30 Days of GameMastering--Day 29!

Just two more entries to go in Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge!  Let's dive right in!

Teaching the game:  how do you sell players on the system while running a demo or convention game?

While I don't run games online, I do run them at conventions, as you followers of this blog well know.   Even before starting Cold Steel Wardens, I demoed WEGS and Pittsburgh 68, to say nothing of my numerous convention games at Origins and the many local conventions here in the Miami Valley.

Everyone has a different schtick!
Keep your PCs unique!

Firstly, I make sure to play up the major themes and archetypes in any game that I'm running.  This helps provide your players a jumping-off point, as well as helps them to understand the setting better.  For CSW, my pre-generated characters all echo already-existing comics characters and I describe them as such.  Dusk, for instance, is an unabashed pastiche of Nightwing, while Veritas is a slightly less psychotic Rorschach.   In my Deadlands one-shots, I included very archetypal Old West characters:  a big-game hunter, a riverboat gambler, a 'lady of the night', and an Indian ambassador.

However, this emphasis shouldn't just extend to your pre-generated PCs.  Rather, you should ensure that your adventure itself emphasizes the core themes of the setting.  One of my most successful convention games--the Deadlands one-shot included over in my free gaming materials:  "Westbound on the San Juan Express"--played this angle up with emphasis.  "Westbound..." emphasized the alternate history angle of the setting, as the PCs were hired to escort Samuel Clemens to Denver to deliver a speech, but also touched on the occult/horror theme, as the game also featured a mysterious Harrowed and a batch of walkin' dead, hidden away in the cargo cars.

I also try to ensure that PCs all have interesting, unique things to do and don't step on one another's toes.  In my "Reno Six-Pack" of Hell on Earth adventurers, I do include three 'spellcasters', but all three use different powers:  the Templar focuses on healing and self-buff powers, the Doomsayer blasts things with radioactive energy, and the Junker has Tesla-based gadgetry.  Even though the mechanics of their spellcasting is nominally the same, their form and function differ greatly, providing niche protection and covering unique bases.  Further, the non-caster characters cover numerous unique skills.  The Road Warrior, obviously, is the best at driving and piloting checks, but is also a terror in melee, wielding a mini-chainsaw.  The Harrowed gunslinger makes for an expert marksman, but is also a capable tracker and scout.

Taking the pain out of the system's learning curve also helps aid play.  After players pick characters in a CSW one-shot, I walk them through the character sheet, using one of the non-chosen characters.  In doing so, I also demonstrate what certain rolls look like, particularly showing how certain modifiers (for CSW, mainly Skill Specialties) fit into a given roll.  This tends to speed things up, though I often start each one-shot with an 'easy' encounter, where the players can get their feet wet in an environment that isn't going to harm them drastically.

Lastly?  Remember it's just a game.  For a one-shot--especially at a convention--it's a much better idea to fudge some rules for the sake of the game moving forward and players having fun.  Getting hung up in minutia, particularly with new players, isn't worth the hassle.  Make sure everyone's having a good time and that they leave the table satisfied.

30 Days of GameMastering--Day 11!

We're on to Phase II of Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge, so we'll be spending the next ten days talking about the actual act of gaming.  With that, let's get into it!

House rules:  what are your favorite hacks, mods, and shortcuts?

It's pure impulse for any gamer to try to make even their favorite system better.  While fun is a subjective item in and of itself--and game designers do try to make things fun for as many people as possible--what's fun at your table might not be the same as mine.

Case in point:  ICONS.  I love the speed of the game and the fact that ICONS lets players be creative with their power usages through Stunts and the use of FATE-based elements, I really don't care for the idea that the GM never rolls dice.  Why?  Well, if the players know that Doctor Weird's psychic blast is always at a rating of 7, it takes the challenge out of fighting Doctor Weird.  So, for any 'named' villain or adversary, I throw the dice just like any PC.  It provides a much greater threat for the PCs, as that same psychic blast can now achieve the Moderate/Major/Massive successes that the PCs themselves can.  While I don't typically do this for "mook"-level NPCs, anything that ramps up the tension and conflict is fair game in my book!

The dice of a pirate who came up Snake Eyes!

Another rule I've cribbed shamelessly came from Skull and Bones--a d20 sourcebook focusing on pseudo-historical swashbuckling and piracy.  But, in among the various black powder firearms was tucked the "Roll the Bones" mechanic.  "Rolling the bones" is pretty simple--toss 2d6 and hope for as high as you can get.  Typically speaking, players are only permitted to Roll the Bones in a situation where they're hoping for extreme luck, as they're essentially stuck with the results of the Bones roll instead of any other (presumably failed) rolls.  I've used the Bones mechanic in other forms, as well.  WEGS' "cold rolls" and "frozen rolls" are frequent at our table, to say nothing of a straight up d20 roll to determine an NPC's attitude or reaction.

Honestly, though?  My favorite graft has always been the infamous Call of Cthulhu Sanity system.  Easy to port over and use in numerous settings, including Sanity as a score opens up whole new realms of tension at the table, as players now have to balance their tendencies to run in, guns-a-blazing, against the very real possibility that their character may be overwhelmed mentally...

The key thing, though?  Don't be afraid to play with a system's mechanics.  If something doesn't work after you've tried it, there's nothing stating that you have to stick with a broken house-rule.  Do what works best for your table and you'll be rewarded!

The Warlock's 400th Entry Contest!

Yes, friends and neighbors!  After much trial and travail, this blog has officially reached its 400th entry!

And here I am, verging on the publication of my first solo book.  What a long, strange trip it's been, yes?
What started as a brief excursion into in-character journaling has evolved over the years into a series of reviews, miscellaneous gaming thoughts, and now my own company.  It's madness, really.

This past Origins, I sat down with El Willy--my entry into game editing and the master of all things WEGS.  I chuckled as we waited for a few players to arrive for a session of Pittsburgh 68.  "Larry," I said, "you warned me.  Back in the day, you warned me on getting involved in the game industry.  Now...well...go figure!"

So, how do I celebrate this momentous occasion?  With a present for one of you lucky readers!

As a celebration of this blog's 400th entry, I'll be giving away a prize pack of two PDFs:

• A PDF copy of Sarah Lynne Bowman's The Functions of Role-Playing Games.
• A PDF copy of my very own Cold Steel Wardens: Roleplaying in the Iron Age of Comics, as soon as it's released to Kickstarter backers.

To enter this contest, leave a comment in THIS blog entry with your answers to the following three questions:

Question 1:  What group sponsored the Kickstarter which I interviewed about in the last entry?
(Hint:  You can look at their Kickstarter HERE!  Or, their website HERE!)

Question 2:  Check out the art galleries over on the Blackfall Press, LLC Facebook Page!  
List one piece of art as your favorite!

Question 3:  Tell me who's your favorite superhero!

