So, two of my work friends moved to Austin, Texas, last month to take up jobs with BioWare (working on The Old Republic; how I hate them). They also happened to be two of my players here at work. Getting new players isn't so much of a problem, but I feel I have a right to complain, anyway.
No, the trouble stems from the fact that it's hard to get the momentum going again after such an upset. Don't get me wrong, I'm not weeping bloody tears over Brian and Bull, but I did enjoy playing with them. They're good guys, and they're missed.
There are also other things that go into the gaming funk, one being the fact that I don't want to plan anything out too far ahead right now. Change, that mysterious pet to Fate, may be a-coming. I'd just as soon avoid any other disappointments until I'm more certain of the future.
Many of the same issues plague non-work gaming, but they are always eclipsed by familial responsibilities and exaustion (in that order). However, I did run Stephen through a quick (15 minute) scenario where he rescued a baby from a group of hungry goblins. There wasn't much in the way of role-playing, but he rolled the old d20 and taught the goblins a lesson or two about the price of kidnapping.
I've cut back hard on the freelancing (though I'm not sure I had much of a choice in the matter). If interesting opportunities arise in the future, we'll see if I feel I have time to squeeze them in. Not having a looming deadline as of late has been interesting, though I am the masochistic sort of person who trades in one stress for another. Gods help me. This last GenCon marked the first time I'd attended the show where I wasn't trying to drum up freelance work. It was somewhat liberating.
Back to gaming, I did manage to get a game in at GenCon. GM Chris from d20 Radio did a test run of the SW Saga edition adventure Murder on the Executor, and I got to play (along with Sterling Hershey and a bunch of other swell guys).
All for now. Back to the grind.
Showing posts with label Gen Con. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gen Con. Show all posts
09 September 2009
15 August 2009
ENnie Results for 2009
I didn't attend the ENnies last night. Most of the times I've gone to GenCon, I've attended them. I guess the pomp and circumstance has worn thin for me, but I still recognize the awards for what they are and appreciate what they do for the gaming industry.
Order 66 won Silver for Best Podcast. It's a well-deserved award for them. I'm biased, being as I've appeared on the show twice and they've always treated me well. I've also been fortunate to hang out (and play SW) with Chris and his d20 Radio friends, smoke some good tobacco, and chat about ... lots of things, not all of which are appropriate to discuss in polite company.
On a personal note, two of the books I worked on won Silver ENnies last night. The Clone Wars Campaign Guide took the silver for Best Supplement, and Scum & Villainy took Silver for Best Cartography. Dark Heresy took the Silver for Best Game, and even though I've got a writing credit on that title, I don't deserve much credit for that. Still, I guess it looks good on a resume.
I'm tickled about Scum & Villainy's ENnie, despite the fact that the cartographers, Jonathan Hill and Chris West, deserve all the credit. Many of the maps in S&V were based on the fevered pencil-and-graph paper maps I scanned and sent in with my final turnover. So even if they weren't particularly attractive, they were transformed into ENnie Award-winning maps by two very talented mapsmiths. Kudos and props to both Jonathan and Chris. You guys are awesome.
The surprise for me is the Clone Wars Campaign Guide. I didn't really expect it to win, especially given the competition that it was up against. I've got a lot of material in that book, so I'm pleasantly surprised that it won.
So that's the long and short of my ENnie commentary for the year. I'm going to get ready for the day. If you're in Indianapolis for GenCon, drop by and say hello to me at Mythic Entertainment's booth today or tomorrow.
Order 66 won Silver for Best Podcast. It's a well-deserved award for them. I'm biased, being as I've appeared on the show twice and they've always treated me well. I've also been fortunate to hang out (and play SW) with Chris and his d20 Radio friends, smoke some good tobacco, and chat about ... lots of things, not all of which are appropriate to discuss in polite company.
