#RPGaDAY 2016, Day 3: A Character Moment You Are Proud Of

Often we play long campaigns that don’t have a stopping point in mind, and so the pace of the game can be quite casual. My preference is for short-run campaigns, or campaigns where there’s a time limit. No time to haggle over the price of blue-fletched arrows. There’s a sense that we’ve got to get to the meat of the story if we only have five or seven game sessions.

We’re playing Lady Blackbird. ((Get it at http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/)) Last year, I said we had five sessions, but I think we really had eight. But we got to some good points in the game. One of my favorites was Amy’s last scene in the game.

Continue reading →

My GEN CON 2016 schedule

I’m not attending Gen Con this year, so I’ll be celebrating Gen Can’t.

Wednesday Night: The Diana Jones Award. I’ll be at home, keeping an eye on twitter to see who won.

Thursday morning: I’ll be in the exhibit hall (Bullmoose, probably the South Portland location) to see what’s on display.

Thursday evening: A classic sf movie, Blade Runner, is on the big screen! If the wife can make it, we’ll be up watching it!

Friday evening: It’s the ENnies awards! Things I’m up for have been nominated in four categories, but because I’m at home, I’ll be dressed up in the finest pair of jeans I can find. Chill’s quickstart adventure is up for best free product and Urban Shadows is up for best rules, game, and product of the year. Excited!

Friday night: Dungeons & Dragons event R20-EE. We’ll see if I TPK the group.

Saturday: I’m in on a game of Star Wars: Rebellion with the wife. You can join in at our dining room table if you’re in the neighborhood.

Sunday: We’ll be starting to dig out a space to pour a concrete slab in the backyard. I’ll be signing autographs if you stop by.

#RPGaDAY 2016, Day 2: Food and Games

A few weeks ago, Tracy asked about food and gaming: “Do you eat with your tabletop #rpg group? Are meals an important part of the game [event] or incidental?”

Back in time to the days of that great Shadowrun 2nd Edition campaign, ((The one where we seamlessly fit The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr  into the game universe.)) we had (mostly) couples attend the game session. In the main group was Bill and Christy, married; Landon and Shannon, married; Tamara and I, dating. I don’t recall who it was that came up with the suggestion we cook for each other, but whomever did changed things. No pizza or burgers here. We’d alternate, bringing food for everyone. Even though we were on a college (and post-college) student’s budget, we’d cook for the group. We’d share meals. It helped to make the gaming event a social occasion among friends instead of a thing were we just showed up to game, then left.

It’s also where I really impressed my soon-to-be-fiancee with Chicken Kiev.

Continue reading →