Leave your answers to all three questions in the comments, along with your name and a valid e-mail address!
This contest will be open until September 1st, 2013.  Winner will be chosen randomly from the total number of completed entries.  Only one entry per contestant.

Good luck and thanks for your support!

The Warlock's 2013 CSW Convention Tour--Stop #1: CincyCon

As part of my efforts to show off  Cold Steel Wardens throughout the Ohio Valley, I decided to start my yearly convention route just a hair earlier, at CincyCon at the Atrium Hotel in Cincinnati.  I'd never managed to make it to CincyCon, though I'd heard good things about it at several other conventions throughout the area.

The CincyCon War Pig!

First up, my demo games:  I was pleased to have three of my four demo games go off throughout the weekend, which was a massive plus.  This had been a personal worry for me, as when I'd demoed less-familiar games at other conventions--WEGS comes immediately to mind, at AnCon a few years back--I'd had extremely limited success.  Seeing interested gamers willing to give up an hour or two to try a new system was particularly encouraging.

And those games?  A total blast!  Our first game saw the burly metahuman Sawbones leaping through a mafia goon's SUV-windshield, using one of the goon's compatriots as a human shield.  Our second game was even more bombastic, despite the fact that several gamers at the table had never played an RPG in their lives!  One player, taking on Crackdown, looked at the character sheet as if it were in Cyrillic before I waved him off and said, "Don't worry about this.  You're a big black guy with lightning fists, standing on top of a warehouse.  Tell me what you want to do, and we'll make it happen."  From that point on, he was hooked!

It's that game that really stood out to me, as I received one of the best compliments I could have asked for.  One of the players there had convinced the rest to try CSW, as she was a big comics fan, particularly of the Iron Age.  Before they sat down, I even remarked on her old-school Ghost Rider t-shirt, as I was decked out in my own gray-and-black Dark Knight t-shirt.  Halfway through the game, she looked up from the table with a big smile and said, "This reminds me so much of Sin City.".  All I could do was beam.

The convention on the whole was a truly positive experience.  Events were well organized, with an optional pre-registration system.  While the main hall was fairly loud, space was ample and well-lit.  The Atrium Hotel has surely seen better days--it's a little worn around the edges, but still in great shape, and our room was spacious and well-worth the price.  I might have liked to see the Dealer/Vendor Hall be a little more separate from some of the games--the Dealer Hall shared space with numerous miniatures games, which made for some crowded navigation, but this is a minor caveat.

CincyCon made for a great way to start off our convention season, and I know I'll be back next year.  Next up?  WittCon X, and the debut of my homage to Grant Morrison's "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth".  

In Which The Warlock Lauds the Commendable...

So, last post was something of a downer, no?  It's easy to criticize, easy to point out the negative.  By nature, I tend to be a bit cynical--then again, who among my generation isn't?--but there's a lot to love within the pages of today's roleplaying games.  Let's pull some of my favorites!

The Doom Pool!

Roll that Doom Pool!

Chalk one up for Margaret Weis Productions' Marvel Heroic Roleplaying for an absolutely fantastic mechanic.  Even the most experienced GMs sometimes balk at having to make a judgement call on complex environmental actions, and even the most worthy of players sometimes chafe at the concept of 'GM fiat'.  For me, the Doom Pool mechanically addresses this difficulty in a simple, but effective manner.

Making your way through a burning building?  Roll against the Doom Pool to avoid falling debris or smoke inhalation.  Weaving through girders while flying?  Roll against the Doom Pool!  Need to make that super-science device extra-fast?  Doom Pool!

While it's not a be-all, end-all device, the Doom Pool serves as a quick outlet for all those times where a GM might be stuck.  It keeps play at the table moving and keeps the GM with his players, rather than referencing a rulebook.  Really, any mechanic that provides a quick resolution fits here:  the Savage Worlds "common knowledge" roll, the WEGS "frozen roll".  They're great!

In Text Fluff!

Now, this one's a spot of divisiveness.  Some gamers love the atmosphere and mood that in-text fiction brings, while others tend to loathe it.  While I tend to view rpg books more as instruction manuals than fiction collections, the occasional bit of in-character fiction really hits home the ideas and themes behind the game itself.  Plus, it pushes those archetypal ideas that form the core of a setting.

While I have issues with their fundamental rules-set, the Fantasy Flight Games' publications of Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch really capture the essence of what it means to live in the Warhammer 40K universe.  While they have a ton of material from which to generate this setting info, the tone and descriptions in these books blend the world and the mechanics together beautifully.  If only the rules themselves weren't such a mess...

Focus!

This, above all else, is something that I've been reveling in.

Burned spies kill vampires?
There's a game for that...

So many games for so long have been about "universal" mechanics.  d20, GURPS, even Savage Worlds, all try to wear so many hats that they fail to focus on one particular sort of game.  As I mentioned last entry, Savage Worlds makes for a great system for pulp and action, but I'd never want to use it for a horror game--it's just not built for that genre.  But GURPS?  What's the purpose?  Why this system?  Yes, I'm sure you could run a horror game, a sci-fi game, and a fantasy game with it, but why would you?

The print-on-demand and PDF era of publishing has granted us not just the freedom of choice, but also the ability to enter new genres and tell new stories using systems built specifically for genre-emulation.  Want to run a game about down-on-their-luck boxers?  There's a game for that.   Want a game that focuses on the backroom dealings of Japanese samurai families?  Yup, a game for that, too.  Want to be a former CIA agent hunting vampires?  Yes, you're covered.

The Kickstarter Revolution!

Yes, print-on-demand and PDF are great.  But, as I'm finding out more and more, getting a product off of the ground takes start-up capital.  Kickstarter and other crowd-sourcing sites like it have become great ways for rpg designers to not only come up with said capital, but also to publicize their works.

That'd be great in and of itself, but what's best comes right alongside the Kickstarter revolution:  the discussion and analysis of an industry that, for a long time, really hasn't had any intellectual critique at the marketing and distribution level.  Now, it's a daily occurrence, through Facebook groups and message board discussions aimed not just at the design and development end of role-playing games, but also how to take a game and make it into a clean, published product in a cost-effective, efficient manner.

It's that type of discussion that really pushes forward revolution and innovation.  While I can't say that every product has benefited from these discussions, they're a massive benefit to any would-be developer.

In Which The Warlock Wraps Up Origins 2012!

Whew!  I'm really running behind on this one!  The PlatinumChick and I scurried back from Columbus on Sunday evening, and I have yet to say a thing about our Origins weekend.  Man...I'm slacking!

The entrance for Origins 2012!

As I've said many times earlier, our trip to Origins was significantly abbreviated from its prior years.  Under normal circumstances, we'd drive out Tuesday night, get settled in, run games Wednesday through Saturday, then leave Sunday after the dealer hall closes.  This year, as I've been up to my eyeballs with students' finals and closing down my classroom--thanks to the date change, primarily--we were only able to attend half of the time, arriving on Friday afternoon and staying through Sunday.

