Not So Productive Today

The group decided to take the night off.  Real life's big, ugly feet stomped all over the game this week.  So I had the night free.  What could I do productive.

Edit - Nope
Draw a Map - Threw away three and not liking the fourth all that much
Write a Review - Nope, but I hope to do it soon
Write a Post - Not this post
Antagonize the Wife - Accomplished

At least I got one thing done.  I doubt Ivy was pleased.  Brain is shot for the day.  Tons of work tomorrow.  Hoping to get some of my work in tomorrow.  I'm going to go read A Thousand Dead Babies.  That ought to cheer me up.  Actually its a very good adventure by +Zzarchov Kowolski.  I want to do a review of it this week so I need to read through it again.  I very much like this one.

So maybe I'm just prepping to do something?

Past Year in the Manor

I didn't do this last year and not sure if I did one of these year end posts ever, but for some reason I feel like doing one this year.  I think its been a good year overall for my gaming.  Bought too much stuff again, but you'll have that.  My vices are few, but intense and one of them is gaming stuff.  Here are some general numbers for Gothridge Manor this year.

Number of Reviewed Products:16
Crawl! No. 8: Firearms
Tombstones of Terror
Life of Rage OSR Edition
Adventures Dark and Deep: A Curious Volume of Forgotten Lore
Rory's Story Cubes
Adventure Fantasy Game
Verloren
World War Z
6 Iron Spikes & a Small Hammer
Gnomes of Levnec
Lair of the Orc Shaman
Kefitzat Haderech
Citadel by the Sea
Moleskin Maps 4
Moleskin Maps 3
Menagerie of the Ice Lord

I'm glad to see I did at least 16 reviews.  I would like to do more this coming year. 

Number of Maps Posted: 21
Little Laminated Maps
Mini Map Time!
Map Time! and a Question
Map Time!
Map Time!
Campaign Map Funneling
Mega-Dungeon Map Time!
Map Time...I Know, Again
Map Time.  Again!
Map Time! 
Campaign Map Time!
Map Time!
Map Time!
Map Time!
Map Time!
Map Time!
Map Time!
Map and Adventure Under Construction
Map Transformation
Map Time!
Dungeon Map

I hope my maps were a little more creative than the post titles.

My Favorite Chart:
Mr. Blue created this chart for my Manors.  So cool.

Ha!  Really love this chart.  Mr. Blue, I would love to see an updated version.

Products Released this Year:  6
February, The Manor #3
April, Mini Manor: Faces Without Screams released for Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day.
July, The Manor #4
August, Where is Margesh Blackblood?
November, Manor #5
December, Execution Corner

I'm very happy with the the number of releases I had during the year.  In 2014 I would like to get four issues of the Manor released along with side projects.

Things I Failed to Follow Through With:  2
NaNoWriMo
Commenter XP

While I did not follow through with NaNoWriMo I did get a lot of writing done and it got me started on a couple of projects.  Commenter XP became too much paperwork although I want to do something in the future that is much easier to calculate. 

Conventions Attended:  1
Con on the Cob

I'd like to get into a couple more cons next year or at least game days.  And I hope not to get sick as hell next time.

Most Visited Posts
Campaign Map Funneling - 975
Friday Question: Diseases - 974
1000 Posts - OSR Mega Bundle Giant Giveaway - 854
Mega-Dungeon Map Time! - 734
Thoughts on How to Keep a Mega-Dungeon Interesting - 720

The Map Funneling and Diseases numbers were greatly enhanced by my linking them to Reddit.  Still, I've seen a large increase in hit this year. 

Best Event at the Manor
1000 Posts - OSR Mega Bundle Giant Giveaway

This was amazing.  So many people donated to my giveaway to make it a bug event.  People I'd never spoken to before were very generous and I was able to give four people 15 different PDFs and RPGNow gift cards.  

On-Going Posts
Sleestak Sunday
Friday Question
Map Time! 
GM Games Sales Reports

Sleestaks are getting harder to find these days, but I do enjoy the hunt.  Friday questions always seem to get a good response.  Map Time!, who doesn't love maps?  And the GM Games report is a peek at my numbers and how I do things.  Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. 

Blog Gamers I Met Over the Year:  5
+Ken H - The Rusty Battle Axe
+Chris C. - The Clash of Spear on Shield
Dylan Hartwell - Digital Orc
+Bryce Lynch - 10 Foot Pole
imredave - Forgotten Runes
+Dan C. - The Dungeoneering Dad

All of these fine folks I met at Con on the Cob.  I even managed to get Chris join our Money night group....sucker.

