So, Christmas Eve, 2013
http://www.noradsanta.org/
In some very odd way, having North America Air Defense Command, who's main job was to let us know we were about to be cremated alive, tracking Santa, every year of my life, seems to encapsulate the experience of growing up as a cold war kid living at various ground zeroes
There are a very few things that also capture that: Age of Aquarius, William Barton is one. Hes a bit older than me. But it still moves me profoundly.
Obviously, I'm really glad we made it, and am still surprised that we did. Nice to be wrong occasionally.
I am also delighted that my kids don't get the whole cold war eve of destruction- ten-minutes-before-midnight-thing. I wouldn't wish that on most of the people I hate (except maybe Richard Nixon).
Okay. enough. Glad we are all alive. Merry effin' christmas.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Reviewsday: Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders
I generally cycle from SF to fantasy on about a six month cycle; I seem to be switching over again, as I found a new SF (abeit pulp SF) book I got to share.
Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders !
Richard Ellis Preston Jr.
Zepplins, Martians, post-apocalyptic earth, swords, robots, and giant cool hats !
Season with the LA basin, cults and technoclans, lots more zeppelins, evil neofascists, missing sisters (did I mention robots ?).
Honest to god, what more do you need ?
A good, fast read, tight story, good characters, excellent dialogue and brisk writing style, all contribute to it being awarded the coveted 2013 prize for best use of zeppelins in a post apocalyptic setting without elves or gratuitous use of Tesla.
..AND, the second book is now out, in which the devilish plot and trechery is further revealed, along with blood-thirsty Martian Saber beasts, and a Mysterious Mountain hideaway !
Again:
http://www.amazon.com/Romulus-Founders-Chronicles-Pneumatic-Zeppelin-ebook/dp/B009PS42YI/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders !
Richard Ellis Preston Jr.
Zepplins, Martians, post-apocalyptic earth, swords, robots, and giant cool hats !
Season with the LA basin, cults and technoclans, lots more zeppelins, evil neofascists, missing sisters (did I mention robots ?).
Honest to god, what more do you need ?
A good, fast read, tight story, good characters, excellent dialogue and brisk writing style, all contribute to it being awarded the coveted 2013 prize for best use of zeppelins in a post apocalyptic setting without elves or gratuitous use of Tesla.
..AND, the second book is now out, in which the devilish plot and trechery is further revealed, along with blood-thirsty Martian Saber beasts, and a Mysterious Mountain hideaway !
Again:
http://www.amazon.com/Romulus-Founders-Chronicles-Pneumatic-Zeppelin-ebook/dp/B009PS42YI/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
Saturday, November 9, 2013
This Stuff is GREAT !
Other than keyboards and bathrobes (tm) my most popular posts seem to be reviews. So, here is another one some more.
So, there's this guy (I guess) who goes by"Lars Dangly" over on one of the big RPG forums. So what? So he is kind of a random RPG encounter - out of the blue he has posted two free excellent RPGs.
One of them is "Balrogs and Bagginses" a set of original (and early) edition rules for playing in middle earth -and clearly channeling the adventure ethos of "The Hobbit ".
It is really really good, and this is coming from a massive JRRT geek. The rules are concise, freestanding (mostly spells are still a bit beta) and very nicely developed from bog standard OD&D.
So, it scores two hits in
1. Successfully pulling off a Middle earth RPG without being wildly concerned with microdetails, and
2. is another excellent example of what I think the OSR is doing (or should do) starting with the very basics of D&D and evolving it in a different direction.
Plus, the cover uses one of the best "adventure and get treasure" pix, evar.
Seriously, I love me some MERP, and tolerated me some whatever the second one was, and pretty much poked at the new middle earth RPGwith a stick, - but, this is at least as good as MERP for feel, and given that MERP was tied to the mondotablequest engine has a much more elegant system.
No kidding: it's a take on old style D&D that gets around the three class model very elegantly and avoids race as class (which I despise, thank you very much) . Very elegantly. Seriously, check it out -I'd go into it in detail, but as it is free, you can download it and decide for yourself. Plus, my beer is getting cold.
Again:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8azW7IbtcxzalBIRUl0VW5zY1k
So, there's this guy (I guess) who goes by"Lars Dangly" over on one of the big RPG forums. So what? So he is kind of a random RPG encounter - out of the blue he has posted two free excellent RPGs.
One of them is "Balrogs and Bagginses" a set of original (and early) edition rules for playing in middle earth -and clearly channeling the adventure ethos of "The Hobbit ".
It is really really good, and this is coming from a massive JRRT geek. The rules are concise, freestanding (mostly spells are still a bit beta) and very nicely developed from bog standard OD&D.
So, it scores two hits in
1. Successfully pulling off a Middle earth RPG without being wildly concerned with microdetails, and
2. is another excellent example of what I think the OSR is doing (or should do) starting with the very basics of D&D and evolving it in a different direction.
Plus, the cover uses one of the best "adventure and get treasure" pix, evar.
Seriously, I love me some MERP, and tolerated me some whatever the second one was, and pretty much poked at the new middle earth RPGwith a stick, - but, this is at least as good as MERP for feel, and given that MERP was tied to the mondotablequest engine has a much more elegant system.
No kidding: it's a take on old style D&D that gets around the three class model very elegantly and avoids race as class (which I despise, thank you very much) . Very elegantly. Seriously, check it out -I'd go into it in detail, but as it is free, you can download it and decide for yourself. Plus, my beer is getting cold.
Again:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B8azW7IbtcxzalBIRUl0VW5zY1k
Monday, August 5, 2013
Onward To VENUS !
Space 1889 kickstarter edition calls to you urgently !
