The Frog Remains the Same

This is not much of a gaming post.  Actually it has nothing to do with gaming.  But it is inspired by another gamer, Christian over at Destination Unknown.  Seeing him working on his yard, messing with compose and always painting over tags on his wall.  So this was my day.  A few pictures of what I did and a few very cool pictures of my backyard.  I sometimes bitch about where I live then I take some photos, look at them and think what a beautiful place.  Anyway today was spent giving The Whisk a reading haven and a place to grow her spices.  I apologize for some of the picture sizes, but I wanted to get clear pictures.

I had to sand down some of the boards.  A lot of the boards.  I probably should have sanded the entire deck, but I didn't. 

A side view of my deck.  Those little posts in between are a pain in the ass to stain.  And you get a little sneak preview of our backyard.

This is the view The Whisk will have when she comes out onto her new reading haven.  Beautiful eh?  We bought some chairs the other day so now all I need to do it get to staining.

Oh yeah, here that scary ass frog.  I don't care that it is carrying a rose and has a little basket.  There is something very wrong with it.

I was out there staining for nearly 7 hours with an hour of sanding.  I had my iPod on listening to a soundtrack of Seether, Tom Waits, Ravenettes, Radiohead, some 50s tunes (for some reason 50s music is made for the summertime) Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Gnarls Barkley and many others.  I love my iPod.  Then I had a little heat stroke, but after nurse Whisk made me drink some nasty ass cherry juice I was up and staining again.  Here is the end result.

Deck is all stained.  If you were walking up my deck stairs this is what it would look like.  Don't step on the little inch worm to the right of the top step.  And in the back you can see the scary ass frog between the slats.

This is a view if you got drunk on my back deck and fell down.  But it still looks good from down here.

Again, those slats were a pain in the ass to stain, but I think it looks great.  This section is where the chairs and table will go.  And then on the railing imagine a couple of herb gardens.  Our kitchen is connected with the deck by a sliding glass door.  So if she feels like whipping up one of her concoctions she can just walk out onto the deck and get what she needs.  But I was thinking while I was staining that if we were attack by zombies these would make a lousy defense. 

And a couple pictures as the sun was setting.  With all the rain we've had everything is like green on steroids. 

I need to mow again.

And back to the scary ass frog.  Through out the day of staining and music and heat stroke and zombie attacks the frog remains the same.

5-31-11 Newbie Blogger Award

It's time again for another very well deserved blog to get the fallen knight award.  Now my next selection may be a bit bias, but that's okay I'm allowed.  And not to mention I just wrote about them.  The blog is a pair of artists who have graced the pages of multiple issues of Knockspell and Fight On!, Swords and Wizardry Core Rulebook, Surge of the Dark Wine Sea, to be released adventure Scourge of the Demon Wolf and they are helping make my Starter Adventures better.

Underworld Ink
 is the home of artists John Larrey and Jason Sholtis.  I've had the pleasure of gaming with both these guys and it was a hell of a lot of fun.  They are excited about gaming and it shows in their pictures.  So please take a stroll over to Underground Ink and check out the gallery of pictures they have on display.  Great work guys.  I look forward to seeing more pictures.

More Killer Pics from Underworld Ink

Jason and John over at Underworld Ink are creating great pieces for Starter Adventures.  Check out the Balan picture which was in On the Road adventure in the original.  Really liked how the aura turned out.  Every time I get an email  from them I get excited and can't wait to see what they've come up with.


Starter Adventure Status
Adventure 100% complete
Tavern 90%
Party Adventure 75%
Editing 0% complete
Layout 30% complete
Art 40% complete
Maps 0% complete

Its coming along and most of these won't take much to complete, but I do want to take my time to put out the best product I can.  Enjoy the pictures.

Proof of Alien Life

They are out there you know.  You have to believe.  So much space, it would be ridiculous to think we were the only ones.  I cannot argue the fact that it seems strange that the aliens are able to navigate across the universe only to crash into the earth, but they do seem to do that lot.  Maybe its all the radios, microwaves and cell phones.  Of course we didn't have that stuff when Roswell happened.  Hmmm, yeah we didn't have it til after cause we got it from the aliens!

And I have proof.  Look at this.  So what I found it at a pet store in the fish aquarium section.  It's really real.  There is a big hole in the back of his head where someone must have hit him with a pipe.  Look at those orbital sockets and extended nose.  If that's not an alien than red isn't a color and water isn't wet. 