On a personal note, two of the books I worked on won Silver ENnies last night. The Clone Wars Campaign Guide took the silver for Best Supplement, and Scum & Villainy took Silver for Best Cartography. Dark Heresy took the Silver for Best Game, and even though I've got a writing credit on that title, I don't deserve much credit for that. Still, I guess it looks good on a resume.
I'm tickled about Scum & Villainy's ENnie, despite the fact that the cartographers, Jonathan Hill and Chris West, deserve all the credit. Many of the maps in S&V were based on the fevered pencil-and-graph paper maps I scanned and sent in with my final turnover. So even if they weren't particularly attractive, they were transformed into ENnie Award-winning maps by two very talented mapsmiths. Kudos and props to both Jonathan and Chris. You guys are awesome.
The surprise for me is the Clone Wars Campaign Guide. I didn't really expect it to win, especially given the competition that it was up against. I've got a lot of material in that book, so I'm pleasantly surprised that it won.
So that's the long and short of my ENnie commentary for the year. I'm going to get ready for the day. If you're in Indianapolis for GenCon, drop by and say hello to me at Mythic Entertainment's booth today or tomorrow.
22 June 2008
Still Alive
I'm still breathing, though some days I feel like I'm on life support. It's hard to keep up with work (which is demanding in a lot of ways), my freelance projects (which are just as demanding as I've come to expect), and my family obligations (which make the day job and the freelance writing look like child's play by comparison).
So, yeah. I'm here, I'm just busy busy busy. There are never enough hours in the day.
In the news:
D&D 4E is in the house. I haven't had a chance to play it, and I don't know when I will. I've got the core books and I've breezed through them. Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm sure the game plays well, but I'm not sure that it's got the sorts of character options I've come to expect.
To me, RPGs are about character options. In a class-based system, especially, character options are king. They are what differentiate Fighter A from Fighter B. This is why I enjoyed kits in AD&D 2nd Edition, and what made feats (and to some extent, Prestige Classes) so valuable in D&D 3.X.
On the surface, D&D 4th Edition looks to me like characters are even more codified. Multiclassing is out, for the most part. Abilities are chosen from a very limited pool (though I'm sure that, with enough time and enough expansions, this will change). This means that one character will be very much like the next of his class. And, of course, there's the 4E/MMO parallel that everyone seems to be drawing. I can see why, and I'm sure it's entirely intentional. As it is, I'm on the fence.
Will I run D&D 4E? Maybe. I need to try it out at least once to make a final determination. As it is, I still like 3.X quite a bit.
My first D&D 4E article will be up on D&D Insider pretty soon. Look for Hazards of Dark Sun to appear very soon in Dragon Magazine.
In other news, I'm probably going to miss GenCon this year. However, I will be at Origins (for the first time) this coming weekend. I'm going with EA Mythic, and we'll be showing our game off. Drop on by and say hello!
So, yeah. I'm here, I'm just busy busy busy. There are never enough hours in the day.
In the news:
D&D 4E is in the house. I haven't had a chance to play it, and I don't know when I will. I've got the core books and I've breezed through them. Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm sure the game plays well, but I'm not sure that it's got the sorts of character options I've come to expect.
To me, RPGs are about character options. In a class-based system, especially, character options are king. They are what differentiate Fighter A from Fighter B. This is why I enjoyed kits in AD&D 2nd Edition, and what made feats (and to some extent, Prestige Classes) so valuable in D&D 3.X.
On the surface, D&D 4th Edition looks to me like characters are even more codified. Multiclassing is out, for the most part. Abilities are chosen from a very limited pool (though I'm sure that, with enough time and enough expansions, this will change). This means that one character will be very much like the next of his class. And, of course, there's the 4E/MMO parallel that everyone seems to be drawing. I can see why, and I'm sure it's entirely intentional. As it is, I'm on the fence.
Will I run D&D 4E? Maybe. I need to try it out at least once to make a final determination. As it is, I still like 3.X quite a bit.
My first D&D 4E article will be up on D&D Insider pretty soon. Look for Hazards of Dark Sun to appear very soon in Dragon Magazine.
