Okay, I know I keep flipflopping on project I'm working on, but here's my current list...

Thirteen
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Modern Horror
System: HERO, using Dark Champions, Hudson City, and Urban Fantasy HERO as primary books.
Concept: Secret group investigating and combating the paranormal. Think of Torchwood meets X-Files, perhaps with doses of Supernatural (which I've never seen, but have read up on the concept), The Dresden Files, the Anita Blake series (before they became nothing more than preternatural porn), Call of Cthulhu, and the like.
PbP or face to face.

GreyHARP
Genre: Typical fantasy RPG, using the Greyhawk setting
System: HARP (from Iron Crown Enterprises)
Concept: Greyhawk setting using HARP instead of D&D. However, this may change depending on whether or not I want to complete my deity list or just convert the Greyhawk deities.
This one can be done online or face to face.

Psychoses
Genre: SF/Psychological horror
System: TimeLords from BTRC. Or GURPS 4e. Both modified heavily with house rules.
Concept: Everyday normals thrown into a not-normal situation, with highly unusual discoveries about themselves.
Since not many people know TimeLords, the GM would control most of the character sheets. For GURPS, the GM controls some aspects of the character sheets, keeping a few things secret.
Good one for PbP, though it can also be done face to face just as easily.

Current Mood: creative
Current Music: Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V) -- (Wish You Were Here)

Tags:

gaming

So here's my plan, at least up until I go away on vacation...

I plan to take each race in turn, and make 3-5 characters for each race. I figure on doing at least a fighter and cleric for each race, and then mix the rest up.
With the help of a very nice Excel-based character sheet, I figure I can do two characters per day, each taking an hour (one during my lunch break, one at home before bed).
I'll start them all off at first level, then once they're all done, progress them through, say, 10th or 12th level, at least get them into the Paragon stage.

While on vacation, I'll work on an adventure series, or perhaps one huge adventure.

I'm also working on converting Rappan Athuk Reloaded into 4e.

There's also HARP to work on too...

Current Mood: creative
Current Music: Silent Lucidity, Queensryche

Tags:

dnd,
gaming

So now I have it in my hot little hands... and I must say that the layouts are very striking.

I've been able to peruse at least the PHB, and there are quite a few new things to get used to... like powers, for one. The new races, no problems. I'll be learning this by creating characters, making a test dungeon, etc... should be fun. Perhaps I can run Colleen through a scenario or three while we're on vacation.

Current Mood: creative
Current Music: "Trap," The Cure

Tags:

dnd,
gaming

Delivery attempted, but... driver wouldn't leave it because our three-decker is apparently considered "an apartment complex," even though it's secure and not visible from the outside. Bah.

So, I called to arrange to pick it up at the central ops center in SHrewsbury tonight.

Then comes the fun!

Current Mood: cranky
Current Music: "Acid Country," Tim Wilson

Tags:

dnd,
gaming

And now it's down to the waiting...
My 4e order has been at the UPS depot in Shrewsbury since yesterday afternoon and evening. It should be at my apartment sometime during the day today, hopefully before I take my lunch break so I can pick it up.

Current Mood: anxious
Current Music: "The Blood," The Cure

Tags:

dnd,
gaming

D&D 4e
Well Amazon originally stated that my 4e boxed set was shipping on Friday 6 June.
Nope, delayed, new estimate ship date Monday 16 June.
Then they go ahead an surprise me --- it shipped last night. As of 0200 this morning, it left the UPS facility in IL, and is on its merry drive through the upper midwest.
ETA 12 June.

So what does this mean? It means learning a new variant of the D&D system. From what I've seen so far, it will be interesting, what with powers replacing class abilities and spells and whatnot... and that there are no bards, druids or monks (at least, so far).
I'm thinking that this may lead to an interesting campaign idea too...

HARP
Campaign still in the works. Right now it's creating the adventures. I'll go through campaign rules as I go.

