ENnies Voting Booth is now OPEN! Vote now!

ENnies Voting Booth is now OPEN! Vote now!

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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.

• Product Voting Booth
• 2013 Judges Election

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

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

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

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 Star Wars: X-Wing™ Miniatures Game Rowboat Tournament with $500 in Troll and Toad Gift Vouchers Important Group Housing Deadlines Event Spotlight Updates 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 Wonders Gaming Etc. Paizo Publishing Artemis Greater Than Games Palladium Books, Inc Cool Mini or Not Haywire Group The Spoils Cool Stuff, Inc Konami Talicor Cryptozoic Entertainment Maps of Mastery Thornhenge Crystal Caste Mayfair Games Wiggity Bang Games Flying Frog Productions Moosetache Games Wyrd Miniatures Games Workshop Offworld 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

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.

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.

 

Walking Dead Season 3 trailer

Walking dead season 3 full trailer.

The 2012 ENnie Award Nominations

The 2012 ENnie Award nominations

Thanks to the ENnie Award website for the list.

Best Adventure

• Dead Rock Seven (Pelgrane Press)
• Invasive Procedures (Pelgrane Press)
• Madness at Gardmore Abbey (Wizards of the Coast)
• Streets of Zobeck (Open Design)
• The Rending Box (Pelgrane Press)

Best Aid/Accessory

• DungeonMorph Cards (Inkwell Ideas, Inc.)
• GameMastery Chase Cards (Paizo Publishing)
• Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any RPG (Engine Publishing)
• Mutants and Masterminds GM’s Kit (Green Ronin)
• Shadowrun Runner’s Toolkit (Catalyst Game Labs)

Best Art, Cover

• Black Crusade: Core Rulebook (Fantasy Flight Games)
• Cthulhu by Gaslight (Chaosium Inc.)
• Mutants and Masterminds Gamemaster’s Guide (Green Ronin)
• Neverwinter Campaign Setting (Wizards of the Coast)
• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box (Paizo)

Best Art, Interior

• Book of Drakes (Open Design)
• Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple (Evil Hat Productions)
• Dragon Age: Set 2 (Green Ronin)
• Legend of the Five Rings, Fourth Edition: The Great Clans (Alderac Entertainment Group)
• The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild (Cubicle 7)

Best Blog

• Campaign Mastery
• Gaming as Women
• Gnome Stew
• Roving Band of Misfits
• Sly Flourish

Best Cartography

• Harker Asylum - Virtual Boxed Set (0One Games)
• Madness at Gardmore Abbey (Wizards of the Coast)
• Mass Transit III (Maps of Mastery)
• Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Jade Regent Map Folio (Paizo)
• The Shadowlands Conversion Guide (BlackStar Studios)

Best Electronic Book

• Advanced Encounters: Terrain Toolbox (Sneak Attack Press)
• Cthulhu Apocalypse: The Apocalypse Machine (Graham Walmsley & Pelgrane Press)
• GURPS Social Engineering (Steve Jackson Games)
• Spookybeans: The Gothic Comics RPG (Chapter 13 Press)
• Way of the Wicked Book One: Knot of Thorns (Fire Mountain Games)

Best Free Product

• Black Crusade: Broken Chains (Fantasy Flight Games)
• Dragon Age Quickstart Guide (Green Ronin)
• The One Ring: Words of the Wise (Cubicle 7)
• The Shadowlands Conversion Guide (BlackStar Studios)
• Pathfinder Module: We Be Goblins! (Paizo)

Best Game

• Cosmic Patrol Core Rulebook (Catalyst Game Labs)
• Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple (Evil Hat Productions)
• Hollowpoint (VSCA Publishing)
• Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game (Margaret Weis Productions)
• Savage Worlds Deluxe (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)

Best Miniatures Product

• Dungeons and Dragons Dragon Collector’s Set (Wizards of the Coast)
• Monster Medallions Set 1: Deadly Encounter Groups (Fiery Dragon Productions)
• Pathfinder Battles: Heroes and Monsters (Paizo)
• Serene Fist Set Four: Katana Schoolgirls vs. Zombie Furries (Okumarts Games)
• Steam Tower (Mayhem in Paper)