In other news, I'm probably going to miss GenCon this year. However, I will be at Origins (for the first time) this coming weekend. I'm going with EA Mythic, and we'll be showing our game off. Drop on by and say hello!
21 August 2007
Meetings and Milestones
For the past three years, I've been one of a privileged number of folks that gets to see what the future holds for RPGs, well ahead of time. Last Friday afternoon, I was sitting in a room filled with other freelance writers, many of their names well-known to you, listening to secrets that I am not at liberty to discuss.
At some point during this seminar (if you can call it that), it occurred to me quite succinctly where I was, who I was with, and what we were talking about. I reflected on how I'd gotten there, as compared to where I'd been four years previous. I'd gone from approaching these people on convention floors with stars in my eyes, to mingling with them like I bloody well belonged.
On Saturday, there was a smaller meeting. It was no less important. Many other things were talked about. Looking at the assembled crew, it was obvious that I was standing on the shoulders of industry giants.
I think that it's important that I occasionally dwell on these things. I need to keep my own role in this funny little business in some kind of perspective. It's not unlike the Great Oz's schtick: there is a man behind the curtain. The vast majority of the Emerald City's residents don't know that he is there. A smaller percentage do as they are told, and they ignore him. The few that remain are either in league with him, or they resist his machinations.
Who am I, exactly? How do I fit in? I'm still not sure, sometimes. I went to Gen Con this year, unsure if I really wanted to keep plugging away or not. I was without current business cards, and I promised myself that I wouldn't try to pimp myself out to publishers. Damn the ENnies, and damn the multitude of good opportunities that came my way, because there's no getting out alive between now and August of 2008.
This is what getting up to feed the baby at 5am gets me. I'm going back to bed for an hour or so, then I'll get up and go to work. Will I sleep? Probably. Probably not.
At some point during this seminar (if you can call it that), it occurred to me quite succinctly where I was, who I was with, and what we were talking about. I reflected on how I'd gotten there, as compared to where I'd been four years previous. I'd gone from approaching these people on convention floors with stars in my eyes, to mingling with them like I bloody well belonged.
On Saturday, there was a smaller meeting. It was no less important. Many other things were talked about. Looking at the assembled crew, it was obvious that I was standing on the shoulders of industry giants.
I think that it's important that I occasionally dwell on these things. I need to keep my own role in this funny little business in some kind of perspective. It's not unlike the Great Oz's schtick: there is a man behind the curtain. The vast majority of the Emerald City's residents don't know that he is there. A smaller percentage do as they are told, and they ignore him. The few that remain are either in league with him, or they resist his machinations.
Who am I, exactly? How do I fit in? I'm still not sure, sometimes. I went to Gen Con this year, unsure if I really wanted to keep plugging away or not. I was without current business cards, and I promised myself that I wouldn't try to pimp myself out to publishers. Damn the ENnies, and damn the multitude of good opportunities that came my way, because there's no getting out alive between now and August of 2008.
This is what getting up to feed the baby at 5am gets me. I'm going back to bed for an hour or so, then I'll get up and go to work. Will I sleep? Probably. Probably not.
20 August 2007
Back From Gen Con
Gen Con was fun. Most of my time was spent doing the things I needed to do: discussing work, attending the ENnie Awards, and seeing people that I typically only see once a year.
Speaking of the ENnie Awards: Children of the Horned Rat won two Silver ENnies! One for Best Writing, and another for Product of the Year! How do you like them apples?
The Silver ENnie Awards for Best Writing & Product of the Year
I'm humble enough to admit that I wasn't the only one who worked on Horned Rat. Steve Darlington and Robert J. Schwalb were both instrumental in making that product so damn good.
Prior to last weekend, the closest I'd been to having my name on an ENnie Award-winning product was last year, when Template Troves III garnered an honorable mention for Best Adversary/Monster Product. I was proud then, especially considering that TT3 was the first product I'd written and designed by myself (and which was thereafter developed and published by the good folks at Silverthorne Games).
