Steve Jackson's Blog, page 58

April 16, 2024: Share Your Munchkin Memories

We are excited to be so close to the BackerKit launch of Munchkin Big Box . . . Thursday, April 18th at 2pm Central. While we wait, we want to know why YOU love Munchkin ! Do you have great memories of playing Munchkin , perhaps all the way back to 2001? Do you have a regular Munchkin game day with friends? Would you like to share a special story or memory? You can click here to tell us all about it! If you answer our one-question survey, you might have your story featured on a livestream celebrating the release of Munchkin Big Box !

– 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!

April 15, 2024: Discworld RPG Bundle Of Holding Available For A Limited Time!

Bringing the realm of Sir Terry Pratchett's beloved Discworld series to your gaming table has never been more affordable, thanks to the Discworld RPG Bundle of Holding .

The Disc Collection consists of three PDFs. The shining jewel is the Discworld Roleplaying Game , the Powered by GURPS stand-alone RPG that gives you everything you need to explore the Disc's magic, mayhem, mirth, and mortals (and immortals!).

This bundle also includes two other useful books. GURPS Low-Tech helps serious-minded individuals add realistic options to their GURPS Fourth Edition games. GURPS Fantasy-Tech 1: The Edge of Reality collects less-serious-minded ideas that people once upon a time thought might be possible or work, but – as it turns out – weren't feasible, making it perfect for settings where the impossible is a bit easier to come by.

The links in the previous paragraph were provided so you could learn more and discover why the Discworld RPG Bundle of Holding is such an excellent resource (not for you to click and buy the gaming goodness there). And, at a mere $14.95 for all three supplements, it's less than the cost of a pair of good boots.

But don't delay! This bundle is only available until Friday, April 19 . . . unless you're reading this after April 19, in which case you missed it, and you now feel a tinge of regret coursing through your veins. Don't disappoint your future self; get this bundle 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!

April 14, 2024: Ogre Minis Set 4 Shipping Early!

Earlier this year we launched Ogre Minis Set 4 , our first project on BackerKit's relatively new crowdfunding platform. Not only did the platform work well, we were very happy with the response to Set 4 . Our tried and true Ogre fanatics showed up to support it, and we were also happy to see a lot of new folks interested in experiencing Ogre for the very first time! The response to the new-player pledge levels was so strong that we sold out of multiple pledge levels on the first day. Thank you! Now on to the even better news. At the onset of the campaign, we had estimated a June 2024 fulfillment date. We're happy to report that we are ahead of schedule, and the Warehouse 23 team started shipping orders of Ogre Miniatures Set 4 on April 9! Look for miniature tanks to arrive in mailboxes around the world over the next few weeks. The remaining sets of Ogre Miniatures Set 4 will be made available on Warehouse 23 later this year. – Darryll Silva 

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!

April 13, 2024: Communication Situations

Recently, a short personal development video about conversational styles appeared In my YouTube feed. Since playing games can be a social event, improving communication among participants can increase the enjoyment of the game.

The video described three aspects of communication and the different ways people interact:

• Personal information: Can you easily share information about yourself at every opportunity? Or do you prefer to wait until someone asks you questions?

• Favors: Do you only ask for favors if you are sure the other person will say yes? Or do you ask without any expectation of the outcome because you are comfortable denying requests?

• Stories: When someone shares a story, do you add your own anecdote about something similar (or maybe even only vaguely related)? Or do you affirm the other person and/or ask a relevant question?

We often talk with other people expecting that they will use a conversational style similar to our own – and that might not be the case! If you find yourself getting frustrated with your attempts to communicate with those around you, consider it might be a clash of styles. Instead of getting mad, try talking with the other person about the differences between your expectations and theirs. You might forge a stronger friendship!

At the gaming table, you can use this insight to promote healthier relationships and understand how you interact. Consider using these ideas in a roleplaying game to play someone different from yourself, such as having your character share their personal information freely when you (as a player) are more guarded.

You can watch the original from Hailey Magee on YouTube; it's not quite 90 seconds, so reading this post may well have taken you longer!

 

– Nikki Vrtis

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!

April 12, 2024: Camaraderie And Unity: A Cautionary Tale

As the recent solar eclipse fades into memory, I had mentally composed a sweet Daily Illuminator post about Steve Jackson Games. Long-time fans of SJ Games may know that a lot of folks do stuff for the company across the U.S. and even points abroad. As a result, it's a challenge for us to get together or feel connected beyond the constant digital contact. The Internet is great, but it's not the same as – say – all going out for a meal together, or gathering for a party.

However, the once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event presented a perfect opportunity for those of us in the Indianapolis area to "connect" (virtually) with our friends in Austin, because the path of the eclipse was going to present multi-minute totality to us in both cities!

