Steve Jackson's Blog, page 13
June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025: Play Toon To Find Out
We're living in a golden age of RPGs. There are so many options available to us in the modern market, from major brands to the quirkiest indies, that most of us will never have the time to play all the games we're interested in.
One of my favorite media voices currently exploring roleplaying games is Quintin Smith, known on most platforms as Quinns. You might recognize that name from Shut Up & Sit Down or People Make Games. His latest project is the YouTube channel Quinns Quest, where he does RPG reviews and live plays.
Quinns recently started a series that might be my favorite thing he has ever done. He's calling it Play to Find Out, and it's a look at older RPGs that modern audiences may have never heard of. He's featuring each game in a season of audio recordings of him playing the game with two friends and breaking into the recordings to explain how the game works. The first season features a game I had never heard of called Skyrealms of Jorune . For the second season, he features a game that is close to our heart, Toon , a game Steve Jackson Games published in 1984. Each season's first episode is available for free with the rest of the season available to members of the Quinns Quest Patreon. (Note that there's some less-than-kid-friendly language, so please consider this your "Not Safe for Work" disclaimer.)
– Will Schoonover
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
One of my favorite media voices currently exploring roleplaying games is Quintin Smith, known on most platforms as Quinns. You might recognize that name from Shut Up & Sit Down or People Make Games. His latest project is the YouTube channel Quinns Quest, where he does RPG reviews and live plays.
Quinns recently started a series that might be my favorite thing he has ever done. He's calling it Play to Find Out, and it's a look at older RPGs that modern audiences may have never heard of. He's featuring each game in a season of audio recordings of him playing the game with two friends and breaking into the recordings to explain how the game works. The first season features a game I had never heard of called Skyrealms of Jorune . For the second season, he features a game that is close to our heart, Toon , a game Steve Jackson Games published in 1984. Each season's first episode is available for free with the rest of the season available to members of the Quinns Quest Patreon. (Note that there's some less-than-kid-friendly language, so please consider this your "Not Safe for Work" disclaimer.)
– Will Schoonover
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 22, 2025
June 22, 2025: Wiz-War And STLs
Recently, Steve posted his notes from the Wiz-War design. At the end, he mentioned the Wiz-War STL files for printing your own miniatures, which are available on Warehouse 23, as is a nice package of matching wizard busts to display on your shelf.
Phil Foglio himself recommended Kim Beaton for the 3D sculpting. Yes, these are officially authorized 3D versions of Phil Foglio art; ii you're a Phil Foglio fan (isn't everyone?), you'll want these. You can look at them and know exactly who drew the originals; Kim translated them to 3D perfectly. My personal favorite is the orange wizard: She looks so calm and serene, not at all like she's about to vaporize you . . .
Matt Evans, also a superb sculptor, made the treasure chest and the thorny vine. Look out for that thing. The thorns are functional! And I proudly claim credit for the granite cube. It was a worldwide effort – we had sculptors on three different continents.
It was a simple project, but it's Phil's art – it had to be perfect. I probably drove the sculptors nuts. But the results were worth it.
You might have seen pictures of the 3D board that we use for convention demos, even if you haven't yet been to a convention where we have it. It's made of foamcore, posterboard, and some little lights from Amazon. There are instructions on how to build your own included in the documentation.
– Jean McGuire
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 21, 2025
June 21, 2025: What To Do When No One's Doing Anything
I recently talked about what to do when it's not your turn. What if it's not anyone's turn? That is, what do you do if the game is over, but the game session continues?
The easiest course of action is to immediately reshuffle the cards or whatever is needed to restart the same game (or a new game) immediately. But – at least at our table – we tend to realize that it's helpful for everyone to stand up, walk around a bit, stretch those legs, check messages briefly, get snacks or a drink, use the potty, and so on.
The trick there (again, in our experience) is to get everyone on the same page as to how long "taking a break" is. If half the table is assuming it's five minutes and the other half is assuming it's 15 or more, then there's going to be friction. The most-straightforward tack we've found is just to say expectations at the end of a game: "Everyone good with a 15-minute break? We'll meet back at the table by 5:35?" Assuming everyone nods (or negotiates for their own preference), you should be good to go.
What if there's a hiccup in the plan, and players drift in at different times? Well, it can be good to hash out why that happened, so future breaks can go smoother. After all, the same ability to follow the rules – or even bend them creatively – can also be used to keep sessions themselves running smoothly . . .
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
The easiest course of action is to immediately reshuffle the cards or whatever is needed to restart the same game (or a new game) immediately. But – at least at our table – we tend to realize that it's helpful for everyone to stand up, walk around a bit, stretch those legs, check messages briefly, get snacks or a drink, use the potty, and so on.
The trick there (again, in our experience) is to get everyone on the same page as to how long "taking a break" is. If half the table is assuming it's five minutes and the other half is assuming it's 15 or more, then there's going to be friction. The most-straightforward tack we've found is just to say expectations at the end of a game: "Everyone good with a 15-minute break? We'll meet back at the table by 5:35?" Assuming everyone nods (or negotiates for their own preference), you should be good to go.
