tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537925839133446232024-02-19T17:13:04.854-08:00Stegosaurus StudiosGames, art, and miscellany from Joshua LH BurnettJosh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-10263390740033792442013-02-25T14:37:00.000-08:002013-02-25T14:37:20.630-08:00Spy Racers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsKkToe_OZs2ULM77PiFoWM6HILK0JZFvdrratEAZW6vX0QmpK83mJt-_5yY3g5HIhQSYDbPdZLmZW6R6aEVAa30oKvDX8olDQqSpKCuL6YjVo_-I0B8y9_xS1yT88X6HzNvCqQDSl0Nl/s1600/SpyRacersCover500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsKkToe_OZs2ULM77PiFoWM6HILK0JZFvdrratEAZW6vX0QmpK83mJt-_5yY3g5HIhQSYDbPdZLmZW6R6aEVAa30oKvDX8olDQqSpKCuL6YjVo_-I0B8y9_xS1yT88X6HzNvCqQDSl0Nl/s320/SpyRacersCover500.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/111722/Spy-Racers?src=FrontPage" target="_blank"><i>Spy Racers</i> is here!</a> Hex Game's new supplement for <i>Sex, Lies and Ultraspies</i> features rules for super-powered cars for your super-powered spies. I totally want to hack it to do a M.A.S.K. game. Robert McCabe wrote it. Jeffrey Johnson and James Hornsby did interior art. I did layout and cover art. CHeck it out!Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-59809470187981612962013-02-02T22:49:00.000-08:002013-02-02T22:49:40.395-08:00"Spy Racers" CoverI just finished the cover for <i>Spy Racers</i>, an upcoming vehicle and racing supplement for <i>Sex, Lies and Ultraspies</i> from <a href="http://www.hexgames.com/" target="_blank">Hex Games</a>.<br />
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The op art background pattern was fun to do.<br />
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<br />Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-91206905639609692812013-01-29T15:57:00.000-08:002013-01-29T15:58:10.253-08:00Starting a New Blog!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Howdy gang!</span><br />
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The Stegogsaurus Studios page is going to under go a little bit of restructuring. Nothing major. I'm going to refocus this blog on creative projects, specifically my illustration and games that I'm writing, producing, etc.<br />
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General RPG stuff, actual plays, con reports, all that other stuff, will now be the focus of my new gamer-blog, <a href="http://bernietheflumph.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bernie the Flumph</a>. Go check it out, follow it, tell your friends, tell a stranger!<br />
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All part of the new 2013 initiative!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-13070213130521351432013-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:002013-01-23T16:25:21.329-08:00Scravers - A "Mutant Future" MonsterWe have to put our weekly <a href="http://buriedwithoutceremony.com/monsterhearts/" target="_blank">Monsterhearts</a> game on pause for a couple of weeks. I want to run something on the other side of the RPG spectrum to fill the gap, and I think I've settled on <a href="http://goblinoidgames.com/mutantfuture.html" target="_blank">Mutant Future</a>, a Gamma World homage from Goblinoid Games.<br />
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I needed some relatively low-HP humanoids to use as antagonists for the adventure I have planned. None of the monsters in the Mutant Future book were exactly what I was looking for, so I made up my own. Let me introduce you to the Scravers. Gotta' love me some rat-people.<br />
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<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/scraver100_zpse567d100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Scraver!" border="0" height="308" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/scraver100_zpse567d100.jpg" title="Joshua LH Burnett" width="320" /></a></div>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8305461050476879" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scraver</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No. Enc.:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2d4 (6d6)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alignment:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Chaotic</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Movement:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 90' (30')</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Armor Class:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 7 (leather armor)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hit Dice:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 4****</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Attacks:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2 (claws) or 1 (weapon)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damage:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 1d6/1d6 plus poison, or by weapon</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Save:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> L3</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Morale:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 6</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hoard Class:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> II (XVIII)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scravers are squat humanoid rodents that resemble bipedal shrews. They are known for their greed, cruelty, and cowardice. Their large, thick fingered hands are equipped with retractable claws that secret a paralytic venom. Scravers gather in small semi-tribal gangs lead by the strongest and cruelest of their kind. They prefer to live underground, in ruins, or the dark parts of the wasteland, trusting their echolocation and sharp sense of smell to guide them. Gangs of scravers often raid small settlements and caravans for food, loot, and salvage.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scravers are cowardly, and prefer to attack opponents from a distance with bows, crossbows, or salvaged firearms. If forced into close combat, they attack with two claws. An opponent wounded by a claw attack must save against paralysis or become paralyzed for 1d6 rounds (Class 10 poison). The scravers' echolocation grants them a +2 to hit in combat. If a fight goes against them, scravers will use their venom to paralyze their foes and flee. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For every 6 scravers, there will be one 5HD </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sub-boss</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with AC 6 (studded leather). For every 18 scravers there will be a 6HD </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">boss </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with AC 5 (chainmail) who saves at L4, and inflicts +1 damage in combat. There is a 50% chance that a boss scraver will be accompanied by a 5 HD </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">savant </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with 1d3 beneficial mental mutations.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scravers often breed and train giant rats for use as guard animals.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mutations:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Ecolocation, Increased Sense (scent), Natural Weapons, Toxic Weapon</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>XP</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Standard: 300 </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sub-Boss: 800</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boss: 1320</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Savant: 950/1100/1250</span></b><br />
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<br />Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-29511571083233063062013-01-21T14:44:00.001-08:002013-01-21T14:45:18.057-08:00Leopard Women of Venus color artworkSo what with one thing and the other and whatnot, it's been a while since I updated the old Stegosaurus Studios blog. Let's fix that.<br />
In fits and starts, I've been working on getting <i><a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/89134/Leopard-Women-of-Venus" target="_blank">Leopard Women of Venus</a> </i>ready for a print edition. We're doing the thing in color, which means all the interior art (which was originally black, white, and red) needs to be colorized. So I've been doing that. I'm pretty happy with the results, especially the map of Venus.<br />
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Check 'em out!<br />
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<br />Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-22776299721244802572012-08-21T13:44:00.002-07:002013-03-30T19:10:55.858-07:00Gencon 2012 (Post-Con Report)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gencon has one again come
and gone. Some games were played and some lessons were learned, and a
good time was had by most.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here's a break down of my
personal experiences. It doesn't touch on other people's games, I'm
afraid, but Hex Games ran over 20 games and six seminars this year.
