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Affilliation
Nomad D&D Log, 2008.08/15
I originally posted these last Wednesday, but my connection must’ve screwed-up and I didn’t have time to to check that the post was a dud.
So, I’m re-posting it now, with some additional stuff.
D&D News
- GSL, SRD, Stealth, New Rituals, and DRAGON Editorials - oh my! - Aside from the announcement on the GSL/SRD, There are a bunch of D&D related stuff going on as well. Jonathan from The Core Mechanic mentions some of these. The one I would like to give special note is…
- Ritually Speaking - This is an article by Peter Schaefer for Dragon Magazine #366. Basically, it’s a downloadable (for now) list of 33 additional 4E rituals. As The Core Mechanic’s Jonathan pointed out, “considering the PHB only contained 49 Rituals, this is a 67% increase in the total number of rituals in the game. So, grab this quick before they make you pay for it.“
- Why People Hate Fourth Edition: “I think I’ve worked it out. D&D4 is New Star Wars.” - This is actually a very insightful analogy.
- 4e “In The Trenches” - From the source: “As most of the initial hype vs furor wars have settled down there’s some good “what 4e is” information starting to emerge out there. Ones I’ve found the most helpful are…”
- 0 and 1, or The Problem With RPG Combat - Hmmm, I never considered this that way. His point is a good one to remember regardless of the game you’re trying to design.
- A Noobian Guide to 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons - A great piece. Given that I’m a noob myself, the perspective reflects my own more closely.
- Playtesting 4th Edition: An Essay by Justin Alexander
Other D&D Related
- Download the New 4e D&D PHB Index! - This is fan made.
- The Value of Dungeons and Dragons - This got me thinking… what IS the value of the stuff I spend money on? I’ll probably try to make a similar valuation on my other hobbies.
RPG Related
- How To Build a World: The Basics - Applies to a lot of disciplines. More importantly, it’s a fun excersise which could help you tap in the creative juices you left in the fridge of your youth.
- Pathfinder RPG Beta PDF Available (Free) - I’m a sucker for free rulesets.
Gleemax Shutting Down
I just read over at ICv2 that Gleemax, WotC’s ambitious social-networking/hobby gaming site, will be shut down sometime in September. The announcement was made by Randy Buehler, WotC’s VP of Digital Games.
Wizards of the Coast has made the decision to pull down its Gleemax social networking site in order to focus on other aspects of our digital initiatives, especially Magic Online and Dungeons & Dragons Insider. We continue to believe that fostering online community is an important part of taking care of our customers, but until we have our games up and running at a quality level we can be proud of, it will be the games themselves that receive the lion’s share of our attention and resources.
Our plan is to shut down Gleemax completely sometime in September. (I can’t give a more exact date because the timing depends on what’s going on with other projects.) To those of you who have posted to Gleemax, I thank you for your contributions over the past year. It is community members like you that made this project worth trying, and it is your efforts and words that gave it heart. You should save your blogs by copying that text somewhere else. Meanwhile, I encourage you to head over to the Wizards forums. The Wizards online community continues to thrive, and there should be lots of fun stuff to talk about over the coming months, including our digital offerings.
ChattyDM has some commentary on the matter.
In related news, WotC is also “discontinuing their novel lines that do not relate directly to D&D or Magic“.
Wizards of the Coast today announced the decision to refocus publishing efforts on the company’s two core brands — Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. As part of this strategy, the Discoveries imprint will be discontinued after the end of the 2008 catalog year.
“There is still so much more to discover in the rich fantasy worlds of Magic and D&D,” said Casey Reeter, VP of Marketing for Wizards of the Coast. “Refocusing our publishing resources allows us to tell those untold stories and expand the reach of our core brands.”
Beginning in 2009, any novel or series that does not support these core brands will be removed from the publishing schedule. The 2008 publishing schedule will remain unchanged.
Even though I thought that the Gleemax project was a bit too big, I was really hoping it would succeed. Given D&D Insider (the success of which based on its current plans are still iffy to me), as well as the number of issues that still need to be fixed in MtGO, WotC does need to focus in its digital endeavors. Unfortunately, as the months went by, I didn’t see Gleemax moving along as quickly as it should have based on that it wanted to accomplish. So, the fact that the master plan of an online hobby gaming hub is being put on hold for now wasn’t that big a surprise.