Best Monster/Adversary

• DC Adventures: Heroes & Villains, Vol. 1 (Green Ronin)
• Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos (Fantasy Flight Games)
• Hacklopedia of Beasts (Kenzer and Co.)
• Hunter Sheets Issue Two—An SLA Industries Supplement (Nightfall Games)
• Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale (Wizards of the Coast)

Best Podcast

• Haste – The Official Obsidian Portal Podcast
• Iron GM
• Jennisodes
• Law of the Geek
• Role Playing Public Radio

Best Production Values

• Hacklopedia of Beasts (Kenzer & Co.)
• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box (Paizo)
• Smallville High School Yearbook (Margaret Weis Productions)
• The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild (Cubicle 7)
• Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition (CCP Games/White Wolf Publishing)

T

Best RPG Related Product

• Carnival Arcane (Midnight Syndicate Soundtracks)
• Complete Kobold Guide to Game Design (Open Design)
• Cthulhu Wrapping Paper (Gaming Paper)
• Lords of Waterdeep (Wizards of the Coast)
• Tales of the Far West (Adamant Entertainment)

Best Rules

• Bulldogs! (Galileo Games)
• Hollowpoint (VSCA Publishing)
• Lorefinder—The Pathfinder / GUMSHOE Mashup (Pelgrane Press)
• Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game (Margaret Weis Productions)
• Spellbound Kingdoms (T. Shield Studios)

Best Setting

• Ashen Stars (Pelgrane Press)
• Cthulhu Apocalypse: The Apocalypse Machine (Graham Walmsley & Pelgrane Press)
• Cthulhu Britannica: Shadows Over Scotland (Cubicle 7)
• The Investigator’s Guide to Occult London (Pelgrane Press)
• Unhallowed Metropolis, Revised (Atomic Overmind Press)

Best Supplement

• Agents of Oblivion (Reality Blurs)
• Cthulhu by Gaslight (Chaosium Inc.)
• Dungeons and Dragons Player’s Options: Heroes of the Feywild (Wizards of the Coast)
• GURPS Horror, Fourth Edition (Steve Jackson Games)
• Star Hero (Hero Games)

Best Website

• D&D Insider
• Obsidian Portal
• Pathfinder Wiki
• See Page XX – The Pelgrane Press Webzine
• RPG Geek

Best Writing

• GURPS Horror, Fourth Edition (Steve Jackson Games)
• Panopticon (Posthuman Studios)
• Stealing Cthulhu (Graham Walmsley)
• The Investigator’s Guide to Occult London (Pelgrane Press)
• Your Whispering Homonculous (Open Design)

Product of the Year

• Cthulhu Britannica: Shadows Over Scotland (Cubicle 7)
• GURPS Horror, Fourth Edition (Steve Jackson Games)
• Hacklopedia of Beasts (Kenzer and Co.)
• Hollowpoint (VSCA Publishing)
• Madness at Gardmore Abbey (Wizards of the Coast)
• Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game (Margaret Weis Productions)
• Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any RPG (Engine Publishing)
• Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box (Paizo)
• Star Hero (Hero Games)
• Stealing Cthulhu (Graham Walmsley)

Lesser known Roman gods and goddess II

VEIVE

God of Revenge.

He wears a laurel wreath, has arrows and keeps a goat. What kind of revenge can one wreak with these items? Something very bizarre and baffling we imagine.

We would be interested to find out more. Has your life been made a misery by a combination of these objects? If so let us know.

VOLTURNUS

We don't know quite where to turn, but possibly an Etruscan River God.

 

 

TERMINUS

Protective God Of Boundaries

Big block of stone. Put a bust of this God's head on top looking stern. Place on any appropriate boundary. Sorted. No need for barbed wire. No need for security cameras.

