Steve Jackson's Blog, page 440

November 1, 2013: Entirely Too Exciting Day

I woke up early yesterday morning to the sound of water IN my bedroom. Google "Austin Onion Creek flood" if you want details. I packed a bag and waded away.



I wanted to post a picture of the view from the evacuation boat, but it may not happen. The phone took the pics, but that may have been its last act in life. Too bad - they were all dramatic and stuff.



I'm fine. Monica's fine. My Mac is fine. I had not taken my copy of Ogre home yet, so IT is fine. And when I got back into the house tonight the waterline inside was 31", so that means: huge losses, yes, but almost all the really precious stuff was higher than that.



At least one other staff member got water in her house, but as of Thursday night nobody is in danger. The office and the OLF are both well away from the danger zones.



Now moved into a hotel room. Showers are good. I have canceled plans for the next two weekends, but still intend to go to BGG.



Thanks, everyone, for the good wishes and offers of help. Right now there is nothing you can do except be excellent to one another and play Ogre when it shows up. (I saw Kickstarter comments about a relief fund for me. Heartwarming thought but totally not necessary. Hold the idea till someone around you is in need, and help them.)



It is possible that before too long I may ask for some local help to move things into a storage unit, because contrary to my expectations this morning there are still some things to move. But other than that, I am fine, and thanks again to everyone who sent good thoughts.



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: More Munchkiny Goodness!



You asked for it and here it is, the Munchkin Level Playing Field !



Keep an eye on everyone's level and get some bonus gear as well.



But that's not all, this board is double sided for even more Munchkin fun.



Get yours today from Warehouse 23 .

October 31, 2013: The Zombie Challenge

A nifty feature of GURPS Zombies is that it doesn't assume a genre or a zombie type. You could start with an infectious, flesh-eating horde ripped from the B movies (and from the pages of GURPS Horror ). But consider the disciplined undead army of the Necromancer-King, bent on conquering your GURPS Dungeon Fantasy world . . . Caribbean villagers mysteriously vanishing in your historical game, only to be spied cutting cane at the big plantation . . . or a "mindlessness meme" that will doom the entire Transhuman Space setting if it escapes from some isolated facility and reaches the Web. Of course, such plots are either too unrealistic or too earth-shattering for ongoing campaigns – or are they?



In the spirit of "It was only a dream!" TV episodes and comic-book glimpses into parallel universes, think about taking a single session out of your campaign's continuity to ask, "What if zombies invaded?" This would be a fun way to mark Halloween or Friday the 13th, or to occupy a night when absences leave half the gaming group at loose ends. It would also be a welcome break from a game that's getting too serious or intense for its own good. And it might save the bacon of the GM who had no time to prepare – while it's still improvisation, nobody has to live with inconsistent snap judgments afterward.



Set the scene by eliminating any PCs whose players are absent. These heroes might go down fighting, get eaten, or "wake up" as zombies – make it graphic. If everybody is present (or perhaps regardless), do this to beloved associates: sidekicks, kids, friendly locals, etc. After that, improvise!



The adventurers start in whatever state they were in at the end of last game session: same location, same abilities, same gear, same wounds. If they aren't prepared for zombies, they can sneak. If they are, they can fight. If they want better equipment or a more defensible location, they can search. Don't overplan – let the players propose actions and try suitable skill rolls.



Zombies are everywhere – but again, don't overplan. Roll dice to determine whether zeds lurk behind a given door in the building, town, ship, or space station where the heroes find themselves. If the PCs wander, set odds of a zombie attack each hour. Horde size can also be left to chance, as can mutations if the zombies are changing. The ambitious GM might randomly generate useful gear at each locale visited, too.



There should be an objective as well. In fantasy, make it bold: "Destroy every zombie between us and the Necromancer-King, or die trying!" For mid-range heroes, it might be modest: "Reach the escape vehicle we heard about from that broadcast or dying man." For ordinary folks, it may be as simple as surviving x hours against y waves of zeds. The goal needn't be attainable – time's up at session's end.



The next session picks up where the real campaign left off. Zombie-night events never happened: deaths and wounds are erased, depleted resources are restored. It was all just a dream – or, in a GURPS game where somebody has the Nightmares disadvantage, a nightmare. If the setting features VR or interactive holograms, call it a simulation. Or perhaps it was a parallel world . . . which, in GURPS Infinite Worlds , might still be lurking out there. Only the GM knows for sure!



