Tuesday, July 31, 2012

1987 Time Capsule Predictions | L. Ron Hubbard presents Writers of the Future Contest

1987 Time Capsule Predictions | L. Ron Hubbard presents Writers of the Future Contest

Peter Jackson speaks out about Trilogy

‘The Hobbit’ To Be A Trilogy!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Pack your satchels full of cram and fill your tankards with miruvor, because we’re about to embark on a long journey. The rumors surrounding The Hobbit were yesterday confirmed; We’re going to get a trilogy.
Speaking on his Facebook page, Peter Jackson had this to say:
We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth…So, without further ado, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.
Wow. We’d been hearing murmurs from the studio that Jackson was considering making the series into a trilogy he even admitted as much himself at the recent San Diego Comic-con but now it’s official.
What material will Jackson use though to stretch it out over three movies? Well, while J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was only about 300 pages long compared with 1000 pages for The Lord of the Rings there was a substantial amount of action that occurred off page, such as Gandalf’s tussle with the Necromancer. They may also try and bridge the gap between the end of The Hobbit and the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, as Jackson also has his hands on 125 pages of notes that Tolkien made, expanding the Hobbit world.
However, if there’s one reservation I have about Jackson (and it’s only a small reservation, so don’t go crazy) it’s his propensity for long and bloated scenes. I thought King Kong was about 45 minutes too long and The Return of the King had about five different endings.
That being said, in Peter Jackson I trust and if he believes that there’s enough material for a trilogy, then I’m all for it.
Details for the third movie are still being ironed-out between Jackson and Warner Bros. but it’s believed a summer 2014 release has been tentatively penciled in. What’s also interesting is the possible name of the third movie. According to Fusible, the domain names The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: Riddles in the Dark have both recently been registered. Intriguing.
What do you guys think? Are you happy about spending more time in Middle Earth or are two movies more than enough? Sound off in the comments below!
The trilogy begins when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on December 14th.

"Knights" rob medieval festival in France | Medieval News

"Knights" rob medieval festival in France | Medieval News

Spherical D14 and D18 - the missing even-sided Game Dice by Impact! Miniatures — Kickstarter

Spherical D14 and D18 - the missing even-sided Game Dice by Impact! Miniatures — Kickstarter

They have dude dice Donnie.

Mayan Number Dice by Paymaster Games — Kickstarter

Using mayan numbers for your gaming enjoyment.


Mayan Number Dice by Paymaster Games — Kickstarter

Monday, July 30, 2012

Hobbit now a trilogy




Here’s Jackson’s full Facebook announcement:
It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’
We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.
So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.
It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, “a tale that grew in the telling.”
Cheers,
Peter J

Monday afternoon mythos.

What could make your Monday  worst.  Squid invasion!!

http://youtu.be/Q-wfj0QyOVs

Libor scandal is no match for its medieval precedent

Libor scandal is no match for its medieval precedent

Nice article that show the 16 member libor lunch mates was nothing new.

A+ behavoir

http://www.montecookgames.com/a/" target="_blank">http://www.montecookgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/aplus_monte2-11.png">

Taking the pledge to not be game negative in August. I will also attempt to play some new games.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Gary Gygax: The Father of Games Design | GamesIndustry International

Gary Gygax: The Father of Games Design | GamesIndustry International

Obsidian Apocalypse Kickstarter - YouTube

http://youtu.be/cNmVx5gVP7E

Obsidian Apocalypse Kickstarter Thank You for your support! - YouTube

Is Peter Jackson ruining the Hobbit movie.

‘The Hobbit’ Filmmakers In Serious Talks With Warner Bros For A Third Film

Director Peter Jackson comments about a third possible Hobbit film might not have been just a tease. The Comic-Con panel discussion comments might actually become a reality and The Hobbit could make it to the trilogy hall of fame after all.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that director Jackson has resolved to turn his upcoming two-film adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien epic into a trilogy. THR reveals (through a source close to the production) that Jackson wants to “to tell more of the incredible tale with the cast.”

Does The Hobbit need a trilogy?