 

Lesser Known Roman gods and goddess

VOLUPTAS

Also known as VOLUPTA, PLEASURE

Goddess of Pleasure and Bliss.

Being the daughter of CUPID and PSYCHE, you'll understand the kind of pleasure and bliss we're talking about.She keeps a strangely low profile for a Goddess with such promise.

If VENUS is booked up or you feel like an alternative this is the one. The personification of pleasure in all forms.

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GODVERTISEMENT

Dungeon Bastard to publish books under Fat Dragon Games

Fat Dragon Games has announced a partnership with Epic Level Entertainment, LLC., creators of the wildly popular Bill Cavalier/Dungeon Bastard online video series that will bring Bill's unique perspective on RPGs to your gaming table. Products will include RPG books and tabletop game aids, with the first releases coming in early 2013.

The first book, The Dungeon Bastard’s Guide to Traps, will be a one stop resource for diabolical deadfalls, poisonous puzzles, cruel camouflage, and more laughs than you can stuff in a Type 3 Bag of Holding. Your players will punch you in the face – that is, if they can stop crying on their character sheets.

Gen Con Beer named.

Official Beer to Be an "Ale of Destiny"

With more than 1400 submissions, the race to select a name for Sun King Brewing Company’s official beer for Gen Con Indy 2012 came down to an extremely close race. Perhaps it was fate, as the 2012 beer will be known as the “Ale of Destiny.” Name creator Christopher Rodgers earned himself a complimentary four-day promo pass to the Best Four Days in Gaming™. Nice work, Christopher!
 
For those ages 21 or over, to imbibe the “Ale of Destiny” you can try it first at Sun King’s official tapping party at 6 p.m. on August 15 at the High Velocity Sports Bar at the JW Marriott. There will be no cover charge or event ticketing to this event, but due to expected popularity, it is recommended that you arrive early (and thirsty). Proper identification is required to attend.

Video: Secrets of TSR at PaizoCon 2012 / Kobold Quarterly

Kobold-in-Chief Wolfgang Baur joined fellow TSR veterans Jeff Grubb, Pierce Watters, Rob Lazzaretti, Dave Gross and Stan! at PaizoCon last weekend. Over the course of an hour they shared fond memories and embarrassing mishaps. Check it out!





Video: Secrets of TSR at PaizoCon 2012 / Kobold Quarterly

Video: Secrets of TSR at PaizoCon 2012 / Kobold Quarterly

Kobold-in-Chief Wolfgang Baur joined fellow TSR veterans Jeff Grubb, Pierce Watters, Rob Lazzaretti, Dave Gross and Stan! at PaizoCon last weekend. Over the course of an hour they shared fond memories and embarrassing mishaps. Check it out!





Video: Secrets of TSR at PaizoCon 2012 / Kobold Quarterly

Video of full plate mobility test

AShort video showing tactics and full range of movement in a person who is fully armored.


Le combat en armure, Daniel Jaquet - YouTube

Oar walking, underwater wrestling and horse fighting – historian examines the sports and games of the Vikings

When not pillaging nothing like a good oar walk to pass the time.

Oar walking, underwater wrestling and horse fighting – historian examines the sports and games of the Vikings

Shadows of Esteren: A Medieval Horror RPG by Jim Searcy — Kickstarter

Shadows of Esteren: A Medieval Horror RPG by Jim Searcy — Kickstarter

I'm Board! Games owner Bryan Winter sees demand for offline entertainment#.T_W-uBIzmc8.twitter

I'm Board! Games owner Bryan Winter sees demand for offline entertainment#.T_W-uBIzmc8.twitter

RetroRoleplaying: The Blog: Help a Former TSR Editor Keep Her House! Update and Part 2

RetroRoleplaying: The Blog: Help a Former TSR Editor Keep Her House! Update and Part 2

Notes from the Chapel Perilous | Monte Cook

Notes from the Chapel Perilous | Monte Cook
New website and blog entry from Monte.