However, this did afford us one luxury that we hadn't been able to enjoy prior to:  our own hotel room!  Yes, cats and kittens, the PlatinumChick and I actually managed to stay in a place to ourselves this time around.  Mind you, not that we did much sleeping....no, seriously:  we were up each night till around 3:00am or 3:30, either raising a glass with El Willy and the WEGSHogz or grabbing a bite to eat with the Journeyman GM!

The Events!

Friday evening started for me with another session of the D&D Next playtest.  Yes, I know what you're doing to say:  "But Warlock, you hated D&D Next!  You wrote this scathing review of it when you ran it, not three weeks ago!"  And, yes, you'd be right.  But, I figured that I'd give the game another chance, this time as a player--more particularly, as a player of the one character that wasn't represented at our home table, the human "laser" cleric. 

And, truth be told?  I'm still not impressed.  My cleric, with an 18 Wisdom, had all of two spells for the entire day.  Rather than heal, I focused on combat utility, eschewing the mediocre Cure Light Wounds for Spiritual Hammer, which more than doubled my potential damage output.  However, it was to little avail.  Our characters nearly suffered a TPK from a sliding stair trap, and our fighters--while admirable at damage output (but little else)--spent most of their time in single digit hp, falling in and out of unconsciousness constantly.  D&D Next has a long way to go before I'll be putting down money on a new edition.

My Saturday started much better, with a session of El Willy's newest release:  Pittsburgh 68:  a quick and dirty card game (edited by yours truly) emulating the old grindhouse horror classics, particularly Romero's quintessential Night of the Living Dead, which was set--you guessed it!--in Monroeville, PA, right along Pennsylvania Route 68.  I actually ran two sessions of this on Saturday, and a third on Sunday, to help take some of the strain off of El Willy and his crew as they pushed both WEGS and P68. 

Saturday was also seminar day for me, as I sat in on three separate seminars on game design, game development and genre emulation.  While listening to the gaming industry's self-styled "sublebrities" (as in, sub-celebrities) is always enlightening, the actual utility of these seminars has been...well, I'm not exactly sure.  Going to these gives me the chance to hobnob with some of the industry luminaries--I think Kenneth Hite may get sick of seeing me after all of this!--but their advice is only useful if I can actually put it into action!  That comes this summer, as I focus on finishing up oh-so-many projects. 

Unfortunately, I wish I could say that my third seminar, featuring Lou Zocchi, would have been more useful.  Zocchi's "insider" information brought several useful tidbits, but most of these were minutia, not applicable to most current situations.  Further, Zocchi's source information was woefully out of date, attempting to tell the audience about Kickstarter and DriveThruRPG, as if they had just come about and were some experimental force in publication!  I'm not sure whether it's a matter of his tendency to avoid computers or a genuine unknowingness, but Zocchi's information probably wasn't worth my time.

Sunday, the PlatinumChick and I spent most of our time trolling the dealer hall, but also spent a good bit of time with a Myrmidon's "Zombie Containment Rally"--a fun little zombie-killing romp, using heavily modified OGL rules for quick, streamlined mechanics.  Teaming up on the far side of the map, we managed to seal one of the four rifts in the complex and come in, guns a-blazin', to save the rest of our team.  It made for a fun game, in all, and a great way for us to wind down our convention.

The Swag!

The Origins 2012 Swag Shot
Not much this year...maybe next?

Not too much in the way of swag this time around, all told.  I was hoping to pick up a copy of All for One:  Regime Diablolique while there, but no retailer actually had a copy!  I did manage to pick up a copy of Unspeakable Words for $10 as well as winter-themed set of Dungeon Tiles for $6--can't beat those for prices!  The biggest bit of swag, though, is the mace I purchased from Edhellen Armory.  Yes, friends and neighbors, the first piece of my Man-at-Arms cosplay is in place.  I'm hoping to pick up the helmet and the blaster next in July, then the armor (football pads) and Wonderflex in August.  If all goes well, I should be able to have a costume in time for Halloween!

The Observations!

As predicted, this year's Origins was a ghost town in comparison to years prior.  While GAMA has yet to release the official numbers, you only had to walk around for a few minutes to note the sheer lack of attendees.  The convention center food court, which normally would be jam-packed at dinner hour on Saturday, was deserted:  many restaurants had no lines whatsoever, and seats were plentiful.  The Hyatt Grand Ballroom, which was reserved for RPGA games and D&D playtests, was barely one third full during a prime gaming hour:  Friday, at 7pm. 

Speaking to several dealers, sales were down at this year's show as well.  El Willy noted several times that the weekend "felt like a Thursday" from prior years, with a significantly lessened gamer density.  Luckily, Origins will be moving back to June next year--well after the vast majority of schools have let out, allowing educators and families with children to come back.  With any luck, they will. 

You know, it's weird.  While still running demos of P68, I find myself missing the act of running RPG sessions for the convention crowd.  The only issue I'm going to run into next year, though, is what to run?  I could easily continue running the games I love:  Deadlands (especially with Hell on Earth coming out at GenCon!), ICONS, and many others.  I could easily also run sessions of the games I've helped to write or edit for, like The Laundry or WEGS.  But, I'm also trying to keep a weather eye to Cold Steel Wardens...which means running demo sessions and showing off what I have.  And that's to say nothing of my board games!  So many decisions, and only a year to do it in!

In Which The Warlock Comes Up With a Backup Plan...

For those of you playing along at home, you may have noted that I haven't been talking much about our romps in Deadlands on Friday night.  Truth be told, it's been quite a while since we've actually had a session of "The Flood"!  Real-life issues took their toll, between our trip to C2E2, some illnesses, and a few alternate obligations, resulting in over a month of missed sessions!

Yeesh!  That's a lot of time.  But, many groups face the same situation--what do you do when you need the whole group present, and it just hasn't happened?

For us, the answer is usually board games.  Arkham Horror is a particular favorite, as two sessions of that can fill an entire game night for us.  Lately, we also broke out Innsmouth Escape and had a blast with Munchkin Axe Cop.  These are usually good for single night sessions where we're just looking to unwind after a long week, but occasionally we just get the itch for some actual dice-rolling RPG that a board game just can't scratch.

The PlatinumChick and I, after years of running games for conventions, have quite the library of one shots.  Under normal circumstances, we tend to use these sorts of nights for playtesting.  Most of my WEGS games and several of our other one-offs get tested with our home group when a few players are missing.  Again, that's good for most circumstances, but when we don't exactly have a lot of one-shots to test this year, due to the Origins date change, that leaves that option out in the cold.

So, the question has been:  "What do we do now?"