The third installment would require additional footage that could be filmed next summer in New Zealand. Sources say that Warner Bros, Jackson, The Hobbit producers and writers have all been looking into the logistics of making a third film. The talks, which occurred over the last couple of days, show that the studio is on board “if the right financial arrangements can be achieved”, reports THR. This includes reaching new deals with actors as well as getting the necessary rights.
The move for a third film was fueled by Jackson. The THR source says:
[the move towards a trilogy is] strongly driven by the filmmakers’ desire to tell more of the story.”
I love it when movie legends listen to their fans. It makes me feel appreciated. I now have even more respect for the creative legend and his amazing team. This Christmas season just got a whole lot sweeter!
The first in the soon-to-be trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be hitting theatres on December 14th, with the second film, The Hobbit: Part 2. There and Back Again, scheduled for release a year later on December 13, 2013. The third film will probably follow a year later, sometime in 2014.
moviepilot.com

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Johnn Four has a new e-book available for free.

Hola!
I have a few admin items to take care of with you, including announcing a new ebook I whipped up last week you can get right now.

Download 7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing
Display images to see this pic
I just released a short ebook titled "7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing" and it's free to you as a Roleplaying Tips subscriber.
It consists of a few articles from the archives updated and expanded for your GMing reference:
  • How to Improve Your Voice
  • Game Master as Public Speaker
  • Top 5 Ways to More Compelling Encounters
  • 5 Tips to a Truly Evil Villain
  • 10 Ways to Surprise Your Players & Enjoy the Fun
  • 8 NPC Parley Tricks
  • 6 Devious Villain Tactics
I hope you find this advice useful.
Download the ebook now!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Gaming Paper Pirate Encyclopedia by Erik Bauer — Kickstarter

Pathfinder compatible sourcebook for players and GMs that reflects adventuring in a setting similar to the golden age of piracy
  • Launched:Jul. 25, 2012
  • Funding ends:Aug. 05, 2012
  • Don't want to forget? We'll remind you by email 48 hours before funding ends.
Welcome to adventure on the high seas! You are currently reading about Gaming Paper's first sourcebook, full of character options. Herein you will find a multitude of new feats,archetypes,spells,races,and equipment to more accurately reflect adventuring in a setting similar to the golden age of piracy on Earth, but with the fantasy twist common to Pathfinder games.
In Chapter1: Sirensand Saurins,players and gamemasters will meet new races such as the hekona,octopus-men with a penchant for exploration; the crocodilians, a newly-formed empire with expansion in mind; and the neirids, who inspired the legends of sea-nymphs. All three are presented as playable races, with two race-specific archetypes each.
Chapter 2: Heaving Sheets and Topping Bootsprovides players with the opportunity to peruse dozens of new character options for every character class, from alchemist to witch. Equipment, feats, spells, and archetypes not specific to races can be found here.
Intended for use by game masters,Chapter 3: Ten Fathoms Deep contains essays on the art of game mastery, with an eye towards how to meet and exceed player expectations for adventures with buried treasures and pirate curses. This chapter also includes some brief looks into the history and practices of cultures with strong sailing traditions. This section is intended to advise the gamemaster on how to make certain his adventures have an authentic feel for those with varying levels of familiarity with nautical fiction or history.
Please help us Kickstart this project!


Gaming Paper Pirate Encyclopedia by Erik Bauer — Kickstarter

Obsidian Apocalypse Campaign Templates for Pathfinder RPG by Louis Porter Jr. — Kickstarter

