Steve Jackson's Blog, page 44

August 21, 2024: Frederick Brackin

Longtime GURPS playtester and fan Frederick A. Brackin passed away on July 28, 2024, at the age of 64.

Those who are familiar with GURPS  likely have encountered Fred's presence, either in "person" (virtually online) or because of his credited playtesting efforts in dozens of GURPS supplements. My earliest e-mail interaction with Fred seems to be from August 2001 in regard to Pyramid, but it's quite likely our paths crossed in the digital realm before then.

Fred was an articulate and knowledgable fan, with playtest credits covering dozens of GURPS supplements stretching back to the Third Edition era. His willingness to dive into projects made him part of a select few that we turned to when we wanted some extra outsider insight into a project. He was also happy to help beyond the realm of GURPS ; for example, he earned a special thanks in D6 Fantasy from Editor Nikki Vrtis for help with a rule element of that book.

There doesn't seem to be a public obituary marking Fred's passing, but those who wish to share in his memory can join others doing so on this forum thread.

– 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!

August 20, 2024: Now Available: The Pyramid Volume 2 HTML Archives!

They said it couldn't be done . . . and, in hindsight, there were probably good reasons they said that. But no matter! The impossible is what we do around here – such as making the Pyramid Volume 2 archives available for the first time in over a decade!

As a bit of history for the unfamiliar: The first volume of Pyramid was a print publication that ran 30 issues, from 1993 through 1998. All 30 issues have been available as PDFs for years . . . including a bundle of all 30 issues.

The third volume of Pyramid was a GURPS Fourth Edition support PDF zine, with each issue devoted to a specific theme. It ran from 2008 through 2018; each issue is still available, and you can get a bundle of that era, as well. (We've also had two successful Kickstarters for Volume 4, which continues the PDF tradition of Volume 3.)

In between those two eras existed a magical, wild-and-wooly period of Pyramid. Volume 2 was an online zine, intended to be read exclusively on web browsers, updated weekly with articles and at times in between with breaking industry news. Lasting from 1998 through 2008, it was a product of the early days of widespread Internet. By its end, it had thousands of articles, features, columns, comics, news stories, and other goodness, devoted to all aspects of the gaming world, including RPGs, CCGs, boardgames, and more.

Because the website was HTML-based and intended from conception as an online publication, it has always been a difficult challenge to work into our existing catalog. In addition – and perhaps most importantly – the files simply didn't exist for easy offline functionality.

Until now.

Nearly a year in the making, the Pyramid Volume 2 HTML archives are now available to purchase!

If you have any interest in reliving this HTML era, we strongly suggest you pick up The Full Collection . It contains as much from that era as possible: articles, features, news, chats, etc. Given the expense and effort, we've tried to keep it as affordable as possible.

The Full Collection has been designed to re-create the HTML-era experience as much as possible. Crosslinks between articles should work, issues can be navigated by year or week to week, and various columns and features are brought together in easy-to-click collections. There are also features that didn't exist in the original era, such as the ability to jump to a random issue or sorting all articles by author or rating!

For those who only need one article or have interest in a specific year, we've also made each individual year available for purchase as "Spotlight" editions. Note that buying the 11 Spotlight collections will not get you everything in the Full Collection!

Folks have asked for these articles to be made available for years. One of the reasons we've never done it before is because we wanted to do it right. Speaking personally – as a bit of a digital archivist and gaming-history nerd – I tried to devise this collection to work the way I would want it to, and I admit a certain pride at having a ready-to-access collection on my own computer. We hope the love and effort from the original Internet era shines through to today.

– 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!

August 19, 2024: GURPS Fourth Edition Turns 20!

We released the  GURPS Basic Set , Fourth Edition on August 19, 2004, at Gen Con Indy. That means Fourth Edition is now 20 years old! Over those two decades, we've published more than 200 supplements, along with 122 issues of Pyramid , its supporting magazine – all of which you can get on our store, Warehouse 23.    Watch for GURPS to be included in our upcoming Back-to-School Sale!

– Sean Punch

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!

August 18, 2024: Trivia Followup: Four For Four – Plus One More!

A while back we asked a question about Steve Jackson Games products with four letters. Four days later, I gave the answers I had in mind.

Forum posters RogerBW and pmpappas pointed out an answer that seems to fit the bill: Coup , from 1992. So why didn't I count that one?

Well, the box does say "Down With the Leader" below its title . . . so it'd be logical to consider that I might have been counting that.

But, nah. I just didn't know about it! It's in our digital database, but the details are scanty; it exists as little more than a title. There isn't even a web page about it on our site! (Of course, astute readers might realize I didn't have that one in mind because my original question said all four were available to buy, which Coup is most definitely not.) Anyway, folks who want to read a bit more about it can check out BoardGameGeek's page for the game.

So for all you true Coup fans who felt slighted, I acknowledge you, and thank you for saving me from a catastrophe on par to when the Moops invaded Spain.

– 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!

August 17, 2024: Good Buy, Hello?

I missed out on a promo item from Gen Con (I wasn't going to wait in the stupid-long line for X hours to have a shot), so I just went to eBay and ordered it on the Friday of the show from the comfort of my tablet.

I got a response from the seller on Monday saying, "Hi! Thanks for buying from me. I just got back from out of town this weekend. I am shipping this out today."

I replied: No worries! If you were at Gen Con – like our household was – I hope you had a good time. :-)

It turns out he was at Gen Con! Anyway, long story short, this random guy and I have exchanged Gen Con stories, anecdotes, and promo-item tips (thanks!) via eBay's messaging system.