Saturday, I went to lunch with several good folks: Stan!, Sue Cook (Monte's better half), Owen KC Stephens, Miranda & Sean Horner, Keri Reynolds, and JD Wiker (not pictured).
(L to R) Stan!, Sue Cook, & Owen KC Stephens
I had to rib Sue a little bit, since Monte Cook's Ptolus took the Gold ENnie for Product of the Year from Children of the Horned Rat. I'm even more humbled by the fact that CotHR was placed second to a product as awesome (and awe-inspiring) as Ptolus.
(L to R) Miranda & Sean Horner, & Keri Reynolds
This Gen Con was also a time for another first: I finally got to meet TS Luikart, one of the folks who worked painstakingly on Dark Heresy for nigh on two years. He and I have been in contact with one another since before I made my little contributions to Dark Heresy, as he was the driving force behind the Terror in Talabheim adventure for WFRP.
TS Luikart, Inquisitor Extraordinaire. Confess!!
I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with my friends. There never seem to be enough hours where our schedules coincide with one another's. I also had my eyes peeled for other good friends, like Dave Herber (cyberpunk god), Tom Lommel (of NASCRAG fame), or Aida (from Gnymphs.net, the kilt girl from a couple years ago), but I didn't run into any of them. Perhaps next year.
There were a lot of good costumes this year. I tend to pay more attention to costumes under two distinct circumstances: either they're related to Star Wars in some way, in which case they stand out on my radar, or they're skimpy. I don't often snap shots of the skimpy ones, since it's a good way to get beaten up by Amy, so I try to focus on the Star Wars costumes.
Queen Amidala
This Amidala costume was very well done. I don't generally ask for permission to take pictures of costumed folks, but I made an exception in her case. I also saw no fewer than two Imperial Stormtroopers who were undoubtedly female ("Aren't you a little cute for a stormtrooper?"). I could only tell because they had their helmets off; with the helmets on, they looked like any other TK designation.
I'd like to shout out to my other friends: the crew at Green Ronin, including Nicole Lindroos, Chris "Famous" Pramas, Steve Kenson, Chris McGlothlin, Hal Mangold, and Rob Schwalb; the folks at Wizards of the Coast, including Rodney Thompson and Chris Perkins, amongst so many others; Hyrum "Tallfolk" Savage at Upper Deck; as well as anyone else I've forgotten.
A few faces were conspicuously absent this year: Marc Schmalz of Green Ronin and The Game Mechanics; Sean K. Reynolds; and Rob Vaughn. You guys were missed. Try and make it out next year, dammit.
I brought back a lot of books this year. I actually paid for them, thanks! As much as getting free stuff is nice and easy on the pocket book, I find that it is important to support my friends in the industry.
Well, there is a litterbox that needs scooping somewhere in this apartment. I suppose I better get to it before some disgustingly bad cat has another "accident."
Speaking of the ENnie Awards: Children of the Horned Rat won two Silver ENnies! One for Best Writing, and another for Product of the Year! How do you like them apples?
I'm humble enough to admit that I wasn't the only one who worked on Horned Rat. Steve Darlington and Robert J. Schwalb were both instrumental in making that product so damn good.
Prior to last weekend, the closest I'd been to having my name on an ENnie Award-winning product was last year, when Template Troves III garnered an honorable mention for Best Adversary/Monster Product. I was proud then, especially considering that TT3 was the first product I'd written and designed by myself (and which was thereafter developed and published by the good folks at Silverthorne Games).
Saturday, I went to lunch with several good folks: Stan!, Sue Cook (Monte's better half), Owen KC Stephens, Miranda & Sean Horner, Keri Reynolds, and JD Wiker (not pictured).
I had to rib Sue a little bit, since Monte Cook's Ptolus took the Gold ENnie for Product of the Year from Children of the Horned Rat. I'm even more humbled by the fact that CotHR was placed second to a product as awesome (and awe-inspiring) as Ptolus.