To make this worth the players' trouble, the GM can dangle rewards that will outlast the night. There could be prizes for "Most Zombie Kills," "Zombie Kill of the Week," "Most Selfish Betrayal," "Most Selfless Sacrifice," "Most Innocents Saved," "Longest Lifespan," and "Escaped!" – and possibly big deals like "Found the Cure" or "Slew the Necromancer-King." These achievements might offer modest payoffs in game currency (in GURPS , a bonus character point apiece), though the generous GM is free to grant more substantial bennies ("An Extra Life for everyone who survives!"). Slant these awards so that they discourage indifference and encourage survival and team spirit (up to that last-minute betrayal at the escape-pod hatch, anyway).



However, the biggest reward is the opportunity to cut loose and explore themes that are inappropriate for the campaign. When everybody serves an organization that tolerates no backstabbing, carte blanche to fight and betray one another can be fun. In a cerebral game, violence can be cathartic. If the heroes are intended for great things, a no-win scenario can underline the value of that destiny. And most gamers live for the chance to activate the self-destruct, cast the Forbidden Spell, or execute the ruler everyone knows but no one can prove is Evil (because he set zombies on the world, of course). You know you want to!



– Sean Punch



Warehouse 23 News: Culture From Feudal Japan



Taught the way of Bushido and the loyalty of the samurai, the Katana Kat Samurai in Full Armor .



The armored samurai is the core of any serious Katana force.



Get this and other Off the Wall Armies miniatures at Warehouse 23 .

October 30, 2013: Wigged Out By Thoughts Of Mortality? Take Tylenol!

Daniel Randles and his colleagues from the University of British Columbia have just completed a study that seems to indicate that metaphysical angst can be treated with over-the-counter Tylenol. Specifically, acetaminophen seems to alleviate the feeling of existential pain you feel when you contemplate something horrible (like your own death) or experience something surreal (like a David Lynch movie – I'm not kidding, this was actually in the study). Incidentally, we apparently already knew that acetaminophen could treat emotional pain, like from a bad breakup. Tylenol: not just for headaches anymore. (Of course, you should use it only as directed...)



– Leonard Balsera



Warehouse 23 News: Math Hard! Loot Pretty!



Keep track of your combat strength in any Munchkin game with a handy little Kill-O-Meter.



Just turn up the dial each time you add an item bonus.



Available in original Munchkin and Munchkin Cthulhu flavors!

October 29, 2013: Tricks! (And Treats)

In just two days, hundreds – nay, thousands – of little ghouls will come to your door, screaming for your life's bloo--er, candy. But between assaults on your sanctum, what will you do? How will you stave off the boredom and terror? Well, you could play Cthulhu Dice in a vain attempt to placate the Great Old Ones. You could try to blend in with them by playing Zombie Dice or Zombie Dice Deluxe . You could even go on a bloody rampage of violence and greed with Munchkin Cthulhu , Munchkin Zombies , or Munchkin Bites! So many choices, so little mind-numbing horror to stave off.



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Are You A Lover Or A Fighter?



Why not be both?



Get into a fight or try to steal a kiss from your sweetheart.



But watch out for the Nuns during Reccess !

October 28, 2013: Spells, Traps, Powers, And More, Behind This Dungeon Door

The dusty subterranean corridors of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy have proven endlessly rewarding for those who've explored them. Yet still delvers desire more powers and options . . . while GMs have longed for more traps and obstacles. We have heard those plaintive echoes and returned with unimaginable treasure: Pyramid #3/60: Dungeon Fantasy III . This issue includes two articles by Dungeon Fantasy architect Sean Punch; the first rips open the possibilities of bardic and wizardly spell-list options, while the second is a designer's overview of the series – including the new beastmaster template (for those with animal magnetism).



This issue also includes a meaty guide to generating random traps for Dungeon Fantasy (using over 20 tables to determine the type, quality, and effect), power-up possibilities for the mystic knight template from Pyramid #3/13: Thaumatology , and David L. Pulver's monthly column, which this time looks at transporting modern heroes into dungeon-crawls past. (Dare we mention the GURPS vehicle stats for the Dungeonmobile? I think we dare . . .)



