Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Historical Swordfighting Class
This Thursday, April 24, Don Justinian and I are teaching a class about what it helps to know to begin studying historical swordsmanship. It starts at 7:30PM, at J's house in Glassboro. For directions, e-mail me at mikewgoodman (at) gmail.com, or Justinian at justinian_t (at) verizon.net. Its a great class for people interested in starting to learn historical swordfighting.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Weekend gaming recap
I was in three different games this past weekend: a Dr. Who RPG using D20 Modern, a Warhammer Fantasy Battles game, and my Warhammer RPG. They were a little different from your average series of games. The two RPG sessions were fairly short (about three hours), and the fantasy battles game went fairly quickly (about an hour of play time, I think, after around an hour of set-up). Each one had alot packed into the time, though.
The Dr. Who game is on a Friday night, and I think we started playing around 8:30 and ended around 11:30. There was alot of story and investigation stuffed into the time. The players took the time to unravel the mystery in the story, as well as soak up the atmosphere. By the end of the story, the group was going through a fortress inspired by one of the original episodes of the series...The Daleks.
The Fantasy Battles game was a great introduction to the hobby. My three units of Bretonnian calvary (with a little help from a few units of archers) carried the day against an army of Lizardmen. There was maybe an hour's worth of playtime, but it was great fun, and inspired me to really built a bigger army. We talked a little about how to augment units with different models, which helped me re-imagine how to design different units of men-at-arms and archers.
The Warhammer RPG Sunday had to be shortened, since one of the players had to leave early. The PC's started their trek to the Imperial capital of Altdorf, following a pack of mercenaries. There was some strong character building (with one player changing his career due to interactions in the adventure). There was one encounter with a pack of undead soldiers, and the survivors moved on.
Each gaming session was considerably shorter than what I'm used to. Everyone put alot into each session, though.
The Dr. Who game is on a Friday night, and I think we started playing around 8:30 and ended around 11:30. There was alot of story and investigation stuffed into the time. The players took the time to unravel the mystery in the story, as well as soak up the atmosphere. By the end of the story, the group was going through a fortress inspired by one of the original episodes of the series...The Daleks.
The Fantasy Battles game was a great introduction to the hobby. My three units of Bretonnian calvary (with a little help from a few units of archers) carried the day against an army of Lizardmen. There was maybe an hour's worth of playtime, but it was great fun, and inspired me to really built a bigger army. We talked a little about how to augment units with different models, which helped me re-imagine how to design different units of men-at-arms and archers.
The Warhammer RPG Sunday had to be shortened, since one of the players had to leave early. The PC's started their trek to the Imperial capital of Altdorf, following a pack of mercenaries. There was some strong character building (with one player changing his career due to interactions in the adventure). There was one encounter with a pack of undead soldiers, and the survivors moved on.
Each gaming session was considerably shorter than what I'm used to. Everyone put alot into each session, though.
Friday, April 11, 2008
What kind of game you play changes with who you are
When Vampire: the Masquerade hit the shelves in the early 90's, it immediately struck a chord. I was interested in creating characters that were designed to really just interact with the environment. I would be happy to just play a character who walked the streets, talked to people, and tried to figure out how to exist as the un-dead in a world not meant for him. I created settings and adventures designed, for the most part, along that idea. Did it work? Did the games fly? Sort of. Some went well, others didn't. Some players just wanted to play Immortals With Cool Powers, some engaged in some kind of revenge-fantasy, some wanted Dungeon Crawling With Fangs.
But here it is, around 16 years after the first edition of V:tM came out, and every now and again I get the itch to run that game again. I sit down, try to work on a setting, and then drop it. It just doesn't work; I'm not in that place anymore. My early 20's seemed to be the right time to play and run Vampire, you know? It was the time to feel disassociated from my peers, to feel like I didn't belong, and to express that in a game. A good number of people felt the same way, too, and some games built up from that were pure magic.
But im in my mid-to-late 30's now, and times are different. I still put some of my life into my games, but I'm trying to say something different now. I think about my home, my family, and how to carve out a victory from a life that keeps trying to hand out defeat. And you know what game speaks to me when I think of that?
Serenity.
Funny, huh? When I think of a game in that setting, I think of people building a better life for themselves, using their wits and their strengths. Characters for the setting just seem a little more real; they have dirt under their fingernails. They're working hard just to keep what's theirs.