What if there's a hiccup in the plan, and players drift in at different times? Well, it can be good to hash out why that happened, so future breaks can go smoother. After all, the same ability to follow the rules – or even bend them creatively – can also be used to keep sessions themselves running smoothly . . .
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 20, 2025
June 20, 2025: Remembering Rick Loomis Via A Bittersweet Milestone
While doing a bit of internal research recently, I came across this Daily Illuminator post from November 11, 2018: "Ten Awesome Things About SJ Games."
Always on the lookout for new Illuminator ideas, I was amused to discover that a lot of it still holds true – which is always refreshing for an article from pre-COVID (or, as I call it, "the Before Times") – though we've added another six years to the "world's oldest blog."
However, my eyes were immediately drawn to one element that isn't true any more . . . in a way that's both noteworthy yet humbling.
The first item on the list states: "We are the second oldest game publisher still under its original management, the first being the venerable Flying Buffalo."
Reading that reminded me of the founder of Flying Buffalo, Rick Loomis. Rick was an amazing guy, full of creativity, business acumen, and decades worth of stories about the industry. Nikki Vrtis and I got to know Rick for a number of years. Living as we do in Indianapolis (and working from home!), we've often extended an offer to those in the biz who'd benefit from having a local address to receive packages for Gen Con; it's pretty easy for us to drop off a parcel or three before the show.
One of the folks we helped this way was Rick Loomis. We'd typically go out to eat as a "thank you" after shuffling around boxes. There, we'd get to hear stories from Rick. He had a lot of insight about the business – much of it we knew or experienced ourselves to varying degrees, but it was fascinating to hear details extending decades before our own professional involvement in the world of gaming.
Sadly, Rick succumbed to cancer in 2019, and Steve Jackson mourned his passing on this very blog.
As our household starts making Gen Con plans for the year (less than two months away), I realize that – as neat as it is that Steve Jackson Games is now the oldest game publisher under its original management – I'd vastly prefer the company be #2, if it meant Rick were still around and shepherding Flying Buffalo. Rick was really interesting, and we remember him fondly . . . especially around convention season.
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
Always on the lookout for new Illuminator ideas, I was amused to discover that a lot of it still holds true – which is always refreshing for an article from pre-COVID (or, as I call it, "the Before Times") – though we've added another six years to the "world's oldest blog."
However, my eyes were immediately drawn to one element that isn't true any more . . . in a way that's both noteworthy yet humbling.
The first item on the list states: "We are the second oldest game publisher still under its original management, the first being the venerable Flying Buffalo."
Reading that reminded me of the founder of Flying Buffalo, Rick Loomis. Rick was an amazing guy, full of creativity, business acumen, and decades worth of stories about the industry. Nikki Vrtis and I got to know Rick for a number of years. Living as we do in Indianapolis (and working from home!), we've often extended an offer to those in the biz who'd benefit from having a local address to receive packages for Gen Con; it's pretty easy for us to drop off a parcel or three before the show.
One of the folks we helped this way was Rick Loomis. We'd typically go out to eat as a "thank you" after shuffling around boxes. There, we'd get to hear stories from Rick. He had a lot of insight about the business – much of it we knew or experienced ourselves to varying degrees, but it was fascinating to hear details extending decades before our own professional involvement in the world of gaming.
Sadly, Rick succumbed to cancer in 2019, and Steve Jackson mourned his passing on this very blog.
As our household starts making Gen Con plans for the year (less than two months away), I realize that – as neat as it is that Steve Jackson Games is now the oldest game publisher under its original management – I'd vastly prefer the company be #2, if it meant Rick were still around and shepherding Flying Buffalo. Rick was really interesting, and we remember him fondly . . . especially around convention season.
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 19, 2025
June 19, 2025: Dinner Across The Pond
A high point of my trip to the UK Gaming Exposition was dinner with Sir Ian Livingstone. Sure, we talked about
Fighting Fantasy,
and we talked about everything else too.(Obligatory plug: If you would like to support our new edition of Fighting Fantasy and have not yet done so, you can go to the Kickstarter right here.)
Sir Ian is remaining active with FF! He had a booth at UKGE and signed copies for many, many fans. And he wants to keep writing for the series. I think FF has a lot to bring the new generation of fans . . . have you loaned your own copies to your kids / nephews / students?
– Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 18, 2025
June 18, 2025: Prepping The Next Session
Not too long ago, I talked about downtime between games in longer sessions. Here's another consideration: Who's setting up the next game?
Sometimes the question sorts itself out to everyone's satisfaction: If one player enjoys getting the next game set up (unpacking, putting out cards, shuffling, etc.), then great! They're welcome to do it. (Make sure to give them due credit and thanks, regardless!)
