Cool Site of the Week: Dwarfstar Games

Dwarfstar Games

This site features a collection of 2-player wargames (and one solo fantasy game) with fantasy and sci-fi themes. They're all in PDF and JPG format and best of all - they're free. The rights to the games are owned by Reaper Miniatures, but they have permitted the games to be posted. The games available include: Barbarian Prince (solo), Demonlord (fantasy), Goblin (fantasy), Grav Armor (SF), Outpost Gamma (SF), and Star Viking (SF).

I'll post an update in the future once I've had a chance to play any of them.

New Decree

Henceforth, a story line involving a evil plot perpetrating by angels who are jealous about mankind's relationship with God is hereby forbidden. It's been done. Especially if it involves Gabriel.

I mean, give the guy a break. Why is it always Gabriel? Why is Michael untouchable? And what about Raphael - he seems like he's due. And don't get me started on Uriel - he gets absolutely no love...

That is all.

Something to Think About

A good quote from one of the gaming lists I subscribe to:

"Nearly all net communities come not only to overestimate their importance but to lose an awareness of their field's history and also an understanding of what potential rivals are actually up to."

Certainly not all, but many "on-line" gamers fit into that description. Probably holds true for other "communities" as well.

(Yep, another reprint. See below...).

Adventure Maps

How much do adventure publishers spend on maps? I don't have a lot of third-party d20 adventures, so maybe what I'm saying doesn't apply. But in a lot of the ones I've seen, both from WotC and some of the smaller publishers, the cartography is presented as 3D-rendered, photorealistic works of computer art. Looks nice - but has very little utility. I don't care if a bed is fully rendered to look all fluffy with a patchwork quilt, or if the hardwood floor really has a grained texture to it. I want something I can use:

• Make it monochrome (B&W is good) so I can photocopy it for easy mark-up.
• Give me a square grid so I can easily and quickly draw it out on a battlemat or use it with MasterMaze pieces during the game.
• Use standard map symbols so I can tell what things are at a glance.
• If you don't need to, don't make rooms, corridors, etc. odd lengths. Does that room really have to be 22' long by 13' wide? 20x15 or 20x10 or whatever works out much easier on a grid system, which d20 encourages, and if it has no impact on the adventure or "realism", the players aren't going to care.

I prefer 3E (3.5) to 1E, but the maps in 1E were much easier to work with. This isn't nostalgia talking - it's practicality.

(Yes, this is a repeat from my "Articles" page; I posted it here since it seems more appropriate to be in a blog).

Well, at least Family Guy is coming back

Just watched the "preview" of American Dad, the new animated show from the guy that did Family Guy.

Summary Review: Crap.

I love Family Guy but this show didn't do it for me. Too derivative and too much forced humor. I'll probably watch it in May when the season starts, at least at first. So far, though, I'm not impressed.