Whether you're looking to add danger to your dungeons, possibilities to your professions, or spells to your sorcerers, Dungeon Fantasy III is a treasure trove of topics. Pick up this issue individually, or start your subscription today and crack open an undiscovered vault of gaming goodness . . . with Pyramid!



– Steven Marsh



Warehouse 23 News: Diiiiiiiiiice . . .



Feed your inner Zombie with our Munchkin Zombies Decay D6 !



They're pretty. Like brains.



Also includes four exclusive new cards for Munchkin Zombies !

October 27, 2013: Board Game Geek Con!

Are you going to BGG Con? We are! We'll be there from November 20-24; if you'll be there, come see us! We'll be demoing games including Castellan , Chupacabra , Zombie Dice , and Munchkin . While we won't be selling games at our booth, you can buy them at the Funagain Games booth!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Stick Figure Mayhem!



Have you ever had the urge to start beating some know-it-all who really deserved it, but were held back by those frustrating social boundaries?



Let's Kill may help relieve that urge.



You play a psychotic killer bent on murdering the most people you can with anything you can get your hands on.



Get the attention of the media and see how far you can go.



Let's Kill features distinctive stick figure art and gruesome humor, and is intended for mature audiences.

October 26, 2013: SPIEL Rocks!

We are at SPIEL in Essen and our booth in hall 2-C118 is packed all the time! Castellan is getting VERY positive feedback from all kinds of gamers, as is our other brand new release Chupacabra .



The nice folks from our retail partner Tellurian are very happy with sales, and they doubt that they will have any copies of the abovementioned games left when the show ends on Sunday.



If you are at SPIEL, you will most likely have us on your radar already, but if you can't be there, watch our Flickr account for pictures. We've already got a handful up, and there'll be more after the show!



– Birger Kraemer



Warehouse 23 News: It's Chibithulhu Zombified!



What's ten inches tall and wants to destroy your sanity?



Zombie Chibithulhu of course!



This soft and huggable chibithulhu also comes with a Munchkin rule.
 

October 25, 2013: Crowdfunding Spotlight: The Uncommons

I love Friendly Local Gaming Stores. Online retail is great, and you can get some fantastic prices and obscure stuff, but nothing beats the FLGS as a place to congregate regularly with other geeks and engage in your hobby together. Well, almost nothing. The Uncommons is running a Kickstarter campaign that's funding their play cafe: a coffee shop where you can borrow games from their library to play while you enjoy your peppermint mocha. This, I feel, is the natural evolution of the FLGS: it's a place to meet and talk and play and build a community, and buy a game or two if you want to. It leverages the key strengths of the FLGS and shows that there are things that online retail, no matter how good, really can't reproduce. This one will be in Manhattan; if it sounds like the kind of thing you'd enjoy, go back the Kickstarter!



– Brian Engard



Warehouse 23 News: Animals With Culture?



You heard right: we have some classy animals in the Off the Wall Armies miniatures collection sculpted by Richard Kerr.



Sculpted in 28mm scale, each set features anthropomorphic animal figures – sometimes known as "furries" – with weapons and gear from different historical periods.



Badgers from the Scottish Highlands


Turkish River Otters


British Colonial Dogs


Some very Fishy Europeans
Get these and other great miniatures here .

October 24, 2013: Ogre Launch Party: Huge Win

Some of you may recall that we ran a Kickstarter for Ogre . One of our stretch goals was "throw a launch party." We did that last weekend.



This is the first convention-like event that SJ Games has ever run, but I really hope it will not be the last. It succeeded beyond my wildest dreams! The acknowledgements below are in no way complete, but I'll try:



• Distribution of supporter copies and swag went smoothly. Big thanks to Eric Dow, Brandon McClelland, and Bobby Barton. (Bobby works in our business office and doesn't get as many Cool Gaming Stuff mentions as some of the other guys. But Bobby is responsible for solving a lot of issues that you never hear about, because he solved them.)



• Registration went smoothly. This is not a guaranteed thing at small events run by beginners. Monica Stephens and Elisabeth Zakes, with tech assistance from Brandon (Brandon again!) made it happen.