With all the brands it carries, WotC itself huge. MtG and D&D are probably their current revenue makers, so I can see why they would want to focus on those. I just hope their boardgame section (Avalon Hill) won’t suffer because of this focus.
Related links:
- Gleemax Farewell - official announcement
- Wizards to Refocus Publishing Efforts - official announcement
- WotC Pulls the Plug on Gleemax (ICv2)
- Gleemax is dead? (Critical Hits) - points to chatty
- Gleemax is Dead (ENWorld)
Beerkada #8 Available in National Bookstore!
I was browsing for new stuff at a nearby National Bookstore and was considering purchasing “The Complete Illustrated Works of Edgar Allan Poe” (the review in Amazon said the book itself was bad, but since it was pretty cheap, I might be willing to sacrifice book binding issues for Poe’s complete work) when I happened on the humor section to chance upon any new Beerkada issue.
Lo and behold! Beerkada #8 was there! I picked-up a copy, walked past Poe with the slightest passing glance (I might be back for him later), paid for the goods, bought a take-out dinner, and promptly walked home to get my night in order.
Apparently, the book has been out since April. Why the frikkin’ hell did it take so long for me to find it?! I go to National Frikkin’ Bookstore every frikkin’ week! Fer cryin’ out loud!
Anyway, the important thing is that I have it now. 
If you’re having trouble finding it, Beerkada’s official website has a Store Finder (which is hopefully updated).
Tags: Beerkada, picsDungeons and Dragons 4th Edition Out Last Saturday
Well at least it was Saturday in the Philippines, since 2008.06/06 in the US was a Friday. Although I’ve role-played with some friends as a wee-wee-child, I’ve never really role-played D&D. It’s still of great interest to me as a pillar of RPG design, so any evolution it will take will always be of interest.
Given this, today’s focus is on the recent Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition related stuff on the internets.
D&D4E News
- D&D 4E Out Early (and unintentionally)
- D&D 4E is out! (Critical Gamers, GamerDad, VelvetDiceBag)
- UK Launch Event
- Massively covers Dungeons and Dragons Online’s Module 7
D&D4E Reviews
- + A GM’s First Impressions of D&D 4e: Looks Like Fun (Gnome Stew)
- - Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook: 4th Edition (RPGnet)
- + New D&D Rolls a 20 for Playability (Wired)
- Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edtion Review (Flames Rising)
- A Balanced Review, Not Everything Is Black And White (Greywulf)
D&D4E Opinion
- Dungeons & Dragons Owns the Future - This was written weeks prior to the 4th Ed release.
- Balance and Rules Convergence in Dungeons and Dragons 4E (RPGDigest)
Items Prior to 4th Ed’s Release
- Unofficial D&D 4th Edition Info Page - This is a compilation of various 4th Ed info/rumors/speculation prior to the release.
- + AICN World Exclusive: Massawyrm Has Played Dungeons And Dragons 4th Edition!! (part1, part2) - This was written last Feb. Apparently, Massawyrm was a playtester. It would be interesting to compare this to the post 4th Ed release reviews.
D&D4E Local Scene
— update —
Goto Dragon Avenue for downloadable character sheets, a combat cheat-sheet, and power cards.
For those who miss some of the old character classes, here’s a fan created 4E Bard class and a fan created Druid class.
Here are more reviews!
- review by Jonathan Drain
- ChattyDM’s DMG and PHB reviews
- PHB review by NiTessine
Reviews from rpg.net (mostly from their Fantasy Week around the time of 4E’s launch, some afterward)
- Core Rulebooks Gift Set review by Hywel Phillip
- Core Rulebooks Gift Set review by arete66
- Core Rulebooks Gift Set review by Roodah
- Core Rulebooks Gift Set review by Conan McKegg
- review by by Belisarius999
- “Keep on the Shadowfell” playtest review Andrew Ellis Troubio
- PHB review by Shannon Ramp
- PHB review by Daniel Weber
- PHB review by by Al Seeger
- PHB review by Adam Waggenspack
- PHB review by David Banuelos
Humor
“Cookbooks are a lot like Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games. They contain seemingly rigid rules that, in practice, require a certain amount of adaptation for your own tastes.” - Lore Sjöberg on Wired.com’s Alt Text
Read through the comments. It all sounds “find-replaced”, but somehow still comes out are true! lol
Tags: D&D, has downloadsGary Gygax: Father of RPGs (1938 - 2008)
Ernest Gary Gygax , co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), passed away last March 4, 2008 at his home in Wisconsin.