Quite a busy and successful Gencon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Wednesday</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I smartly took the day
before my first day at Gencon off, so I'd be well-rested. What a
novel idea. Sadly, the day before Gencon is much like the night
before Christmas, so I didn't get any sleep Tuesday night/Wendesday
morning. Undaunted, I spent the morning and afternoon packing and
finishing last minute preparations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I eventually left Toledo
in Dory (The Little Buick that Shouldn't) at 5pm, expecting to get to
Indianapolis at about 10pm. Fatigue suddenly hit me near Lima, but
with the aid of a 15-minute snooze, a Vivarin pill, and an all-80s
radio station, I was quickly back up to speed. I tooled into the
Airport Ramada at 10ish and waited for Ian to get back from his first
day at Gencon while watching Cartoon Network and putting the last
details on my Hobomancer game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Thursday</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My first day at Gencon
2012!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Events:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Crouching Tiger Beetle,
Hidden Dragonfly</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My kung-fu fantasy/cartoon
bugs mash-up game for QAGS. I only had three players, but they were
all fans of the wuxia genre and cartoon bugs in general, so they
“got” the adventure perfectly. The adventure ran smoothly—a
princess was delivered, the Scorpion Devil was thwarted (for now),
and the Bandit King was humiliated. The Kung-Fu rules I came up with
need a little more play-testing, but I look forward to developing
this setting further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Interstitial:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/616306_4455948439264_824126152_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/616306_4455948439264_824126152_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My first game wasn't until
2pm, so I had some time to kill. I decided to go down to the Dealers'
Room, unaware that I'd be getting there right as it opens. I quickly
gave up my plans on an organized browse, and instead I just drifted
with the crowd like plankton in the currents of the sea. This worked
out okay, and I wound up talking to the good folks at Indie Press
Revolution and Oni Comics, making some valuable connections. Also I
bought some games and comics. Before I spent too much cash, I made
sure that I got gifts for my wife and son, since I am, after all, a
wonderful father and husband.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Later that evening, I went
to The Ram to meet with a group of Kickstarter backers for Mike
Nystul's Axes & Anvils rpg. Unfortunately, we never decided to
all wear a white carnation, or dwarf hat, or anything else that would
identify ourselves to each other. It takes a bit (and Mike is late)
but we eventually all found each other, and, after waiting an hour to
get in, had a lovely meal and discussed Mike's new game. To sum up,
Axes & Anvils is a game I want to play NOW, and Omnipotent Ale is
the best thing ever brewed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also, I left my hat at the
Ram. I eventually got it back, but this was the first in what would
become a series of forgetful mishaps. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Steve and Richard arrived
in Indianapolis shortly after Ian and I returned to the Ramada.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Friday</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My busiest day at the con!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Events:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Justice Band: the
Spirit of Rock</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lots of Hex Gamers have
run Justice Band games, but this was my first time. I had a few
return players, and aside from a couple of players choosing to play
characters I had intedned to use as villains, the game went
incredibly smoothly and was a lot of fun. The PC cast included Gene
Simmons (Gimmick: Prehensile Tongue), Ted Nugent (Gimmick: Trick
Archer), Geddy Lee (Gimmick: Summon Owls; Weakness: Canadian), Kieth
Richards (Gimmick: Immortal; Weakness: Occasionally Dead), and Glen
Danzig (Gimmick/Weakness: Werewolf).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Unconventional
Characters, Unconventional Worlds; Superheroes vs. the Forces of
Boredom</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">These were seminars I sat
in on as a panelist. Hex's seminars didn't attract a lot of people
this year. This is probably because our seminars were located in the
Crowne Plaza way on the outskirts of the con. Also, we've done these
subjects quite a few times and it's probably time to think of some
new subjects.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Hobomancer: Suffer the
Little Children</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My goal with this
Hobomancer game was to prove that Hobomancer is not a comedy game and
is capable of real horror. The plot revolved around a series of child
murders and I stole a lot of elements from <i>Hellraiser</i>.
I had an awesome group of players and the game went geat, even if I
had to leave about half of what I wrote on the cutting room floor.
Strategic use of nursery rhymes to flush out Boogeymen! Yes!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Interstitial:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This
was my busiest day of the con. I had back-to-back events from 10am to
8pm. I was supposed to go play in the Indie Games on Demand room
(bought tickets and everything), but Hobomancer ran long and I was
exhausted, so I missed it but wasn't too upset about it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Leighton
arrived in Indianapolis that night while Steve, Richard, and I were
playing the new Smash-Up card game. We woke up Ian, who was trying to
sleep. Sorry Ian.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Saturday</b></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sleep
deprivation begins to wear on Josh's psyche.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Events:</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/191358_4447709353292_450495363_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/191358_4447709353292_450495363_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>American
Magic; Hobos, the New Pirates?</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Two
more panels, again in the Crowne Plaza. We've done these panels
before and we had the patter down pretty good. It's probably the last
year for both of these.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Interstitial:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This
was my light day. I ran no events, and only sat in as a co-panelist
on the seminars.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That
morning Aaron Huss of the Roleplayers Chronicle interviewed me. I
talked with him a good deal about QAGS, and Hobomancer in particular.
Even though it was three days into the con and I was a bit loopy, I
don't think I embarrassed myself of the company.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I
was, however, late for the interview, as I had to run back to the
hotel (thanks, Richard!) and get ym badge, which I had left on a
table. I also left my hat (oh that hat) in the press room with Aaron.
The downward spiral of forgetful hijinx continued.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I
did some more shopping and bought abunch of miniatures for cheap to
use in Ben Balestra's Pathfinder campaign. Sadly, I lost this sack of
minis somewhere between the dealer's room and coming home Sunday. I
have no idea what happened to them.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Friday
night was the most important even for Hex--”Hex Games has Dinner
with People we Like at the Ram.” Hex Knome and friend Mark Kuszek
was there, as was Andy Davis of Crafty Games who totally sold me on
their new crime-empire game, whose name I forget right now.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I
did not forget my hat this time. Also, peanut butter and bacon on a
burger isn't too bad.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That
night I made it to Indie Games on Demand (ticket!) and played <i>Dungeon
World </i>for two hours. I'm a big
fan of <i>Apocalypse World</i>
and was not disappointed by the dungeon fantasy hack for it. IGoD
games are only set for two hour slots, and we spent most of that time
fighting a dracolich and falling up and down bottomless pits. Still,
I had a blast and look forward to buying the actual game.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>Sunday</b></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last
day at the Gencon.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Events:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/620441_4455769554792_1127172066_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Facebook/Gencon%202012/620441_4455769554792_1127172066_o.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Sword
& Sorcery: You're doing It Wrong; Unconventional Characters,
Unconventional Worlds</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Again,
two seminars we have done numerous times in the past. The Sword &
Sorcery one was decently attended and the audience interaction was
great. I skipped out on the Unconventional Characters panel so I
could go give Oni Games a copy of <i>Leopard Women of Venus</i>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If
there's one thing you could take away from the Hex Games seminar,
it's that Hex Games loves the Gray Mouser and Fafhrd, and we love
Grant Morrison. We brought them both up <i>a lot</i>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>Golden
Age Supers: The Return of Stardust</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This
was my QAGS game featuring Golden Age, public domain superheroes
coming out of retirement to stop the return of an angry Stardust the
Super Wizard. It was basically World War Hulk with weird characters
from the 40s and 30s. Leighton got to play as The Music Master and
did a wonderful job playing up the “Arrogant Jerk” Weakness.
Other players chose Silver Streak, Sub-Zero, Daredevil (the original,
not that fly-by-night blind guy), Black Terror, and The Clock.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I
knew this game would live or die by how creative the players were,
and I was not disappointed. The players were great. They picked up
the Golden Age tropes very quickly, and we even got a happy ending
for Stardust and the world! A damn fine way to end Gencon!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Interstitial:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The
Stardust game started late because I left my game notes in the car
and had to run back to get them. Thankfully Leighton took that time
to educate the other players on the cosmic horror that is Stardust
the Super Wizard.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After
we left Gencon for good, we had a wonderful Mexican dinner at Sol del
Tala, a delightful restaurant some distance away from the convention
center. We got some Hex Games business banged out, and Richard and I
brainstormed some ideas for a Hobomancer card game.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u><b>The
End</b></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After
dinner we parted ways. This was only my second actual Gencon, and it
was better than the last, despite my steadily degrading mental state.
When I got home I slept for 15 hours and felt worlds better for it.
