[RPG] I Can't Believe I am Doing This- Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Ed

There are times in my life when I think the universe decides to teach me a lesson, and likes laughing at me while doing so.

I am pretty well known for not enjoying D&D in any way, shape or form. Between the "medieval fantasy as trope", the limiting characters, classes and alignments, the very ridiculous to me armor/to hit rules, and the general... BLAH nature of the genre and game, I have always found it as interesting as milquetoast.

this is far prettier than what I think of D&D 

But recently, this funny thing happened. I made a new friend, and the new friend is a HUGE AD&D nut. He has a group that he plays with regularly and it is massively fun for him. He's genuinely passionate about playing and can't wait to get new people involved in games and gaming. (It's really fun to have a friend that is just invigorated about getting people into gaming as I am- I was sort of burning out for a while. Having him as a friend is feeding my fire, and that allows me to feed his right back. I love the synergy of positive relationships and how they help the people in them grow.)

So very recently, one of the GMs that plays at my shop was announcing that he had openings in his AD&D 2nd Ed Game, and my new friend was very interested in the game. I know this GM well, and he is a really stand up guy. He's very friendly, easy to talk to, and the group he has at the moment seems to be one of the nicest around. I very generously vouched for the fellow in question and while doing so, realized I pretty much talked myself into a corner and that I needed to play in the game or look like an idiot.

So I joined my 2nd ever D&D game.

For me, the best part has been the people I am playing with. I won't lie- it is very hard for me to play with people I don't know, and I HAVE to like them. But I really didn't know the guys at all, nor did I have any idea whether we would get along well. I sat down for my first session, worried about whether I would fit in, or if they would like me, and a million other things.

I should never have worried. Playing with these guys was like finding my way home again. It's super comfortable, fun and wonderful to be back at a table again.

It is super weird to be ENJOYING a game I generally don't like- but it's an important lesson for me, that I can do things and have fun again.

[Review] Tok Tok Woodman

So, TheBoy and I came upon this fun idea. We would play a bunch of games. We would have fun. We would learn more about the products we sell at the store, and I could review them for my little blog.

We started out innocently enough with the Axis and Allies game. That was a blast. We had so much fun playing that game. I think we will play it a few more times so that I can get a chance to win. (Fat chance, but chance nonetheless.)

We have tried a few games. We loved some and didn't like others at all.

Tok Tok Woodman is one of our perennial favorites.

This game is billed as a "dexterity game", which means it involves hand/eye coordination. This is something I am usually truly bad at, but I STILL love this game.

It's more like a twisted version of Jenga than anything else.

The premise of the game is that you have a tree that you are trying to cut the "bark" off of without knocking any of the wood out from the base of the tree.

You do this with an axe, of course.

The axe pictured is actually from the expansion, but you get the idea. (Yes, there is an expansion. It's just as fun as the original!)  You tap the tree three two times, trying to knock the bark off but leave the discs of wood intact. Every piece of bark is worth points, while the wood COSTS points. Whoever ends up with the most points wins.

I have to say that for me, the largest portion of this game's appeal is how ramped up TheBoy gets. He is absolutely like a little kid, being given permission to break stuff. With an axe. (Yes, it's a little plastic axe, but it's an axe.)

I have sold this game on numerous occasions as a "party game". It's a great icebreaker or timewaster, without any complex strategy or overall need for thinking. It's just silly. The best part of the party game is that if you add drinking, it just gets sillier. I can only imagine making shots a part of this game.

There's no real rules breakdown, or complaint about pieces, or discussion of confusing something or other. This game is straightforward, and fun. It's even better when the folks you play it with understand it is meant to be silly, and get into it with the over the top actions (and reactions) to make it more entertaining.

The only downside I can think of is that if you like a serious, intelligent game, this isn't it.

I think you should play this game, and enjoy some good laughs.

[RPG] Jeff Rients as GM of [Fill In the Blank]

Last night TheBoy and I were having one of our epic gaming conversations (how cool is that when you can talk about geeky  stuff with your kid and they totally get what you are saying) and mentioning how a certain dude in our crowd is kind of like, the worst GM ever wrought. He's really terrible. Poor guy.