stories from Mike Mornard’s game table « Blog of Holding

stories from Mike Mornard’s game table « Blog of Holding

Z World Detroit -- Indiegogo

Z World Detroit -- Indiegogo

Hobbit Ponderings

Hobbit Ponderings  
http://youtu.be/ME5urFBf0kk

New magic item l

Ring of the Huntsman  This gold and ivory ring is carved with what appears to to be a hunting pack of some sort of dog/wolves chasing a deer. A closer look reveals  that the ivory is used for the fangs and claws of the beasts. Their eyes appear to twinkle with small rubies that are random number of 1d10. The ring allows the wearer to control all canines and lupines within 60 feet for 1 hour per rubied eye on the ring. after using the charge one ruby disappears from the ring.
     The true insidious nature of the ring is when the final ruby disappears the ring claps onto the finger of the wearer and causes all canine and lupines in the area will attack the wearer above all others. The ring is attached for1d8 days. If the wear hides indoors during this time the building will
become surrounded by 1d% of dogs and wolves. Howling from the pack causes the loss of 1d6 wisdom and 1d4 constitution to the wearer. After the ring falls off the disappears over 4 hours.
    For the truly evil curse the wearer is turned into a stag for 1d10 hours with 1d20 hounds attempting to bring the stag down. The wearer retains hit points and its intelligence. All items fall away from wearer of of the ring except the ring which is absorbed into the stags body. If the wearer survives the hunt they are rewarded with an equal number of rubies for each member of the hunting pack.

The Drain Chamber

The badass art of Doug Kovacs.


The Drain Chamber

Three Rivers Game Convention Fort Wayne

Three Rivers Game Convention

From Treasure Island to The Hobbit .

Because all great adventures from Treasure Island to The Hobbit  begins with  with a map.


Terry Jones' Great Map Mystery: Episode One - YouTube

Kickstarter and Indiegogo game projects.

Companions of the Firmament - Pathfinder RPG Compatible by Geek Industrial Complex, LLC — Kickstarter




WAR! Gamer

Ego Check: Monte Cook, Game Designer & Author | The Id DM

Great inter view with Monte Cook by the Id DM.


Ego Check: Monte Cook, Game Designer & Author | The Id DM

Roll20 Trailer

Just started open beta one of Johnn Fours hidden gems this Friday.

RPG Kickstarters

New listings for weekending  06-17-12


RPG Kickstarters

Early printed book contains rare evidence of medieval spectacles

Looks ver simular to those seen in the Name of the Rose.


Early printed book contains rare evidence of medieval spectacles | Cultural Compass

The Dragon Lord Van by Ed Beard JR

What some people can do with 900 hours of thier time.

RPG New RPG Company Casting All Women for Genesys

New RPG Company Casting All Women for Genesys‏




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I'm mildly disturbed by this news item, but here it is for completeness' sake. There's a new RPG company that is in their words - "revolutionizing the gaming industry", by photographing "hot gamer chicks" beginning with their new game Genesys. Fables Streams is launching their new game later this summer, but in the meantime, they are "casting real gamer chicks to portray the nine main characters in the game".



They are hosting a casting/launch party in Miami this weekend at Q Lounge Miami, where "hundreds of gorgeous women who love gaming will come out for their chance to be 1 of the 9 Fates in the new RPG Genesys".



I have pasted the "MEDIA ALERT!" below (complete with breathlessly excitable "MEDIA ALERT!" headings), and attached the .docx press release to this post. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but it whiffs of gender-based exploitation to me and doesn't - in my eyes - qualify as "revolutionizing the game industry" so much as "using cliched cheap sexist gimmicks in the game industry that we should have moved away from by now".



Hopefully, I'm just misunderstanding it - I'm all for promoting women in the industry, and I feel that they are woefully underserved in our hobby, but I feel lines like "There's nothing sexier than a hot gamer chick who knows how to throw it down and keep up with the boys" is language we need to avoid if we actually want our industry to actually represent a diversity of people, and find it hard to see sexism as "revolutionizing".