The Austin "home base" was scheduled to have some kind of gathering, which happened to coincide with our own Midwestern festivities. Speaking for Team Indiana, our view was spectacular . . . an absolutely breathtaking event.

Unfortunately, as I understand it, the clouds in Texas weren't quite as cooperative as our own skies. I'm reluctant to press my Austinite associates for more details, because I fear it'd just look like we were bragging – because, scientifically speaking, ZOMG IT WAS SO COOOOOOLLL!!! (Wait . . . does Steve read these posts?)

Thus, this once-in-a-lifetime event did not quite unify our cross-country "offices" as much as I'd hoped, seemingly ending up as a celestial c'est la vie. Oh, well . . . maybe I can organize a game of Munchkin on our iPads.

Photo courtesy of my kiddo. If you are a disappointed co-worker, please enjoy this picture of a radioactive Cheerio in a bowl of tea.

– Steven Marsh

 

P.S. from SJ – We did, in fact, have clouds, but they lightened at just the right moment to let the eclipse-watching party here view totality. After which games were played!

 

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!

April 11, 2024: Inspiration Is Everywhere

One of the reasons I'm something of a media omnivore is that inspiration can strike from just about anywhere. For example, I found an article about how DC Comics used a Comicmobile to sell comics in New York City in 1973. It's a fascinating piece, a glimpse into a bygone era. It's hard to say in which era "an ice cream truck, but for comics" would be more novel – today or a half-century ago – but it's evocative nonespelltheless.

Thinking about it made me realize: "Wandering vehicle selling wares that are normally stationary" is pretty darn interesting. Fantasy wagon going from town to town selling martial training? High-tech van selling illicit wares in a cyberpunk campaign? Modern-day bus with arcane wares? It's an intriguing way to bring adventure to the heroes . . .

Of course, if I hear the bells of a comic-selling truck ringing down my street, I'll almost certainly be chasing it.

– 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!

April 10, 2024: Holotype Characters

Okay, here they are . . . Not tested; any balance is pure accident. Brexwerx folks, if anything here is useful, it's yours!

YT's Doc Dino
Charisma 18. Releases well-scripted videos from the field; gets associate producer credit on Hollywood dino films. Gets a second grad student at publication of her sixth holotype. Limitation: can't publish a holotype worth less than 6 VP (including trace fossils).

The Reader
Full photographic memory. Hires similar talents for staff! Spends one less data cube for any description, and gets *two* data cubes on recall. Limitation: will send no one to the field if there is a Library slot open.

The Fringe Theorist
Believes the deinonychids were developing intelligence. Won't dig outside the Cretaceous if he has a choice. +1 VP for any Cretaceous species, or +2 if also theropod, or +3 if "raptor."

The Grand Old Man
Has been contributing to science and museums for 40 years. Welcome anywhere. Pulls a free Specimen card if he (personally) works in the Library; pulls an extra cube of his choice if he (personally) works in the Museum even if that color is not in the Museum's current supply.

The Dynast
Doesn't need money. Has money! Needs bones. Every adult in his family for three generations has been a degreed paleontologist or a famous collector, or both. The Dynast's grad student (his niece) can displace a professor. His field worker (his older brother) can displace a grad student.

Indy Jones III
Accompanies every field expedition – never sends students or workers out by themselves. Rolls one extra die when hunting fossils.

The Dilettante
When the track reaches 20, the Dilettante may go through all unused personal goals and pick a new one. Only the new one scores. The Dilettante may not describe two like creatures in a row – no two theropods, no two sauropods, no two marine reptiles, and so on.

The Splitter
The researcher (only) can spend 5 data, with one fossil of the appropriate color, to redescribe any described creature once. Record it for her score as though she had an identical "virtual" card. The virtual card does not advance general knowledge or the holotype track, and only two can count for personal goals. The Splitter does not bother with trace fossils and cannot use them.

The Polymath
Divides their time between two broad fields, either one of which would tax the average researcher, yet brings insights from each to bear upon the other. The researcher (only) can take two successive Publish actions when placed in the Journal.

Cope Marsh Spielberg
Dr. Spielberg grew up on "Bone Wars" and "Jurassic Park," and loves the science he does not understand. He is the kindest and most hard-working person east of the Mississippi, and Cs got degrees. Cope (personally) may use one wrong-colored fossil in any description. His peers are gentle with him and corrected papers usually appear within the year. Nevertheless, he cannot personally benefit from the Lab or Library and is no longer permitted to present posters at SVP.

– 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!