We then contrasted said guy with Jeff, who is, in our opinion, "like, the awesome GOD of GMing". We discussed how pretty much everything Jeff runs at least SOUNDS cool and/or fun. It was mentioned that Jeff could run TIDDLY WINKS and we would play it. TheBoy was very enthusiastic about this idea, complete with coin flipping sound effects and pantomimes to prove his approval of the concept.

It was then asided that Jeff is really good at a certain kind of game, and that for other types, maybe he was not the ideal GM. Jeff's natural habitat as proposed by us was "goofy and/or over the top", but we are willing to admit we might be wrong. However, to prove our point, we got into one of our famous "what if" discussions.

An example was made of Traveller, which; while having a huge following in our area, has some pitfalls. TheBoy was full of demonstrations on how a Jeff-lead Traveller group could go awry ("I don't know what the *&^^% is going on! Crap, I'm dead.) and we declared this MaybeNotAGoodIdea.

Next was a Jeff-run Vampire game. The mere IDEA of this premise was so mirthful as to elicit an 8.2 on the lolololololololograph (IE I could not stop laughing for the life of me) and TheBoy voted the scenario as officially Hilarious.

Paranoia in all its variations seemed the best place evah for Jeff to unleash his personal brand of awesome, but we were perplexed as to who plays the game anymore, so we had to pronounce this possibility as Meh due to potential lack of interest.

From there, the conversation sort of broke into fits of giggles and occasional hiccups of insanely stupid inside jokes, but it was a very fun thought exercise at the time.

Why not suggest "What Should Jeff Run", and cause a little laughter today?

[RPG] Self-Expression

Sorry I'm late- yesterday was TheDude's birthday and I spent the day spoiling him rotten.
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For me, self-expression is the ultimate reason I play RPG’s. The free-flowing stream of ideas, concepts, and strategies really get my creative juices flowing.  I love that the potential for drama, hubris, loyalty and humor are exponential. Working in tandem with other like-minded geeks to cause imaginary lives, choices, consequences and resolutions is only part of the joy for me.  It’s the spark of myself that gets pushed, imbued, and transformed into those conceptualized worlds, combined with my special brand of expression that lights me right up.

Everyone has their own special “brand” of expression. Several of my friends are artists, and their character s do not come to life until they’ve made a sketch or drawing.  Some paint miniatures to convey their creative spark, while others are truly gifted actors and simply “living” as their characters in game is their mien. I’ve got a friend who draws maps, and has for a long time; well before geomorphing was cool. 

The cool thing is that self expression is so personal. Each and every one of us that plays or runs games has a different way of bringing our creativity, ingenuity and representation into our game worlds and characters.  I truly admire my friends and their talents and ways of bringing their ideas across. I adore checking out the drawings, the miniatures, the maps and watching those immersive players. It’s a fun kick to see what others use; their enjoyment is pleasure for me.

My personal expression is through words. I love playing with them, their meanings, their syntax, and their variations. I truly enjoy finding new ways to say something and love searching the depths of nuance and inference. 

I’ve discovered that I am a much better writer than a roleplayer, in comparison. I contrast my sessions as Eile to my write-ups or my Hedge Tales and see a drastic and dynamic difference between them.  I’ve accepted the chasm, but I strive to utilize language more effectively while playing so that I can grow and improve in game.

Language is my source and field of expression in life as well. If you don’t believe that “Loquacious” fits me, you have not spent a lot of time around me. I love to talk. I like to talk to dang near anyone. I enjoy the art of conversation, learning about people, and sharing myself with them. I adore a good jaw, and have been known to sit down just to explore words with someone.

There are plenty of times when words are my shield. There are also numerous times when words are my foundry, forging my emotions as I work through my vocabulary. I have found more than once that I’m not exactly sure how something makes me feel; but through talking and expressing myself in language, I find names for whatever’s on my mind.

Taking that away from me limits my self-expression, and generally frustrates me.  While I know I talk a lot, and often don’t say things directly, that’s who I am. If you don’t like it, or want to curtail it in some way, it’s probably going to cause some sort of issue.

I don’t infringe on others’ expression, and I can’t say that having mine refrained is something I relish. I mean, self-expression is the ultimate reason I play RPG’s, and it’s a core component of my personality.

I'd love to hear about yours, and how you find your true self in the game.

[40K] Grab Bag - Including WIP shots!

GMort's article about blaming dice made me smile. He's right, for the most part. But sometimes, you CAN blame the dice. 