Straight from the comics, onto my gaming table! 
Iron Man and the Avengers take on Carnage in Marvel Heroic Roleplaying

The answer, interestingly enough, arose from one of my recent reviews:  Marvel Heroic Roleplaying.  After going to see The Avengers a few weeks ago (and again a week later...), we were all really high on some superhero goodness, and I was eager to give the system a run.

So, with no prep at all, we decided to delve into the book-built scenario, based on Brian Michael Bendis' "Breakout" arc from "New Avengers".  Serendipitously taking on Bendis' Avengers--Iron Man, Captain America, Miss Marvel, and Wolverine--we dialed up the action as the SHIELD/Riker's Island prison known as "The Raft" exploded with an EMP pulse.  With Iron Man in the in the sub-basements upgrading security and the rest up top, examining some new holding cells with Maria Hill, we started with the party already split....and Carnage making a beeline for Iron Man!

The nice thing about all this?  I've already managed to lay down enough plot hooks in one session to provide a ton of possible "episodes" in the future.  Where did Carnage escape to, after attacking Iron Man?  Who was at fault for the explosion?  Who were the infiltrators in the northwest guard tower, and what's their relationship to "Mutants Sans Frontiers"? 

While we're hoping to get back to "The Flood" this week--with the Battle of Shan Fan, no less!--we'll be revisiting MHR off and on, when we have missing members.  And, it's already looking to be spectacular!

In Which The Warlock Expounds on Scheduling...

With only three weeks till the show itself, GAMA's finally managed to open up event registration for this year's Origins Game Fair.  I've always tried to be supportive of GAMA, as they're propped up significantly by their volunteers, rather than the full time staff that GenCon benefits from.  Even though I've disagreed with them at times--particularly about this year's date change, they've always been really receptive to receptive criticism and feedback.

But, with the open registration, I'm faced with a greater quandary:  what to do?  what to play?! 

Compared to prior years, there are significantly fewer events on the docket, which restricts ones' options significantly.  After doing the math, there's about 300 less events.  Strangely enough, there are actually 30 more RPG events than last year, though!  Go figure, right?  However, it feels like the variety that we'd always been able to enjoy at Origins seems to be in rather short supply.  Less people means less GMs, which means less variety of events. 

Truth be told, scanning through the spreadsheets of events, I wasn't really jazzed on many of the role-playing options in general.  While I'm eager to sit in on an advanced session of El Willy's "Dingbitt's Inferno" scenario, the only game that I actively sought out was an opportunity for the upcoming D&D Next playtest series.  The PlatinumChick was eager to jump into one of the events held by Matinee Adventures, but our scheduling conflicts prevented her from jumping in as one of the "Birds of Prey".  Many of the less-played systems out there are playing only on Wednesday and Thursday, which precludes our enjoying them, as we won't be arriving until Friday evening.

Where I have found a good degree of interest, however, is in the seminars.  Moreso than in any of the other years we've attended, the seminars at Origins have really come up.  Plus, most seminars have no entry fee, which keeps down our attendance cost!  If my schedule runs out as it stands now, I'll be sitting in on at least three seminars on game design, including one with the dice-master himself: Lou Zocchi.  With my editing and drafting cycle of Cold Steel Wardens approaching so rapidly, I think it'll do me some good to hear as much as I can from the "industry insiders" as possible.

I want to make sure that I get a good deal of time in the dealer hall, if for no other reason than to check out the new releases and see what other indie designers are coming out with.  Plus, trolling for deals at the SJGames booth and other places almost always ends out with me walking away satisfied.  Though, this time around, I'm hoping to manage to pick up the first component for my Man-at-Arms cosplay:  his iconic mace! 

Truth be told, I already miss my annual ritual of prepping games for Origins.  While this has afforded me some additional time for other projects--finishing out Tyrian Horror and doing some new freelancing--I love GMing at convention games, and I'm disappointed to be shut out this year.  That said, there's always next year...

In Which The Warlock Rides for Ruin!

So, remember this?  "In Which The Warlock Loads the Ballistae..."

The siege on Morgordal Keep...or is it Helm's Deep?

I've been thinking a lot about this session recently, in the context of one of my favorite battles of all time:  the siege at Helm's Deep, from Tolkein's The Two Towers.  My favorite character from LotR is Theoden of Rohan and his character arc takes a definitive turn as he and Aragorn must the Rohirrim for what they believe to be one final charge against Saruman's treachery.

Of course, I can't let a classic moment like that pass on without WEGSifying it!  And, with FOPCon 4 around the corner, I have the perfect opportunty to give this one a run!

Take a look at my write-up below, and get those 10s and 6s ready, children!  Those orcs aren't gonna wait forever!

Name:  A Whole Stinkin' Heap of Orcs!
System:  WEGS Old Skool Redux (GameWick Games)
Type:  RPG/Miniatures Game
Ages:  Any (rules taught)
Time:  4.0 hours
Sessions Run:  6:30-10:30
Description:  Y'know that one battle from "The Two Towers"?  The one with all the orcs besieging the big ol' dwarven fortress?  Yeah, it's just like that...only with the Wicked twists of WEGS and all the spoint-flinging, dice-chucking mayhem that comes with it!  Can your intrepid heroes hold out against the horde and break the siege?  There ain't no White Wizard to bail you out of this one--ride for wrath, ride for ruin, and the world's ending!

In Which The Warlock Has a Love-Hate Relationship...

It's been a while since I've done one of these, but I figured that it's about high time that I return to the RPG Blog Carnival.  This month's topic, hosted over at Nevermet Press, is "Things to Love, Things to Hate"--essentially, what do you (as a GM or as a player) look for in an RPG, an adventure, a system, etc.

So, take a gander at my personal perks and gripes when looking at games:

Perks:

• I love a game system that attempts to echo the genre being played. 
• My favorite part about Deadlands is the fact that the cards-based initiative, the use of poker-chips, and the dueling/gambling mechanics push the idea of the Wild West, "gamblin' man" action.  Similarly, with WEGS, the use of poker chips enforces the idea of an adventurer "gambling with their fate".  ICONS uses the FATE mechanics to emphasize in-character actions and Determination points to encourage over-the-top action and power stunting.  All of these mechanics are built to better emulate the genre of game being played, and do so admirably, filling holes that a generic system simply can't do.
• I love a game that facilitates ease (and speed) of play.
• While I can give or take "fiddly-bits," I run far too many convention games to rely on them regularly.  Maps, dungeon tiles, miniatures and the like take up far too much room for my taste, and often slow down the pace of a game.  This takes away from investigation and fast-paced action, as people fiddle with movement rules or cover mechanics. 
• I love an adventure with awesome set-piece locations.



The Warlock's favorite adventure!