The Obsidian Apocalypse is a post-apocalyptic survival horror table top RPG template campaign setting for the Pathfinder RPG.
  • Launched:Jul. 23, 2012
  • Funding ends:Sep. 03, 2012
  • Don't want to forget? We'll remind you by email 48 hours before funding ends.
The Obsidian Apocalypse campaign setting is a post-apocalyptic survival horror table top RPG campaign setting for the Pathfinder RPG. Obsidian Apocalypse is an updated and re-visioning of the original Obsidian Twilight campaign setting release during the summer of 2013. The Obsidian Apocalypse will serve as the premiere setting templates for post-apocalyptic survival horror genre for Pathfinder. The reason that we are having this kickstarter project is to generate the funds we need to pay for the cost of printing this sourcebook and getting out to the premiere retail gaming stores.
The Obsidian Apocalypse is written by:
  • James ‘Grim’ Desborough (Obsidian Twilight)
  • Robert “Bob” E Drouin (Paizo RPG Superstar contestant)
  • Richard Pett (Pathfinder Adventure Path)
  • Owen K.C. Stephens (D20 Star Wars, Gamma World, The Wheel of Time)
  • Rich Redman (D20 Modern, Unearthed Arcana)
  • Plus many more…
This project is being overseen by Louis Porter Jr. who has been involved in the RPG industry for the last decade starting with the creation and development of Haven: City of Violence campaign setting, which is the only RPG to receive a movie option by Radical Comics owner, Barry Levine, before the game was released. Over the last decade, Louis Porter Jr. has release over 500 RPG related products in both the traditional brick and mortar retail store and the online PDF market.
Background:Since 2000, the d20 System gaming license and the Open Game License (OGL) have allowed publishers to share a common framework for creating roleplaying games using the System Reference Document (SRD), which contains the same core mechanics as those found in Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition. Under the OGL, third-party publishers use the SRD as the basis of many different games. Paizo Publishing expanded the concept of the OGL with their creation and development of the Pathfinder Resource Document (PRD) and in turn made a successful open gaming system.
Patronage and Funding:The fundraising goal we have for this project is $5,000 in a little under 40 days. (Starting July 28 thru September 3, 2012) We feel that amount will be enough to make the high level quality product that we have planned for Obsidian Apocalypse.
Process:To provide a starting framework of how this project will perform, I am drawing on my years of experience in the game design process, particularly the time spent developing, editing, and providing rules support for the over 500 RPG products I have done over the last decade. We will provide specific patrons with the ability to provide input and guidance on the Obsidian Apocalypse on what works, what doesn’t and (most importantly) what things we may not have yet thought of. Senior patrons will have particularly substantial influence, and we will experiment with different collaboration tools to find what works best for this project. Becoming a patron on this project is a great way to gain a design credit on the book, which in turn is a great way to gain experience and build a resume for those interested in pursuing a career in game publishing!

Obsidian Apocalypse Campaign Templates for Pathfinder RPG by Louis Porter Jr. — Kickstarter

Monday, July 23, 2012

Red Dwarf New Series

The Boys are Back!

The first trailer for the new series of Red Dwarf is out and by the looks of it the Boys from the Dwarf are on top form.
http://youtu.be/mQ7nAcn52Z0

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Cool pictures of Castle

Predjamski Castle built within a cave mouth in southwestern Slovenia.

First written records exist from 13th century, though the first part (left wing) was probably built in the first half of 12th century. Middle part was added in renaissance, and the right wing was build around 1570.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Egyptian gods and goddess I

AAH
Also known as AA, AH

A picture showing the legend of AAH taken from our Egyptian mythology archives. Illustration by Chas Saunders. Read the story below or search the index for more Egyptian Gods, Egyptian Goddesses, heroes, demons and monsters!

Old Moon God. A shadowy figure who appears to work behind the scenes pulling strings.

He's best pals with KHONSU, OSIRIS and THOTH, but seems strangely superior to them. Perhaps because he rules the 360-day moon calender which governs the year.


AAH is best known for gambling away five days of moonlight in a dice game. Because RA had laid a curse upon Sky Goddess NUT, she could not give birth to a child on any day of any year. So the sympathetic THOTH gambled with AAH and won five days worth of moonlight. (And as any cosmological person will know, moonlight is not measured in litres or kilograms, but hours and days.)

THOTH took this moonlight, divided it into five days and inserted it into the month of July. Because these extra days were not covered by RA's curse, NUT discovered she could give birth during that time.

So ISIS, OSIRIS, HORUS, SET and NEPHTHYS are all July babies. And the year has remained 365 days ever since.
 
 

AKEN

The Ferryman. He's the husband of AMENT, the Underworld hospitality Goddess, and carries the souls of the dead to her in his little papyrus boat.