Thanks to everyone who takes time out of their day to check out Gothridge Manor.  Here's to the new year and all the cool gaming stuff it will bring.

Blogfest for Ray Harryhausen

RJ over at Gamers & Grognards purposes a blogfest on Friday dedicated to the late, great Ray Harryhausen who passed away this week and 92.  I've always refereed to him as Harry.  When I would here his name when I was younger I thought Harry was his first name and Hausen was his last.  I knew there was a Ray in there, but seemed to forget about it.

If you're a gamer of older age his movies were must see.  Any gamer of any age should watch his movies.  I think his movies shaped my view of gaming in my early years.  All the fantastic creatures that we populate the dungeons come to life.

If you're interested, please join in on Friday in a blogfest honoring Harry, Ray Harryhausen.  Share your favorite memory, favorite movie or just post a picture of one of his monsters that you remember best. 

I Shouldn't Blog Before Going to Bed

I reread my blog for last night and for someone who didn't drink a drop of alcohol I would have had hard time proving that in court if my blog entry was used as evidence.  I fixed.  Or as much as I could.  My next blog title might be Don't Block Before Going to Work.  Cause I'm in a hurry.

I found the adventure that goes to the map.  I have a bad habit of tossing stuff once I'm done with it.  But it looks intact and there were a few things in there I forgot about.  The players came across a door that was icy cold and it freaked them out and they left it alone.  Now they'll know what they missed.  Probably one of my favorite encounter in the dungeon.  I'll try to have it available tomorrow.  Depends if I go see a movie to night.  Haven't been to a movie since the Avengers.

I'm digging this 3-day work week.  I could get used to it.  Just as long as I could keep my 5-day pay.  I got to keep myself in gaming materials.  I'm still waiting on Lulu to send out the two books I ordered, The Advanced Adventure Compendiums.

Click to get buy at Lulu.

Click to buy at Lulu.

Word Verification Off

I've been meaning to do this for a while, turn off word verification.  I know it's a pain and I'll keep it off as long as I don't start getting hit with a lot of spam.  No more reading words that look like they were written by a drunk person with a good vocabulary.  No more losing your comment because of an error during the verification.  And no more time wasters developed because some wank needs to splash an advertisement no one is going to 'go see' all over the web.  So in the next four years I will...

...apparently I've been watching too many political debates.  Scramble the channel and let's get back to a regularly scheduled program...

A Super New Blog!!

I'm just missing the superhero balloon around that title.  But its true.  Jason Sholtis, OSR artist extraordinaire and all around swell guy has a new blog.  This one is called the Dungeon Dozen.  This blog is not about his art which is already well known and features in his other blog Underworld Ink.

If I'm not mistaken the theme of the blog is the posts list 12 things in a variety of topics.  Some examples are Dungeon Corpses, Unknown Spells, Unfathomable Deities and what are you still reading my blog for click on over to The Dungeon Dozen and join.  He doesn't bite.  Although he does fling poo. 

It's Been One Crap Ass Week

I won't go into all the arguments that have occurred in the past couple of weeks.  Seems like things are settling down and of course when one of these dust ups occurs nothing changes and no one changes their mind.  Just happens.  Happens in all sections of life.  Work, home and here on the blogosphere people get irritated and pissy.

So here it is Free RPG Day, I was not feeling all that enthusiastic about it to begin with, but damn it I wasn't going to miss it.  I wanted to get my commemorative d6.  And who knows I might actually meet a cool gamer or two.  So into the game store I go (I won't mention the name because I am not going to be too nice here in a few) and at the counter is the gaming guy.  This store is mainly a book store, but it has a decent gaming section and he is in charge of it.  This gaming guy is about as irritating as they come.  He's one of those I have an opinion on everything especially about the things I don't know about.  If you've been to the moon, he's been there twice.

He's talking to two other gamers.  "Goodman Games DCC is crap.  He's trying to be all 'old school'"  He did that little finger quote thing when he said old school.  "The OSR is such lame shit."

Ya know, I try to be a nice guy.  I really do, but sometimes things just don't work out.  So I ask gamer guy, "Have you ever played any of the old school games or the clones?"

Without a beat "No.  Don't see the point.  If they were any good WotC would still be publishing them."

Now there are so many things wrong with that statement I stood there for a second hoping he would laugh or give me the gotcha sign or something.  Nope.  Dead serious.  Now, like this recent fray on the blogs, I knew speaking with gamer guy would be like going into a deep mineshaft without a lantern.  No chance of changing his mind.  So instead I addressed the two gamers.

