Robin D. Laws's Blog, page 61
August 9, 2013
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: A Tank Wearing a Truck Hat
In the latest episode of our electrifying podcast, Ken and I talk period Night's Black Agents, Jasper Maskelyne, Kickstarter doom and Nikolai Tesla.
August 8, 2013
Advertise on Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff
“Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff”, the Golden Geek-winning, five-star podcast I co-host with my boon colleague Kenneth Hite, is now opening up a few more advertising slots. This is your chance to join the fun and erudition, in the fine company of present sponsors Pelgrane Press, Profantasy Software, and Dork Tower.
If you’d like to advertise your game, company or other product or service to an eager audience of discerning listeners, download our rate sheet, with contact info, in handy PDF format.
August 7, 2013
Feel the Horror of the 2013 Gen Con Buzzword
Can the Gen Con buzzword competition survive in a world where former also-ran Kevin Kulp now reigns as defending champion? In 2012 his ruthless use of the term incubate won him the the crown he had so fiendishly slavered for, for so many years.
If this sounds like madness to you, a) it is and b) here’s the recap.
Each year at Gen Con, players of this cruel insider marathon attempt to drop a ridiculous and/or repellent piece of business jargon into conversation in as many contexts as possible. Straightfaced usages score full points. Visible irony warrants a deduction. For extra points, slip it into podcasts, ENnies acceptance speeches, or like circumstances in which an innocent public is subjected to the buzzword’s full horror. Super extra points are awarded for causing some other unfortunate soul to use the word as if it is a thing decent, sane people actually say.
Past buzzwords have included wheelhouse, idea farm, and the verb form of status.
This year we’re not letting you off so easy. The terrifying term of 2013 is eventize, a malformation of the English language in which one proposes to take something and make an event out of it.
Examples of use: “When this hits retail, we’re going to eventize the heck out of it.” “In 2013, it’s not enough to launch a Kickstarter. You have to eventize your Kickstarter.” “We’re working on a way to eventize our errata.” “Really, when you think about it, all gaming is a process of micro-scale democratized eventization.”
As suggested by the final example above, derivations of the term will be accepted. It goes without saying, rules lawyers, that the ordinary word event, unadorned and alone, earns you nada. It is a thing a decent person might say.
Report point-scoring activities to me for inclusion in the final tally, to be announced after the show. All judging decisions are final.
August 5, 2013
Hillfolk Signings at Gen Con
Hail, raiders of the Gen Con high country! To celebrate the launch of Hillfolk and its companion volume Blood on the Snow, we've arranged two signing events at the Pelgrane Press booth. We have so many contributors at the show that we're going to be splitting our signers into two bunches.
On Thurs Aug 15th at 3 pm swing by to grab autographs from such tentatively scheduled luminaries as Jennifer Brozek, Steve Dempsey, Dave Gross, Rob Heinsoo, Ryan Macklin, Michelle Nephew, Jeff Richard and illustrator Rachel A. Kahn.
Then come back on Sun Aug 18th at 11 am for the cuneiform stylings of Keith Baker, Emily Care Boss, Steven S. Long, TS Luikart, Andy Peregrine, Wade Rockett and Pedro Ziviani.
The Pelgrane Booth has moved to bigger digs this year, and is now #101, across from our fine pals at Paizo.
I’ll be there for both events, and around the booth for much of the rest of the time. As always I’ll be happy to deface any of my books, new or old, for you.
Many other contributors are at the show but unable to make this event. This will not prevent you from suavely bushwhacking and/or waylaying them as they perform their duties at booths elsewhere on the exhibit hall floor.
Kickstarter backers will be able to arrange ahead of time to pick up their books at the show. And of course there will be copies on sale for those of you who did not join us for the campaign back in October.
August 1, 2013
July 31, 2013
Siri as Instrument of Gaming Unease
During the other night’s 13th Age game, the characters had three minutes before a disguise self spell expired, exposing one of the PCs to a dangerous potential enemy and the rest of them to the discovery of their ruse. After a little bit of dialogue I realized what I really ought to be doing. I grabbed my iPhone and used Siri to set a three-minute timer. This immediately sent shivers of suspense through the entire group. The ability to set a timer at the gaming table is by no means new. But the combination of the voice command and everyone's understanding of what that meant added an extra frisson of tension to the classic ticking clock situation. Now, I would only use this in a dialogue sequence where real time and game time roughly equal one another. Here it worked delightfully. Thanks for the GMing assist, Siri.
July 30, 2013
Hillfolk, Blood on the Snow, The Esoterrorists 2nd Edition Now Available to Pre-Order
Gen Con fast approaches, and you know what that means. A number of projects I’ve had on the go for a good while are now coming out at the same time!
Which in turn means that Hillfolk and Blood on the Snow, and The Esoterrorists 2nd Edition are all on their way and now available for preorder. Click the preorder buttons on the above-linked product pages or go straight to the Pelgrane Store. (Eso 2 has actually been on preorder for a while but is now at the printers.)
These orders include instant PDF access. This is your first chance to get Hillfolk or Blood on the Snow since the Kickstarter closed in November. PDF-only purchases will follow after a suitable window to highlight the print release.
For the benefit of those headed to Gen Con, the pre-order function will give you the opportunity to arrange to pick up your copies of Hillfolk and Blood on the Snow at the show. The Gen Con pick-up option will also allow you to pre-book Pelgrane’s notoriously generous 4-for-3 deal, otherwise available only in the fever of the moment at the Pelgrane stand.
July 26, 2013
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: No One Likes a Blood Frenzy
In the latest episode of our high-flying podcast, Ken and I talk true place names, fictional stakes, iconic conflicts and Nazi UFOs.