Some of the best times roleplaying I've seen recently have come out of a couple of different Serenity games. Very little was drawn from Whedon's setting. Rather, characters seemed to be built from the players' frustrations with the working world, with their economic situations, from their desire to really be heroes in a world not meant for heroes. I've seen game sessions that were almost entirely about how to make the next couple of credits, how to keep enough fuel in the ship to make the next credit to get to the next job. That cycle of despiration is a hell of a motivator.
I'm going to try to re-create that kind of environment when the new edition of Traveller comes out. I want players who will create characters who are real, born out of their own fears, frustrations, and see what stories come out from them.
But here it is, around 16 years after the first edition of V:tM came out, and every now and again I get the itch to run that game again. I sit down, try to work on a setting, and then drop it. It just doesn't work; I'm not in that place anymore. My early 20's seemed to be the right time to play and run Vampire, you know? It was the time to feel disassociated from my peers, to feel like I didn't belong, and to express that in a game. A good number of people felt the same way, too, and some games built up from that were pure magic.
But im in my mid-to-late 30's now, and times are different. I still put some of my life into my games, but I'm trying to say something different now. I think about my home, my family, and how to carve out a victory from a life that keeps trying to hand out defeat. And you know what game speaks to me when I think of that?
Serenity.
Funny, huh? When I think of a game in that setting, I think of people building a better life for themselves, using their wits and their strengths. Characters for the setting just seem a little more real; they have dirt under their fingernails. They're working hard just to keep what's theirs.
Some of the best times roleplaying I've seen recently have come out of a couple of different Serenity games. Very little was drawn from Whedon's setting. Rather, characters seemed to be built from the players' frustrations with the working world, with their economic situations, from their desire to really be heroes in a world not meant for heroes. I've seen game sessions that were almost entirely about how to make the next couple of credits, how to keep enough fuel in the ship to make the next credit to get to the next job. That cycle of despiration is a hell of a motivator.
I'm going to try to re-create that kind of environment when the new edition of Traveller comes out. I want players who will create characters who are real, born out of their own fears, frustrations, and see what stories come out from them.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
She's delivered an ultimatum
Like I'd said before, I started painting my Warhammer army (pictures coming this weekend). I spent some time today checking out terrain.
And my wife has just alerted me, with a voice of authority, that I am not permitted to buy any terrain until I finish painting my army.
So, if anyone is interested in coming by for a painting night, leave me a comment here at my blogger page (not the LJ feed, please), or drop me a line at my gmail address.
And my wife has just alerted me, with a voice of authority, that I am not permitted to buy any terrain until I finish painting my army.
So, if anyone is interested in coming by for a painting night, leave me a comment here at my blogger page (not the LJ feed, please), or drop me a line at my gmail address.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Paizo Publishing's new Role Playing Game: keeping D&D 3.5 alive
Have you picked up your copy of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game off of Paizo's website yet?
Well, why not? The Aplha Playtest version is free! Download it, give it a look.
It looks really interesting, to tell the truth. Wizards and Rogues get a higher hit-die. Clerics get to cast orisons at will. There are some other neat ideas in there, as well.
I think its a fantastic way to keep edition 3.5 of D&D around, when 4th edition makes its way to the shelves.
Well, why not? The Aplha Playtest version is free! Download it, give it a look.
It looks really interesting, to tell the truth. Wizards and Rogues get a higher hit-die. Clerics get to cast orisons at will. There are some other neat ideas in there, as well.
I think its a fantastic way to keep edition 3.5 of D&D around, when 4th edition makes its way to the shelves.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
My first Warhammer session
We had our first Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game session this past Sunday. It felt like it was a complete success! It was a new system for all of us. Only one player had a strong background in the Warhammer setting. One did some research beforehand, and jotted down a one-page character biography (something I didn't expect, but it gave her a good starting point).
I was most impressed that three of the four players opted to use the random generation method to choose careers. As such, we have an Apprentice Wizard, Fisherman, Pit Fighter, and Entertainer (that player chose her career). I discussed the setting, mood and rules. Within a couple of hours, we were ready for a short combat to try out the rules system.
An hour and six dead goblins later, we were ready to play. This was a surprise to me...I expected character creation and the trial combat to take the whole night.
I gave some background to the setting (see my previous post), and started the adventure. There was a riotous mob, accusations of witchcraft, dark magic, and a battle with a beastman.