Back to civilian life.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's
always great to see my friends from and around Hex Games. It's a pity
I don't get to see them more often. Still, I came home creatively
recharged with a bunch of new ideas buzzing in my head. I can't wait
to see them again in October for Archon!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-15051863150453603072012-08-13T15:50:00.002-07:002012-08-13T15:50:47.323-07:00Gencon PrepI'm finally printing out my materials for Gencon.<br />
I've been having fun making these groovy <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0By7_mWrqlAQdRkh3WEVCN1dXekU" target="_blank">tri-fold character sheets</a> for my games, but I wasn't sure how they'd look until I printed them out. I'm happy to say that they turned out pretty spiffy...<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/BugFuTrifold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/BugFuTrifold.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/GoldenAgeTrifolds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/GoldenAgeTrifolds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I'm mostly done with game-prep at this point (mostly). Now It's just a matter of packing and getting the car ready--a feat in and of itself.Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-90196657319383449542012-08-11T07:02:00.001-07:002012-08-11T07:02:18.101-07:00Crouching Tiger Beetle, Hidden DragonflyIs it really just 5 days until Gencon? Wow!<br />
One of the games I'm looking most forward to running this year is my kung fu cartoon bugs QAGS game, "Crouching Tiger Beetle, Hidden Dragonfly." It mixes two of my favorite genres--funny animals and wuxia films.<br />
<br />
I'm trying something different for this game. Instead of using normal blank character sheets or making pre-gen PCs, I made little tri-fold character sheet pamphlets (inspired by <i>Apocalypse World</i>). On the front of each of these is a little doodle of a kung fu bug the players can use for inspiration. You can take a gander at these character pamphlets <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0By7_mWrqlAQdRkh3WEVCN1dXekU" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Here's a quick look at the cartoon bugs...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/kungfubugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/kungfubugs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And here's a look at the quick map of the Little Kingdoms I drew for the game...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/littlekingdomsmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/littlekingdomsmap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By the by, there's still three seats open for this game. Thursday at 2pm, JW-308. Just sayin'...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-15364237093469607022012-08-09T16:58:00.002-07:002012-08-09T16:58:27.909-07:00First Pictures from Mars Rover CuriosityI was stunned--stunned!--that no one had made this joke yet, so I went ahead and made it myself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB-Hc_LreN3JzVC-E3SGKiX9FERuF-nLs6WrKpyjrmRj2KTJ-ybrpCcXLnw0T66Q_TBjxMZH3yPmF76ymHSRQJ4B2nqc7fGx51eEHpjZ-_OBAL6eI2fKc2gurg1PRiCfkVUpQdWMVW0Nl/s1600/barsoomcuriosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbB-Hc_LreN3JzVC-E3SGKiX9FERuF-nLs6WrKpyjrmRj2KTJ-ybrpCcXLnw0T66Q_TBjxMZH3yPmF76ymHSRQJ4B2nqc7fGx51eEHpjZ-_OBAL6eI2fKc2gurg1PRiCfkVUpQdWMVW0Nl/s1600/barsoomcuriosity.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
Mad props to Frank Frazetta.</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-22630684090061211832012-07-20T16:27:00.004-07:002012-07-20T16:29:07.322-07:00GILGAMESH!What with one thing or the other, it's been some time since I last posted. Let me rectify that.<br />
My <i>Leopard Women of Venus</i> co-conspirator Leighton Connor is finishing up his latest project for <a href="http://www.hexganes.com/" target="_blank">Hex Games</a>. It's an epic adventure of mythic fantasy called <i>GILGAMESH!</i> (All caps, with the exclamation pint!) He asked me to do art for the project, and I was happy to oblige.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/gilgameshcoverimagecolor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/gilgameshcoverimagecolor.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gilgamesh vs. the Rock Man!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/scorpionwoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/scorpionwoman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A dastardly scorpion woman!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Gilgamesh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/Gilgamesh.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Mighty Gilgamesh, king of Ururk!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>GILGAMESH!</i> should be available for purchase by the end of the month. GILGAMESH!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-74314647581671773362012-02-24T18:13:00.004-08:002012-02-24T18:13:46.902-08:00What I want my son to learn by playing D&D<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/eriksdnd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/eriksdnd.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recently started playing BECMI
Dungeons & Dragons with my 11-year-old son. I'm trying to give
him the whole “Redbox” experience—searching room after room by
torch-light, mapping as you go, listening for skeletons and goblins.
I want Bargle to piss him off as much as he did me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps more importantly, there are
several life lessons I want the boy to learn through D&D.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Math!</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is the obvious one, but it's still
true. I'm no calculus whiz, but nothing taught me to add and subtract
columns of number quickly and accurately like shopping for equipment
for my D&D characters. That's not even touching on the math and
geometry required for combat and miniatures movement.
</div>
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</div>
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<b>Be a Gracious Winner and a Good
Loser</b></div>
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Sportsmanship is a difficult lesson to
learn these days. We live in a poor section of town, so there's not
much in the way of organized sports, nor does his school offer much.
And let's face it, I'm a D&D nerd, I'm not big on sports anyway.
But even when I was a kid, I had Sports Billy, Fat Albert, and other
shows to teach me about good sportsmanship.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No so much any more. I've heard the
banter on Xbox live. I've been on Ventrillo on failed raids in WoW.
Sportsmanship, grace, and humility are rare traits.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, I'm hoping to teach the boy those
qualities through D&D. When you succeed, good job! You should be
proud, but don't brag (unless, you know, you're roleplaying a
braggart, but one thing at a time, okay?). Pride leads to hubris,
which leads to failure. And when you DO fail, you get up and try
again. Don't brood, don't sulk, don't get angry. It's a game. Your
elf was eaten by an ochre jelly? Roll up a dwarf and try again. The
fun in in the playing.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Fun is independent of Success or
Failure</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This goes along with the above lesson.
It doesn't matter if you saved the princess and slew the minotaur,
or if your party got wiped out by the first batch of kobolds. What
matters is that you had fun. More often than not, massive failures
make for better stories than victories. This is the “Call of
Cthulhu Corollary.”</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Impermanence of Things</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is the “Rust Monster Rule.”