He dresses in nautical fashion but spends most of his time sleeping at the wheel. Hobnobbing with the dead must have a slumberous effect.                
 
 
Whenever a soul comes along asking for passage, they have a terrible time trying to wake him up. It's depressing to realise that public transport is subject to delay even in the afterlife.
 
 

ANAT

War Goddess and love of SET.

She was imported from Mesopotamia where she had been associated with BAAL under the name of ANATH. She got herself into a spot of bother in stealing a sacred bowl which had to be sorted out by EL. So we presume she decided it was time to move on.
 
Egypt welcomed her as a warrior Goddess and she didn't waste much time in setting up a liasion with SET.
 
 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Six Word Story Challenge by Gentleman Gamer.

Can you tell an intriguing story with only six words? Accept the challenge from Gentleman Gamer.




<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d8eHo8RSDn0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>iframe>

Mythbusters' Adam Savage's incognito Comic-Con costumes -- PHOTOS


Mythbusters' Adam Savage's incognito Comic-Con costumes -- PHOTOS

Tags: News
Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose
shadow-knight
Image Credit: Rahoul Ghose
Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose
Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose
Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose
Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose
sdcc-rocketman
Image Credit: Rahoul Ghose

ENnies Voting Booth is now OPEN! Vote now!

ENnies Voting Booth is now OPEN! Vote now!


The voting booth for the 2012 Gen Con EN World RPG Awards is now OPEN. Voting runs from July 20-29, 2012! The 2012 ENnies ceremony will take place on Friday, August 17 at 8 p.m. in the Union Station Grand Hall at Gen Con Indy.

Before voting, please take the time to familiarize yourself with the products. The product titles link to their publisher's websites, allowing you to learn more about that product.

For most categories, you have five choices (with the the exceptions being 10 each for Fans' Favorite Publisher and Product of the Year). When you vote for products, rank them by selecting 1 for your first choice, 2 for your second choice, and so on. Ranking more than one product the same will result in an error. You do not have to, and are not expected to, place votes in every category!

If you don't like a product, don't vote for it. You cannot hurt a product's chances of winning by ranking it poorly. To the contrary, you'll help it out if the race goes down to the wire. This system is called an instant runoff.

In the end, we at the ENnies subscribe to the democratic principle of "one person, one vote." We ask that you not vote more than once (this includes voting on different devices (computers, smartphones, etc.)) and that you not ask others to do the same in order to "stuff the ballot box." As such, you will not be able to return to this ballot once you've submitted your selection.


There are TWO voting booths waiting for your votes. The first is the product awards votnig booth, and the second is the 2013 judge election booth.

TOURNAMENT OF DEATH 1 & 2 - Fantasy Novels by Steve Sullivan — Kickstarter

TOURNAMENT OF DEATH 1 & 2 - Fantasy Novels by Steve Sullivan — Kickstarter

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Yet More Roman gods and goddess III

ANGERONA

Hush-hush Goddess of Secrecy.
She knows how to keep her mouth shut — she wears a gag. Not even the Mafia could get her to reveal the secret name of Rome, which could cause the downfall of that city. After all Rome wasn't built in a day — it just looks like that.
We imagine that in modern times ANGERONA may have turned her expertise to espionage. She would probably also be a very good Goddess for P.I.N. number protection and securing passwords.

ANGITA

Goddess of Healing and Witchcraft.
Her specialty is snakebites, although you could try her incantations to get rid of snakes in the first place.

ANI

Two-faced God of Change.
Like JANUS, he has two faces to peer into the recent past and the near futu

ANNA-PERENNA

Goddess of the New Year — Old Year — Any Old Year.
You can also drink her health at her Spring Celebrations on the 15th March.

Slashdot's Rob Rozeboom Interviews D&D Designer Mike Mearls (video) - Slashdot

Mike Mearls is the Senior Manager for the Dungeons and Dragons Design Team. He's been with D&D publishers Wizards of the Coast (a subsidiary of Hasbro) since 2005, Before that he was a free-lance game writer and designer. In this conversation with Slashdot editor Rob "samzenpus" Rozeboom, he talks about changes in the latest version of D&D and how the company interacts with players. (We'll have some more chat with Mike next week, different wizard time, same wizard channel, so stay tuned.)