And I swear it glowed a little in the dark.

Don't talk to me about tin foil hats, Illuminati, diet pop, or sleestak.   This is really real.  They are out there.  They are here.  I've got the proof sitting on my desk right now.

Sleestak Sunday, Early Edition

 

 

This sleestak is having a ball.

The staycation continues so I thought I would get my Sleestak Sunday done early.  I don't remember this red ball episode.  And it's wearing a necklace.  Must be a 3rd season episode, I have the first two on DVD.  It looks happy with its red ball. 

Today we head to Ohio to the bookstore.  Our Borders closed so now we drive over an hour to get to the closest.  Don't get me wrong, B&N is a good store, but Borders is my store.  Going to get some writing done there, drink a javanilla and scout around and take a look at some stores.  Going to google to see if there is a gaming store nearby.  Have a good Sleestak Sunday, find your red ball and have fun. 

Layout for Starter Adventures

It's late here.  Nearly 2:30am and I'm nearly finished with the entire first draft of Starter Adventures.  Red Bear's Tavern is nearly complete.  Just a few more room descriptions and my map mock up needs sent to Rob.  I have to get all my map mock ups to Rob.  Jason and John are very busy artists, but I sent them a few suggestions of what I would like to see.  Jason is working on a cover which I am excited about.

As I am writing this I have been thinking of how to lay this puppy out.  I am a keep it clean, two columns, right and left justified kinda guy.  No fancy fonts.  Two at the most in the manuscript.  But I am thinking with the pictures and mini maps I might just keep it a single column.  I will play with it a bit once it gets closer to layout time, but never too earlier to consider options.

The pros of the single column is I have a lot more room on the page to place maps and pictures.  Do some text wrapping and subtle framing to accent and still get all the information included.  And if you are looking at the manuscript in PDF form on a reader or computer you can scroll down without having to go back to the top on the same page once you read the 1st column.

The cons of a single column format is it doesn't look as professional to me.  I guess I am so used to seeing a two column format that's what I expect to see in a gaming product.  I think most of us expect that.

Just some late night thoughts as I consider my next release.  Have a great weekend.

Rusty Battle Axe Presents : Game Mastering In Second Position

Years ago I was taking guitar lessons with this amazing guitar instructor when this little life-changing episode happens:

 

We are playing the blues, with me taking the lead,  and he says, “Now switch to second position.” I stopped playing. I had no idea what he was talking about. And I had no idea that this would be the most pivotal moment in my guitar-playing life.

 

I had become very adept at playing the minor pentatonic scale—throwing in double stops, ghost notes, bends, etc. etc.—but all in the first position. I didn’t know there was a second position. Or a third. Or a fourth. Or a fifth.  And so he taught me these four new positions—same scale, different starting points, and told me to play those and NOT the first position. Not playing the first position was like losing my ability to speak and to express myself. I fumbled around on the guitar like I had been handed it for the first time. It was frustrating, aggravating, heart-breaking. I wanted to quit. And yet, after a few weeks, I found that I learned new ways to express myself and my playing made several huge leaps. But the initial move from first position to second position was like learning to play guitar all over again, frustrating and disorientating.

 

I had a similar experience as Game Master this past Monday. To be sure, it was not nearly as dramatic as frustrating as the guitar experience. Our Monday session was, in fact, a fair amount of fun. But I was definitely out of my comfort zone. First position game mastering for me is that approach to play that has come be called “sandbox.” I had never even used a module (not one) until two years ago…all I had was a big made up world with made up people, places and things.

 

So now I am GMing for Dwayne, Rob and Tim and I decided to try something very different for myself—to not only use modules—but a complete adventuring arc. We are using “Splinters of Faith” from Frog God Games. It’s good stuff, but very different stuff than I am used to. Second, nay, third position stuff for me.