This Gen Con was also a time for another first: I finally got to meet TS Luikart, one of the folks who worked painstakingly on Dark Heresy for nigh on two years. He and I have been in contact with one another since before I made my little contributions to Dark Heresy, as he was the driving force behind the Terror in Talabheim adventure for WFRP.
I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with my friends. There never seem to be enough hours where our schedules coincide with one another's. I also had my eyes peeled for other good friends, like Dave Herber (cyberpunk god), Tom Lommel (of NASCRAG fame), or Aida (from Gnymphs.net, the kilt girl from a couple years ago), but I didn't run into any of them. Perhaps next year.
There were a lot of good costumes this year. I tend to pay more attention to costumes under two distinct circumstances: either they're related to Star Wars in some way, in which case they stand out on my radar, or they're skimpy. I don't often snap shots of the skimpy ones, since it's a good way to get beaten up by Amy, so I try to focus on the Star Wars costumes.
This Amidala costume was very well done. I don't generally ask for permission to take pictures of costumed folks, but I made an exception in her case. I also saw no fewer than two Imperial Stormtroopers who were undoubtedly female ("Aren't you a little cute for a stormtrooper?"). I could only tell because they had their helmets off; with the helmets on, they looked like any other TK designation.
I'd like to shout out to my other friends: the crew at Green Ronin, including Nicole Lindroos, Chris "Famous" Pramas, Steve Kenson, Chris McGlothlin, Hal Mangold, and Rob Schwalb; the folks at Wizards of the Coast, including Rodney Thompson and Chris Perkins, amongst so many others; Hyrum "Tallfolk" Savage at Upper Deck; as well as anyone else I've forgotten.
A few faces were conspicuously absent this year: Marc Schmalz of Green Ronin and The Game Mechanics; Sean K. Reynolds; and Rob Vaughn. You guys were missed. Try and make it out next year, dammit.
I brought back a lot of books this year. I actually paid for them, thanks! As much as getting free stuff is nice and easy on the pocket book, I find that it is important to support my friends in the industry.
Well, there is a litterbox that needs scooping somewhere in this apartment. I suppose I better get to it before some disgustingly bad cat has another "accident."
13 August 2007
August Means GenCon
I'm headed to Indianapolis later this week to indulge in Gen Con once more. How many consecutive years have I been going? Since we discovered that Amy was pregnant with Stephen, at least, which was August 2004. So four years in a row. What makes this year different is that I've got a 90 minute direct flight to Indy, as opposed to a seven hour flight (including connections) from San Diego.
Another difference is that I'm not going under the Green Ronin banner this year. I'll be there as myself, without an exhibitor's badge, and with no booth work to do and no games to run. That, in and of itself, should be mildly interesting.
I considered not going at all, but I had to discard that idea. Children of the Horned Rat is up for three ENnies, so I'd like to be there to see if it wins. The pessimist in me seems to think that there's a snowball's chance in hell that the book will get a silver ENnie, much less a gold.
What does it mean to me? Just getting nominated is kind of neat, but I'm not sure where that puts me. The ENnies are a strange animal; they're fan awards, yeah, and I've heard a lot of folks complain about them for one reason or another. My opinion hardly matters, though I've never had a bad ENnies experience. I suppose I'm largely neutral on the topic, as a whole, though I do feel that the Awards go a good ways towards bringing some of the smaller publishers into the limelight. Everyone deserves the limelight, after all.
If CotHR wins, I'll be more than happy to stand on stage next to Rob Schwalb and Chris Pramas (and whoever else is there to accept the award). I am one of the authors, after all. Not that I like being on stage, particularly (my wasted high school drama days are long gone), and I still feel like an unknown in the industry. Then again, we're all unknowns most of the time, except to each other.
No gaming yet, though the Mythic D&D game has characters more or less finished. We look to play the first game on the 30th. Should be a hoot!
The Saga Edition Star Wars game I'm planning will probably go into action after I return from Indy. There's still a lot of work I need to do on that game that I haven't had the time for.