Nothing lasts forever. Sometimes you're going to loose things you
love. You have to learn to let go of material things. Sure that +5
Vorpal Sword is nice, but one magical armadillo can destroy it
forever in six rounds. You gotta just let it go.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Experience is The Most Important
Thing</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sure, gold is nice, but when it comes
right down to it, it's the experience and the things you learn that
let you grow as a person.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-59512298657226556062012-02-20T09:42:00.000-08:002012-02-23T16:46:48.881-08:00The Rumor Mill -- Using rumors to develop new PCs.<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've recently started playing a retro-clone game called <a href="http://www.autarch.co/">“Adventurer Conqueror King”</a> from Autarch. It's a great new take on old-style D&D, and I'll review it more in-depth later. Right now I want to share something I did in our first session as an example of what you can do to quickly build depth into new characters, only five-minutes into the game. </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So we've got a shiny new group of adventurers. They area all currently live and work in the same geographic location (in this instance, a small town) and, if not friends, they have at least heard of each other. I take all the PC names and write them on slips of paper. I shuffle the names up and pass them pack to the players. I have the players look at the names but don't show anyone else. Any player who get's the name of his own PC should swap with the player next to him until everyone has the name of a PC that isn't theirs.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now we go around the table. I look to Destiny's player.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>GM:</b> “Whose name do you have Destiny?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Destiny's player:</b> “Valmar's”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Valmar is a Neutral Human Mage.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>GM:</b> “Tell me a rumor that everyone has heard about Valmar.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Destiny smiles; Valmar looks nervous.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Destiny: </b>“Back when he was a teenager, Valmar killed his uncle with black magic.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
Now this rumor is established! People have heard this rumor, it exists, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. But, we turn to Valmar's player.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b>GM:</b> “Valmar, is this rumor true? And if not, what's the true story?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Valmar</b> (lighting up): “I DID kill my uncle with magic, but what nobody knows is that he was killed then resurrected by an evil necromancer. He was a zombie when I blasted him!”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Excellent! Now, not only do we know a bit more about Valmar's past, we have an idea about what the community thinks about him, plus we have the seeds for a new NPC, an evil Necromancer with ties to Valmar's family.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I reward both players. Destiny gets 250xp for creating the rumor. Valmar gets 250 for accepting and/or clarifying the rumor. If they were higher level, I'd give them more XP. If we were playing QAGS, I'd give them Yum Yums. If FATE, Fate Chips. Reward your players in whatever currency works best for your game.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We continue around the table this way. Eventually every player should be rewarded twice. Once for creating a rumor, and once again for clarifying a rumor about their own character.</div>
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This worked great for my group, and within 5 minutes, before the game had even started, we had personality quirks and vague background stories already established for a fresh batch of PCs. </div>
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Give this technique a try with your own groups and let me know how it works!</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-52508702831340074272011-10-09T19:35:00.000-07:002011-10-10T17:44:07.159-07:00Themysciran Heritage for the Smallville RPG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/lynda-carter-wonder-woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/lynda-carter-wonder-woman.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My game group has been quite enjoying the <a href="http://www.margaretweis.com/mwp-online-store/smallville/33-smallville-roleplaying-game">Smallville RPG </a>from Margaret Weis Productions. After a couple sessions, my wife has become enamored of the idea of playing a Themysciran. Themyscira, of course, is the native home of Wonder Woman. I like the idea, too, so I banged out a new Heritage Distinction. Give it a look-see!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Themysciran Heritage</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Themyscira (also known as Paradise Island) is an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. Its all-female population is descended from the Greek gods and are known in legend as the Amazons. Thousands of years ago, the Amazons grew tired of the corrupt and warlike nature of “Man's World” and hid their nation with powerful magics and weird science. After centuries of isolation, Themyscira has recently begun to send emissaries to the outside world, curious to discover if the world is ready for Amazonian enlightenment. Divine ancestry and specialized training have given Themyscirans powers that rival Kryptonians and Martians, but they lose their powers if tied up or otherwise bound.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u>d4:</u> Earn</b> a Plot Point whenever you <b>Choose</b> to show open disdain for or ignorance of “Man's World.”</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u>d8:</u> Add</b> a d6 to the Trouble pool to use a Special Effect from a connected ability you do not have.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u>d12:</u> Spend</b> a Plot Point to increase your Insecure or Injured Stress pool.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Connected Abilities:</b> Flight, Regeneration, Super Senses, Super Speed, Super Strength</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Limits:</b> Binding</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-79835813047128122412011-09-25T19:19:00.000-07:002011-09-26T17:40:32.479-07:00"New and Magic land" -- an RPG about pioneersI started this RPG last year, then forgot about it. The 500 Word RPG Challenge last week reminded me of it, and I decided to dig it out again. I spent the day polishing it up. It's not done yet, but this document covers all the mechanics pretty well and should be more than sufficient for playtesting. Check it out, and tell me what you think!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By7_mWrqlAQdOWM1Mjg1ZmUtMDdlMi00MzM0LWFkMWQtZDlkMWM4MzY0ZmFj&hl=en_US">PDF at Google</a><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>New and Magic Land</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b>By Joshua LH Burnett (c) 2011</b> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>New and Magic Land</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> is a story game that follows the lives of a group of settlers as they struggle to survive their first year in the frontier. By default, the game is set in the American frontier sometime in the 19</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;"> century, but there is no reason the game cannot be set in a different time and place. The settlers could be exiled elves trying to eke out an existence in the orcish wastelands, star-faring colonists terraforming a savage new planet, or any other setting where a small group must carve out an existence in hostile territory.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">One player will serve as the Gamemaster (GM), and the other players take on the rolls of settlers. The PCs are not the only settlers in the story. There are numerous other settlers with them. Some NPC will form important relationships with the PCs, others will remain nameless extras. The PCs, however, are the most narratively “important” settlers in the group. They are the stars of the show.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Making your Settler</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Name</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Give your settler a name so we know what to call him.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Pools</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your settler has two pools, which represent your settler's physical and spiritual resources. Your Pool Score will rise and fall as game progresses. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Grit</u><span style="text-decoration: none;"> represents your settler's fortitude, resolve, strength, and health. It is used in all physical conflicts.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Heart</u><span style="text-decoration: none;"> represents your settler's spirit, willpower, wits, and psyche. It is used for all non-physical conflicts.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Split 10 points between Grit and Heart. A 1-9 split will make a settler who is dangerously vulnerable in one area. A 5-5 split will make a character that's kind of boring. Tray and find an interesting balance.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You will spend points out of your Pools in conflicts. When you roll in Conflicts, you always use your Pool's current score. If you have a Grit of 7, and you've spent two points out of that Pool, you'd treat it as a 5 in conflicts.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">If either pool is ever reduced to 0, your Settler is out of the game. He may be dead, crippled, insane, or too heartbroken to continue his or her story.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Aspects </b></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aspects are words or short phrases that describe your settler's qualities, talents, and vocations. If I were to say to you “Tell me about your character,” these were the things you'd tell me. Try to keep Aspects short, but evocative.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Examples: </u>Strong Back, Schoolmarm, Gossip-Monger, Winning Smile, Smooth Talker, Lumberjack, Expert Tracker, Well-Read, Rich Family.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Choose three Aspects and write them down on your character sheet.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Relationships </b></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">No one lives in a vacuum. Your settler lives in a community with several others, all sharing struggles, triumphs, and tragedies. Some will be other PCs, others will be NPCs. Name and briefly describe three people and rate one at +1, on at +2, and one at +3. One of these relationships should be with another PC.