"If you guys are interested at all in playing some old school style gaming you can download the rules for free.  *gave them S&W, LL, and Osric were the ones I could remember*  There is a game just south of here we play twice a month, your welcome to join in any time you feel like it.  It's a great time.  If you don't like it it won't cost ya a thing."  Also gave them my email if they had any questions.

The two guys were interested, gave them some gaming blogs to read.  I am not sure if that was the best thing considering the rants of late.  The gamer guy actually tried to grab the paper I gave them.  WTF  Luckily the goof has the dexterity of a dog turd and nearly fell down.  The two other guys laughed at him and left.  Said they would give it a look.

So now I am alone with gamer guy.  He's pissed and I still didn't get to pick any of my free stuff yet.  This was going to go well.  I am thinking, I'm going to get arrested today.  And to tell you the truth, I was in a mood where I was okay with that. 

Fast forward ten minutes after looking at some other gaming stuff.  I ended up buying Pazio's Misfit Monsters.  They always do a great job.  Luckily for me and my arrest record gamer guy's shift was over and the owner lady took over.  I didn't say anything about what happened to the owner because the gamer guy is her nephew.  I ended up getting the Dragon Age quick start and Goodman Games DCC.  What I failed to get. and one of the main things I wanted was a commemorative d6 for this year's Free RPG day.  I'd gotten one for the past four years. 

So as I end this I will make a small plea to my readers who may have gotten an extra d6, if you would like to trade for it or get a copy of something I wrote or you just want a little RPGNow credit I would love to trade for that elusive d6.

So with that, I am going to turn this week around damn it.  I have the rest of the day off, I need to get ready for the start of a new campaign I am GMing and Netflix is brimming with stuff I could watch until my bones turn to dust.

Random Blog Post Topic Generators from The Rusty Battle Axe

All praise David at Tower of the Archmage for archiving this post from Rusty.  I included it in my blogging links page.  So if your ever stuck for a topic go here.  Its a good exercise. 

Thanks Rusty.  I know your listening.  Actually I am listening to you right now cast a fireball at a tile creature.  I haven't had eyebrows since you learned 3rd level spells.

Blogger Question

Another feature (or gadget) I would like to add to my site are Pages.  I've played with it.  Swore at it.  And neither of them has helped me figure out how to use it.  Can anyone out there in blogger land give a poor, ignorant a little assistance?

What I want to do is give some of the more permanent features on my site a bigger home.  Example is the Newbie Blogger Award.  How do I do that with pages?  Can I do that with pages? 

Thanks ahead of ahead of time. 

Redesigning My Blog

I've been considering going to a three column format so I can show more stuff.  Everything is getting pushed lower and lower.  I have all my side bar things that are somewhat amusing to me, like my running tally of gaming purchases of the year, but it does take up a lot of space.  Also I have my Newbie Blogger Award and its winners links which is important.  Of course I have my blog roll and the Brilliant People.  Then I need a section for the items I am currently working on, selling or promoting.

New sections I would like to add would be 'Cool Blog of the Week'.  This would be based on a single blog entry for that week.  I would like to add OSR links to great resources.  And do something like James over at Underdark Gazette does, by not so much pimping something for the week, but to show what product I am using currently or reading. 

Blogs I have Been Digging

I might make this a sorta kinda regular irregular post topic.  Just list some blogs that I have been really enjoying.  Maybe I will say why, maybe I won't.  No sure.  I guess we'll see together.

Black Hole Diaries by R.W. Chandler is very new and has already dipped his toe into the new/old school gaming subject matter.  I like it.  Go check it out.

Destination Unknown by Christian has been posting some great stuff.  I mean come on the guy is posting pictures of fillet mignon and he cooks the best stuff for his gamers when they come over.  Are you kidding me?  Right there that should put him in the gamer HOF.  Christian come on down and get a gold jacket.

The Underdark Gazette by James Smith.  I am so glad James does his weekly gazette of old school news and I don't have to.  He puts a lot of work into his blog and I am always finding stuff I missed during the week.  Make sure you let him know how much you appreciate his efforts.  I know I do.

A Dungeon Master's Tale by James C.  Apparently you can;t have enough good James blogging.  Another new blog to the scene.  But in a short time he has posted a lot of great stuff.  Go check him out.

From the Sorcerer's Skull by Trey has one of the coolest worlds, The City.  He's working on a game called Weird Adventures and I will be one of the first in line to pick up a copy.

Fame & Fortune by Satyre creates a lot of very good inns and taverns.  I've been a huge fan for a while now.  I would love to see him put a collection of his inns and taverns into a PDF.  Go over there and bug him also.  It will be worth it.