So what else do I have in store?
"Magic Among Us" -- High-school hijinks with magic/supernatural/etc. Powered teens. Developing a special high school. Not quite like X-Men though. Probably using True20, GURPS and HERO rules. Planning.
Special Ops -- GURPS/HERO rules. Planning.
Bureau 13 -- HERO/GURPS rules, set in Hudson City, NJ. Planning.
Urban Fantasy -- bit like Dresden, but with more fantastical elements, perhaps, that the populace, in general, still ignores or chooses not to believe. Planning stages.

Tags:

E Gary Gygax, writer, game designer, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, co-founder of Tactical Studies Rules (TSR).
Born 27 July 1938
Passed 4 March 2008

One more to pass through the gates of $afterlife.

"I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else."

Current Mood: sad
Current Music: "Sorrow" -- Pink Floyd

Tags:

gaming,
passings

You know the drill - Copy the following list, and mark them up as follows:
Boldface if "I own (or did own) this game".
Italics is "I have played this game".
Italic and Bold are "I both own (or did own) and have played this game"
~~Strikethrough~~ means "I have no desire to play this game/have played it and never will again"

Acquire
Amber Diceless
Amun-Re
Ars Magica
Axis & Allies
Battle Cry
BattleTech
Blood Bowl
Bohnanza
Britannia
Button Men
Call of Cthulhu
Carcassonne
Car Wars
Bill Bridges on Champions
Circus Maximus
Citadels
Civilization
Cosmic Encounter
Cosmic Wimpout
Dawn Patrol
Alan R. Moon on Descent
Larry Harris on Diplomacy
Dungeons & Dragons
Dynasty League Baseball
El Grande
Empires in Arms
Empires of the Middle Ages
The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Fire and Fury
Flames of War
Fluxx
Formula Dé Vroom!
The Fury of Dracula
A Game of Thrones
Gettysburg
Ghostbusters
The Great Khan Game
Hammer of the Scots
Here I Stand
A House Divided
Illuminati
Illuminati: New World Order
Johnny Reb
Junta
Kingmaker
Kremlin
Legend of the Five Rings
Lensman
London's Burning
Lord of the Rings
Machiavelli
Magic: The Gathering
Marvel Super Heroes
Metamorphosis Alpha
My Life with Master
Mythos
Napoleon's Last Battles
Naval War
Ogre
Once Upon a Time
PanzerBlitz
Paranoia
Pendragon
Pirate's Cove
Plague!
Power Grid
Puerto Rico
Renaissance of Infantry
RoboRally
RuneQuest
The Settlers of Catan
Shadowfist
Shadowrun
Shadows over Camelot
Silent Death: The Next Millennium
Space Hulk
Squad Leader
Stalingrad
Star Fleet Battles
The Sword and the Flame
Tales of the Arabian Nights
Talisman
Terrible Swift Sword
Thurn and Taxis
Ticket to Ride
Tigris & Euphrates
Tikal
Toon
Traveller
Twilight Struggle
Unknown Armies
Up Front
~~Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Jyhad~~
~~Vampire: The Masquerade~~
Vinci
War and Peace
Warhammer 40,000
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
The Warlord
Wiz-War

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: work
Current Music: SRV - "Life Without You"

Tags:

gaming

To say that I'm surprised by this would be an overstatement, as this is a combination of surprise and non-surprise.

GenCon's taking place this weekend, and as per usual, Wizards of the Coast has a major announcement...

New is located here...

In case the link isn't working, here's the lowdown...

In may 2008, WotC is launching... D&D 4th Edition.

Come on here, folks, it's only been seven years since the birth of 3e, and 3.5e came out, what... three, four years ago?

The 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons game includes elements familiar to current D&D players, including illustrated rulebooks and pre-painted plastic miniatures. Also releasing next year will be new web-based tools and online community forums through the brand-new Dungeons & Dragons Insider (D&D Insider) digital offering. D&D Insider lowers the barriers of entry for new players while simultaneously offering the depth of play that appeal to veteran players.