Slashdot's Rob Rozeboom Interviews D&D Designer Mike Mearls (video) - Slashdot

Gen Con Update

Gen Con Indy 2012: No Game Left Behind

Are You Ready for Gen Con?

Less than one month remains until the Best Four Days in Gaming™!

The Gen Con team is ready for the show; are you?

2012 Badges are still available with Will Call Pick-up here, under the “Attend” heading. You also may continue to sign-up for events and purchase event tickets. If you missed the prior weeks’ announcements, you can find out about this year’s Media Guests of Honor Wil Wheaton, Kristin Bauer, and Nichelle Nichols by clicking on their names.

According to Wil Wheaton, "I had such a great time at Gen Con in 2010 -- also known as 'The Year Wil Slayed The Dragon With One Shot’ In True Dungeon -- I can't wait to go back this year."

There is still time to get your badge and be a part of the show!

This Week's Updates Are:


Gen Con Indy 2012 Coupon Book

Did you know that each year Gen Con produces a show-specific Coupon Book featuring deals and special offers for attendees? Yes, that’s right; you may be missing out on discounts and freebies, if you are not looking at the coupon book. Gen Con will distribute coupon books via on-site kiosks where you may pick up your own personal, free copy.

Why not get yourself some free loot and pay less for gaming purchases?

This year’s book includes deals from companies including:

Arcane WondersGaming Etc.Paizo Publishing
ArtemisGreater Than GamesPalladium Books, Inc
Cool Mini or NotHaywire GroupThe Spoils
Cool Stuff, IncKonamiTalicor
Cryptozoic EntertainmentMaps of MasteryThornhenge
Crystal CasteMayfair GamesWiggity Bang Games
Flying Frog ProductionsMoosetache GamesWyrd Miniatures
Games WorkshopOffworld Designs

Gen Con Indy 2012 will present the first opportunity for players to sample the game, which will release in the US market to Target stores in September 2012. Mayfair also plans to release hobby store exclusive products for Star Trek: Catan™.


Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game

This year at Gen Con Indy, Fantasy Flight Games Organized Play for X-Wing™ gets started with the inaugural Star Wars: X-Wing tournament!

In X-Wing, the miniatures game of tactical space combat, powerful Rebel X-wings collide with nimble Imperial TIE fighters. Whether you field rookie pilots or legends like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, the detailed miniatures and intuitive gameplay will immerse you in the game’s cinematic space dogfights. The epic space battles of X-Wing are designed to be every bit as dramatic and action-packed as those from the classic Star Wars trilogy, and the action is magnified when you play X-Wing as part of the game’s worldwide Organized Play community!

The game’s Core Set and first four expansions will be available from the moment Gen Con Indy kicks off until they sell out. You can pick up your copy of the Core Set at the Fantasy Flight Games booth in the exhibition hall, and you can further bolster your squadron with additional pilots and starfighters from the X-Wing™ Expansion Pack, TIE Fighter™ Expansion Pack, Y-Wing™ Expansion Pack, and TIE Advanced™ Expansion Pack.

Then, Friday morning, Gen Con Indy 2012 attendees can participate in the world’s first X-Wing tournament. Registration for the event begins at 10 am, and the action kicks into high gear by 11 am.

X-Wingis ready to jump to hyperspace at Gen Con Indy. May the Force be with you™!


Rowboat Tournament with $500 in Troll and Toad Gift Vouchers

Moosetache Games will host the second annual Rowboat Tournament, August 17-18, at Gen Con Indy 2012 with $500 in prizes awarded to the top three tournament winners! In addition to earning bragging rights, finalists will receive a TrollandToad.com gift voucher that’s sure to put a smile on the face of any gamer!
  • 1st place = $300 value
  • 2nd place = $150 value
  • 3rd place = $50 value
Rowboat is the bidding, trick-taking card game where trump changes throughout the hand! Players navigate their way through a varying spread of cards called “The Tide”. Rowboat is a game of precision, where trying to make your bid provides for a high level of drama and excitement! If you like classic card games like Spades or Euchre, then you will love Rowboat!