• My favorite adventure of all time is the wacky, fun-house dungeon crawl known as "White Plume Mountain".  It's not a particularly well-written adventure, but my goodness, the locations!  A fight above a boiling mud pit, with swinging platforms suspended by chains from the ceiling?!  A semi-permeable bubble of water?!  An enchanted-freaking-water-slide?!  Sheer unadulterated awesome!  Without locations like this, the adventure would be nothing more than a fetch quest, but these put it way over the top.
• I love an adventure with multiple, conditional endings.
• One of the things I was happiest about when writing "Westbound on the San Juan Express" was the multiple scenarios that could unfold.  Depending on whom the posse supports, the PCs could end up in any of 6 potential end-game scenarios, none of which resulted in a TPK or any sort of "loss".  That's a rarity to find, but it makes for sheer, unadulterated awesome! 
• I love it my players have too many PCs they want to play.
• You know how I know when I've picked the right game to run?  When my Friday night group starts planning out characters over and over again, and have trouble deciding what they actually want to play.  Too much inspiration is never a bad thing!

Gripes:

• I hate when a game tries to do too much. 
• This was my biggest issue while reading through Lost Colony, the Deadlands sequel game.  While the system mechanics for Deadlands worked for the base game and for Hell on Earth, Lost Colony seemed to drop much of the horror of its predecessors in favor of introducing sci-fi colonial action.  Already a packed setting, it just did...well, too much.  Lack of support certainly didn't help it, but Lost Colony definitely felt like a game stretched too thin.
• I hate it when a game tries to reinvent the wheel...and gets run over by said wheel.
• Wild Talents was my biggest offender here.  I picked it up at Half Price Books, while doing research for Cold Steel Wardens.  The "width vs. height" mechanic used in the game was particularly innovative...but the game (and the NPCs within it) became so wrapped up in numerics and modifiers that the core game--a dystopian superheroes game--became utterly lost in a sea of numbers.  That's anti-fun in a nutshell.
• I hate it when an adventure stacks the deck.
• Ever have this happen to you in an adventure:  your heroes are fighting bandits in their own lair, which is full of nasty traps--caltrops, deadfalls, etc., none of which ever seem to affect them, even when you deliberately try to turn the tables?  That's a sure sign of poor adventure writing and inflexible gamemastery.  While occasionally such things make sense--fire elementals being immune to environmental hazards in a lava realm, for example--but under normal circumstances, there's no excuse for this poor design.
• I hate it when adventures "settle".



Warning!  King in Yellow ahead!

• There's a fine line between providing an adventure "suitable" to a genre's idiom and becoming utterly predictable.  Start hearing word about a strange play and a "yellow sign"?  Yeah, it's Hastur again.  While there might be investigation and conflict, it's simply a matter of going through the motions.  The drama, the challenge...it's gone.  Why bother?
•    I hate it when players don't give me anything to work with...then complain about it.
• GMing is hard work.  It's a lot of prep, and it's a lot of writing.  If I'm asking you, as a player, for a background, that means that I need your help in contributing to the world and to have an active investment in it.  It means that I want to engage you as both a player and a character.  And, when you reject that?  Yeah...that sends a pretty strong message that you don't really care about playing.

How about you guys?  Other thoughts?  Am I off-base?

In Which The Warlock Ruminates Revision...

One of the things that any writer learns swiftly is that first drafts are usually a pile of crap. Put out quickly, in a fit of creative frenzy, first drafts almost always have massive flaws which only get fixed during the arduous, painful process of revision.

While working on WEGS products with El Willy, revision is the sum totality of my job. Not just for grammatical errors, mind you, but rather for content and context, to say nothing of the actual game mechanics themselves! I have something of a running joke with El Willy regarding the Dungeoneer from the "Ultimate Dungeon Party" due to the many versions of Hew and Jab we ran through.

When working with the other freelancers on "The Mythos Dossiers" for Cubicle 7, however, revision was a group effort. After completing a draft, we'd upload the document to a series of Google docs, which were then available for mark-up and changes as needed. Ideas and commentary ran freely, and I still have a whole series of e-mails, detailing commentary on ideas between writers.

And now, two sessions out from the end of my alpha testing for Cold Steel Wardens, I'm finding myself wondering how to go about revising this mess.  While I have quite a few notes of my own, I'm finding the lack of conversation a little frustrating.  While my players have been good about providing feedback, and I seem to be asking important questions, my time with them is limited and the "Q&A" portion of our sessions often comes at 10:30 at night, as we're heading out the door.   That doesn't exactly make for great discussion, particularly if I've been up (as usual) since 6:30 for teaching.

I've thought about contacting a freelance editor--I have a few names that I'd go to, primarily contacts I've made through running games or talking with industry people--though I can't say that I have the cash to pay someone in that position.  So, I'm figuring that my revisions will be a solo effort...

...which is fine.  Really.  Most of the drafting for CSW was done in July, meaning I'll be coming back at it with a fresh head, ready to tear it apart.  In fact, that's just what's happening with my other ongoing writing project:  The Pendulum Method.  Yup!  Pendulum!  Remember that one?  Yeah, I've been taking a look at that once again, with my eyes on expansion. 

And, at the top of the list for that?  A defense of "adverserial game-mastery"...

In Which The Warlock Lets Slip the Crows of War!

It occured to me on Friday, as I was driving home, that earlier that evening was the first time I had run some WEGS in almost 6 months!  The last time I'd lain out the battlemat to preach the Cold Roll Gospel was at Origins this past June--needless to say, it's been a while!

So, when the opportunity came up a few weeks ago to spend an evening throwing down the 2d10 and dd6, I took advantage of the opportunity.  And, boy am I glad I did...it may well have been one of the best WEGS games I've ever thrown down. 

I honestly wasn't expecting much on Friday--the attendance was a little sparse at first, as I sat outside our room with my minis case and my Copper Pot, but soon we picked up 5 players and got the game underway.  I was running a WEGS classic--the Thanksgiving-themed "Hobgobble's Eve"--which I'd run numerous times before. 

I decided, though, that in addition to the normal Arks--Warrior, Ranger, Trickster, Mage, and Sage--we'd also be pulling out the "Ultimate Dungeon Party".  Pleased with this decision, they spared no time in pulling out the Monk, the Sneak, and the Dungeoneer.  But that wasn't enough...no, no, no.  Rather, MissAmber decided to pull out one of my playtest items--El Willy's beta Nekromagicker!  Not willing to disappoint, we rolled on out!

As we wrapped up Arkreation, one of my players asked me, "How much Copper do we get?!"  I smiled and replied, "None..." then proceeded to explain that the Arks tonight were convicts, all inmates of the Prison City of Ikksplat, who have escaped from the city walls into the surrounding Trollspittle Swamp.  Fleeing from the Ikksplatian Guards and their relentless War Dogs, the Arks quickly found themselves hip-deep in swamp-water and in the prescence of some wild Turdragons.

Pluto, Goddess of Undeath,
ready to cast and blast!

