Steve Jackson's Blog, page 421

May 10, 2014: Our Quirkiest GURPS Supplement Ever!

The GURPS Power-Ups installments have been among the most popular GURPS offerings, thanks to their enticing bite-sized morsels of game-improving goodness. Now, our biggest Power-Ups yet looks at something small but significant: quirks! GURPS Power-Ups 6: Quirks offers a look at those little things that help define a hero . . . and give them extra character points as well!



Written by GURPS grandmaster Sean Punch, this volume includes nearly 200 quirk possibilities (many highly customizable). It also greatly explores and expands the world of quirks, offering invaluable insight into what makes them fair, why there are limits, how you can add or remove quirks, and more. If you've ever wanted to give your hero a slight edge in available character points and provide him with new roleplaying possibilities, then GURPS Power-Ups 6: Quirks has what you need. Download it today, only from Warehouse 23!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: The Year Is 1850.



China faces many threats, from within and without.



Western Imperialists move in with conquest on their mind, while portals to the Netherworld spill threats from other times.



All seek to control the feng shui at this juncture, but the Guiding Hand stands firm.



Feng Shui: Blood of the Valiant is available from Warehouse 23 .

May 8, 2014: SJ Games Shirts From Mighty Fine

The folks over at Mighty Fine have started making shirts for us, and they're great! Check them out, and then go buy them!



 



 



-- Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Mecha, Bestiary, Ultra Tech, And More!



These are just a few of the titles you might receive with the GURPS Bundle !



For $20, you can get five random GURPS supplements and rulebooks from our pre-Fourth Edition stock.



You never know what you'll end up with, but we promise no duplicates.



Available from Warehouse 23 .

May 7, 2014: Crowdfunding Followups: Storium and EndGame Cafe

Recently we posted updates about a couple of Kickstarters, and they're closing soon, so we wanted to send out some updates.

Storium



Since our first post about Storium , the Kickstarter has exploded, garnering over $150,000 in sales. What's more, we decided to throw our support behind them with an official world adapted from In Nomine , and it funded, so we're making it! They have even more ambitious goals on the horizon, though - $200K will allow them to develop an educational version of the game called Storium for Schools , which may one day lead us to a day where storytelling games are homework.



Needless to say, I raised my pledge. The Kickstarter ends on May 8th.



(By the way, if you're wondering just how much setting material we've got to develop an In Nomine world with, the answer is: quite a lot.)


EndGame Cafe



Chris Hanrahan's EndGame, a store in Oakland, CA, is frequently touted as an exemplar of hobby games stores, with an unnerring focus on accessibility, community, and outreach. In addition, Chris is one of those people who has a real passion for seeing the industry succeed, and I always see him happily sharing notes with people at conventions, trying to figure out how to do this business better.



They're expanding to add a cafe and events space, and we think it's an awesome idea. We're proud to be one of their official Cafe Sponsors, and we wish them tons of success. The Kickstarter ends on May 10th.




– Leonard Balsera



Warehouse 23 News: Color Your Star Fleet Battles World!



Color makes information come alive, with the never-before-seen color version of the Star Fleet Battles: Module T 2012 Tournament SSD Book . Useful data pops off the page thanks to handy colors. Download it from Warehouse 23, print it on a color printer, and go boldly into adventure!

May 6, 2014: Back To Nashville

Last year, Andrew and I spent a few days in Nashville for secret meetings. We're not yet ready to share the details, but things went so very well that I'm scheduled to go back to Nashville . . . and this time I'm taking Kali and Miranda along to assist in the closed door talks. Munchkin , Zombie Dice , and Hipster Dice are the primary focus of the meetings, but there will also be some time spent reviewing processes which should greatly assist us with selling even more games to the world. And more games means more players, which is very good for all of us.



In addition to the planned meetings I'm also going to make a quick stop at the Southern Hobby offices. I love these opportunities to sit down with distributors and discuss all of the new releases, and since I've never before visited the Southern Hobby offices this trip is especially exciting for me. Hey, sometimes there are lost and forgotten games collecting dust in distributor warehouses, and sometimes I get a chance to grab those gems for myself!



It's okay to use business trips to find cool games, right?



 



– Phil Reed



 



Warehouse 23 News: When The Going Gets Tough...



Head for your Ogre Miniatures: Paneuropean Hardened Command Post for cover.



Used in unsecure areas, HCP's incorporate BPC armor; its Defense Strength depends on the scenario.



Available exclusively from Warehouse 23 .

May 5, 2014: Brian Engard Promoted To Hipster Dice Line Editor

AUSTIN, Texas (April 28, 2014) – Steve Jackson Games Marketing Assistant Brian Engard recently underwent a paradigm shift in his workplace deliverables, becoming Line Editor for the bleeding edge entertainment maximizer Hipster Dice . In addition to his duties increasing engagement with the company's core brands, Engard will be taking point on shaping the Hipster Dice intellectual property, ensuring that future products in the Hipster Dice line exemplify the sort of 360-degree thinking they always have.



"Well, obviously, I'm thrilled," said Brian, when queried about his transition. "Being both Marketing Assistant and Hipster Dice Line Editor puts me in the ideal position to leverage the IP and promote synergy between our brands. We've had a lot of learns lately that I think we can leverage so that we can really take it to the next level."



"I don't even know what that means," said Phil Reed, Chief Operating Officer for Steve Jackson Games. "Who are we talking about again?"