I was actually left drained. The entire week before, I'd been eating, breathing and drinking Warhammer. I read the rulebook cover-to-cover, and received the Old World Armory and Sigmar's Heirs (the guide to the Empre) Saturday. I'm still coming down from the day. Its difficult to even prep for my D&D game this coming Sunday. This stuff just gets under your skin, you know?
I was most impressed that three of the four players opted to use the random generation method to choose careers. As such, we have an Apprentice Wizard, Fisherman, Pit Fighter, and Entertainer (that player chose her career). I discussed the setting, mood and rules. Within a couple of hours, we were ready for a short combat to try out the rules system.
An hour and six dead goblins later, we were ready to play. This was a surprise to me...I expected character creation and the trial combat to take the whole night.
I gave some background to the setting (see my previous post), and started the adventure. There was a riotous mob, accusations of witchcraft, dark magic, and a battle with a beastman.
I was actually left drained. The entire week before, I'd been eating, breathing and drinking Warhammer. I read the rulebook cover-to-cover, and received the Old World Armory and Sigmar's Heirs (the guide to the Empre) Saturday. I'm still coming down from the day. Its difficult to even prep for my D&D game this coming Sunday. This stuff just gets under your skin, you know?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Some basic notes for my Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game
Rossenstadt: A rivertown.
A setting for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
The Empire: the year 2522 of the Imperial Calender. The province of Middenland.
Rosenstadt is a town built on the bones of a series of two-centuries-old fortress.
In 2210, a small fortress was constructed on a tributary leading to the Stir river to protect a bridge and road against beastmen and bandits. For fifty years, militia-men and soldiers would be stationed at the fortress, and were successful at defending the path through the woods. In 2264, a tribe of beastmen banded together and assaulted the fortress, razing it to the ground.
In 2408, a small band of road-wardens built a way-station at the site of the old fortress. Some travelers through the area erected a market for traveling merchants at the way-station, and a mill at the river. Before long, a village grew. By the present day, the site has grown to a small town, supporting itself by selling tanned goods and livestock. Some guides have made a living by selling their services to passers-through.
In recent times, the town more militia and mercenaries have made Rossenstadt their base of operations. Though there have been very few sightings of beastmen in the immediate area, men-at-arms have found more and more work in the region. Most of them have said the same thing, in hushed tones in the local tavern: do the townspeople comprehend the threats surrounding them?
Rumors:
Three decades ago, a handful of inquisitors hunted down a necromancer in the surrounding woods. The remains were tossed in a pit and marked with a stone bearing the hammer of Sigmar. Folk say that no animal will go near the area.
The remains of the original soldiers from the first fortress were never found. Maybe the beastmen devoured them. Maybe they raised themselves after their deaths, seeking revenge.
Outlaws and bandits have taken to the woods, attacking anyone still making their way through the woods.
An enclave of elves is hidden in the woods.
A setting for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.
The Empire: the year 2522 of the Imperial Calender. The province of Middenland.
Rosenstadt is a town built on the bones of a series of two-centuries-old fortress.
In 2210, a small fortress was constructed on a tributary leading to the Stir river to protect a bridge and road against beastmen and bandits. For fifty years, militia-men and soldiers would be stationed at the fortress, and were successful at defending the path through the woods. In 2264, a tribe of beastmen banded together and assaulted the fortress, razing it to the ground.
In 2408, a small band of road-wardens built a way-station at the site of the old fortress. Some travelers through the area erected a market for traveling merchants at the way-station, and a mill at the river. Before long, a village grew. By the present day, the site has grown to a small town, supporting itself by selling tanned goods and livestock. Some guides have made a living by selling their services to passers-through.
In recent times, the town more militia and mercenaries have made Rossenstadt their base of operations. Though there have been very few sightings of beastmen in the immediate area, men-at-arms have found more and more work in the region. Most of them have said the same thing, in hushed tones in the local tavern: do the townspeople comprehend the threats surrounding them?
Rumors:
Three decades ago, a handful of inquisitors hunted down a necromancer in the surrounding woods. The remains were tossed in a pit and marked with a stone bearing the hammer of Sigmar. Folk say that no animal will go near the area.
The remains of the original soldiers from the first fortress were never found. Maybe the beastmen devoured them. Maybe they raised themselves after their deaths, seeking revenge.
Outlaws and bandits have taken to the woods, attacking anyone still making their way through the woods.
An enclave of elves is hidden in the woods.
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