Work at Mythic continues. I can't talk about specifics, so don't ask. Let's just say that it's rewarding, and I don't lay in bed every morning trying to think of a good excuse so that I don't have to go in. The kids make it tough to walk out the door; no matter how good the job, I'd still rather stay home with my babies than go out and earn money. I suppose that's the toughest part.
Another difference is that I'm not going under the Green Ronin banner this year. I'll be there as myself, without an exhibitor's badge, and with no booth work to do and no games to run. That, in and of itself, should be mildly interesting.
I considered not going at all, but I had to discard that idea. Children of the Horned Rat is up for three ENnies, so I'd like to be there to see if it wins. The pessimist in me seems to think that there's a snowball's chance in hell that the book will get a silver ENnie, much less a gold.
What does it mean to me? Just getting nominated is kind of neat, but I'm not sure where that puts me. The ENnies are a strange animal; they're fan awards, yeah, and I've heard a lot of folks complain about them for one reason or another. My opinion hardly matters, though I've never had a bad ENnies experience. I suppose I'm largely neutral on the topic, as a whole, though I do feel that the Awards go a good ways towards bringing some of the smaller publishers into the limelight. Everyone deserves the limelight, after all.
If CotHR wins, I'll be more than happy to stand on stage next to Rob Schwalb and Chris Pramas (and whoever else is there to accept the award). I am one of the authors, after all. Not that I like being on stage, particularly (my wasted high school drama days are long gone), and I still feel like an unknown in the industry. Then again, we're all unknowns most of the time, except to each other.
No gaming yet, though the Mythic D&D game has characters more or less finished. We look to play the first game on the 30th. Should be a hoot!
The Saga Edition Star Wars game I'm planning will probably go into action after I return from Indy. There's still a lot of work I need to do on that game that I haven't had the time for.
Work at Mythic continues. I can't talk about specifics, so don't ask. Let's just say that it's rewarding, and I don't lay in bed every morning trying to think of a good excuse so that I don't have to go in. The kids make it tough to walk out the door; no matter how good the job, I'd still rather stay home with my babies than go out and earn money. I suppose that's the toughest part.
30 April 2007
I'll Be There
Gen Con, that is.
Thanks to the kindess of others, I've managed to find a place to sleep while I'm in Indianapolis. I'm looking forward to the convention, because it's one of those rituals that has become necessary for me. It's a way to connect with my industry peers, to hear the latest rumors, and to see the latest goodies.
It doesn't keep me from feeling like some game industry hobo, though. I'll have one hell of a time fitting all my gaming materials into a bindle.
It's been a long day. I've been sick, Amy's been sick, the kids have been...kids.
Some exciting news today. Of course, I can't say squat about it. Forgive me my little secrets, as you have always done, and I shall be all the happier.
So that's it for this brief update. There will be more later, I can assure you.
Thanks to the kindess of others, I've managed to find a place to sleep while I'm in Indianapolis. I'm looking forward to the convention, because it's one of those rituals that has become necessary for me. It's a way to connect with my industry peers, to hear the latest rumors, and to see the latest goodies.
It doesn't keep me from feeling like some game industry hobo, though. I'll have one hell of a time fitting all my gaming materials into a bindle.
It's been a long day. I've been sick, Amy's been sick, the kids have been...kids.
Some exciting news today. Of course, I can't say squat about it. Forgive me my little secrets, as you have always done, and I shall be all the happier.
So that's it for this brief update. There will be more later, I can assure you.
29 April 2007
Work D&D
It's not so much "Workplace D&D" anymore, given that we play at Jeff's apartment and only two of the remaining players are co-workers. Over the past two sessions, we've had some new developments:
We've lost our rogue: Deana, claiming "short attention span," has decided that the game isn't for her. Though she won't be playing any more, her husband is liking it quite a bit and will continue to play.
Meantime, Roya is threatening to reprise her role as Raven the Sorceress in this week's game session.