I never really got to play the old vanilla D&D that was published under Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. or TSR (the religious zealots insited TSR was an acronym for “To Satan’s Realm”). I did get to play some of the near kin, specifically a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style book and three 1 on 1 PvP style variants (two of which were Marvel licensed). Of course there was the Saturday morning cartoon (did they ever get to go back home?). In later years, the nearest I got to D&D was with the Icewind Dale PC game.
Most of the games that I play and love, however, are decendants of D&D. All Role-Playing Games (RPGs) ever made (pen-and-paper, electronic, or any other format) inherited one thing or another. Any game that has spells, multiple character classes, leveling up, stats like HP STR DEF DEX etc, random number checks that influence a hit/miss, even the concept of critical hits and backstabs, inherited from D&D.
Reading through the hundres of messages from people expressing their grief and appreciation, I personally think the comment by someone named ‘Mo Khan’ at Wired.com describes best how much he meant to so many people.
Rest well Gary, and thank you. You’ve touched more lives than you know and your work will continue to influence generations to come.
Tags: D&D, obitHobbycraft Magazine, the Philippines’ Newest Hobby Mag
I went to a nearby local comic/magazine/hobby to look for some back issues of Inquest when I noticed “Hobbycraft Magazine”. It was a local publication from PSICOM, was cheap, was new (1st issue just this April), and it seemed to include stuff about Magic: The Gathering. Being on the lookout for good local stuff, I got myself a copy.
“Hobbycraft Magazine” focuses on various on various “hobbies” in the Western geek context, mainly toys, card games, and collectibles. It appears to be InQuest Gamer, Toyfare, and some Magic: The Gathering website articles put together in local (Philippine) context. I don’t read Toyfare, so I can’t comment on how similar the toy related content is, but I have been reading InQuest regularly for a while, and I can see some similarities, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Budget decks, top cards, and playtests of featured decks are some things you’ll find familiar.
What i did like was the local context of it all. Card prices are in Philippine Peso, the lists don’t appear to be taken from other mags but based on local usage (though I don’t know how they come-up with their lists), and the decklists are based on local competitions. They also give you the who’s who on the various tournaments around.
I also give them credit for the general writing quality. I have been reading a local magazine that delves almost exclusively on online games, and though the news is updated, the writing leaves a lot to be desired in terms of content. Needless to say, I stopped reading that mag. The writing in Hobbycraft, however, generally has a good amount of meat per paragraph, which allows the reader to take in quite a bit of information considering the short write-ups. The quips on their pictures are also pretty good.
Issue #1 focused on Transformers, so it isn’t a surprise that most of the mag revolved around everything Autobot and Decepticon (plug: Transformers fans might want to check this out). Their toy reviews are pretty comprehensive, which is quite impressive. I wasn’t too hot on their “Prime rating” (i.e. using Optimus Prime instead of stars), but otherwise, they covered a lot of ground for each item reviewed. The price is also very reasonable, even compared to the new local price for InQuest.
It ain’t all perfect, tho, there are hiccups. For one, I saw some headings that slipped through editing. Also, I can’t seem to tell who wrote which article. Regarding the writing, as much as I praised the density of information, that style is a sort of double edged sword. There were parts where you’d have to be in the know to understand what the author is trying to say. For the most part, this was fine with me, but it may deter some real newbies to the genre.
Given focus, the local flavor, the price, and how much information they provide for your peso, I think “Hobbycraft Magazine” is off to a good start. Aside from the editorial slips (which I hopte won’t be there next time), I don’t have much qualms. I don’t really mind the jargon, but I hope they know which articles are for the newbies and which articles can handle the geek speak. It’s the debut issue, so we’ll have to see how things will be in the future. So far, though, I’m very glad I found something to read aside from InQuest.