I'd be very interested in hearing the opinions of our female membership on this issue. Please be warned that, as this is no doubt a sensitive issue, EN World's moderators will be keeping a close eye on this thread; we do not tolerate sexism on our website.



Their website is here.

*** MEDIA ALERT *** MEDIA ALERT *** MEDIA ALERT *** MEDIA ALERT ***



MIAMI, FIRST CITY TO HOST CASTING EVENT FOR RPG COMPANY FABLE STREAMS NATIONWIDE SEARCH



Live Casting Party to Take Place at Q Lounge on Saturday, June 16th



There's nothing sexier than a hot gamer chick who knows how to throw it down and keep up with the boys, which is why the new Role Playing Game company, Fable Streams is searching the country to find nine vivacious women to portray the nine lead characters in their new Role Playing Game (RPG), Genesys. The search for �1 of the 9� will begin in the sexiest city on the planet, Miami, Florida at South Beach�s hottest new lounge, Q Lounge on Saturday, June 16.



The night will begin at 11 p.m. with international sensation Pirate Stereo working the turntables, spinning the hottest beats in Electronic Dance Music (EDM) while female revelers indulge in complimentary vodka cocktails, schmooze with fellow gamers, and prepare for their chance to become 1 of the 9."



The night will serve as an official casting party while simultaneously functioning as a ladies night at the new fabulous bar and lounge. Women will enter free and receive complimentary cocktails until 1 a.m. As the ladies enter the official 1 of the 9 Casting Party, they will be given a registration number and information on the characters they will potentially portray.



Throughout the night revelers will get a preview of the characters and the story of Genesys, as images of the Nine flash across the projection screens.



By the end of the night, Fable Streams will announce the Miami finalists for the national 1 of the 9 Casting Competition. (See end of alert for 1 of the 9 prize information.)



WHEN:



CASTING PARTY

Saturday, June 16th

Casting: 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Party: 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.



WHERE:



Q Lounge

841 Washington Ave.

Miami Beach, FL 33139

www.qloungemiami.com



CONTACT:



Thomas Barker

305.509.2700

Thomas@tebentertainment.com



ABOUT:



For more information on the 1 of the 9 Casting Competition visit www.1ofthe9.com and for more information on Fable Streams visit www.fablestreams.com.







Winners of the competition will receive the following:

A one (1) year contract with Fable Streams as a Fate

Travel the country with all expenses paid to make paid appearances

Receive paid training to serve as an official spokes model for Fable Streams

Receive a free styling session by professional stylists

Embark on and lead quests at events such as Gen Con, Dragon Con and Fable Streams VIP Launch events

An opportunity to connect with fans and through their own Facebook page and Twitter feed, as well as in person at various events

Receive exposure and coverage in magazines, TV interviews, national publications, websites, blogs, YouTube channels, and the FS website

An opportunity to make co-appearances with major brands.


RPG New RPG Company Casting All Women for Genesys‏ - EN World: Your Daily RPG Magazine

Thanks Morrus for the warning eh I mean update.

Pelgrane Press Ltd » 13th Age Escalation Edition

Available for pre-order.


Pelgrane Press Ltd » Blog Archive » 13th Age Escalation Edition

HISTORICON 2012 PSA

Great show use to enjoy going, wonderful just to see the varity and scale of minitures from HMGS. Thanks to Mr Nizz from Third Point of Singularityfor the PSA.

The Chapel Perilous - Language of Game Design

The Chapel Perilous - Language of Game Design

Kickstarter failures revealed! What can you learn from Kickstarter failures? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Appsblogger.com

Kickstarter failures revealed! What can you learn from Kickstarter failures? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Appsblogger.com

Controlling for goal and reward levels, and compared to a baseline of Art projects, categories have the following effects:


Comics is only 70% as likely to be funded.

Dance is 2.18 times as likely to be funded.

Fashion projects are only 40% as likely.

Film is 7% more likely to be funded.