In the past two games, I've worked on getting the party to the Valley of Obelisks, which is the primary setting for The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde adventure. Along the way, they encountered a group of goblin bandits waylaying a wagon. After defeating the goblins and rescuing a small boy from their clutches, the characters continued their journey to Jewelford, the site of a local wrestling competition.
The boy, named Leto, is the son of a local cloth merchant. He was traveling north with a small shipment of cloth when the goblins attacked his wagon. With his companions dead, he has no one else to turn to except for the PCs. He has promised them a reward if they will take him back to his family.
So we'll see. I'm not sure what they'll do without a rogue in the group, but it's not all that important at the moment (though I gather it will be, eventually).
On the topic of Gen Con Indy, I'm still homeless. The closest hotels with available room are eight miles away from the convention center. I'm not too proud to consider such an option as a last resort, but I really don't want to be concerned with the logistics of getting to and from the convention on a daily basis. Taxis and hotel shuttles are all fine and dandy, but eight miles is a long way to go...
Tomorrow is Monday, and it marks the next session of JD's Liberty campaign. My character, Sahm, got to third level last game. He'll be going up another level of fighter, and taking Dodge as his third level feat. I'm not overly fond of Dodge, but it's an entry level option for some other feats I'd like Sahm to have.
That's it for now. More writing for me tonight, as well as laundry duty. Man, I hate doing laundry. We need self-cleaning clothes, I think.
We've lost our rogue: Deana, claiming "short attention span," has decided that the game isn't for her. Though she won't be playing any more, her husband is liking it quite a bit and will continue to play.
Meantime, Roya is threatening to reprise her role as Raven the Sorceress in this week's game session.
In the past two games, I've worked on getting the party to the Valley of Obelisks, which is the primary setting for The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde adventure. Along the way, they encountered a group of goblin bandits waylaying a wagon. After defeating the goblins and rescuing a small boy from their clutches, the characters continued their journey to Jewelford, the site of a local wrestling competition.
The boy, named Leto, is the son of a local cloth merchant. He was traveling north with a small shipment of cloth when the goblins attacked his wagon. With his companions dead, he has no one else to turn to except for the PCs. He has promised them a reward if they will take him back to his family.
So we'll see. I'm not sure what they'll do without a rogue in the group, but it's not all that important at the moment (though I gather it will be, eventually).
On the topic of Gen Con Indy, I'm still homeless. The closest hotels with available room are eight miles away from the convention center. I'm not too proud to consider such an option as a last resort, but I really don't want to be concerned with the logistics of getting to and from the convention on a daily basis. Taxis and hotel shuttles are all fine and dandy, but eight miles is a long way to go...
Tomorrow is Monday, and it marks the next session of JD's Liberty campaign. My character, Sahm, got to third level last game. He'll be going up another level of fighter, and taking Dodge as his third level feat. I'm not overly fond of Dodge, but it's an entry level option for some other feats I'd like Sahm to have.
That's it for now. More writing for me tonight, as well as laundry duty. Man, I hate doing laundry. We need self-cleaning clothes, I think.
22 April 2007
To Indy, or not To Indy
That is the question.
I'd like to go to Gen Con Indy this year, but I'm conflicted. For the past couple of years, I've tended to go to the con in service to a publisher (Green Ronin, to be specific). This tends to save me money and planning time on some aspects of the convention. The trade off is that I help man the booth, run games, or both.
This has never been a problem. I enjoy booth work, even though it means I'm in one spot for most of the convention. The folks from Green Ronin are awesome, and you can imagine that the other industry folks who stop by the booth to say hi to Chris, Nicole, Hal, Robert, Evan, and Steve give me an opportunity to interact with and meet new people. I also get to talk to gamers and fans, which I also enjoy.
Gen Con is in August...only three and a half months away. I've made no travel plans, haven't purchased a badge, and conversely, I have no idea if I'll have a place to stay. In order to reserve a room with one of the hotels in Indy, you first need to buy your badge. At this point, though, I don't know what room availability is like. I'd rather not buy a badge, and then find out that the closest available hotel is ten miles away from the convention center.