Really. ONE six and 9 ones (1 not visible in picture)

This week I did a lot of admiring. My Chaos-As-Space-Wolves friend showed me these:

Pointy Land Raider!

A Flamer. So fun!

I did get a game in against The Star Wars Imperial Guard Army. His Sentinels are really nice!

We played a pitched battle game where he seized initiative. We did a lot of blowing each other up to a mutually satisfying draw. I'll try to do a full bat rep later this week.

As one might expect, a guy with an army like this has a big personality. He was more than happy to model with his models!

Brother Darius continues to slay Heretics. Here, he's got a Guardsman hanging by that lovely sword.

And here's the  hill after the assault phase:

I'm finally getting a little painting done. I am trying to achieve a brushed dark metal look- black, without USING black.

TEST MODEL 1

Using Ral Partha's Steel as a wash.

TEST MODEL 2

Using P3's Armor Wash as a wash

In person, I much prefer the Steel wash- it's got a slightly metallic look and gives a much darker feel. In pictures, it's tough to see a difference.

I've been putting off makimg my army ready to play long enough. I went through last night and sorted- what needs "repairing", what needs primed, and what needs painted.

I have a large batch of little plastic Space Doodz ready to prime. It's big enough it will probably take several batches to get them all done.

In addition to repairing some broken models, I'm putting new "choppy" arms on about 30 guys. I'm also considering putting together that Storm Raven. It has a lotta parts! (But thankfully comes with instructions)

I'll probably be throwing some guys into the purple lake tonight as well- I'm tired of the Ugly Crusade.

Be Well,

'Lo

[Birthday] CONTEST!!!! Update

Only three more weeks to enter! Don't miss out on this birthday party in reverse, where I give the presents to you! I am still keeping the prizes a secret for now, but never fear- there are no duds!

I have received eight really lovely banner entries. Some of you have breathtaking imaginations that translate truly well to the visual realm. Each one is really great in its own regard- please keep it up. 

I have also been fortunate to find three excellent motto submissions in my inbox! Don't overlook the power of words, especially not to a self-professed word nerd. All the entries are well done. I can't wait to see what else you readers might have up your sleeves!

Thank you to each and every one of you that has entered so far! I've really loved your fantastic submissions.

Speaking of readers, I hit 90 followers recently. Only 10 more to go to hit 100, my personal goal to achieve before my birthday. I'm pretty thrilled and hope to bring you all kinds of great stuff to read. Never fear, roleplaying fans, I have a TON of good material on deck for you.

If there's something you'd like to see me cover, please feel free to send suggestions to me via email or comments here... I'm giving stuff to YOU, so let me know what you want!

Don't forget to send your entry by email (available in my profile) by 10:00 AM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, February 12, 2011.

Good luck!

[Birthday] Announcing a CONTEST!!!

My birthday is coming up soon! Instead of getting presents, I decided to give stuff away. 

As a reward for following along my little corner of the blog world, I will have a contest. It's actually a two part contest, intended to touch on both of the 'major" sides of my gaming life.

This is also a not-at-all-shameless grab for readers! I hope to break 100 followers before the contest is over. A special goodie will go to my 100th and 101st follower!

Contest 1 - Intended for the Wordy Folks (RPG players, language majors, word nerds)

Come up with a Motto/Slogan for World of Wonder.
Use 15 words or less to describe me and my blog. Funny, witty, and alliterative entries encouraged.

Contest 2- Intended for the Visually Minded (Graphic designers, artists, folks that play with computers)

Come up with a Banner for World of Wonder. (EDIT: 950x200-450 in size)
Use graphics, images, drawings or other visual media to convey my personality and my blog. Using references from older posts, repeating themes of posts or comments, or ridiculous riffs on stuff I've said are welcome.

What are the rules? 
1- No more than 4 entries per entrant. I don't care if they are all in the same contest or spread out over both, but you only get 4 chances.

2- It's my blog, and my birthday. I pick the winner of each contest with my own personal metrics.

3- You have a month to enter! Entries must be sent by email (available in my profile) and received by my birthday: 10:00 AM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, Saturday, February 12, 2011.

What do I win? 

I am working on an awesome looty prize for each winner- but because it's a birthday, the presents are a surprise.They will most likely have some relevance to miniatures and/or roleplaying in some way. It's entirely possible I will tailor the prizes to match the entrant, but I am not telling yet.