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Past</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before you came to this new frontier, you had another life elsewhere. What did you do there, and why did you leave? Figure out your reason for leaving your old home and write it down on your character sheet. The GM gets extra dice to use against you if a conflict involves your Past, so she'll be using your Past against you a lot, so make sure it's something interesting.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Dream</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each season, you will set a goal for your settler. Succeeding in these goals will help you fulfill your dream. Your dream is your long-term goal. It's what you hope to accomplish by moving out to the frontier. If you achieve your dream, you “win” the game. It shouldn't be something that can accomplished easily, but something that will require hard work and dedication. It's the thing you'll do that everyone will remember. Figure out what your dream is and write it down on your character sheet. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">You'll have the chance to re-evaluate your dream at the end of each season, so don't feel locked down by your decision. Still, this is the most important thing in your settler's life, so think about it carefully.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Examples:</u><span style="text-decoration: none;"> Start a school. Broker peace with the Indians. Find a spouse. Have a baby. Find Black Zeke's lost treasure. Break my addiction. </span></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Playing the Game</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>New and Magic Land</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> plays out over several seasons through the course of a year. It starts with the Travel season as the settlers head towards their new lands, and continues through fall, winter, spring, summer, and ending with the settlers' first Harvest Festival. At the end of each season, the players will check to see if they've achieved their goal for the season. Successful goals help build towards a settler's Dream. During the Harvest Festival, the players will see if they've managed to accomplish their Dreams. After that the game wraps up and their stories end.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">At the beginning of each new Season, the settlers should decide what their Goal is. This goal should help build towards their ultimate Dream. For instance, if your Dream is to start a school, good Goals might be to actually build the school or recruit teachers. Write down your Goal on your character sheet.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Each Season is played out in a number of scenes. The players and the GM each take turns setting up scenes--who is there, and what is going on. Players should set up scenes where they try to accomplish their Goals. The GM should set up scenes where complications hinder the PCs' goals or threaten the community at large.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">A character is pretty much free to do whatever they want until someone, either the GM or another PC says they can't. When this happens, we have a Conflict.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Conflict Resolution</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">A conflict happens whenever someone stands in the way of someone else's success. Here's how we resolve Conflicts:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Set the Stakes</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's at risk here? How do you want things to end? What do you want out of this scene, and what does your opposition want? Both sides of the conflict must discus and agree upon the stakes. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">“<span style="font-size: small;">If I win, this happens.” “Okay, and if I win, this happens.”</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Choose Grit or Heart</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Depending on the nature of the conflict, choose whether you are risking Grit or Heart. If one side of the conflict in the GM, he will use the Season's </span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Conflict Pool</b></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"> instead (see below).</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Gather Dice</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">New and Magic Land</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> only uses standard six-sided dice.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You get one die automatically.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You get one die for each Aspect that's relevant to the conflict.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You get one-to-three dice if the conflict is with, is about, or otherwise involves one of your Relationships.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You can also burn Victory Dice you've previously earned (see below) to roll extra dice. If you do this, the GM will create a complication for the scene. A complication could be a sudden thunder storm, an innocent bystander wandering into the line of fire, or anything else that might make the conflict “interesting.”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The GM rolls one die automatically.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The GM can get more by taking out of his supply of Drama Dice.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">For each Drama Dice she uses, she must describe one Aspect that the opposition has. (For example, she could spend two Drama Dice and describe a grizzly bear as being “Ferocious” and “Full of Claws and Teeth.”) I'll talk more about Drama Dice below.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The GM gets two extra dice if the Conflict somehow involves the PC's Past.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Is another PC wants to assist either side, they can add dice equal to their Relationship with either the PC or the NPC. If you help and your side loses, your Relationship will still suffer (see below).</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">You can burn a Harvest Die (see “Season's End”) at any time to automatically succeed in the conflict with no chance of escalation. An opposing PC can spend on of his own Harvest Dice to counter this. Narrate your desperate action!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Roll Those Dice</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both sides roll their gathered dice. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sixes <b>explode</b>, which means you roll them again and add the result to the original six. This can happen multiple times if you keep rolling sixes.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take your highest die result (remember those exploding sixes) and add it to the Pool you chose.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Always use your Pool's <u>current</u> score. </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Glass beads are good for tracking this</span><i>.</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The side with the highest total wins the stakes and gets to narrate the results of the conflict.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the case of a tie, we have a stalemate and neither side gets their stakes. The GM narrates.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>However...</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Escalation</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you got the lower result, or there was a tie, you can draw out the conflict try again.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The loser of the last roll reduces the Pool they risked by one. (Grit or Heart for PCs. Conflict Pool for the GM.)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Then we </span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">escalate the stakes</span></i><span style="text-decoration: none;">. The conflict continues, but the stakes are higher. If you were in a wrestling match, instead of just pinning your opponent, now maybe you'll break his arm. If you were trying to avoid catching an illness, now maybe your entire family will get sick. Things get bigger! Results get more dramatic!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Roll the dice again and calculate the results as before. </span></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Losing sides can continue to spend Pool and escalate the stakes higher and higher until one side finally concedes defeat and the conflict ends.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">If you spend the last point out of your Pool, you still may win the Conflict, but your settler's story has ended. Narrate how he's come to his end.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Rewards and Loss</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you fail the conflict, any relationships that you used are reduced by one. Narrate how the relationship has weakened.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you win, you can increase a relationship that you used by one. Narrate how the relationship has grown in intensity.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">A PC on the side of a winning conflict earns one Victory Die. Victory Dice are used at the end of the Season to try and achieve your Goal.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>GM and Drama Dice</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The GM's duty is to set up conflicts that bring up the settler's past and to drive the PCs into conflict with one another.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The GM receives a limited number of Drama Dice each Season. She spends these to roll more dice in conflicts with e PCs. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Conflict Dice = (Season's Conflict Score) x (Number of PCs)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The GM can also spend Drama dice in PC vs PC Conflicts, if she desires, giving extra dice to one side.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Drama Dice help control pacing. When the GM has spend all her Drama Dice, it marks the end of the Season, and scenes should wrap up.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Seasons</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are six Seasons, through which the settlers' story will progress.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each settler has a Goal for the season towards which they will strive.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The GM will set a Conflict Rating for Season. One season will have a 6. Another will have a 5. Another gets a 4... 3... 2... 1. You get the idea.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Conflict Rating will determine the Conflict Pool that the Gm will use for any conflicts with the PCs that Season.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>The Seasons</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Travel</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Game starts in the travel season. This season should act like a montage as we cover the important points of the settlers' journey to their new home. The Conflict Rating for this Season in usually low, as the Season should focus on introducing the settlers, their Relationships, and Dreams.