The 4th Edition rules emphasize faster game play, offer exciting new character options, and reduce the amount of "prep time" needed to run the game. D&D Insider includes a character creator that lets players design and equip their D&D characters, dungeon- and adventure-building tools for Dungeon Masters, online magazine content, and a digital game table that lets you play 24/7 on the internet ‚Äî the perfect option for anyone who can't find time to get together.

"We've been gathering player feedback for eight years," said Bill Slavicsek, R&D Director of Roleplaying and Miniatures Games at Wizards of the Coast. "Fourth Edition streamlines parts of the D&D game that are too complex, while enhancing the overall play experience. At its heart, it's still a tabletop game experience. However, D&D Insider makes it easier for players to create characters, run their games, and interact with the rest of the D&D community."

Wizards of the Coast will release two 4th Edition preview books in December and January - Wizards Presents: Classes and Races and Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters. The full scope of 4th Edition books, miniatures, and adventures will be available in the spring and summer of 2008.

Too complex? This isn't 1e or 2e, where some things didn't make sense, like decreasing AC levels are better. Both 3e and 3.5e are great updates for the game. What else can they do with 4e? Make it so that you only use one die? (I can do that with HARP in its optional d20 rules...)

I'll wait to see what the conversion rules are and the actual game mechanics to see if I'm actually going to bite.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: work

Tags:

gaming

Your Score: Jimmy Stewart

You scored 21% Tough, 0% Roguish, 66% Friendly, and 14% Charming!

You are the fun and friendly boy next door, the classic nice guy who still manages to get the girl most of the time. You're every nice girl's dreamboat, open and kind, nutty and charming, even a little mischievous at times, but always a real stand up guy. You're dependable and forthright, and women are drawn to your reliability, even as they're dazzled by your sense of adventure and fun. You try to be tough when you need to be, and will gladly stand up for any damsel in distress, but you'd rather catch a girl with a little bit of flair. Your leading ladies include Jean Arthur and Donna Reed, those sweet girl-next-door types.

Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the
Classic Dames Test.

Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Tags:

gaming

Woof, I'm stuffed... Those of us at work who were not so lucky as to be in Las Vegas for the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) trade show put together a potluck cookout. I supplied the pickles, mayo, and baked beans.

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new PC. (See previous posts for what's on it.) I'm debating on the name... Stormcrow seems innocuous enough, if I'm sticking with wizardly names. Mithrandir as well. (Look 'em up... same person.) Or I could just recycle Dresden. (Someone suggested Bob. My reaction was, "It's a computer, not a woman pretending to be a man." Then I realized that Bob is, in effect, Harry Dresden's computer, since a real PC would just blow up in his face. Ah well...)

Bro-in-law is coming up middle of next week to spend time with Marcus before his birthday. Mom and Dad-in-law will be up either Thursday or Friday, can't remember which.

Gaming: Getting more ideas for GURPS games. Still want to run a fantasy game, modelling it after D&D 3.5e, but keeping it "real." Also still working on the "normals stuck in a very odd situation" game that I'm redoing.

House: I'd like to be getting more done, but during the week, it's not really possible, since what I need to do involves my stuff that's in Marcus' room. Can't work in there while he's asleep.

More later as news warrants.

Current Location: work

Tags:

And here we go with another weekend update.

Friday night: Spent the night working on going through some more boxes, Olympics, and Stargate SG1.
Roasted a bunch of boneless chicken breasts with Adobo seasoning. Tasty.

Saturday: More work on the front room. Marcus spent some time with my parents while we worked. Did an errand or two before picking him up. Worked on the living room and dining table before hitting bed.