It's at this point that I have to extol the powers of MissAmber's Nekromagicker, Pluto.  Wielding some "Boneshaker" and "Boneblast", it seemed like every other round she was ripping out some poor Hobgob's skeleton or crushing his bones into powder!  I don't think she failed a single "Sense: Undeath" roll in the entire game, and was able to pump off spell after spell, decimating my minions. 

In the second encounter, she singlehandedly took on Granny Umm-Lumm, taking her out in two rounds, then going after Granny's beloved Fifi!  The other characters did fairly well--aside from our lone Ranger, who couldn't seem to deal any damage whatsoever, and was constantly in threat of getting cornered.  Pluto got even more deadly following a lucky draw from the Trove deck, picking up a Dragonscale Vest with two Resist skills, which really bailed her out in facing Grampy Umm-Lumm!

Oh, yes...the final encounter.  Grampy Umm-Lumm's den was full of Hobgobs, including two cowardly 4/44 Rangers who had escaped down the stairs rather than face the wrath of Pluto and her minions!  But the big story, of course, was Grampy himself, riding his massive War Turdragon and wielding his fiery spear, with his paired War Crows flapping in the midst of the melee.

The War Crows were the real story here.  While they're basic 6/66 Tricksters, they have one thing going for them:  the Eye-Peck.  Instead of attacking as normal, the War Crows can attempt to gouge out an Ark's eye.  They need a phenomenal roll to do so--only an 01% to 06% will do!-- but it's a devastating attack, which inflicts a Double Lost Action Phase and reduces an Ark's Ruggedness, Stealth, and Prowess ranks by 15...each!

In the midst of a chaotic melee, my dice decided to finally show up.  Against our Dungeoneer, I rolled an 03, with only a fractional chance for him to avoid the War Crow's talons.  With a 5 on the Damage Die, he was brought to nearly 0 Wounds with one shot, clutching his ruined eye socket!  And, not two rounds later, I managed an 01 against our Monk!  Again, a ruined eye! 

But, as per the usual when I run WEGS, my minions fell.  After pulling himself out of the Double Lost Action Phase, our Dungeoneer flew into a berserk rage, Hewing down both War Crows with a Wicked Success!  However, it was Pluto who stole the show.  After taking down the War Turdragon, she turned her attention to Grampy.  But after Grampy fell, MissAmber came up with a glorious idea--use System Shocker to raise the War Turdragon!

The fruits of Pluto's labor!

I warned her, of course, that this would have a pretty sizable Spoint cost, and would take a pretty fantastic roll to pull off.  But, she simply gestured to her sizable stack and picked up her dice.  Wouldn't you know it...Wicked Success!  With Grampy and his War Crows down, and Grampy's pet now a massive draconic skeleton under Pluto's control, the remaining Hobgobs simply surrendered, awaiting their fate. 

What's best in gaming?  Seeing your players come up from the table with all smiles, swapping stories of fantastic die rolls, heroic action, and potential characters for next time.  That's the way it should be.

In Which The Warlock Muses on the Future...

Last night was Wittenberg's first game night, which is always exciting for us.  It's spectacular to be able to meet a whole legion of incoming gamers and share with them all of the exciting events that the Guild puts forward, all of the events and systems that we run, and the cameraderie of slinging dice with your fellow man.

There's really nothing like the first time that you sit down to experience a game.  The 'first impression' that one gets just can't be replicated.  The first time I slung out the d10s and d6s in WEGS, for example, was a game unto itself.  The first time we broke out Arkham Horror, while frustratingly long, got us immediately hooked.  The first time we watched someone's dice 'ace' two and three times at a clip in Savage Worlds...it caught the eye like none other. 

What to write, what to write?!

But keeping that newness?  It's hard!  The longer one plays a game, the more apparent the flaws are in the system and the more 'rote' things become.  The Journeyman GM and I discussed this tendency on our way home from GenCon this year.  By this point, he had run his Blackbeard-based Doctor Who game nearly 12 separate times for various groups across the Miami Valley.  I'd been pinging my "WEGSthulhu" adventure and "Westbound on the San Juan Express" just as often.

As such, with the close of the convention season, it comes time for us gamers to think about what comes next:  what one-shots are on deck for the coming 2012 season, for the Friday Night One-Shot series at Witt, and what we're excited about.  But, that leaves me with a major question:  with so many options, what do I write?!

Obviously, my first and biggest option (and my biggest priority!) is my campaign of Cold Steel Wardens.  I'm running my alpha test--a campaign that I'm calling "Hard Rain"--at Witt this year, with my tentative players' Heroes making their way into the (ideally forthcoming) book as sample characters.  But, one-shots?  I have no issue running them at Wittenberg, but I'm not sure if the rules-set is ready for the convention circuit yet.

Last year, I built a series of Deadlands characters specifically for the purpose of using them on the convention circuit.  As such, I'm very tempted to bring back those characters for another go.  However, I'm at somewhat of a loss of what I'd like that adventure to look like.  I'm loathe to put forward another "train-based" adventure, and would like to lean towards something a little more investigative.  However, that's the furthest I've managed to think this one out.

The Laundry, similarly, is an appealing option.  While I'm more than proficient in the BRP Call of Cthulhu game, The Laundry has its own unique style that makes for a strange balance between absurdist comedy and deadly serious spy-drama.  But, that same balance makes it particularly difficult to GM appropriately.  Even for a skilled GM, it becomes difficult to shift gears so quickly between tones.  I'd been also thinking up a basic Call of Cthulhu adventure based around Shakespeare's "Scottish Play", but that's still in development.

Coming to a game convention
near you in 2012?

I'd also been thinking about potentially revisiting one of my all-time favorite heroes:  the Masters of the Universe in the role-playing arena.  However, I'm really not sure what system I'd use.  While I'd be tempted towards picking up Cartoon Action Hour, I actually think that ICONS would work really well for emulating the over-the-top action.  But, again, I haven't really thought out what the adventure would entail, or any plot ideas beyond the simple "He-Man and crew have to team up with Skeletor to take out a greater threat". 

And then...there are other options.  While I'm swearing off D&D for a while, my gaming stack's still full-up.  I'm planning on picking up All For One: Regime Diabolique in the near future, and I just found a copy of Wild Talents at Half Price Books for $5.  Also, The Journeyman GM still has my copies of Hell on Earth, while my regular Friday night group is chomping at the bit for some post-apocalyptic action.  Oh, and there's always WEGS, particularly with the Ultimate Dungeon Party out now, and the official printing of Dingbitt's Dunge-O'-Doom on the horizon. 

So many options, so little time, fellow gamers!  What should I run?  What would you like to see at WittCon, FOPCon, and all the rest in the next year?!

The Warlock's Origins 2011 (No Longer) Live Blog!--Swag Report!

All righty!  Now we're back in action...back to the normal routine.  While Origins is always a blast, it's the sort of vacation that I have to recover from! 