Games projects are only 62% as likely to be funded.

Music is 1.36 more likely.

Photography is 70% as likely.

Publishing is only half as likely.

Theater is twice as likely.



The number of reward levels increases the chance of being funded up to a point, and then decreases the chance.

New Survey North Coastgamers Origins 2012

New Survey



1. Overall, how would you rate the attendance at Origins this year?



 1. Much lower than previous years



2. A little lower than previous years



3. About the same as last year



4. A little higher than last year



5. Much higher than last year









2. What comments do you have about the attendance?







What comments do you have about the attendance?







3. Overall, how would you rank the diversity of games available?











Overall, how would you rank the diversity of games available? 1. I was very disappointed at the diversity of games



2. I was expecting more diversity



3. The diversity of games was about right for a convention this size



4. I was happy to see the amount of diversity



5. I thought the diversity of games was great!









4. Please provide some additional thoughts about the diversity of games available at Origins this year





Please provide some additional thoughts about the diversity of games available at Origins this year







5. Overall, how would you rate the vendors at Origins this year?











Overall, how would you rate the vendors at Origins this year? 1. I was very disappointed in the number and quality of vendors this year



2. I was somewhat disappointed in the number and quality of vendors this year



3. I thought the number and quality of vendors this year was OK



4. I was happy to see the number and quality of vendors this year



5. I was really impressed with the number and quality of vendors this year









6. What other comments do you have about the vendors at Origins this year?





What other comments do you have about the vendors at Origins this year?







7. Overall, how would you rate the organization of Origins this year?











Overall, how would you rate the organization of Origins this year? 1. I was very disappointed



2. I was somewhat disappointed



3. It was OK



4. I was pleased



5. I was very pleased









8. What other comments do you have about the organization of Origins this year?





What other comments do you have about the organization of Origins this year?









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The History Blog » Blog Archive » Beau St. Hoard is older, more varied than expected

Bags of gold found in a chest. Some so old they are almost worn smooth from daily use. Number of coins range from 22,000 to 30,000



The History Blog » Blog Archive » Beau St. Hoard is older, more varied than expected

Monster Design in D&D Next

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Monster Design in D&D Next)

Geek & Sundry - New Community Manager Checking In!

Wil Wheaton's web series Tabletop featured an interview with Steve Jackson in the latest episode. The episode itself also featured Felicia Day and and Sandeep Parikh and looked at Jackson's card game, Munchkin. The show mainly deals with board games, but the occasional RPG mentions pop up from time to time, like now. You can find out more about Tabletop over at Felicia Day's GeekandSundry.




Geek & Sundry - New Community Manager Checking In!

Dungeon World: A Game with Modern Rules & Old-School Style by Sage Kobold Productions — Kickstarter

Dungeon World: A Game with Modern Rules & Old-School Style by Sage Kobold Productions — Kickstarter

Using Hero's Journey to design for D&D Next (part 1)

the hero's journey : summary of the steps
This page summarizes the brief explanations from every step of the Hero's Journey.


Departure 


The Call to Adventure
The call to adventure is the point in a person's life when they are first given notice that everything is going to change, whether they know it or not.


Refusal of the Call
Often when the call is given, the future hero refuses to heed it. This may be from a sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, or any of a range of reasons that work to hold the person in his or her current circumstances.


Supernaturall Aid
Once the hero has committed to the quest, consciously or unconsciously, his or her guide and magical helper appears, or becomes known.

The Crossing of the First Threshold

This is the point where the person actually crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not known. 

The Belly of the Whale

The belly of the whale represents the final separation from the hero's known world and self. It is sometimes described as the person's lowest point, but it is actually the point when the person is between or transitioning between worlds and selves. The separation has been made, or is being made, or being fully recognized between the old world and old self and the potential for a new world/self. The experiences that will shape the new world and self will begin shortly, or may be beginning with this experience which is often symbolized by something dark, unknown and frightening. By entering this stage, the person shows their willingness to undergo a metamorphosis, to die to him or herself. 