If you were dithering, now is the time to step forth ! Indeed, at this juncture the noblest of the noble are Urgently needed to sur-pass the threshold of sub-scription that will allow the publication of the Venus Source-book, perhaps one of the Finest Supplements ever since......ever, which is to include the Wonderful and fabulous cover illustration depicted above ! Should any more details prove necessary than are provided by the above illustration, or the below advertisement, please consult this hyper-link to the kickstarter page of this fine and necessary project, placed here for your convenience.
LOCKED £34,000 - The Venus Sourcebook!!! The Venus Sourcebook will be roughly 190 pages and will not only feature expanded information about the history, geography, flora and fauna of Venus but also take a close look at the human settlements of the German, British, Italian and Russian colonists as well as the native population of lizardmen (and dinosaurs!). We’ll also be revealing ancient secrets that lie beneath the impenetrable jungles and dangerous swamps that surround them. This book will feature information about living, exploring and conquering the wilderness of Venus, as well as new rules, new archetypes, and hints for gamemasters to run extended campaigns on the greenhouse of our solar system.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/440453703/space-1889-sf-role-playing-in-a-more-civilized-tim
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
"Ugly Bugger with the Wings, Private Jones 261. Three rounds rapid if you please ! " Only The First And Best Victorian SF RPG ever written coming back !
In which our tardy correspondent from the blog-o-sphere does gush forth his fanboy affection for a very different kind of role-playing game; various components of other less satisfying systems discussed; comic British public school wallah accent attempted; main advantages of 1889 enumerated; a picture stolen to good purpose; commands to the reader; to which extensive informational and educational afternotes are appended
So, Space 1889 is back (again), and no surprise, it's a kickstarter, with the same setting, but a new rules system. I think its the same rules system as Hollow earth adventures, so, cool there - at least they know how to do pulp right. me, I actually liked the old (much berated) system, even the combat, but hey. In this case, the game is the setting.
Seriously, probably the best actual Victorian SF game with the possible challenge of Forgotten Futures. - See, shortly thereafter Falkenstein and Amazing engine took it off to Vicotrian/Gothic Science fantasy by adding in the supernatural, Airships, brass, leather corsets with goggles and called it steampunk. Or Spells, wizards, Elves, Dwarves,Sprites, Pixies, Lady Cottingly's unpressed Fairies and making it all Romancey* Gothicy Victoriany. and No complaint, and a favorite genre of mine, but as an old colonial miniatures player, this is always my go to game for Victoriana. Not Punk, nor neccessarily Steamy, it simply says, "I say, what if all the boffo chaps in the labs made some ships that let us bring the benefits of modern plumbing, education and heavily favorable trade to the poor benighted Martians and what not, eh ? Whizzers, I say !" And off we go with an electric Ether flyer, a red coat** and a Webley pistol.
1889. No Elves. No Magic. Steam Optional. Science, Rifles and unabashed colonialism in the solar system.
This game is great. I'm backing it****. Read about it here (and back it. So let it it be done !)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/440453703/space-1889-sf-role-playing-in-a-more-civilized-tim
* Romance in the older use - a fantastical adventure, without the ripped bodices and bad boy seduction now associated with the term
** yes, yes, for the three of you who spotted this, I know that the well before 1889 the British army was no longer using Red for service uniforms -going over to mostly Khaki, with Red or Blue for most units on home service. But see, Mars is the RED planet, so a RED service coat will clearly blend in just smashingly, eh wot?
*** As long as one is British, at least. I mean, we all know that savages begin at Calais, after all.
****I also bought the Savage worlds adaptation, and while it was mostly excellent (for my money it underplayed the role of class in Victorian society which messes up the flavor, but far from fatally ), but it seems to have lost support.
So, Space 1889 is back (again), and no surprise, it's a kickstarter, with the same setting, but a new rules system. I think its the same rules system as Hollow earth adventures, so, cool there - at least they know how to do pulp right. me, I actually liked the old (much berated) system, even the combat, but hey. In this case, the game is the setting.
Seriously, probably the best actual Victorian SF game with the possible challenge of Forgotten Futures. - See, shortly thereafter Falkenstein and Amazing engine took it off to Vicotrian/Gothic Science fantasy by adding in the supernatural, Airships, brass, leather corsets with goggles and called it steampunk. Or Spells, wizards, Elves, Dwarves,Sprites, Pixies, Lady Cottingly's unpressed Fairies and making it all Romancey* Gothicy Victoriany. and No complaint, and a favorite genre of mine, but as an old colonial miniatures player, this is always my go to game for Victoriana. Not Punk, nor neccessarily Steamy, it simply says, "I say, what if all the boffo chaps in the labs made some ships that let us bring the benefits of modern plumbing, education and heavily favorable trade to the poor benighted Martians and what not, eh ? Whizzers, I say !" And off we go with an electric Ether flyer, a red coat** and a Webley pistol.
1889. No Elves. No Magic. Steam Optional. Science, Rifles and unabashed colonialism in the solar system.
Role playing in a more civilized time. ***
This game is great. I'm backing it****. Read about it here (and back it. So let it it be done !)
 |
| Just Shut Up and SHOOT colour Sergeant ! |
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/440453703/space-1889-sf-role-playing-in-a-more-civilized-tim
* Romance in the older use - a fantastical adventure, without the ripped bodices and bad boy seduction now associated with the term
** yes, yes, for the three of you who spotted this, I know that the well before 1889 the British army was no longer using Red for service uniforms -going over to mostly Khaki, with Red or Blue for most units on home service. But see, Mars is the RED planet, so a RED service coat will clearly blend in just smashingly, eh wot?
*** As long as one is British, at least. I mean, we all know that savages begin at Calais, after all.
****I also bought the Savage worlds adaptation, and while it was mostly excellent (for my money it underplayed the role of class in Victorian society which messes up the flavor, but far from fatally ), but it seems to have lost support.