It’s still not too late to get in on the fun. Currently 10 spots are still available! To reserve a free seat, log into the Gen Con online event system and select a ticket for the Friday 9 pm tourney slot (CGM1233794). The Tournament format is 1v1 single round elimination and seating is limited to 32 total players (only one entry per person). To get on the email wait list, please contact rowboat@moosetachegames.com.

Don’t own a copy of Rowboat? Visit Troll and Toad and pick up a copy at the show!

To stay connected, go to these Facebook and Twitter links.



Important Group Housing Deadlines

The deadline for making new hotel room reservations in the Gen Con block is 5 PM EST, Monday July 23. You can make reservations online by visiting the group housing website, by calling the ICVA housing hotline at 317-262-8191, or by emailing requests to housing@visitindy.com. The group block is largely sold out at this time, but the housing bureau will continue servicing Wait List requests as cancellations occur until the cut-off time, after which new requests cannot be accepted.

Cancellations and other changes to existing reservations can be made through the housing bureau until 5 PM EST, Monday August 6. If you need to cancel an existing reservation, please do so at your earliest opportunity in order to make your room available to fellow convention-goers in need of lodging. Thank you for your attention and support!




Event Spotlight

Indie Games Explosion

No planned events or pre-registered games for Gen Con? No problem!

Come to Indie Games Explosion and play exciting and unique independently-produced tabletop role playing games, without having to sign-up before the event.

Bring your event tickets and get a taste of cutting-edge small press games like Fiasco, Monsterhearts, Dungeon World, Apocalypse World, 13th Age, Cthulhu Dark, Mouse Guard, Trail of Cthulhu, Bulldogs!, Swords Without Master, Lady Blackbird, Dread, and many more. Curious about indie RPGs? Drop in and they will find a game for you!

No experience is necessary: our friendly GMs teach all the rules! And they love your previously unused generic tickets! Find the Indie Games Explosion at Room 238 and check out the general schedule online.

Bemani Invasion - Arcade Rhythm Games

Love Rhythm Games? Play all of your favorites along with many games you may never see again in North America! Stop into the Nexus Gamin(g)?[SE1] Alliance & Bemani Invasion’s Arcade Room to play games such as Dance Dance Revolution X2, Technika 3, Taiko no Tatsujin, Beatmania IIDX Lince, Pop’n Music Fantasia, and many more!

Want to prove you are the best? Sign-up for the Dance Dance Revolution tournament (EGM1238376)!

You can get 4-hour or 8-hour passes for $8 (EGM1238739) or $12 (EGM1238743), respectively. Want to play all day? Buy a day pass for $20 (Thursday EGM1238746, Friday EGM1238747, or Saturday EGM1238748) – and play all the arcade dance games you want!

And don’t forget to check out the other video game events in the eGames Arena this year!

First Exposure Playtest Hall

Do you want to try new games before anyone else? How about even before they reach stores?

As announced last week, Gen Con is pleased to debut a new gaming area in 2012 - the First Exposure Playtest Hall. Attendees can sample new games and speak with their creators
throughout the entire convention weekend. The First Exposure Playtest Hall will reside in Sagamore Ballrooms 6 and 7.

Players who are interested in trying out new game concepts should add playtest event tickets to their schedule, like a standard event. Onsite, players will receive information regarding the games they will playtest.

Authors, designers, and publishers interested in presenting their prototypes for playtesting should fill out an application form and read through the area’s full policies and instructions.

Cards vs Zombies

ATTENTION: Zombies have infiltrated Gen Con. They want your brains and will stop at nothing to get them. If you want to survive, head to the Cards vs Zombies Headquarters immediately.

Cards vs Zombies is a game, designed specifically for Gen Con, from the creators of the hit Humans vs. Zombies game. At their HQ, you may claim your armband and join fellow humans as you try to survive against a growing zombie horde that slowly threatens to take over the convention. These headband-wearing undead will attempt to tag and turn humans into their undead brethren. To survive, you will need to arm yourself with Dart Cards at the Cards vs Zombies HQ and band together to outlast the undead. Trust no one; even your closest friends can become zombies.

