Friday, August 3, 2018

#RPGaDAY2018 Day 3: What Gives a Game Staying Power?

#RPGaDAY2018 Day 3 let's do this!



What Gives a Game Staying Power?

For me at least, it how many times can I go back to it and tell new stories.

Dungeons & Dragons has staying power.  WitchCraft has tons of staying power.
I mean seriously, how many times can I go to the Keep on the Borderlands?  Well, at last count at least 8-9 times.

After nearly 40 years of doing this I can get a lot of mileage out of most games.


Thursday, August 2, 2018

#RPGaDAY2018 Day 2: What is the first thing you look for in an RPG?

Here we are, #RPGaDAY2018 Day 2!



What is the first thing you look for in an RPG?

While my introduction to RPGs was a book of monsters, my first love is Magic.

I always look at the magic system first.  I love new and different magic systems and I love to try them out. Whether the system is fantasy, modern or horror, it's what I look for.


Wednesday, August 1, 2018

#RPGaDAY2018 Day 1: What do you love about RPGs?

To get my posting muscles working aging I thought I would participate in Dave Chapman's annual #PRGaDAY for 2018.

Click for Larger
Today's topic is What do you love about RPGs?

For me, I think it is the endless possibilities of worlds unexplored. Of stories yet untold.  And it's also about sitting around the table with friends having a good time.

I have great RPG-related memories.  Some of those are the actions of real people, others are the actions on in our minds. And even more deal with the actions in and around the table that had nothing to do with RPGs directly.

Friday, July 27, 2018

Five Albums, Five Days: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

I honestly can't of another album that has had the impact of this album in my life. Like Dark Side this album had always been in the background noise of my life.  Both of my older brothers were huge Beatles fans, my brother Mike, in fact, got a job at the local Capitol  Records plant as a teen just so he could get the albums the day they came out.
It was Mike that told me about the Beatles.  We spent hours talking about music.  I learned more from him about music than from anyone else on the planet; except maybe for my older brother Pat.  They are the kinds of musicians that can pick up any instrument and play.  I was envious of Pat (he bought me a saxophone that I was terrible at), Pat was always envious of Mike.

Mike sat me down one day. He gave a pair of headphones that cost more than the computer I had just bought and he said I was going to listen to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  I told him I had heard this album before. He said, maybe, but I had never listened to it.

Mike died a few years ago.  After I heard, I went looking for my copy of Sgt. Pepper's. I couldn't find it. I am sure I had loaned it out. I was always doing that.
I got a new copy. But I still miss my brother.

Album: The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band




Kickstart Your Weekend: The World of Aihrde and TROGDOR!!

A couple of Kickstarters near and dear to me.

First up, 5th Edition Players Guide to Aihrde.



https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/676918054/5th-edition-players-guide-to-aihrde

This is near and dear to me because I love both 5th Ed and Castles & Crusades.  The book brings them together, in a manner of speaking.   In any case, all the new Troll Lords material for 5e has been great.

Trogdor!! The Board Game



https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1999933720/trogdor-the-board-game

For 15 years Trogdor has been burninating the Internet. Now all his majesty can burninate your game room.  The only question about this kickstarter is will it clear a $1 Million?  10 days in it is 80% in.


These both promise to be a lot of fun. 
I think we need 5e and C&C stats for Trogdor!

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Five Albums, Five Days: Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless (1982, 1983, 1984, 2009)

Very, very few albums actually reinvent themselves to me and stay with me over the years.  The Lion and the Cobra does, Dark Side of the Moon doesn't.  But this album(s) does.

Is it a synth-pop ode to the dawning of the computer age in the 80s?  Is it a proto-techno album? Is it a Steampunk/Diselpunk album? Or is it a screed against the very technology it seems to embrace.
Each new time gives it a different feel.

Album: Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless


Of course depending on where, who and when you bought this album you could have something different.  Does yours have "She Blinded Me With Science" or "Urges" or neither of those? If your's had SBMWS then how long is it? Does "Radio Silence" feature a lot of synthesizer or guitars?   It took me a while but I tracked down most of these copies and they are now part of my collection.







When I was young I was in love. In love with everything. But now there is only you.







Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Five Albums, Five Days: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Continuing now to Day 3.  This album had always been there in the background noise of my life for as long as I can remember.  I am not sure who it was who first told me to listen to it in its entirety with headphones; likely my brother Mike or my friend and DM at the time, Jon Cook.  I am going to give Jon the nod since I know how much he loves this album and what it means to him.

Simply put this might be the greatest album of all time.

The Album: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)