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Fall</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Fall focuses on the settler's building and settling into their new home.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Winter</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Winter focuses on internal conflicts as the community hunkers down for the cold and snow.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Starvation, cabin fever, and interpersonal conflicts are common threats.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Spring</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the Spring, the settlers must deal with hostile outsiders and man-made threats—aggressive Indians, bandits, rival towns, murder, etc.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Summer</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Summer is the time of natural disasters—floods, droughts, disease, and animal attacks.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Season's End</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the end of each season, each settler should gather up their accumulated Victory Dice and roll them. If a settler rolls even a single six, they have achieved their goal and should narrate their success!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you completed your Goal you get to increase your Pool Scores by 1 for each six rolled (split between the two pools).</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you completed your goal, collect one Harvest Die, for use in Harvest Festival.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you did not complete your Goal, you reduce a Pool Score by 1.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each settler gets a new Relationship at +1, or can increase an existing Relationship by 1. Ads +1 to this total is the Relationship is with another PC.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each settler also rolls a single die and add to total value of all their Relationships (including the new one). Take this number and use it to refresh points spent out of your Grit and Heart Pools.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reevaluate your Dream. Is it still valid? Have things changed so much that your settler has a new Dream? If so, record that change.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Harvest Festival</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">The game has been leading up to the harvest Festival. The settlers and their community have survived their first year in the frontier (or have they?) and it's time to celebrate with a week long festival of dancing, eating, drinking, and frivolity! This is a time of fellowship and feasting, not conflict!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Each player takes turns describing their activities at the festival, then rolls their accumulated Harvest Dice. If the settler rolls even a single six, they have achieved their Dream! If no sixes come up, their Dream remains unfulfilled. If they failed, and their Harvest Dice produce even a single one, their Dream has come to a crashing disaster. Narrate our crowing victory, or your crushing defeat.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the harvest festival , the settler's story has ended. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>Influences</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dogs in the Vineyard</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apocalypse World</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prime Time Adventures</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fiasco</span></div>Farmville (no, seriously.)Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-23575585469409350842011-09-22T18:37:00.000-07:002011-09-22T18:37:36.959-07:00Lemurian CommissionBehold! A dangerous Lemurian warrior complete with armor and sonic pole-arm!<br />
Commissioned for <a href="http://thunderstep.blogspot.com/">Thunderstep'</a>s gonzo steampunk campaign.<br />
Fun commission. I liked how the colors turned out on this one. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/lemuriansmaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/lemuriansmaller.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-2345519814184656292011-09-22T15:04:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:54:22.029-07:00Molemen & Missives (a 500 word RPG)<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ryan Macklin recently set a <a href="http://ryanmacklin.com/2011/09/flash-game-design-friday/">"Flash Game Design Friday" challenge.</a> To quote:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #282a2e; color: #021121; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i></i></span></span></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m going to give you three mechanical ingredients. You use at least two:</span></i><br />
<ul style="font-size: 12px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="background-image: url(http://ryanmacklin.com/wp-content/themes/macklin2/images/PostBullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.6em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.6em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two dice that you don’t add together</span></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://ryanmacklin.com/wp-content/themes/macklin2/images/PostBullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.6em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.6em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A single token that sometimes is and sometimes isn’t on your character sheet/possessed by the player</span></i></li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://ryanmacklin.com/wp-content/themes/macklin2/images/PostBullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.6em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.6em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 13px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a countdown mechanic (whatever the hell that means)</span></i></li>
</ul><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Write a game that takes 500 words or less to explain, which should include a hint of setting.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I chose the first two ingredients and took some inspiration from <a href="http://www.areasofmyexpertise.com/buy/"><i>More Information than You Require</i></a> to create... </span></div><div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Molemen & Missives</b></span></span></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>By Joshua LH Burnett</b></div><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>with apologies to John Hodgman</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You are a Moleman, a disgusting yet refined denizen of the Deep Down Dark. You have sharp claws and teeth, acidic saliva, and luminescent mucus. You also have a great love of social philosophy, powdered wigs, and pantaloons. You are part of a <b>committee </b>dedicated to solving problems affecting your hideous community.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><b>The Mole Master</b></u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is what we call the GM in this game, just because.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><b>The Making of a Moleman</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Give yourself a <u><b>Name</b></u>. Typical Molemanic names include Theopolis, Henrietta, and Hsss'kkk'thiix.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Write down your <u><b>Vocation</b></u>, which is your job in the community. Examples include: Fungus Wrangler, Mucus Sculptor, or Grub Knight.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Take 10 points and divide them between the four core <u><b>Values</b></u> of the Molemen.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Industry </b> for tasks that involve creation or hard labor.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Learnedness</b> for tasks that requires education or study.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Vigilance</b> for tasks that involve forethought or the defense of your community.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Refinement</b> for tasks that require charisma or style.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You have a <u><b>Resolve</b></u><b> </b>score equal to the sum of your two highest Values. You lose Resolve when you lose Debates. Resolve refreshes at the beginning of each game.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><b>The Wig</b></u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Molemen love to talk. Within a committee, it would be quite easy for each Moleman to to try to talk over his fellows, and nothing would get done. Hence, the <b>Wig</b>. Each committee has one wig. Only the Moleman wearing the wig may talk. Once he was spoken, he must give the wig to another committee member. It is considered rude to ask for the wig next instead of patiently waiting your turn. Wigless Molemen can still communicate through sign language or charades, but this is considered gauche. Written communication in the form of long, passionate missives, letters, and pamphlets are quite acceptable and actively encouraged!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><b>Debates</b></u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Molemen characters are free to do whatever they want until someone tells them they can't. When there's a conflict of interests between two parties, we got ourselves a <b>Debate</b>. Resolve debates as such:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">1) Set the stakes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">2) Each side describes what they are doing and gathers a number of d10 equal to the relevant Value.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">3) If the opposing side is the Molemaster, he will chose 1d10 to 7d10, depending upon the difficulty.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">4) Roll!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">5) If you have multiples of the same number, add 1 to the result for each extra die. (If you rolled three 6s, your result would be 8.)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">6) If your action involved your Vocation, you can gather some of your dice and reroll them once.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">7) The highest result wins!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">8) The defeated side loses a point of Resolve, plus 1 more for each multiple the opposition rolled. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">9) A Moleman with 0 resolve is out of the game. He's too dejected, depressed, or devoured to continue.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">10) Other Committee members can help you in debates. They describe how they are helping you and add 1d10 to your pool. If you lose, your helpers lose resolve too!