But, that doesn't stop us at all.  Rather, it just keeps us coming back for more.  And, what's one of the best parts about a giant gamer convention complete with giant Dealer Hall?  The swag, that's what!  Let's take a look at this year's haul:

The PlatinumWarlock's swag from the 2011 Origins Game Fair!

• Deadlands: Hell on Earth--Wasted West Companion and Monsters, Muties and Misfits:  I've been pretty zealous about my fanboy-ism for Deadlands recently, in all its incarnations.  But, I'd been unable to find any copies of these in any of my friendly local game shops.  I even thought I was out of luck at Origins, until L-train and Will the ManMan pointed out that the Pinnacle Entertainment/Studio 2 booth had them!  Even better--I got my copies signed by Shane Lacy Hensley, head honcho behind Deadlands and Savage Worlds!
• Deadlands: The 1880 Smith & Robards Catalog:  Yeah, even more Deadlands.  Not only does it have all sorts of mechanical doo-dads that would make any Mad Scientist drool, it includes additional rules for Weird Science and how to build Scrappers--steampunk warriors, replete with ghost-rock powered cybernetics! 
• Savage Worlds Customizable GM Screen:  Truth be told, I already own a customizable GM screen.  You can even see it in some of my pictures from Origins, as I used it to show off the Guild Shield, as well as signs for my game..  It's a fantastic device, as it lets me fill in whatever inserts I need, and change them out for various systems.  My only caveat for my current GM screen was its height--it had 4 panels, all in portrait style, which made it difficult to look over.  While that's good for Call of Cthulhu and other horror games, a more cinematic game demands a more accessable screen!  I'm not getting rid of my old one, though--the PlatinumChick is getting that one!
• ICONS--The Villainomicon:  Okay, so totally geeked out with Gareth-Michael Skarka at the Cubicle 7 booth, talking about various ICONS games and the like.  I couldn't turn this one down.  More bad guys is always good, and the ones made for ICONS are always stylish, iconic, and interesting.  This was money well spent...and, besides, GMS signed my ICONS book!
• Reaper Minis--Mouslings:  The PlatinumChick is obsessed with these.  I got her a box of them for Christmas last year, and she's been hooked since then.  She's all about the cute little Mousling warriors--I'm kind of shocked she hasn't been playing MouseGuard, all told!  She managed to pick up some of the rarer Mouslings, only being offered at this year's convention season.  Excitement for her!
• Cyborg Commando and SpellJammer:  I picked up these from ChaoticKarl, as part of our yearly birthday exchange.  A professor at his university was selling off some of his older gaming materials, which he had ChaoticKarl put up at the Origins Auction.  But, I couldn't let these ones slip past--they're both spectacular!  I haven't gotten around to reading through them yet, but...well, I haven't read most of the stuff that I've bought yet!
• WEGS Ultimate Dungeon Party Deck:  Oh, yeah!  That product I worked on!  Yes, sirree, El Willy's UDP came out with a bang, to full demos all convention long.  It's a great little deck, full of neat tricks and skills for the advanced WEGS player.  I'm looking forward to throwing these down on our home table sometime really soon!

All righty, gang.  Almost done with Origins stuff for a while.  This Saturday, I'll toss in my post-convention thoughts, and even fill you in on my latest project....I've been busy already, friends and neighbors!

The PlatinumWarlock's Origins 2011 Live Blog--Sunday!

Exhaustion really does catch up with you, after a while.  After day after day of hot gaming action, and night after night of no sleep, I was set to drive ChaoticKarl to the airport at 4:30 this morning for his 6am flight.  Unfortunately, I passed out and he forgot to set his alarm, which meant that at 5:20, we were desperately rushing towards Dayton International, trying to get him on to the flight on time!  We made it, luckily, but it just goes to show what happens when you're running on empty!

The PlatinumChick and Rogue Rod
conspire in "Severed Seas"

Sunday was the one true day of Origins where I had no real responsibilities.  The PlatinumChick and I had one game--a Rogue Cthulhu game called "Severed Seas".  The big plus on this one was that we got to play with two of our favorite Rogues, Justine and Rod; we've never managed to get all four of us into one game before, so this was a real treat!  Playing high-society Brits (or, in my case, a Russian engineer), we were set to investigate the mysterious crash of the Russian ship Antonov.  And, as is the case with all good Cthulhu adventures, horrible things ensue...

While I loved the role-play between characters--though, admittedly, there were probably 2 more seats at the table than really necessary or comfortable--this was maybe the first Rogue game I wasn't particularly enamored of.  For the first half of the adventure, tension was high as we began exploring the Antonov and the atoll it had crashed on.  Something big had created a huge hole in the hull, and not a single crewmember was to be found.  However, as we made our way through the adventure, the GM unwittingly took the horror right out of his own adventure.  When a hideous beastie made an appearance, the initial reaction was fear...until he let it slip that they were simple Deep Ones.  At that point, the guns came out and bullets flew...and the horror went down the drain.  And, for the record, why did everyone have a gun?  Surely the physicist and the archaelogist shouldn't randomly be carrying a revolver and a double-barreled shotgun, respectively!

BoardGameKaren and L-Train in
front of the dealer hall...

After the game, the PlatinumChick and I made our way through the dealer hall one last time, to make some final purchases and to day goodbye to the mighty WEGSHogz.  On the plus side, I actually got to introduce the PlatinumChick to Angus Abranson, one of the head honchos at Cubicle 7.  We had spent quite a bit of time talking earlier about the plans for The Laundry RPG and the demo games at GenCon 2011, but I figured that if I'm going to be writing/running games for them for any extended amount of time, it's a great time to meet and greet! 

As I mentioned earlier, I'll post a little more about what I picked up from C7 and the other booths during my Wednesday entry: my swag report and post-con wrap-up.  Till then, I'm going to just relax!  It's sleepy-time, fellow gamers!

In the meantime, enjoy my pictures from Saturday and Sunday at my my Origins Facebook album!

The Warlock's Origins 2011 Live Blog--Saturday!

These 4 hour nights of sleep are killing me some and my calves are on fire but, all told, I'm still having a blast, here at Origins!

Today was kind of a unique day in the fact that I finally got to play some WEGS, throwing down at the Ultimate Dungeon Party with Willy the 2 and his minions.  Rare is the time where I actually get to sit down and play WEGS, as I'm often running demo games and the like at the Dayton area conventions.  Having a chance to sit on the other side of the minions for once--and to try out the new Arks that I've editing over and over--was a massive draw!  Plus, having the lovely PlatinumChick and ChaoticKarl along for the ride didn't hurt either!

With an abysmal series of stats, I ended up statting up a Dungeoneer:  a grizzled old Warrior ark, who had picked up a few Trickster skills along the way...and a starting 17 in Insanity!  The game itself went fairly well, with my Dungeoneer slashing his way through some trolls...only to go grab a drink from his Brew Cask, and find it empty!  "Oh noes!" said my gruff warrior, "Mah booze!"  Hilarity ensues, of course...