"Phil?" Brian responded, when asked for comment about Reed's comment. "Sure, I guess his opinion is important, but when we touch base with him about Hipster Dice , we usually have to circle back and come up with our own work product anyway. You know how it is."



About Hipster Dice



Hipster Dice is the genre-shattering dice game about obscure references and bluffing. Grab your skinny jeans and your mustache combs! Are you hip enough? Whatever.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Tell Stories Like The Hillfolk



For players who crave drama, intrigue, and epic sagas in rule form, check out Hillfolk  and its add-on Blood on the Snow . This RPG by acclaimed designer Robin D. Laws unleashes a narrative system that's both innovative and simple. Download it today, from Warehouse 23!

May 4, 2014: The Triple Plays And Journal Pack 1 Are Going Quickly!

Do you want the Munchkin Triple Play 1, Munchkin Triple Play 2, or Munchkin Journal Pack 1 ? Well, our primary warehouse in Georgia is out of them, so if you want these you'd better get them quickly from your local store!



We do still have them at Warehouse 23, too, if you don't have a local store you can get to.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Get A New Perspective!



Travel to the mystical city of Constantinople and see the city laid out before you, delve into it's history and meet it's people.



Mythic Perspectives is an independent fanzine for the Ars Magica line.



Grab a copy of Ars Magica: Mythic Perspectives #11 from Warehouse 23 today.

May 3, 2014: Free Comic Book Day

Comics, comics everywhere, but not a page to read!



Ready to be inundated with mountains of comics? Summer vacation looking a touch too warm to spend outside? Getting an early start acquiring wrapping paper for Christmas? Saturday, Today is Free Comic Book Day!



Head down to your local comic book shop to have your pick of a fantastic assortment of volumes from different publishers. Most of the comics will be designed specifically for the holiday, but you might luck into some other rare treasures. Archie, Hello Kitty, Spider-Man, Les Miserables, Megaman, and even Power Rangers (for my fellow 90's fans!) are all in the lineup. Yes, these comics are 100% free. It's a May tradition! . . . Well, if starting in 2002 counts as tradition, then it counts. Close enough.



Not sure if you have a store near you participating? Try here! There are easily half a dozen comics stores near us in Austin. We sifted through our archives for three HEAVY boxes of extra comics to donate to Tribes and Rogue's Gallery, local Austin comic stores. Some stores encourage a "Need a comic? Take a comic. Have a comic? Leave a comic," philosophy, so check ahead to see if you can get rid of the dusty ones!



– Max Clontz



Warehouse 23 News: I Fought Magical Laws (And Magical Laws Won) . . .



Pyramid #3/66: The Laws of Magic presents new options and possibilities for GURPS magic, with a special eye toward GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic and other flavors of magic that are rigorously enforced by the universe. Having fun with GURPS isn't just a good idea; it's the law! Download this issue now, only from Warehouse 23, or subscribe today for many more months of fun.

May 2, 2014: Upcoming Trade Shows

If you're a retailer or a distributor and you want to talk to us in person, here are the best places to do that in the month of May:



Alliance Southwest Game Gathering -- Randy Scheunemann (Retail Liaison) and Andreas Stein (MIB Control) will be at this show in Austin on May 8th.


Randy will be at the Diamond Retailer Summit in Las Vegas from May 17th to 19th.


ACD Open House in Madison, Wisconsin is where you'll find Andreas and Ross Jepson (Director of Sales) from May 21st to 23rd.
Hope to see you there!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Hammer The Enemy!



How? By using the Ogre Miniatures: Hammer Light Tank !



These hard-hitting reinforcements are a must for any Paneuropean force.



Available only at Warehouse 23!

May 1, 2014: Sale Ends Soon!

Just a reminder that you have until the 3rd to get Steve Jackson Games and Atlas Games merchandise at 23% off on Warehouse 23. Don't miss out!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Howdy, Y'all! [KA-BOOM!]



AADA Road Atlas V3: The South gives Car Wars and GURPS Autoduel fans the inside track on what's happening below the Mason-Dixon line. Download this classic supplement today, only from Warehouse 23.

April 28, 2014: Crowdfunding Focus: Marauder Task Force Action Figures

Described as "Gaming Figures" on the project page, the Marauder 1/18 scale action figures are potentially fun for GURPS players who would like to dramatically expand their games and use much larger hexes than the usual gaming scale. These figures use modular gear to create a variety of modern military soliders, and I'm betting someone with GURPS High-Tech and GURPS Tactical Shooting could use these – along with some giant sheets of hex paper and/or properly-scaled terrain – to create one amazing display for a convention game.



I've seen action figures used in roleplaying sessions before (a few of Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk RPG sessions I've spotted at conventions used action figures and were awesome), so I'm fairly confident that there are more than a few players out there who would enjoy sitting down to an incredible display to run a violent and fun firefight using something larger and more dynamic than the usual gaming miniature.



The project is in its final days, so check the Kickstarter page for a look at the figures and the options, and then imagine how amazing your GURPS modern military games would look if you used these toys (along with various G.I. Joe and The Corps action figures and vehicles) to construct a giant battleground. I've backed this one and I'm looking forward to receiving the big box of figures and gear . . . I may just have to construct a gaming diorama just to give all of the figures a place to fight once they arrive.



– Phil Reed



 



Warehouse 23 News: Hold Your Ground!



With the Ogre Miniatures: Paneuropean Laser Tower !



Standing at 3" tall, it will provide a deadly umbrella for your base.



Get yours before they're gone.



Only available from Warehouse 23 .