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I've also made a swanky <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By7_mWrqlAQdZjI4YmNiM2YtYzEwMi00N2Y1LWE2N2QtOTdlOWQwNTE0NGJi&hl=en_US">PDF of the game</a>!</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-30583411485453642252011-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:002011-08-12T17:40:16.015-07:00The Tale of Gencon 2011 -- Part the Second<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My morning game is “Leopard Women of Venus.” You may have heard me mention this game once or twice or thirty times in the past. I have six players, seven pre-gen characters, and no one chose to play the eponymous Leopard Woman. This isn't a problem, but it is surprising. Come to think of it, this might have been the game that Revmindi played in. It's all kind of a blur. Anyway, that game went off pretty smooth, too, and included an awesome off-screen battle between a brigade of Leopard Women and a Lovecraftian Cthonic Thing. All this time, I am also hearing amazing things happen over at Steve's “All Stars” game and Ian's “Happilyeverafter” table.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's now 2PM and Leighton “Laser Ponies” Connor frantically bustles into the con, just in time to run his “Mythic Action League” game. I wanted to sit in on his game, but he's got a full table and a limited number of pregens, so I decide to leave him to it. Instead I go tot he dealers' room. I've got several hours to kill and it's one of the few times I'll be able to go by myself and not worry about boring people as I narrowly scrutinize obscure indie-games.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I already picked up <i>Cosmic Patrol</i> on Thursday for Blindgeek. Today I'm determined to look at <i>The One Ring</i>, the new Lord of the Rings RPG from Cubicle 7. I wasn't sure of this was the game for me, but after talking to the designer for about 15 or 20 minutes, I gladly shell out the 60 bucks for the beautiful slipcased set. If I get up the gumption, I'll write a full review of the game later. I also ventured over tot he Indie Press Revolution booth. After dithering on whether or not to pick up <i>Dungeon World</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (an </span><i>Apocalypse World</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> hack for elf & dwarf fantasy) I pick up the </span><i>Fiasco</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> companion instead. The guy at the IPR booth was also kind enough to direct me to the “Games on Demand” room where they're running a lot of indie games. That's my next stop.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The Games on Demand room is alllllll the way on the other side of the con in Union Station, but I have time, so I make the march. It turns out the Games on Demand area isn't as “on demand” as I imagined. In my head, I pictured a bug room where occasionally someone would stand up on a table and shout “Hey, who wants to play Dogs in the Vineyard over here?” No, in fact the room is quite organized, with scheduled slots and a rotating roster of games. All the tables are full and nothings starting for another 90 minutes or so. Oh well. I return to the JW Marriot and the Hex Games room where I plop down and browse </span><i>The One Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> until 7 o'clock.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">At 7, Steve, Leighton, and I have a three hour block of seminars to run. Our first is “Sword & Sorcery: You're Doing it Wrong,” which was well attended. I feel like I contributed to it well, even if I inadvertantly shilled a few non-Hex games. This marketing thing isn't a strong suit for me. Anyway, it was a fun panel and I think we did well to demonstrate the Sword & Sorcery beats the shit out of wimpy little High Fantasy. After that was “Unconventional Characters, Unconventional Worlds,” which was also a packed room. I don't remember a lot about this seminar, and I don't thikn I had much to contribute other than pointing out that “a human Fighter with a longsword and medium shield is actually pretty unconventional these days.” Our last seminar was “Hobos: the New Pirates?” where we hook up once more with Ian. I went in thinking I didn't know a lot about hobos, but apparently I've picked up a lot by osmosis. The last half-hour was pretty much a solid pitch session for Hobomancer. I can confidently say that magical hobos saving the soul of America is a concept that people can get behind!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Also, I have repeatedly made fun of Leighton for using the world “zeitgeist” in the seminars. It's a fine word, but I think he uses it more than is tasteful.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">After the seminars, we're all delirious with hunger, so we retire to Denny's then back to the hotel room. As is custom, our conversation devolves into the “late-night bantering of stupid ideas that turn out to be awesome.” It was </span><i>Laser Ponies</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> in the past. This time it's Jesus Hobo Christ. Imagine an alternate history where the Roman Empire invents steam power and hooks up the empire with rail roads. Jesus and pals are hobos, traveling the rails, helping people and fighting evil. A greta idea, and Jesus comes out of it looking pretty good. Win!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Saturday morning comes pretty quickly. We load up on breakfast then jam back to town for our 10 AM games. I sit in on Leighton's Hobomancer game (“The Man Who Hated Freedom”). I'm the ringer, since he has nothing prepared and needs me to bounce ideas off of. It's also “SLU Saturday” and Rob is running three </span><i>Sex, Lies & Ultrapsies</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> games today. I can only assume that he's crazy. At noon, Mark runs “QAGS in a Bag,” his signature game. I talked to some of Mark's players later that day, and they had a blast. Mark says it was the best QAGS game he'd ever run.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">My Hobomancer game starts at 2 PM, and I'm excited. I've never run Hobomancer before, and I think I have a great adventure planned. Most of the players at my table are all people who played in Ian's games this weekend, and they seem like great players. I am not disappointed. They all have solid character ideas, they riff off each other with great skill, and the game goes off without a hitch. There's a train-tunnel to Hell, an evil hoodoo man, a magic marker with cartoon powers, a song-and-dance number, and a couple large explosions. Huzzah!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It's now time for dinner, and the Hex Crew heads off tot he Ram brewery. I guzzle a 24 ounce mug of Ragnar's Fury on an empty stomach. This may have been a bad idea. I fill that stomach with a wonderful swiss & shroom burger and another 24 oz beer—Black Pirate Ghost Ale or somesuch. This puts me in a pretty good mood to go to the Gamers Media Meet & Greet.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I've been looking forward to the Meet & Greet all weekend, a get together for RPG bloggers and podcasters. The event is held at “The House” a bar in the basement of Union Station. More beer for Josh. This might be a bad idea. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It's actually not as bad as that. I get a bit happy, but just enough to overcome my normally crippling shyness (it's not like Archon!). I get a chance to chat with Thunderstep, another fan of Monkeys Took My Jetpack and QAGS. We kibitzed about games and Warcraft for a good long tim e befor ehe needs to skip off to another event. Good guy. I also got to talk to one of Leightons “Mythic League” players who happens to be a puppeteer. Everyone knows I love puppets. I also-also finally get to meet Mark Kinney and the rest of the “All Games Considered” cast. Our podcasts only have one degree of seperation, and it was neat to finally be able to meet and talk to them in person. I also spend some time chatting with the guys from the Undergopher podcast. They played in Mark's QAGS in a Bag game and confirm that yes, indeed, the adventure was awesome. Big fun all around! I head out after a couple of hours and hook back up with the Hex Gang.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Sunday morning comes, and it's my last day at Gencon. Mark Kinney and I had decided to try and get a morning Fiasco game together, but outrageous fortune conspired against these plans and the game falls through. Still, I get a chance to talk with Mark some more ina quieter setting, and that's pretty cool.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">My voice is pretty shot at this time, so sitting in on any other QAGS games is pretty much out of the question (might be just as well that Fiasco tanked). Steve is running “Six Gun Seven” and Leighton is running “Leopard Women.” It looks like both of them are going off quite well. Instead, I make one finally walk-thru of the Dealers' room where I find a just-released leela action figure (Doctor Who, not Futurama), a copy of Scott McCloud's “Creating Comics,” and a box of gorilla miniatures wearing battle armor. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">And this, my Gencon ends. I eventually meet up with the guys I drove up with and get ready to leave. Hopefully I can get together with the rest of the Hexers pretty soon, either for Hexcon or Archon. I need to hang out with them more.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>PARTING REMARKS...</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <span style="font-style: normal;">Game wise, Gencon wasn't really lot different for me than Origins. But I got more networking done, and Gencon is certainly the wiser business choice.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <span style="font-style: normal;">All the Hex games were held in room 207 of the JW Marriott. I barely left this room for most of the con. </span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Because all our games were so physically close to each other, and because QAGS gamers are a notoriously noisy breed, recording any of my games was out of the question.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Raising Gencon money by doing character sketch commissions was a great idea. Thanks again to all that helped!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I will certainly be at Gencon next year!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-67413082214051165672011-08-10T13:04:00.000-07:002011-08-10T13:04:31.825-07:00The Tale of Gencon 2011 -- Part the First.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's taken a couple of days to process everything, but I'm finally in a mind to give my Gencon report. This was my first “real” Gencon (a couple years ago I went up there for about 18 hours—a total blur). I was there for four days, and the hardest part was adjusting my sleep schedule. I work third shift, so trying to run a game in the tie slot where I'm usually sound asleep was a tricky process.