That's my first problem, which is (admittedly) due to procrastination on my part. With the new baby, it's been busy; with income tax returns due, I've also been a bit more worried about money than usual. It's a recipe for mediocrity, let me tell you.
The second problem is the new baby I've mentioned. Two years ago, I left my wife home alone with a five month-old baby. Last year, she and that same baby (17 months at the time) stayed home while I flew to Indy again. This year, I'd be leaving her here to care for a two year-old boy and a six-month old girl all by herself.
I'm not sure I can do that to Amy. Even with both of us around, it's still a lot of work to care for both of our children at once. Madeline will probably be less of a trial in three months, but I don't harbor any illusions that my wife will have an easy time of it if I decide to take off to Indianapolis for five days.
There's the personal conflict. I've been going to Indy three years in a row thus far. I enjoy seeing old friends, making new ones, and rubbing elbows with industry folks in an attempt to remain on proverbial radar screens. I'm afraid that by not going to the convention, I'll be missing opportunities to wrangle up writing/design work later in the year. I guess that's just insecurity talking.
I spoke to Stan! about it yesterday, and his take was thus: I'm more or less in with the folks I write for now, so they'll still know me and they'll still continue to ask me to work for them. The down side is that, as feared, I might miss opportunities to meet new people and publishers.
It's a tough choice. Even if I decide to go, I still need to figure out where I'm staying. I suppose I'll do some poking around for the time being and see if I can determine the lay of the land...
I'd like to go to Gen Con Indy this year, but I'm conflicted. For the past couple of years, I've tended to go to the con in service to a publisher (Green Ronin, to be specific). This tends to save me money and planning time on some aspects of the convention. The trade off is that I help man the booth, run games, or both.
This has never been a problem. I enjoy booth work, even though it means I'm in one spot for most of the convention. The folks from Green Ronin are awesome, and you can imagine that the other industry folks who stop by the booth to say hi to Chris, Nicole, Hal, Robert, Evan, and Steve give me an opportunity to interact with and meet new people. I also get to talk to gamers and fans, which I also enjoy.
Gen Con is in August...only three and a half months away. I've made no travel plans, haven't purchased a badge, and conversely, I have no idea if I'll have a place to stay. In order to reserve a room with one of the hotels in Indy, you first need to buy your badge. At this point, though, I don't know what room availability is like. I'd rather not buy a badge, and then find out that the closest available hotel is ten miles away from the convention center.
That's my first problem, which is (admittedly) due to procrastination on my part. With the new baby, it's been busy; with income tax returns due, I've also been a bit more worried about money than usual. It's a recipe for mediocrity, let me tell you.
The second problem is the new baby I've mentioned. Two years ago, I left my wife home alone with a five month-old baby. Last year, she and that same baby (17 months at the time) stayed home while I flew to Indy again. This year, I'd be leaving her here to care for a two year-old boy and a six-month old girl all by herself.
I'm not sure I can do that to Amy. Even with both of us around, it's still a lot of work to care for both of our children at once. Madeline will probably be less of a trial in three months, but I don't harbor any illusions that my wife will have an easy time of it if I decide to take off to Indianapolis for five days.
There's the personal conflict. I've been going to Indy three years in a row thus far. I enjoy seeing old friends, making new ones, and rubbing elbows with industry folks in an attempt to remain on proverbial radar screens. I'm afraid that by not going to the convention, I'll be missing opportunities to wrangle up writing/design work later in the year. I guess that's just insecurity talking.
I spoke to Stan! about it yesterday, and his take was thus: I'm more or less in with the folks I write for now, so they'll still know me and they'll still continue to ask me to work for them. The down side is that, as feared, I might miss opportunities to meet new people and publishers.
It's a tough choice. Even if I decide to go, I still need to figure out where I'm staying. I suppose I'll do some poking around for the time being and see if I can determine the lay of the land...
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