Sunday: C went to church while I ran errands with Marcus in tow. Went to Target, stopped off at

lawful_evil and

dauphinous to pick up the credit slip for That's Entertainment, hit TE and picked up GURPS Powers along with the weekly comics, then hit Shaw's. Went to

silent_iniquity and

sfogliatella's for

silent_iniquity's 30th birthday party. Good time was had by all. Marcus took a little tumble, and his bottom teeth cut his upper lip a little bit. There was a little blood and some crying, but after a few minutes, he was taking a bottle as if nothing happened.
Mom-in-law arrived safe and sound. Made a huge batch of meat sauce for pasta (beef and sausage). Spent the rest of the evening relaxing.

Work week is upon me once again. Feh. Colleen has the week off for winter break.
Colleen went to a privately-run garage to ger her car mended. All Jiffy Lube did to the serpentine was lube it up, said it didn't need to be replaced. Well, two serpentines in her car have now been replaced, and she runs quietly. All for about $80. Not too shabby.

I've decided in what I'm going to work on, gamewise.
Here's my project list, and status(if any):

GURPS: Abduction (working title). Premise: Everyday normals thrust into an odd situation. Status: revision from earlier drafts. This will take some time. I'd like to run this in two runs: one as a tabletop face to face, the other as PBEM.
GURPS Black Ops. Premise: PCs are a operatives in an ultra-top-secret organization battling ETs and supernatural elements. Conversion of the GURPS 3e version, but I'll be adding in a couple of occupations. Status: Organization, converting character templates.
GURPS Fantasy. Premise: Unkown as of yet. Just a generic fantasy-type game. Might try to make it D&D-ish with special abilities (after I get through Powers).
GURPS Supers. Couple of ideas -- My own version of The Ultimates, as the PCs would be working with the government. Another idea is more of a low-level street "dark" campaign.

What would people play?

Let's not forget what I would plan for next year's Total Confusion. Those would be one-shots. I would consider Fantasy, Black Ops and Special Ops scenarios.

Tags:

For those who are interested, Total Confusion 2006 is February 23-26 at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield.

I have already made the decision not to attend this year, like last year.
My reasons for not attending last year's con:

There was only one event that intrigued me.

They didn't send out registration booklets through the mail -- it was only through their website.

I just started a new job the previous December, and didn't have access to floating holidays or vacation time as yet.

My reasons this year:

Again, it was online-only for their registration booklet... and as of today, it was complete. It wasn't a week ago. The registration deadline is 20 February by snail mail, 22 February by the website.

Marcus isn't quite old enough to really handle the crowds.

I have too much to work on at home, with getting it organized and cleaned.

I don't want to spend any more vacation time until this summer.

Mind you, there are more events this year that look good, but... I still made the decision not to go.
I'm planning to go next year, though. Perhaps I'll have created some events to run... GURPS comes to mind... Fantasy, Special Ops...
But this year... not in the cards.

Tags:

gaming,
totalcon

Another Valentine's Day has come and gone.
I didn't get to do what I really wanted to do last night, which was cook a nice chicken dinner. Instead, due to time, I opted for using Perdue Low-Fat Baked chicken breasts. I heated them up in the toaster oven, layered on some provolone and Adobo seasoning, broiled them for a few minutes, and served them up with Rice-a-Roni and corn. Not too bad, I thought. It would have taken me longer to trim up chicken breasts, butterfly, pound flat, put in cheese and seasonings inside, roll them, season the outside, bread 'em, and bake them in the oven. Maybe that's more of a Sunday dinner.

Email at work is currently down and out. Server crashed out. Waiting on a tech from Dell or one of their contracted underlings to come out and fix it.
Ah, I remember doing that stuff... loved it.

Colleen's taking her car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change and serpentine belt replacement. I called and inquired about the price of the belt yesterday -- $70 to replace. Not bad at all. I thought it was going to be ten times that, but then I realised that would be for the timing belt. Right now, her car just makes that awful squealing noise when it starts up. Nine times out of ten, I hear, it's the serpentine.