--I totally promise they will NOT! be lame-- Be assured that if you win, you'll get something wonderful... because it's my world, and I love to bring out the childlike wonder all around me.

I'll do a weekly post with updates on number of entries and what kinds of fabulous goodies you might win as the month goes on. Spread the word- I want this to be kind of like a virtual party, and the more, the merrier in my book!

I look forward to whatever entries might come in- and good luck!

[40K] Where Are The Ladies?

So I have an idea for a Killzone team that would need at least 2 ladies. The idea is spawned out of the old Armageddon crew- I'm thinking of Chad Black, his lovely Anita, along with Father Pain and Mercy. They would most likely be Black Templars, or possibly just really DARK Space Marines. One of the ladies can easily be out of the Witchhunters/Sisters of Battle- she's essentially a nun; I can find a figure.

The other? I really envision a bad-ass babe in SpaceMarine armor. Is there such a thing?

On that thought, does 40K have any serious butt-kicking females at all?

Sure, there's Lelith, and some of the Wytches. Are they HQ slots, though? Are they "leading the charge"?

In WarMachine, there's no end of sure-fire hell raising women. Sorscha, Haley, Deneghra, Fiora, Ashlynn, Kaelyssa- each faction has a killer; no-holds barred lady to lead the forces. Hell, the AVATAR of MENOTH is a woman.

Is it too much to ask for a girl with great gams in armor for my 40K shenanigans?

Failing what I really want, what can I convert? Do I need a degree in greenstuffing to get anything close?

[Killzone] Everyone Starts Somewhere

I am a former 40K player. I played back in 2nd edition, in the most half-assed, ridiculously lazy fashion possible. I loved the game at the time, because I did not take it seriously and had a blast.

I'm looking at getting back into 40K, and it just so happens that within a week of seriously looking at the rules again, I happened across BigJim's Special Operations:Killzone project.

A small, fast, fun game that wasn't 500+ pages of rules? This was the thing for me! Killzone appealed to me as a player rediscovering the game because it seemed to be aimed at the point of 40K- having fun. It appeared to be deceptively simple, with incredible depth and elegance under those pretty, shiny covers of "fast".

Thanks BigJim, for making my reentry to 40K so exciting.I haven't played a game of Killzone yet. I haven't made an army list yet. I haven't designed an awesome Killzone Table or scenario yet. I haven't done anything tangible towards actively being part of the Killzone movement- but I feel like I've taken  huge steps towards being a fan of this very cool looking game.
I've picked an army, so that I CAN build a Killzone SOP team. I've passed the Killzone link to 4-5 people in my local circle, as well as plugged BigJim to the best of my ability. I've talked to folks about both the rules and the community aspect of this great idea, and done what I can to get people on board with something very fun and fresh.

I can't wait to see how things actually go once I have dudes on the table and someone to play!

Uh-oh It's; Every Little Thing She Does; A Kind of;

Yes, I got sucked back into the world of Magic: the Gathering.

I don't play seriously or competitively. I play with a couple people I like and enjoy, and I play to pass time or have a fun evening. I actually kind of like putting decks together (even though I am truly bad at it) and I don't mind learning new ways to be defeated. (It happens a LOT.)

One of the guys I enjoy playing against most is a guy that a lot of people have a hard time dealing with. He's high functioning autistic and his 'special area of focused interest' is mathmatics. He understands the combinations, stacks, interworkings and otherwise fairly intricate nature of the "high end" of the game excessively well. His decks are usually well built around a single premise or card and he KILLS with them.

He's also completely fair and very patient. He never gives me difficulty for not knowing or understanding some of the more complicated rules or card combinations. He's a good opponent for me to learn from, because he explains EVERYTHING. I often learn more about a single card or combination through him than just by reading them or asking questions.

Another guy I play agains whenever I can is our local MtG Guru. He's forgotten more about Magic than I'll ever know- card names, colors, casting cost, effect, best ways to use them, etc. He's also one of the nicest, coolest guys ever. He loves the game and wants everyone else to like it too. He doesn't do jerk plays or in your face stuff. He saves competitive play for competitions; and even then he's a good-natured guy.

I have a small collection of cards, and I'm slowly learning how to use them. I'm having fun and enjoying myself.

"I can quit any time I want, Honest!"