 

I am probably more casual about my gaming than many who prowl the blogosphere. Gaming is less an obsession and more of an escape, one of the few activities when I completely lose myself and my cares and simply have fun. But I found it difficult to lose myself with a different approach to GMing, knowing that if the players miss the Thing A and Thing B and Thing C in Module 1, there is no point in even opening Module 2. And I am already losing sleep about them getting to Module 3. Trying to find ways to help the players achieve clarity while avoiding blatant and constant railroading is going to be an interesting—and new—challenge for me as GM. Despite the bit of anxiety, I am pumped about the challenge and even more so about the payoff that might come from gaming from a different angle. I don't try to be the best RPG player, GM, etc...I just play to relax, but I am thinking that once I get used to this, GMing in "second position" will be just as much fun and I'll be the better player for it.

How Many Coins in a Coffer Revisited

I’ve been thinking about the space/weight capacity of carrying coins. If the players come upon a dragon horde of 500,000 assorted coins the players can’t just grab them all and head for the nearest town. After reading the article “How Many Coins in a Coffer” by David F. Godwin from Dragon magazine #80, which is full of cubic centimeter, weight in grams for the various metals and enough math that made my head hurt. But after reading, and the coincidence of me having to roll a ton of coins I’ve decided to make it as simple as possible, 10 coins = a pound. Please no arguments about math. I have a very low tolerance for such nonsense.

So a 20 pound sack can hold 200 coins, 40 pound sack can hold 400 coins. In these cases it’s the weight not the space it takes up. For something like a portable hole or bag of holding it would be how many could fit, not weight. Portable hole at 10’ by 10’ by 10’ and using the square inchage and generalizing that that 4 coins can fit in a square inch. A 10’ square room has a total of 1,728,000 square inches, times that by four that means if the coins are stacked perfectly 6,912,000 coins could fit. But they aren’t going to be stacked perfectly so I guesstimate that you lose 15% space through tossing coins in so that would leave room for 5,875,200 coins which I would round up to 6 million.

So a quick calculation of coins that takes up space if weight doesn’t matter. Like the big ass treasury chest. Again we are using the assumption that 4 coins will fit into a square inch.

A 1 foot square box can fit 6912 coins stacked well round up to 7000. Messy 5872 or 6000.

I’m going to say an average coffer is 8” by 11” by 6” would hold 2000 coins.

A small chest is 18” by 12” by 12” can hold 10,000 coins.

A large chest 48” by 36” by 24” can hold 160,000 coins.

As stated above sacks, bags and backpacks are limited by weight more than space. Exceptions being the magical items that specialize in storage. Enough math for the day. It hurts my head.

Trial of the Ghouls

*WARNING POEM AHEAD*

I just was digging through some old stuff.  Very old stuff.  Found a few pieces of poetry that I got a good chuckle from.  This one is I believe the first poem I wrote for a module of mine.  hehe, read at your on risk.

Trial of the Ghouls
Screaming ghouls celebrate their feast
in the graveyard dining on the deceased.

This a custom of these creatures
the remains in bloody pools.
This what they call
the Trial of the Ghouls. 

I warned you.  Think I was 14.  Maybe.  Give or take 2 years.  I thought it was funny.  I have no idea what it means I just always liked the title.  Still do. 

Kick Off to a New Campaign and the Difference of Character Concept and Character Play and This Has Become My Longest Title Ever.

It started.  Last night around 6:30.  Fantasy Grounds did not crash and the only technical glitch was some echoing in Rob's mic. 

So there we lay in the virtual world, me as Rolondo the bard, Rob as Agnar the illusionist and Dwayne as Brother Dani (pronounced deny) the cleric started in the campaign face down in the dirt from a sleep spell.  Rusty as the chaotic evil GM made sure to describe that their were flies in our mouths.  A caravan was hit hard by bandits.  We were fortunate to be in the fringe when we went down and escaped the spear in the chest while you sleep maneuver. 

Before I go further this is where I discovered the concept of my character was not going to fit in with the others as well or still unsure how Rolondo would fit in.  Sure I can play my guy as planned, but it would take a lot longer to get things done.  The first few sessions in figuring out how these characters are going to mesh together.  Or even if they will.  I want to enjoy what the GM is developing and find a cooperative relationship with the other players, but still be an individual. 

Other people have different ways to play, but I prefer to have a cooperative group.  That's not to mean I don't like tricking or sticking it to another player once in a while.  But for the most part I want the party to be a team that works together. 

