I just ran the first session of a Ravenloft campaign last night.  If anything, Ravenloft thrives on mood.  I had a table full of seven players, so I knew I had to step up my game to keep them on-task and in the mood.  Luckily (or perhaps expectedly,) I am also an amature haunter during the Halloween season, so I like to pretend that I know at least a couple things about creating a mood. read more »

I was fairly disappointed that the Aarakocra didn’t get a player race write-up for the new edition of Dark Sun so I went ahead and started making my own. Below is my 100% not play tested idea. Explanations of why I picked certain traits included.
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Games I Purchased:
Outbreak: Undead (Hunter’s Books) – I’m a sucker for anything zombie related.  After a quick read through, this RPG has some neat little kernels of game mechanics, but I’m not sure I would use the system whole-sale.  I very much enjoy the exploration of building your own safe zones after the apocalypse–something most other zombie games don’t delve into too deeply.  The book is $45 and feels like a high-quality hardback, but the interior layout and art doesn’t match the price (for $10 more I can get core books from companies like Fantasy Flight, which are at the head of the industry as far as art and layout.)  I realize this is a small-scale company trying to make a good impression with their product, but they might benefit from cheaper soft-cover versions.

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I am no stranger to cons.  I’ve been going to Origins every year since 2000.  Because of scheduling conflicts, I’ve eschewed Origins this year for GenCon.  I’ve read lots of posts over the years talking about people running or getting into pickup games.  In all of my con experience, I have never been offered nor got involved in a pickup game.  My questions are two-fold:

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I’m weighing in on this whole “what is D&D?” trend.  I think this differs pleasantly from edition/OSR wars in that it is a philosophical exploration of a concept, rather than dirt-slinging.

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I was recently reading articles about megadungeons.  The portion of my brain constantly dedicated to worrying about zombies managed to bring up an interesting proposition:  Could one run a modern day zombie apocalypse game like an old-school megadungeon?  Here are my points of thought:

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I did a precursory scan (read: “I googled it”) and did not find any gritty, simulationist rules of dehydration or starvation.  I’m looking for something that is not too complicated to keep track of on the side, but realistic enough to motivate the players to pay attention.

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Burning Brightly is a game about playing angels and demons.  It is a completely home brew system (although it takes plenty of influence from games that have come before.)  In this game players take on the role of spiritually empowered beings that have the means to directly alter creation. read more »

Burning Brightly is a game about playing angels and demons.  It is a completely home brew system (although it takes plenty of influence from games that have come before.)  In this game players take on the role of spiritually empowered beings that have the means to directly alter creation.  One of the goals of this game was to introduce a simple system in which a player could dream up any sort of effect or miracle and there would be a mechanic to enact it with minimal effort. read more »

Completed GenCon registration last night and I’m excited enough about it to post here.  I completely forgot about registration on Sunday, and man-oh-man do games sell out fast!  By Monday night I was left with slim RPG pickings (made even slimmer by the fact that I needed to find games with at least 2 open seats because my wife is attending with me.)  In the end I was forced to pick some games I wouldn’t traditionally pick, which may be a good thing.  In addition, I had to fill in a lot of gaps with board and card games.  If nothing else, this year will be an adventure!  (Say that last word the way Flapjack would say it.)

Carcassonne – board game – I have yet to play this game.  I Like Catan, and was told I would really like this.

Bob and Bob Again – D20 Modern -  We play clones manufactured by Department 7 for short-term missions.  Do I detect a bit of a Paranoia vibe?

Quackery: The Game of Medieval Medicine – card game – Sounds like a fun little game where you apply wacky logic to diagnosing ailments.

Space Junkyard Board Game – board game – A fast, family-friendly game about refurbishing junk to make a bigger, better ship.

Revolution – card game – I’ve been hearing good things from the Steve Jackson guys about this one.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword – Vampire: The Requiem – I haven’t played in a Vampire game in a long time, so this should be a nice return.

Ergo – card game – Battling philosophers try to prove that their opponents don’t exist!

Cave Troll – board game – I will try any Fantasy Flight game at least once.

Letter of Marque – card game – I know nothing about this game, but I needed to fill an hour.  Its description of sailing and trade in the classic days of sail sounded provoking enough.

Unity Underground – Run and Gun Engine – A game still in play testing.  It is a dystopian future where we get to play warriors trying to “stick it to the man.”