However, if no one seeks that organizational thrill, then trying to resolve it before a session can work wonders in preserving good relationships and fun game nights. Maybe setting up the next game is a rotating role, so the pain is spread around. If the game supports it, having multiple players work together to get it ready can be effective, though one person should take on the task of making sure everything is done for games where there is a specific flow that has to be done in order. In other words, it's sometimes not a matter of doing six things before play can start, but rather "do the first thing," "next do the second thing," "then do the third thing," etc. For these instances, only one person should handle everything to make sure no steps were missed.
It's best to factor the setting-up time into the downtime between games, so that you're not in a situation where everyone else got to use the restroom except the person who prepped the next game. For example, if it takes 15 minutes to put out the bits for the next go-round, then a 20-minute break gives most of the table ample time before a new game, and at least a few minutes for a quick pit stop for the folks who stuck around to make the next game happen.
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
Sometimes the question sorts itself out to everyone's satisfaction: If one player enjoys getting the next game set up (unpacking, putting out cards, shuffling, etc.), then great! They're welcome to do it. (Make sure to give them due credit and thanks, regardless!)
However, if no one seeks that organizational thrill, then trying to resolve it before a session can work wonders in preserving good relationships and fun game nights. Maybe setting up the next game is a rotating role, so the pain is spread around. If the game supports it, having multiple players work together to get it ready can be effective, though one person should take on the task of making sure everything is done for games where there is a specific flow that has to be done in order. In other words, it's sometimes not a matter of doing six things before play can start, but rather "do the first thing," "next do the second thing," "then do the third thing," etc. For these instances, only one person should handle everything to make sure no steps were missed.
It's best to factor the setting-up time into the downtime between games, so that you're not in a situation where everyone else got to use the restroom except the person who prepped the next game. For example, if it takes 15 minutes to put out the bits for the next go-round, then a 20-minute break gives most of the table ample time before a new game, and at least a few minutes for a quick pit stop for the folks who stuck around to make the next game happen.
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 17, 2025
June 17, 2025: Did You Have A Happy International Steampunk Day?
We celebrated on Saturday, as one should, but you can still enjoy anachronisms, airships, and steam cannons this week by taking advantage of our Steampunk Day Sale, still alive and well on Warehouse 23 for a couple more days.Looking to add some technofantasy tinkering to your GURPS or Munchkin games? Or perhaps you're a fan of Girl Genius? Get 15% off our curated selection, including the 2000 Origins Award-winner for Best Roleplaying Supplement – GURPS Steampunk !
Already have your hands on these titles? Let us know your favorite way to play them on the forums!
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 16, 2025
June 16, 2025: American Science And Surplus
How many of us owe our Today Selves to the cool stuff that their Past Selves found in the pages of the American Science and Surplus catalog? If you know, you know.
Business is rough these days, and this icon of geekdom is threatened. Yes, there's a GofundMe here. And the whole Ars Technica article is here. Do the right thing, hmm?
– Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
Business is rough these days, and this icon of geekdom is threatened. Yes, there's a GofundMe here. And the whole Ars Technica article is here. Do the right thing, hmm?
– Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 15, 2025
June 15, 2025: The Illuminati Polka – Now In Video Form!
Way back in August 2004, we talked about one of the songs on Tom Smith's then-new album And They Say I've Got Talent called "The Illuminati Polka."
If you didn't know about that song (or have since "forgotten" definitely not a mindwipe fnord), now you do.
If you did know about that song, you may not have known about the animated version of that song, produced by A.B.S. Various Media and brought to our attention by Alden Loveshade (author of GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves and perhaps other projects they don't want us to talk about).
This video is from 2019, but it's new to us, so we're sharing it now; head over to YouTube to subject your eyes and ears to this catchy brainworm.
If you knew about the original song and the video, then you probably also know that Tom Smith is the mastermind behind the "Ogre Theme." And if you knew that, what else do you know?!? Feel free to share your insight on the forums . . . if you dare.
– Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
June 14, 2025
June 14, 2025: Final Transfer Deadline For Old Warehouse 23 Orders – July 8
When we began the transition from the old Warehouse 23 store to the new Shopify-based Warehouse 23 more than two years ago, we had a migration process in place for bringing over all our customers' digital files into the new system. However, this process couldn't account for orders placed as a guest (when not logged into an account) or issues from Pyramid subscriptions. Attaching these orders to an account has always been a manual, on-request process, and involves additional steps when the orders are not even in the same systems.
On July 8, 2025, we will be sunsetting the old servers, and we will no longer be offering migration of guest orders or Pyramid issues from the pre-Shopify system to the current store. If you have any outstanding orders that you wish to be associated with your Warehouse 23 account, please contact help@sjgames.com on or before July 8, 2025.
– Jimmie Bragdon
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
On July 8, 2025, we will be sunsetting the old servers, and we will no longer be offering migration of guest orders or Pyramid issues from the pre-Shopify system to the current store. If you have any outstanding orders that you wish to be associated with your Warehouse 23 account, please contact help@sjgames.com on or before July 8, 2025.
– Jimmie Bragdon
Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action
There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!
Steve Jackson's Blog
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