April 9, 2024: Making Scents Of TTRPGs

Enhancing the mood of your game night can elevate the experience for all players. You've set the scene with themed music. The snacks are ready to be served, and the lights are dimmed to a softer glow. There's just one thing missing: aroma!  Walking the exhibit hall of the GAMA Expo in Louisville, Kentucky in early March, I came across a company that sells fragrances based on fantasy and gaming. The Crafty Gamer has introduced a line of room sprays, candles, reed diffusers, and more called Aromas of Adventure. I stayed quite a while and smelled nearly every scent they had to offer in their massive collection. Here are some of my favorites: Forbidden Isles features notes of oakmoss, honeydew melon, violet, and citrus. It's bright and happy, and is available as a candle, a room spray, and a wax melt. Spray your room with this scent during a session with tropical-themed games. Perhaps, for a night of dungeon crawling, choose Dragon Den, a reed diffuser. The aromas in this special blend are earthy and include smoke, musk, cedar, and oak. The deep red color of the liquid invokes thoughts of fire and peril.  If your game of choice features an Ancient Egyptian theme, Ancient Tomb is the perfect choice. Transport yourself to the distant past with the essences of vetiver, moss hemp, frankincense, and myrrh. Pirate and water-themed games pair great with the High Seas wax melts. Indulge in the scents of the sea with a bouquet of lily of the valley, citrus, and of course, sea salt. Enjoy these scents not only on your next game night, but any time you'd like to reminisce about past adventures – or get excited about new ones!

– 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!

April 8, 2024: Masks: A New Generation

Nearly a year ago, my husband decided that he wanted to try out Masks: A New Generation from Magpie Games. Run via the Powered by the Apocalypse system, Masks focuses on teen and young adult superheroes as they try to find their place in Halcyon City, a metropolis full of caped crusaders, dastardly villains, and (appropriately) plenty of teen and 20-something drama. Players choose from archetypes, such as The Protégé or The Beacon, rather than classes, and the character creation process includes questions that help you flesh out your hero's personality and motivations. It's a departure from tabletop roleplaying games that focus on combat, but there's plenty of fun to be had. While most of our friends have been reading comics since they were kids, my formal introduction to comics happened during my college years. I was a bit worried that this would leave me as the odd person out, which is why I chose The Outsider as my archetype. While the role is coded as an alien being, I decided to take a different approach based on my love of Sandman , Rat Queens , and Kieron Gillen's Journey Into Mystery . My Outsider is a half-fae with (somewhat) reformed, villainous parents who raised her far from the hustle and bustle of Halcyon and neglected to tell her exactly why they had to leave the city. I figured this strange combination would be a good way to explain away my lack of knowledge about superhero tropes, as well as any mistakes I might end up making during gameplay itself. Fortunately, Masks is flexible enough to accommodate players of all skill and knowledge levels. (My friends have also done an excellent job of integrating my oddball into our various adventures and scrapes.) And if you're a fan of TTRPGs that focus more on story than combat, you may want to give this game a try. Our first story arc came to a close back in November, but there were enough unanswered questions and loose ends that we'll be returning to Halcyon City this weekend. I can't wait to see what happens in the next issue . . . er, session.

– 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!

April 7, 2024: Quick Tabletop Games For Weeknights

Let's face it – between work, homework, cooking, laundry, and other household chores, it's often difficult to make time for fun during weekday evenings. When we're looking to play games on a school night or work night, we need something fast and easy to play. That's why we have curated this list of quick board games –  just for you!  Skull & Dragon Dice Game is great for any players who enjoy pushing their luck with dice rolling. It includes just two dice and each roll gets progressively more difficult. It's also a great backpack or purse game to carry with you wherever you go, just in case a gaming opportunity arises!  Playing in just 20 minutes, Wood or Wood Not is perfect for a short evening get-together with friends at a brewery or on a patio in the summer. This hilarious party game includes 197 cards to set various scenes and it promises to teach you more about your friends than you ever thought you'd learn! Please note that this game is suited for players 18+, so it's not intended for a family game session.  Hack & Slash is a fast game for 2-6 players where you'll gather a guild and set out on adventures that include rescues, winning fame, finding treasure, and of course, battles! For nights home alone, we also have a set of solitaire rules! Enhance your game with the Hack & Slash Playmat , which also acts as a player aid for new players. Are you a feline fan? We are! That's why we've created We Love Cats , an adorable family game for 3-6 players. You'll roll to collect kitties with the goal of adopting one of each color. Be careful, though, or a cat might just wander away! Dice fans will enjoy the sparkly, slimy game Gelatinous . Each player's "slime" begins to grow and you'll race to be the first to make yours into a cube. It includes a beautiful dice bag and 35 green glitter dice, and it plays 3-5. The downloadable solitaire rules are great for solo nights.  We hope you'll check out some of these fast and easy games to play with friends and family after work or school. There's always time for fun!

– 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!