Marcus has a rather resistant case of thrush. Had to go back to Fallon to get his meds again, but found out that the nurse in pediatric urgent care never phoned it in the previous night. So I had to go to PUC, get them to see if it had been phoned in -- it wasn't, had them write up a new one, and then wait at the pharmacy for it to be filled. That put me about 45 minutes behind where I wanted to be last night, especially since I still had to hit Target and Stop & Shop before home. I left work at 1730... arrived at Fallon just after 1800... didn't get home until after 1900. Dinner didn't hit the table until... oh... 2000 at the latest.

Still working on my GURPS game... name isn't finalized yet. I may have mentioned it before -- it's a revamp of a game I ran before, based on a game I played my first year at UMass Amherst. (

ibabeu and

volare were in it too... they'll know what it is.) My thing on it is that I won't be putting the personal angst and grief and whatever else that the GM put in her game... Sort of changes the scope of things with it, but hey, it'll work out better in the long run. (Besides, the GM was rather screwed up.)
More on it later when I get more things finalized, but only a little of it is geared for public knowledge... wouldn't want to give any of what's really going on away...

Andreas Katsulas, aka G'Kar on Babylon 5 and Tomalak on Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as the One Armed Man in The Fugitive, passed away this week at the age of 59.

More later as news warrants.
Out.

Tags:

I've been working on a lot of concepts using GURPS 4th Edition as of late... including converting the characters Colleen and I are running in a D&D 3.5e campaign, creating characters for possible campaigns, etc.
Here is a list of the 4th edition books I currently own:
Basic Set: Characters
Basic Set: Campaigns
Magic
Fantasy

I have tons of 3rd edition books lying about as well. Conversion to 4th ed isn't so bad, really. I'm keen on working on the following:
Special Ops -- Pretty straight forward. Not sure about a campaign, maybe a series of one-shots that can be played on the fly or as events at a convetion.
Psychoses -- Original name. Not sure what else I would call it. I'd want to revamp my freeform magic and psionics system to work with 4e.
HC's Most Wanted -- Cops campaign, very loosely based on TNT's Wanted TV series, but in a different fictional city.
Working on a fantasy setting, based on D&D, using maybe the Forgotten Realms setting, I don't know as of yet. Converting classes over isn't easy.
Bughunters -- Think Aliens. Again, maybe more of a series of one-shots.
Bureau 13 -- Done with GURPS, this may work nicely.

Not sure what else to work with right now. I'm open to ideas...

Tags:

gaming,
gurps

The phones have been down and out since oh... at least before I dragged myself in here this morning. It's now just after 1400, and they're still out. This is going to kill our response time reports.
The only line that's working is the emergency line which goes out to the front desk. Okay, she takes incoming calls and puts them into our tracking system -- but we can't respond!!!

What kills me right now is the overwhelming sense of boredom. I have nothing else to do, support-wise. If I was alone here and didn't really care, I'd whip out my notebook and start scribbling my Morrow Project d20 rules (Powered by Stargate SG1, which is in turn powered by Spycraft from AEG. I figured this was the best system to use, since the classes were already there...). But alas, I'm not that brave around here. But it would like like I'm doing something other than sitting about.

Well maybe I'll work on it a bit tonight after I get home, and C is working on her stuff, and Marcus is asleep in the swing.

Weekend plans: housework. Still cleaning the place up, but we need to movie furniture around too.

Mom-in-law is expected up around the end of September, possibly around the same time as my Uncle Tim coming for a visit.

More later as news warrants...

Current Mood: bored

Tags:

daily moan,
gaming

Behind the Wall

Rantings, Ravings and Droolings

Gaming Project Update

More 4e musings...

The Waiting... is over!

The Waiting, Part 2

The waiting, it burns!!!

RPG Notes...

And the dice fall still...

Top 100 Games Meme

Oh zarking fardwarks...

Leading man material?

Your Score: Jimmy Stewart

You scored 21% Tough, 0% Roguish, 66% Friendly, and 14% Charming!

Pink's Life 04252006

Pink's Life 02202006

TotalCon 2006

Pink's Life 02152006

General musings...

Pink's Life, Part Deux

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