opportunity.

Looking at the classics, B2 has a great set up, B1 gives you freedom and B3 covers the mystery and puzzles.

Really we don't need another low-level adventure, so if there is one out there that you really like let me know about it and let me know why you like it.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Zatannurday: The Cave of Cool Collection

Zee outside of the Cave of Cool. Location only know to select heroes.

He has a fantastic collection of action figures too. If you are a collector then they are worth a look.
http://calvinscanadiancaveofcool.blogspot.com/search?q=toybox

So pop on by, say hi. Leave a comment or two on his posts. Cal's a good guy.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Kickstart Your Weekend: Jim Balent & Holly G's Crossover: When Magick Meets Manga !

I will freely and happily admit I am a fan of the Tarot Comics from Jim Balent.
I am also a big fan of Holly Golightly's "School Bites" webcomic.

In fact I have featured their characters here a number of times over the years for a variety of systems.

Tarot Witch of the Black Rose

Cherri Creeper, Witch Girls Adventures.

But I have never brought them together.

Well Jim and Holly are going to do that now in a new crossover comic book.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimbalent/jim-balent-and-holly-gs-crossover-when-magick-meet

The art is going to come in a variety styles.
So we will see Tarot, Raven and Boo in "School Bites" quasi-Manga style and the girls of School Bites drawn in Jim Balent's hyper-realism style.

Of course it could be fun just to see Tarot and Cherri on the same page since both characters seem to be modeled on Jim's wife Holly.

But honestly I am most excited to see "Annie Mia" the vampire turned Dark Angel from School Bites.

I know Jim and Holly are not everyone's tastes, but the comics are fun and they are both great people and this comic promises to be a blast. So check it out!