If you’re interested in Magic: The Gathering, Word of Warcraft TCG, and toys in the Philippine context, grab a copy of “Hobbycraft Magazine”.
PS:
Given that the issue is about Transformers, if you’re interested in what “alternative Transformers” might be like should check this out.
Tags: MtG, picsBeerkada #7
As I was going home from lunch (and while pondering if I should get myself a copy of “Blue Moon“), I decided to make a quick stop by a local bookstore, just to see if there was anything interesting. I was browsing the magazines, but I got the itch to go check out the humor section for some reason. I’m glad I did.
Apparently, the seventh compilation of the Philippine comics strip “Beerkada” is already on the shelves! I checked out the website, and it appears that the official launching for Beerkada 7 is this Saturday (But the details are sketchy, I don’t know if the precise date/time/venue. I hope Lyndon or whoever updates the site makes this clear, for the sake of his website visitors).
Needless to say, I bought my copy immediately! If you’re a Beerkada fan, get a copy from your local bookstore now (Philippines only, most probably)!
Tags: BeerkadaKongreso ng Komiks (2007.02/27)
My pals and I went to the “Kongreso ng Komiks” last February 27, 2007 in Intramuros to see what’s going on. We had no idea what to expect, but we were hoping to see some some sort of exhibit on what works the local people do, as well as learn some information about what’s going on and where do we go from now. Unfortunately, our experience was dismal.
We arrived when a talk just started regarding the current state of the local comics industry. The presenter did show some local material we were not familiar with, but otherwise the presentation itself seemed a bit too general. It felt as though the whole presentation just said that the local comics industry is mimicking the problems of other fields like the medical field, you could almost substitute the comics mentioned with products/ services from another field and come up with the same content.
Given the topic, we were hoping that something more substantial regarding coming up with solutions would be discussed, but I guess it was not the within the scope of this presentation. An open-forum was to come afterwards, and while the host was stalling for time with very lengthly ad libs, we decided to go out and look at the exhibit.
The exhibit was nothing spectacular, although the old artwork was intriguing to see. While looking around the exhibit, however, we were told by the security guard that our car was towed! The “parking attendant” told us that if we parked in the shoulder without touching the gutter then we’d be fine. We even moved the car more to make sure we didn’t touch the gutter. This exercise was apparently futile as the car was towed anyway. We are thankful for the building administration for assisting us in retrieving the car. However, let this be a warning to any who would park in Intramuros, please make sure you are parking in something that is absolutely obviously parking space! Be wary of taking the “parking attendant’s word for it!
Since the car was towed, all our time was spend waiting for news regarding the car. We were not able to attend the open forum, which appeared to have finished shortly afterwards. If there was anything substantial discussed, we didn’t hear it. It seemed a bit doubtful that we’d have heard anything we were expecting to given that there appeared to be nobody around that was working on the new material in circulation. You’d think that of all the people that could make a difference, it would be those who ar still in the game. From what we’d seen, the people there were mostly people who had left the game.
Another thing that annoyed us was why was this “Supreme Master Ching Hai” so prominently displayed in the signage? The image could’ve been used to depict or iconify “komiks”, making it more obvious what the whole shebang was about! Was this person running in the coming May elections?!
After some research, I found out that she is a spiritual teacher of the Quan Yin Method of meditation. She apparently claims that she is the incarnation of God, the Buddha, and the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and she goes around lecturing and promoting her method of meditation.
What this has to do with comics at all might take a bit of imagination to comprehend, but it is made easier when you consider that she is a philanthropist (among other things). Perhaps the enlightenment this Vietnamese has achieved has made her decide that supporting the Philippine comics industry was a proper thing to do.
We came to the conference hoping to see a glimmer of a more positive future for the Philippine comics industry. Confusing objectives, lack of support, and questionable sponsors, however, made the whole thing very depressing (even when you set aside the fact that your car was towed). I hope that the next time the Philippine “komiks” industry decides to have a conference, it would be nowhere near something like this.
Tags: opinion