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So let's take it one day at a time. Wednesday night, I crash at my friend's place in Bowling Green. The plan is to leave at 4am, pick up some other guys, and truck on down to Indianapolis. We should arrive at 8am. Of course, I can't sleep. I try to go to crash out on the couch at about midnight, which is when I'm usually starting work. I also have this weird “Christmas Eve” excitement where I can't sleep because I'm all jazzed about the con the next day. After a few fitful hours of up-and-down sleep, I give up at about 2:30 AM. I've had one-and-a-half, maybe two hours of sleep and I know I'm not going to get more.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Despite a few delays, the whole ride goes pretty smooth. I get to the Airport Ramada just in time to hook up with Ian “Edison Force” Engle, deposit my luggage and make a mad dash to the Convention Center. We get to Gencon about 10 AM. Ian has a game to run, and my first game isn't until 2 PM. It's about this time that I run in to my friend Mark. Mark lives in the same town as I do, but we don't get to hang out unless we drive four hours out of state. It's frustrating.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mark and I hit the Dealer's Room to kill time. I've been told that this year's Dealers' Room is a lot smaller than previous years', but I don't have any thing to compare it too. It's bigger than Origins', and that's plenty big by my standards. The Doctor Who booth is awesome with it's life-size Tardis. There's a huge arena full of children beating the crap out of each other with boffer swords. I am thrilled to discover that Steve Jackson's next Munchkin expansion is for Axe Cop. And I think I made an ass of myself to the guys at the Ennie booth. It's kind of a blur. The sleep toxins are seeping into my skull pretty badly at that point, and the “witty” part of my brain is the first to shut down.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">2 PM rolls around and it's time for my first game. Why I chose to run two games my first day is a mystery. “Sindbad and Watwat King of Bats!” is my first game. I ranit previously this year at BASHcon, so I've got a pretty good handle on it. My friend J.J. Lanza has signed up to play the game along with his two sons (12 and 13, I think). It's J.J.'s first QAGS game, so I'm excited that he could play. The game went pretty smoothly. Some players were better than others, but none of them were terrible or were massively offensive (anyone who's run a game at a con knows what I'm talking about). I wish I could have focuses more on the younger Lanzas. They did quite well and have a promising future as gamers.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My next game was at 7PM. Somewhere in this haze I've run into Robert “Sex, Lies & Ultraspies” McCabe. He hands me a 5-hour-energy. I've already been hitting the Starbucks pretty heavy (there's a kiosok right at the end of our hall), so I'm feeling pretty loopy. Also I haven't eaten.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“Curse of the Alchemist” is my 6 o'clock game. It too has sold out. This is a sword & sorcery game in the vein of Conan or the Grey Mouser. I wrote and ran this game for my home group as a Barbarians of Lemuria adventure and converted it to QAGS. Again, I have a decent handle on the adventure, which is good because I'm pretty spazzed at this point. One of my players in this game is Revmindi, a fan/forum-poster of my podcast <a href="http://mtmjetpack.com/">Monkeys Took My Jetpack</a>. I didn't get too much of a chance to chat with him, unfortunately. “Curse,” too, went pretty smoothly. A few of my players were quite excited when they all got trapped in a room whose walls began to slowly move together to crush them. It's one of those classic traps that you very rarely actually see in games. It was edifying.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Finally, the day is done, and Ian and I go back to the hotel. Steve “Waxman's Warriors” John$on has come into town and checked himself into the room. He's got the air conditioning cranked and offers me a cold Corona almost as soon as I walk in. Let me tell you, happiness is Steve Johnson offering you beer.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There's some banter, I don't recall about what, and I finally get to sleep. The next morning I feel much better. I've slept like a rock, and our hotel has an awesome breakfast. I load up on sausage gravy and lots and lots of coffee. We three head back to Gencon for our 10 AM games.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>TO BE CONTINUED...</i></div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-53587763865479037912011-08-08T11:30:00.001-07:002011-08-08T11:30:33.347-07:00Gencon Happened!Back from Gencon and still recovering. I had a great time, but like all cons where I run a lot of games and other programs, it was exhausting. I'm still I bit spent. I'll talk about the 'con more later, but right now I wanted to once again send a big "THANK YOU!" to all the people who participated in the "Send Josh to Gencon" promo. I couldn't have made it without your patronage!Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-28090878369164915432011-07-17T22:00:00.000-07:002011-07-17T22:14:54.894-07:00Still Taking Commissions!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirnor_QQ5BHk5xBaSLG0Z49gIn-CU56Fg8kAE1AMD9s5uETaKUOAP26ZyF-0HVIQ74Ahxg-4QR6iLKklpn4NnuAfnd_8Vf_pwBwDAG9KA94Qs_EXmoZNBK6Lpecl8sSCwXoqBz4KGNzXv/s1600/send+josh+to+gencon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirnor_QQ5BHk5xBaSLG0Z49gIn-CU56Fg8kAE1AMD9s5uETaKUOAP26ZyF-0HVIQ74Ahxg-4QR6iLKklpn4NnuAfnd_8Vf_pwBwDAG9KA94Qs_EXmoZNBK6Lpecl8sSCwXoqBz4KGNzXv/s400/send+josh+to+gencon.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>Hey gang, just a reminder. The <i>Send Josh to Gencon </i>promo is still going on, and I am still taking commissions.<br />
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Full color character sketches are $40.<br />
Black and White sketches are just $10!<br />
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To order your commission, please contact me at <b>jlhburnett </b>at <b>gmail </b>dot <b>com</b>!Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-59572317764434353282011-07-17T21:10:00.000-07:002011-07-17T21:10:21.970-07:00Howard DeMune Commission!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/howarddemuneSMALLER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/howarddemuneSMALLER.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>Howard DeMune is a right proper coyote tailor from a <a href="http://www.sjgames.com/toon/">Toon</a> game. That rabbit is his assistant Jeeves.<br />
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Quite a fun commission to do!Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-26557754250584540752011-07-08T15:56:00.000-07:002011-07-08T15:56:56.210-07:00Jeremiah the Frogboy<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/jerimiahfrognotquiteasbig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/jerimiahfrognotquiteasbig.jpg" width="221" /></a>Another commission all done and ready! Behold Jeremiah Laplant, frogboy and Student of <a href="http://www.hexgames.com/qags/component/virtuemart/details/12/10/all-products/weird-times-at-charles-fort-high-pdf">Charles Fort High</a>.Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-89411781956145161332011-06-28T18:21:00.000-07:002011-06-28T18:21:40.971-07:00Zatanna Commission!<a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/zatannanotquiteasbig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/zatannanotquiteasbig.jpg" width="296" /></a>My first commission for the new "Send Josh to Gencon" promotion is done!<br />
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Zatanna has always been a favorite.<br />
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New commission request are coming in, but there's still room on my plate! Checkout<a href="http://stegosaurusstudios.blogspot.com/2011/06/now-taking-commissions.html"> THIS POST</a> for more info!Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-44284971238832026762011-06-25T15:18:00.000-07:002011-07-18T11:30:19.998-07:00Now Taking Commissions!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirnor_QQ5BHk5xBaSLG0Z49gIn-CU56Fg8kAE1AMD9s5uETaKUOAP26ZyF-0HVIQ74Ahxg-4QR6iLKklpn4NnuAfnd_8Vf_pwBwDAG9KA94Qs_EXmoZNBK6Lpecl8sSCwXoqBz4KGNzXv/s1600/send+josh+to+gencon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirnor_QQ5BHk5xBaSLG0Z49gIn-CU56Fg8kAE1AMD9s5uETaKUOAP26ZyF-0HVIQ74Ahxg-4QR6iLKklpn4NnuAfnd_8Vf_pwBwDAG9KA94Qs_EXmoZNBK6Lpecl8sSCwXoqBz4KGNzXv/s1600/send+josh+to+gencon.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Hey gang, Gencon is rapidly approaching! While I'm excited to go, my pockets are a little more empty than I'd like. How can I buy drinks for all my friends like this? To rectify this problem, I'm starting a new promotion, <b><i>The Send Josh to Gencon Sketch Commission Special!</i></b><br />
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Full color character sketches are a mere $40. Black and White sketches are a paltry $10.<br />
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Any character! Any genre! Immortalize your favorite PC with an original illustration from me, good ole' JB!<br />
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Check out my <a href="http://cybersluagh.deviantart.com/">Deviant Art</a> gallery to see the kind of stuff I can do for you!<br />
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Contact me at: <b><u>jlhburnett</u> at <u>gmail</u> dot <u>com</u></b><br />
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<u>UPDATE:</u> Round one was huge success! Big thanks to all my patrons. Now on to round two!<br />
<ol><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://stegosaurusstudios.blogspot.com/2011/06/zatanna-commission.html">Zatanna </a>(Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://stegosaurusstudios.blogspot.com/2011/07/jeremiah-frogboy.html">Jeremiah the Frogboy</a>, in color (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Blind Tiger (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hickory (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dickory (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Oggie the Ogre Statuette (for <a href="http://ogres.wikia.com/wiki/The_Ogre_Lair">OGRE</a>), in color (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mecha Jeff punches Godzila, in color (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Kosa, the Fort High kid (Finished!)</div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://stegosaurusstudios.blogspot.com/2011/07/howard-demune-commission.html">Howard DeMune</a>, coyote, in color (Finished!)</div></li>
</ol><br />
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</i></b>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3553792583913344623.post-59272450692413021232011-06-01T15:06:00.000-07:002011-06-01T15:06:18.410-07:00Doc Raptor (page 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/docraptor002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv292/jlhburnett/docraptor002.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hey gang, check out my Tumblr page <a href="http://tubularspacial.tumblr.com/">"Tubular Spacial"</a> for all your awesome comics needs!</div>Josh Burnetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.com0