You can play this game the entire weekend, dodging zombies and battling with cards between other scheduled events.

ZED1238466 – Cards vs. Zombies

D&D Next next survey

WotC has just sent out details for another official playtest survey; this one dealing with wizards and clerics.
We hope you have been enjoying the materials we have provided so far in the Dungeons & Dragons® Next playtest. At this stage in the process, we are eager to hear your thoughts on which spells are essential to D&D wizards and clerics.

Please click the link below to complete the second D&D playtest survey, administered by SurveyGizmo. The survey begins on July 18, 2012, and you can provide your feedback anytime thereafter, until the playtest officially ends. The D&D team will review the results and use the feedback to help inform our efforts.

Give Your Feedback


Please don't close your browser before finishing the survey, as you won't be able to get back in to complete it.

We also have a host of activities at Gen Con 2012 related to the D&D Next playtest, which you may be interested in. Even if you aren’t attending the convention, our keynote address and seminars will be made available after the show on our web site. For information on our Gen Con activities, visit DungeonsandDragons.com/events.

Thanks in advance for your participation. We're excited to hear from you!

-The D&D Team

Monday, July 16, 2012

Game of Thrones for Math Nerds





1066 the Battle for Middle Earth

Found this thanks to medievalists.net it is interesting to find the root words that had made it into Lord of the Rings from middle English. (part 1 of 2)


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PnC6l6_TaMA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>iframe>

Help Gaming Grounds Clean Up Stinaff Street! -- Indiegogo

Help Gaming Grounds Clean Up Stinaff Street! -- Indiegogo

A FLGS using crowd funding for community renewal.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Game of Thrones Impressions.

Very funny at the end.





Yet More Roman gods and goddess

BELLIFLUFICUS

The God of Belly Button Fluff.

Just to prove you can take almost any Latin-sounding word and find it's a God.

This is obviously absurd, but the Romans had to have a deity for everything so why not? It was always worth taking a chance — the consequences might be terrible if a God was missed out by mistake.

BELLONA

Goddess of War. The tough helmeted Sabine cookie who drives the chariot of MARS.
She also drives a mean spear in the thick of battle. In fact she's a bloodthirsty warrior who loves to rampage on the battlefield.
Rumors abound that under the helmet she may be the sister or wife of MARS. No-one seems very sure. Under the Greeks she was known as ENYO and was just as vicious.

 

CARNA
Also known as CARDEA

Goddess of Door Hinges.
She's one strange nymph (see NYMPHS(2) ) who submitted to sexual advance by JANUS in return for power over door hinges.

She seems keen on the well-being of mortals, especially small children and is particularly fond of being offered bacon and beans.

What does she do to earn her breakfast? She keeps STRIGES out. No, we are not becoming mentally unhinged. Check them out
 
 

STRIGES

Nasty bogey women with vulture clawed feet who come to suck the blood of children in the night.

Now we know why CARNA became Goddess of hinges. It was her job to keep these things out. A creaking hinge is a dead giveaway.

 

Friday, July 13, 2012

Walking Dead Season 3 trailer

Walking dead season 3 full trailer.

http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"> name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" />http://admin.brightcove.com" />http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1733894322001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amctv.com%2Fthe-walking-dead%2Fvideos%2Fseason-3-comic-con-trailer-the-walking-dead&playerID=83327935001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAAuyCbQ~,-gfAmfm8njJ8S-9E4q2UfzG931rvkxuP&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="456" height="388" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">>

The 2012 ENnie Award Nominations


The 2012 ENnie Award nominations
Thanks to the ENnie Award website for the list.
Best Adventure

Best Aid/Accessory

Best Art, Cover
Best Art, Interior
Best Blog

Best Cartography
Best Electronic Book
Best Free Product
Best Game

Best Miniatures Product

Best Monster/Adversary

Best Podcast

Best Production Values
T
Best RPG Related Product

Best Rules

Best Setting

Best Supplement
Best Website

Best Writing

Product of the Year