Inititation 

The Road of Trials

The road of trials is a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the person fails one or more of these tests, which often occur in threes. 

The Meeting with the Goddess

The meeting with the goddess represents the point in the adventure when the person experiences a love that has the power and significance of the all-powerful, all encompassing, unconditional love that a fortunate infant may experience with his or her mother. It is also known as the "hieros gamos", or sacred marriage, the union of opposites, and may take place entirely within the person. In other words, the person begins to see him or herself in a non-dualistic way. This is a very important step in the process and is often represented by the person finding the other person that he or she loves most completely. Although Campbell symbolizes this step as a meeting with a goddess, unconditional love and /or self unification does not have to be represented by a woman. 

Woman as the Temptress

At one level, this step is about those temptations that may lead the hero to abandon or stray from his or her quest, which as with the Meeting with the Goddess does not necessarily have to be represented by a woman. For Campbell, however, this step is about the revulsion that the usually male hero may feel about his own fleshy/earthy nature, and the subsequent attachment or projection of that revulsion to women. Woman is a metaphor for the physical or material temptations of life, since the hero-knight was often tempted by lust from his spiritual journey. 

Atonement with the Father

In this step the person must confront and be initiated by whatever holds the ultimate power in his or her life. In many myths and stories this is the father, or a father figure who has life and death power. This is the center point of the journey. All the previous steps have been moving in to this place, all that follow will move out from it. Although this step is most frequently symbolized by an encounter with a male entity, it does not have to be a male; just someone or thing with incredible power. For the transformation to take place, the person as he or she has been must be "killed" so that the new self can come into being. Sometime this killing is literal, and the earthly journey for that character is either over or moves into a different realm. 

Apotheosis

To apotheosis is to deify. When someone dies a physical death, or dies to the self to live in spirit, he or she moves beyond the pairs of opposites to a state of divine knowledge, love, compassion and bliss. This is a god-like state; the person is in heaven and beyond all strife. A more mundane way of looking at this step is that it is a period of rest, peace and fulfillment before the hero begins the return. 

The Ultimate Boon

The ultimate boon is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, since in many myths the boon is something transcendent like the elixir of life itself, or a plant that supplies immortality, or the holy grail. 

Return 

Refusal of the Return

So why, when all has been achieved, the ambrosia has been drunk, and we have conversed with the gods, why come back to normal life with all its cares and woes? 

The Magic Flight

Sometimes the hero must escape with the boon, if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding. It can be just as adventurous and dangerous returning from the journey as it was to go on it. 

Rescue from Without

Just as the hero may need guides and assistants to set out on the quest, often times he or she must have powerful guides and rescuers to bring them back to everyday life, especially if the person has been wounded or weakened by the experience. Or perhaps the person doesn't realize that it is time to return, that they can return, or that others need their boon. 

The Crossing of the Return Threshold

The trick in returning is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that wisdom into a human life, and then maybe figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world. This is usually extremely difficult. 

Master of the Two Worlds

In myth, this step is usually represented by a transcendental hero like Jesus or Buddha. For a human hero, it may mean achieving a balance between the material and spiritual. The person has become comfortable and competent in both the inner and outer worlds. 

Freedom to Live

Mastery leads to freedom from the fear of death, which in turn is the freedom to live. This is sometimes referred to as living in the moment, neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past. 

Hero's Journey : Summary of Steps

City of Clocks Industrial Fantasy Systemless Setting Book by Battlefield Press, Inc. — Kickstarter

City of Clocks is a systemless setting product, written by RPG veteran James Knevitt and usable with the system of your choice, in which players can take the roles of scheming nobles, Faction partisans, powerful Incarna, or anything else the setting has to offer. City of Clocks details a rich history, eight Noble Houses, ten Factions, forty-eight districts, over a hundred unique locations, and dozens of characters.

City of Clocks Industrial Fantasy Systemless Setting Book by Battlefield Press, Inc. — Kickstarter