• Everyone who came was mellow and fun to meet. (And I promise you, I have been to way too many conventions full of overentitled/thoughtless/crazy people. But not at this party. Wonderful.) Thank you, everyone! (And we got some GOOD playtesting done, and not just of upcoming Ogre releases.)







• We got to show off some great stuff. Ogre memorabilia 30+ years old came out of closets and files. There was an original playtest copy in the "museum," thanks to Kenneth Schultz. And an original Martian Metals Mark V mini, and a LOT of Richard Kerr's painted minis, and an Origin Systems Ogre game complete with radiation badge, and Ogre in Japanese, and so much more. Three cases worth. And the museum room soundtrack was Tom Smith's as-yet unreleased Ogre Suite. (As yet unreleased, because not completely done, but the party attendees got to hear it!)



• MIBs and volunteers from the membership stepped up and made LOTS of things run well. Some problems I'd worried about, such as "How will they get three copies of this heavy game to the car?" just weren't problems, thanks to planning (Dollies are GOOD) and volunteers. Particular thanks to Team Griego! And everyone thank Lené Griego for the many and excellent pictures, of which this is a small subset.







• Tech support was provided by Jimmie Bragdon, aided by Brandon (Brandon again)! We had a wifi hotspot, two webcasts from the site, and one from Daniel Jew in Singapore. (You can find those now on our YouTube channel.) There was a big monitor running Ogre videos and another one running the old Ogre computer game. Plus the music in the "museum."



• All the staff survived, and the very next day, the Ogre Logistics Facility was reconfigured from party site to shipping department, and supporter copies were being shipped. And the shipping continues. Right now we think we might get the last one out about November 10. Keep up with our Kickstarter updates for more info.



Final huge acknowledgements go to Monica Stephens, who carried a big load of the party planning; to Eric Dow, who located the site for the Ogre Logistics Facility, got it ready for party use, and acted as floor manager for the whole show; and to Phil Reed, without whom there would not have been a game to distribute in the first place. And my thanks to everyone else on the SJ Games staff, because every single person helped in some way.



– Steve Jackson



Warehouse 23 News: It's Said That Fish And Guests Smell At Three Days Old ...



. . . this crew just didn't get the hint.



In Gloom: Unwelcome Guests that's exaclty what you get, some unwanted house guests.



This expansion also includes a new family – the malodorous Malone mob – which comes with The Broken Arms Hotel as a Residence card to use with the Unhappy Homes expansion.



Get this and other gloomy items HERE!

October 23, 2013: The (GURPS) Zombies Are Coming!

You know you love them. The living dead are an enduring myth in our culture, a personification of the collapse of society. Plus, they're just so fun to kill. Now you'll be able to add them to your  GURPS  game, in a fantastic new hardcover supplement! GURPS Zombies contains everything you need to chop down zombies by the dozens in your own GURPS game.



A rules-free survey of zombies by fictional and folkloric origin, physical and supernatural type, and dramatic role.


Systematic guidelines for creating custom zombies to surprise your players.


Ready-to-use examples for the zombie-master in a rush: B-movie and fantasy undead, living-but-infected crazies, necromancers' pets, science experiments gone horribly wrong, surgical constructs gone disturbingly right, and many others.


Rules for topics dear to the zombie-lover's heart: horde management, splatter and contagion, cures, and even inventing new kinds of zombies!


Information for those who must confront zombies, including gear recommendations, rules for avoiding infection and simply surviving, and templates for survivors, zombie-hunters, and zombie-makers.


Advice on using all this in any genre. Who says zombies are only for horror?
What more could you ask for? Oh, you want it now? Well, fine then. If you don't want to wait until December 2nd for the hardcover book to come out, you can buy the PDF right now! Happy early Halloween.



– Brian Engard



 



Warehouse 23 News: Storm The Palace!



Rally the townsfolk and take The Palace!



Revolution: The Palace! adds a new location and up to six can join the bribing, blackmailing, and backstabbing!



This expansion includes everything you need to add more 2 players to Revolution! , six new bidding boards, purple and orange blocks, bidding shields, and score tokens for the fifth and sixth players.  There are also four new characters to bid on. The Viceroy controls the Palace. The Messenger moves your influence cubes from their location to any unoccupied space. The Mayor influences any open space. The Constable rewards a winning bid with a bit of Support and Blackmail.



The new rules can be taught in minutes, and a complete game still takes less than an hour.