Ludicrus Gaming: Moving Day

Hey all! I've moved to a new blog: Ludicrus Gaming! Check me out there; I've got an intro post up that explains what the new site's all about, and why I'm changing. Otherwise, there's to be no more posting on this blog. Thanks, all, for sticking along! It's been great.

Blazing a Trail: a BETA review of the Spark RPG

This is Calcifer, incredibly dismayed by my terrible pun. That's not important, though! I'm here to conduct a concise review of a roleplaying game called Spark RPG, currently winding up a pretty successful Kickstarter--but there's still time to get in on it. I suppose you'll want some explanation why? Well, let's see...

Darkest Soul: Zero Act and Act One

What's all this? Well, I've finally started running a game of Tenra Bansho Zero, a short-form Japanese RPG that's been recently translated into English by Andy Kitkowski. I've written a couple articles drawing from it, both here and here, and it's finally time that I relay some of my actual-play experience with the system. Spoiler alert: it's awesome.

Hollowpoint: a Dice Bag of Bullets

You know, Hollowpoint is really not a game that I thought I'd consider to be interesting. I'm not generally one for its motif of ultraviolence and devastation. On the other hand, I thought that The Boondock Saints was interesting for the way it portrayed characters who were driven to such extremes, and I can't deny the appeal of an action flick. Oh, and then there's the fact that I've thoroughly enjoyed Bee Train's anime Noir and Madlax, which were totally about people who killed other people (and how they dealt with that). Enter Hollowpoint, the game which gives you a splendid framework to build all sorts of stuff around, if you like.

We Interrupt This Hiatus...

Eventually, I'm gonna get back to posting here. In the meantime...

Go back Fate Core on Kickstarter. We need to see ridiculous pony attacks. And we need to hear +Fred Hicks' evil laugh.

The Design of Everyday Gaming: Feedback

Admit it: you are completely confused as to why there's a teapot on my blog, particularly such a strange teapot. It is, in fact, the "masochist's teapot", as borrowed by Donald Norman for his book The Design of Everyday Things, which I'm currently in the middle of reading. As to why I brought him up? Well, let's just say that I found the book highly enlightening so far, and it's spurred some thoughts on game design...

Generic Games: So Mainstream

Okay, I admit that I was just trying to get your attention with that title. And that picture was the best one I found when searching "hipster elf". So, I tried. In this post, I'm going to be talking about the benefits and drawbacks of both generic and more story-specific games.

How to Win an RPG: the GM's Side

Before reading this, you probably want to read the preceding post, which is about the same topic, but from the player's side. I'm continuing from there, outlining what Tenra Bansho Zero has to say about winning the game on the GM's side. It's a bit of a different objective list, and it combines lethally (in a good way) with the players' objectives.

Friday Stats!

I was trying to find an appropriate image. I don't think I could possibly top that one. I'm also totally sure that whoever ORC is, they didn't anticipate this.

At any rate, I decided that, as a small little filler post, I could run through some fun stats regarding the blog. Not the big, boring ones like Total Hits, I'm talking some slightly-less-standard ones. (Also note: all stats are for this week, and may not reflect actual trends. You know how stats are.)

How to Win an RPG: the Player's Side

So, I've got ahold of a pre-release copy of Tenra Bansho Zero, a newly-localized Japanese RPG that's going into publication in January. Let me say this: it is phenomenal. As one RPG.net poster described it, it's a "best hits" of the past decade of RPGs, and it was made in 1997! (Well, there were a few updates introduced three years later, but the bulk of the game is still 15 years old.) There's something very early on that really caught my attention, though. In the opening to the game, it outlines a very simple idea: there is a way to "win" an RPG, and it has to do with making the experience great...

Game On!

(You can't resist reading this article. It has a picture of Felicia Day!)

Sorry I haven't been posting much as of late. I will say that I have an excuse: I've been gaming! It's true; a local con and then weekend gaming at the FLGS occupied Saturdays, and it was glorious. I've also wound up playing in a group on Sundays, as well, and it's fantastic. And all of this gaming, it brought me to a sudden, fresh perspective.

Ninjas, Cyborgs, and Hulked-Out Samurai!

When I saw this Kickstarter, I knew that I had to back it. And, since it only has a few days left to expand its funding base, I figured I'd spread the word as best as I could! I'm talking about Tenra Bansho Zero, a native Japanese RPG that came out in 1997, a full fifteen years ago.

Dice and Distance: Bridging the Gap

What? I thought the picture was apropos. Anywho. It's been a while since I've actually gamed in person, but I've had my share of experiences trying to fill the same gap through long-distance gaming. The results are decidedly mixed, but there's a lot to be learned from it, and a lot of options out there. I'm gonna go through, and hopefully make it less confusing to deal with, because there's a lot of options out there.

Back From the Ashes?

Hello people! The primary purpose of this post is to announce that this blog is finally back...and I've figured out its new style. I think. See, I've just recently started working fulltime at a software company, which takes a rather massive chunk out of my day. However, I think I can still commit to one post a week, so that's what I'm planning. Nothing too big, just one post. With that being said, then, I figured I'd rattle out some thoughts on coming "back from the ashes", like the mythic bird above.

Rise: Capping Off a Story

Dear Readers: This is NOT a review of The Dark Knight Rises, because I haven't seen it yet, though I do plan on seeing it at 10 PM tonight. I just like the picture and theming, and considering that it's opening day for the final Bat-Nolan trilogy, it seems quite fitting. So, then, let me present to you: my thoughts on wrapping up a story with a bang.

Making Magic

So, I'm still alive! I've got a guest post up at Exploring Infinity, but that doesn't mean I can't post back here! So, on I go, with some interesting advice. You see, I've been reading through The Amateur Magician's Handbook (by Henry Hay), and I've noticed that there's some very interesting lessons that can be applied from conjuring to gaming. Watch closely...

Unspent: All's Well That Ends Well

Here's a link to a listing of the Unspent posts, if you're a newcomer to this.

And here it comes: the final moments of Unspent. The Fae lord just crashed through the door, and things are about to get ugly. Just as they'd figured out that the child's search for his mother was powering the whole Fae madness, things got a lot worse. Just as the Fae lord entered the room, I had everyone make a Resolve + Presence roll with a -3 penalty. George's player burned his last point of willpower and managed enough successes to stay unaffected. Ivy's player got 4 successes. Sharon's player burned a point of Willpower--and nothing.

Unspent: Fairly Faerie

Here's a link to a listing of the Unspent posts, if you're a newcomer to this.

Well, everything started going nutty. Completely loopy. Come to think of it, this would be the perfect soundtrack to what was happening in the game. And everyone decided that it was time to follow the little kid with the burlap sack, through all of the madness, as the Hedge began taking over the real world.

Unspent: Oh, the Insanity!

Here's a link to a listing of the Unspent posts, if you're a newcomer to this.

With a plan in hand, the group was ready to tackle the Fae menace, however they could. They were down a Jake and a Leona, but George had come back, and they all had a hunch that a lot of this focused around Rachel Strait, the poor woman who until now had been in the shadows. So Sharon went to find out where she was living...

Unspent: Hedge Trimming

Here's a link to a listing of the Unspent posts, if you're a newcomer to this.

Well, when last we left things, Joel had died in the theater, thanks to the shadows, and everyone was running. When they busted out of the school, Bryce offered his own take on things: the Hedge (the border of the Faerie realm) was bleeding over into reality itself. Then they got into the car, and George started trying to choke Bryce.