You know what's funnier, though.  "Hew" and "Jab", two of the Dungeoneer's skills, have become something of a joke between us WEGSHogz.  After going through El Willy's drafts 6 times, the two skills had never ended up the same way twice, with tiny changes being made each time:  a Spoint Fee here, a Skill-Free-Inning there, Cold Rolls or Prowess % attacks...it was a mess!  I told El Willy point-blank that, the next time he runs a game for me, I'm bringing a Dungoneer with nothing but "Hew" and "Jab", in all its various incarnations!

My actual GMing, though, didn't quite go to expectations today...not that that's a bad thing, mind you.  Everyone had fun, and I had some rave reviews for both games.  But, wow...totally different directions than I'd expected.

Today brought the second round of ICONS: "The Near-Orbit Mass-Driver Blues", but with a pretty massive change.  Early in the game, the PCs were asked to essentially choose between one of three NPCs to join them--Aftershock, a retired hero; Caldera, a wet-behind-the-ears newbie hero; and Lodestone, a villain incarcerated in Gramercy Island Superhuman Penitentiary.  Of course, who do they go for?  The villain!  And stealth to sneak off with an experimental spacecraft?  Absolutely not!  Why stealth when you can rip apart the off-the-books skunkworks with a magnetism controlling supervillain on your side!

Really, the game went spectacularly, but just not in the direction I intended.  The role-playing at the table was spectacular, even with only 3 players (I could have sworn I had more people pre-registered earlier!).  The repartee--and horrible puns--flew like Determination points.  One thing I would have liked to see was a little more Power Stunting, but I think I was spoiled by the prior group for that mechanic.  They're a hard act to follow!

Just the same, my final game of the night, "WEGSthulhu" brought a fantastic change of pace--not only did I get to GM with some of my favorite Rogues, Justine and Rod, but I had a full-table of newbie WEGSHogz ready to hear some Cold Roll Gospel. 

"WEGSthulhu" is a unique scenario.  At the start of the game, each character is given a face down playing card to determine what their "alignment" is.  A red card makes for a true Hero, while a black card means that the character is a degenerate Cultist in disguise.  Anyone with a Face card, meanwhile, is undecided and could pick either side whenever they reveal themselves.

Usually, players play their cards "close to the chest"--they fear exposure, whether Cultist or Hero.  This time, though?  Nooooo!  The cultists betrayed High Skolar Armitage and his crew as soon as they got back to Miskytoonic Academy, resulting in a huge brawl in the Special Collections between Cultists, Heroes and the Hounds of Tindalos!  Again, a fantastic ending, but not at all what I'm expecting.  But, that's the fun of it all...

I did manage to get some time in the Dealer Hall today with Will the ManMan, but I'll cover my purchases in my yearly Swag Report!  Suffice to say, there's a lot to be had, with some special "additions"!  Stay posted for that, my photos from Saturday and Sunday, and for my final live-blog report this coming week! 

The Warlock's Origins 2011 Live Blog--Friday!

Okay, so remember how I mentioned being exhausted yesterday?  Yeah, after an 18+ hour day of hardcore gaming, I am wiped out!!!  But, it's all worth it when you're really enjoying what you do.  Today was one of those days.

ChaoticKarl and I started the day off at an RPGA game:  "Secrets and Shadows".  After last year's mess and massacre, I was truly skeptical about going through another game.  I even went so far as to make the PlatinumChick and the Enigmatic Mr. Ebbs serve as witnesses that, should this game not go well, I would forswear the RPGA for good.

Karl and our RPGA GM share a laugh...

But, you know what?  I really had a good time today.  The scenario structure was particularly well-designed, and had significant variants that depended on various ongoing campaign rewards.  Further, the GM was flexible and well-versed in keeping players interested.  The game ran spectacularly, with tons of opportunity to actually role-play and interact with both NPCs and the other party members.  Further, the other gamers at the table were both interesting and engaged with the plot.  Truly, this game reaffirmed my faith that the RPGA isn't a lost cause of gaming.  Just like anywhere else, sometimes you get poor games and poor scenarios, and other times  you get gold.  This time, we got some real gold.

Making their way through the Wasted West....

Afterwards, I had to rush to get prepped for my first of two games: another session of "Westward on the San Juan Express."  This time around, though, I got a unique opportunity--I got to throw down with some actual, honest-to-god Deadlands players!  All of the little homages that I put into the scenario--the little references and details--made for a spectacular game.  Honestly:  more gold.  The game ran spectacularly, with the players taking a totally different route through the game than I had expected, and poor Sam Clemens almost getting taken out by one of the NPCs!  Plus, my old buddy Nigel Worthington-Smythe's dirty secret came out...I won't spoil it here, but it's a doozy!

The whole gang, at Buca di Beppo!

Today was another big dinner for us, this time at Buca di Beppo.  While most of our meals are all individual, this one is all about the family-style dining.  With four massive entrees, and three appetizers, we ended up with even more than our 10-strong gamer flock could manage!  Not that that's a problem...the Drury has a mini-fridge, which means that our leftovers won't go to waste!  In amongst all of the chaos of tomorrow, I'll actually be able to grab some lunch!

Minnesota Steve moves into position!

We needed to rush just a touch, but we managed to make it just in time for our games at 7pm, and my Origins debut of "WEGS+Cthulhu = WEGSthulhu!"  And, really, this scenario really blew me away.  while WEGS is a little on the light side in the way of role playing, this game really managed to take the cake.  One of my 4 new WEGSHogz, working their way through Miskytoonic Academy with Minnesota-Steve (a veteran WEGSHog!), ended up negotiating with High Scholar Armitage, to try to get a better deal for her church!  Fantastic!  Unfortunately for that player, the final encounter ended in a massive tragedy as both she came out of Ethereality right in the middle of Randolph Carter, causing both of them to fuse together into a Sanity-warping beastie!  Cthulhu emerged, and the few cultist players pulled out a triumph--Ia! Ia!

Today's been a lot of win, but finally, I managed the biggest win:  El Willy and his crew, and our WittKids have been trying to manage to wrangle a time to raise a glass together at the Big Bar on 2, in the Hyatt.  We've only managed it once, in 4 prior years, and we'd been trying unsuccessfully since Wednesday.  Tonight, we finally managed it--hence the late hour of this post!  And, you know what?  Just being able to sit around with some good friends, particularly ones so distant for most of the year, makes it all worthwhile.

Tomorrow brings some more WEGSing for us, as I'm jumping in on Willy the 2's "Ultimate Dungeon Party" demo game, then back to the GM screen for me, with a session of ICONS and another "WEGSthulhu!"  It's going to be a blast, and I'll keep you updated on all the carnage as it goes down!

To take a look at my pics from both Thursday and Friday, take a look at the Facebook album!