It's one of the most endearing exchanges I've had in quite some time. Forget Facebook or Bluesky; the social-media wave of the future is communicating with folks out of the blue on eBay.

– 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!

August 16, 2024: Part 5: A Heartfelt Thank You To Our Fans

Our fans are the lifeblood of our company. Their enthusiasm, support, and love for our games are what drive us to continue creating and innovating. I am profoundly grateful for the community that has grown around our games and for the passion that our fans bring to the table. From the early days of Steve Jackson Games, our fans have been with us every step of the way. Their feedback, suggestions, and encouragement have helped shape our games and our company. We are always listening and learning from our community, and we are committed to creating experiences that meet their expectations and exceed their imaginations. The dedication of our fans is truly inspiring. Whether they are playing at home with family and friends, attending conventions, or participating in online forums and discussions, their engagement and enthusiasm are what make our work so rewarding. It's an honor to create games that bring joy and excitement to so many people. 

– Meredith Placko

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!

August 15, 2024: Recommendation: Kimtech Science Kimwipes Delicate Task Wipes

If I had $50 and I had to make a wager, I suspect that a decent number of you who are reading this – probably, like, at least six folks – wear glasses. One challenge I've had for decades is keeping them clean; the plastic portals covering my eyes attract dirt and debris like the front of a truck on an interstate highway. There are high-end cloths and cleaners out there, but they're expensive . . . and, honestly, I've found they don't do a great job.

What does work for me is Kimtech Science Kimwipes Delicate Task Wipes. (The exact order of those words doesn't matter too much, because once you see them, you'll know what they are.) They're basically designed to wipe down science-y equipment before you flip the levers and push the buttons to do the science. What makes them so amazing is that they're durable enough to get the job done, yet so gentle. I've never had an issue with them scratching my glasses . . . which makes sense when you're using them to wipe down the front of your $9,000,000,000 James Webb Space Telescope or whatever.

They're also affordable enough (the wipes, not the James Webb Space Telescope) that I don't feel particularly guilty if I need to use a couple to scrape off particularly egregious face slime or whatever the heck gets on my glasses.

Anyway, I bought a case in 2021, and I'm still going strong off it . . . and that case is apparently cheaper than what I paid back then. But if you're not sure you need 16,800 sheets, you can also buy them in smaller packs (like I did, before I just bit the bullet and bought a crate).

– Steven Marsh

 

Note from Susan: I took the bait here and ordered a pack (not a case!). Because I've worn glasses since time began. I will report back on my findings.

 

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!

August 14, 2024: The Forums Turn 20!

The Steve Jackson Games Forums went live on August 14, 2004 – that is, 20 years ago today! Since their debut, they've attracted over 35,000 members, who've written more than 2 million posts. They're the best place to discuss our games with our staff and your fellow gamers, so why not sign up?(Fun fact: The forums went live for staff and a small test group on July 13, 2004. If you spot someone with a "Join Date" earlier than August 14, 2004, then congratulations – you've found one of the Illuminati!)

– Sean Punch

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!

August 13, 2024: Bite Your Buddy In Munchkin Bites!

We're less than 100 days away from Halloween, and for many of us, it's time to get spooky! It is safe to say that while we love all Munchkin , we each have a favorite version. Mine is Munchkin Bites! Why? Because vampires, of course. While the years of vampire mania from Twilight to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to True Blood may have passed, this base game stands the test of time and is a quintessential part of the Munchkin universe.  In Munchkin Bites! , illustrated by John Kovalic, instead of stabbing your buddy as usual, you'll bite them! (It's a vampire game, what did you expect?) Werewolves and Changelings are present as well, and you can battle the Heck Hounds, Acro Bats, and Were-Muskrats during the Lunar Cycle with your Sword Of Beheading People Just Like In That Movie. For even more vampiric fun, check out Munchkin Bites! 2 – Pants Macabre . It may even inspire you to watch the hilarious Taika Waititi series, What We Do in the Shadows, which will air its sixth and final season beginning October 21st on FX and Hulu. Ready to be a vicious but funny vampire? Read all about every card in the game here!  

– Michelle Richardson

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!

August 12, 2024: Gen Con Means Community

What makes Gen Con such a magical event? What is it about the" Best Four Days In Gaming" that draws people from all over the world? Why is it so important for so many? Trying to explain Gen Con to people outside the gaming community can be a challenge. And to be fair, it can sound a little absurd – over 70,000 people converging on a Midwestern city to sit at tables and play games 24/7. But Gen Con is more than games, and I'm not just talking about the dances, shows, and costume contests.  Gen Con is a community in both a metaphorical and literal sense. For four days, the Indianapolis Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, and surrounding hotels essentially become their own temporary city with a population that matches (and even outpaces) numerous communities throughout the USA. But beyond sheer numbers, it's a community in the sense that it's a group of people who share the same passions, feel the same emotions, and care about each other. I heard countless stories at Gen Con where people recounted stories of compassion, kindness, and shared joy. The gaming community isn't perfect – no group of humans is – but for four days every summer, Gen Con becomes a place where people can belong no matter where they're from, who they are, who they love, or how they look. It's a place where empathy is the norm and excitement is on full display. The overarching rule at Gen Con is the Golden one – be good to each other. It's pretty amazing to see that rule in effect over and over again during the course of the event.  So why do people come back to Indianapolis for Gen Con every year? I think it's because there's nothing better than sharing happiness with others. What do you think?

– Katie Duffy

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!