Now this is not a complete list of blogs I am grooving on currently, but ones that stick out.  There are so many great blogs, but I do tend to favor the fantasy oriented ones.  If I see a blog about Traveller I hit to snooze button and go back to sleep.  And for some reason I am not huge into the creation of new monsters.  The Fungle Fargle Butt Nugget monster isn't likely to get my attention.  But what I do like is when someone takes a known critter and puts their own twist on it.  Some writes a blog about a giant orc variant I am clicking on that one all day.

I hope you check out some of the new blogs I've listed because they are worth checking out.  I like to direct traffic their way because when I just started out I had a few very cool people help me out that way.  I will probably, maybe, hope to do this regularly.  Give a shout out to the blogs that got my attention or got me thinking.

Blogging is a Strange and Wonderful Thing

Sometimes this blog thing is a strange and wonderful thing. A couple days ago I wrote a short, fill in blog about medieval bathroom accessories. Actually didn't write about them just showed them. I thought it would give a few people a laugh and a few people might actually get it for a gift. Then the blog entry would drift into the ether of the blogoshpere. Not so.

In two days I have had nearly 1000 hits for that blog. By far the most hits I've ever had for any blog I've written. On a good day for me I might get 150 hits. A great day I may get 200. You know what? That's not the weirdest thing about all this fascination with medieval toiletry items. The weirdest thing is almost half of those hits came from Texas. I have no explanation. I don't even have a guess as to why Texas has bombarded my site. I would love to know what the obsession is with knights holding toilet paper or a crapper cover in the shape of a shield is with the Texans. I'm not judging. I'm just wondering.

Is it me or does blogging suck up a lot of time?

Hi Guys. Tim invited me to guest blog.

I'm a week into blogging and I can't believe how long it takes to read posts, to comment and write blogs. Normally, I write 20 hours each week, but since I started blogging, I haven't been back to my manuscript.

Is it me or does blogging suck up a lot of time?

One Year at the Manor

Yup a year has gone by and I wouldn't have noticed until I saw The Omnipotent Eye blog, A Year with the Eye. I saw I started on the 19th of April.

Part of the reason I started to blog was to get involved with the gaming industry and possibly get a few of my own products out there. I was reluctant because Rob would sent me forum links of conversations going from time to time and it seemed a lot of it was juvenile temper tantrums. Then I did a few guest posts on Bat in Attic and saw the blogs had a different attitude. There was still some drama, but much less than on the forums.

A year later I didn't reach any goals of putting out any products and I would love to blame my new job, but that wouldn't be honest. I just didn't apply ass to seat and type enough. As Rob could tell you I have dozens upon dozens of half-finished products. Those don't sell very well. But blogging has helped me try and do something each day. Write a blog that may be just short and goofy or a full blown article where I did research and had my wife edit it.

So in the next year of blogging I hope to finish a few products and get them out there. To continue to put out a blog at least every other day, more if I can do it. I hope to help Rob get more of his Majestic Wilderlands out there. Oh, and as a side note, if you are over on Bat in the Attic and bug him about when his adventure Scourge of the Demon Wolf will be out. He missed his March deadline.

Thanks to everyone who has participated by commenting and/or joining my blog. It's been fun watching the OSR develop and all the great things that are coming out of it. I look forward to another year of blogging and seeing what else I can learn along the way.

Blogging Habits

I sit at my computer first thing in the morning and read the fresh blogs that come out of the oven. I try to catch up with any I may have missed the night before. I usually go to my blog and then go through my blog roll that I have then go to RPG Bloggers Network and read a new blog or two. Another source where I find new blogs is when people make comments on my site or someone else's I'll go through their profile and check out what they have to say.

Now sometimes at work I'll sneak a peek during my lunch which I usually am working through. But usually then I am on RPG Now checking out the new items and I always check the freebie bin. I love the freebie bin.

When I get home for work I'll get back on and see who posted during the day. This is when I post my comments. I make an effort to comment on a few blogs a day. I could probably do more, but there are a ton of great blogs and I can't get to them all. Time Shadows and Paladin in a Citadel are the champion commenter's. Those two have hit everywhere some days and I commend them for it. Those comments do help motivate and inspire people to keep going that what they are doing is being recognized. I know when I first started those comments helped.

Writing my blogs, which has been sporadic over the past couple months, I try to do at night and then have them post around 7am or so the next day. Then the other half of the time I am writing them in the morning. Like right now.

I was curious about others blogging habits. When they write, when they read, and what makes them comment on some blogs but not others? Have a great Friday and a get a game going this weekend.

I just saw this will be my 100th post and I want to thank the people who've commented on my site and those who just like to browse for a while. I've enjoyed myself.