This is were when a character is first developed it can be a rough sketch or have a forty page background.  Either way its hard to know how to play your character until you see what the others developed.  In old AD&D terms, you can't be playing a paladin type if you have two others playing assassin and evil cleric type characters.  Either they change or you change or maybe the GM has developed a situation where the players will need to cooperative even though they are on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Anyway, right now I think we are all figuring out our characters and how they fit in this new world.  Right now we only know how bad the road dirt tastes and the Village of Lessof.  Back to the game...

Brother Dani wanted to bury the dead, but we had no shovels, but that didn't stop him.  I wasn't about to ruin my mandolin playing hands by digging them into the hard dirt and stone, but I wasn't against the idea.  Plus during this conversation I found a little my quirk my character has, he corrects their word usage.  In a nice way.  They kept calling the animals who eat the bodies carrion.  It was corrected.  Anyway i volunteered to go to the village and get shovels.

The village was a run downwith some interesting NPCs.  Rusty had me cracking up a few times.  While exploring the village I found another quirk of Rolondo, he over thinks stuff.  He tried to correlate what was going on in the village to this old tale he knew from a child. 

The three plot lines we have going currently are:
1. A chicken stealing fox.  Agnar caught it and brought it back to the village and that's where we left off.
2. I decipher some ancient script on the alter in the church.
3. And of course the bandits that hit us. 

The point I made when we were tracking the bandits was what would we do if we found them?  We didn't fare so well the first time.  And there were a lot more of us then.  Mostly everyone else was killed. 

So that was our kickoff session.  With the fox caught and a celebration looming I'm thinking things are going to get hectic real quick. 

Sleestak Sunday

It's Sleestak Sunday.  And I did not get rapturized.  I found this sleestak drawing over at Mindsiphon.  Love Rob's work.  This sleestak looks like it it belongs in Hyboria.  And I love that you can see the cave up above.  I can almost see Holly's red and white shirt and Will's ego.  Have a great Sunday.

Since the Rapture is Upon Us...

I thought I do what I think is cool in gaming right now.  Because tomorrow may never come, unless your bad than you have a little extra time.  At least you'll be able to catch the final Harry Potter movie.

These are in no particular order, just as I think of them and this is by no means a complete list because my memory is more sieve than hard drive these days. 

DungeonMorph Dice these things are excellent.  I remember watching them when they had just met their fist goal to do one set of dice.  They are now flown past their 3rd goal and have gathered over $19,000 in backers.  My god, 19k.  I think that's great.  And two of my favorite dungeon morphers are leading the way, Dyson Logos and Risus Monkey.

I've already written a blog about the One-Page Dungeon contest.  I still need to do a couple of reviews on the winners and the other one pagers I liked and swiped for myself.

The Underdark Gazette's weekly newsletter of what is going on in the world of the OSR and gaming in general.  James works his ass off each week to put that out for all of us to catch up on things we may have missed through out the week.  I'm always surprised at how much I miss. 

Another James who works his ass off.  Mr. Raggi who continues to do his way.  I appreciate the work and the balls it takes to start your own company and get your product into the stores.  I dabble with adventures and sell PDFs and hope to sell some print copies soon, but James has taken this to the next level, hell the next couple of levels. 

Johnathan's passion for pie and a hell of an artist. 

Hill Cantons's cake position and his top 5 worst old school blogs.

I've enjoyed watching Christian's battle with his backyard, passion for gaming and the kick ass food he makes for his players.  Not to mention his One Square Equals One Foot magazine.

Satyre's never ending supply of taverns and inns.  He's got a ton of them!

Underworld Ink, Jason and John helping me with my next project.  Their work is really making a storm giant sized difference in it and much appreciated. 

And not the last, but sort of...my gaming group.  Rob, Dwayne and Rusty, very cool guys that make killing thing that much more fun.

Enjoy the Rapture everyone.  See you on the flip side...

New Toys

Yesterday Ivy went to get Wiggy food at our local tractor supply store.  Yes, we live in rural Pennsylvania and we actually have two tractor supplies in town.  *Insert cow tipping joke here*  Anyway, while she was dog food shopping she bought me these very cool toys.

Just some goofiness on a Friday night.  I have a very great wife who allows me to play when I need to play.

Got a Question

Been mulling around a how to handle oil flasks.  The kind you light and lob and hopefully catch something on fire.  Using it for lanterns is for sissys.  I've looked around, but haven't found anything satisfying.  Would prefer to keep the rule simple.  So I am asking, whaddaya got?

Thanks ahead of time.