A Theory

The following is a theory for HBO's Game of Thrones..  Potential spoilers ahead.

If you watch Game of Thrones you know that Sansa has escaped the all but mustache twirling villain Ramsay Bolton. She has fled north to the wall and met up with her half brother Jon Snow.

In last weeks episode she got a raven from Littlefinger and she secretly meets him.  For a time Sansa seemed to have the upper hand and Littlefinger seemed to be dancing in discomfort. While I don't think he wanted what happened to Sansa happen he is still playing The Game. While Sansa has grown up and is no longer a passive piece in The Game she is still inexperienced and Baelish has been at it for a lot longer. He also knows more about what is going on than she does.

At this point Baelish knows that Sansa is fairly well guarded and so long as the She-Hulk Brienne is with her Sansa is all but untouchable. So he's told her something important - her uncle the Blackfish has retaken Riverrun and has an army of two thousand men. He tells this to her towards the end as almost an after thought.

If he is being honest then Sansa has family and an army to call upon to help retake Winterfell. Baelish has shown honesty and she might forgive him.

If he's false he can spin it that he had been given misinformation and his situation is more precarious. Either way he knows Sansa and knows that she would not send a raven with a message to the Blackfish on the off chance it gets intercepted. She would send her most loyal retainer - Brienne of Tarth. That will leave Sansa vulnerable and Littlefinger never lets a situation go to waste.

Baelish still has his long game and somewhere Sansa plays into it. Once Winterfell has been retaken he may seek to marry her to become lord of Winterfell. A lot will have to happen for that everyone, including Sansa, are merely pieces for Baelish to move on the board of The Game.

A Certain Point of View

George Lucas has gotten a lot of flack for his writing, some of it much deserved.  It was pretty obvious, no matter what he said, that he didn't have the full story arc and Skywalker clan  plotted out when Star Wars first hit the screen in 1977.  Over the course of three movies we learn that Luke's father is in fact Darth Vader, and that he had a hidden twin sister. Oh, and if you bitch about spoilers you've been living in a cave for close to 40 years. Suck it up and deal.

In A New Hope Obi-Wan tells Luke that Vader was his pupil, that he was seduced by the Dark Side, and that he betrayed and murdered his father.  In Return of the Jedi he tells Luke that what he said was true, from a certain point of view.

Let's play a game of what if.  What if Obi-Wan had told Luke exactly what had happened.

Luke: "How did my father die?"

Obi-Wan: "Oh, your father is still alive, young Luke. Many years ago I was tasked with teaching young Anakin Skywalker the ways of the Force. We fought in the Clone Wars in many battles. Under my watch your father was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, became a Sith Lord, took the mantle of Darth Vader,  and slaughtered many Jedi. He even went to the great Jedi Temple and murdered some thirty Jedi Younglings with that very light saber you hold.

"I confronted him, fought him, ended up cutting off his arms and legs, and left him for dead. Despite the atrocious acts he had committed I could not bring myself to kill him, to end his suffering. Because of my second bout of extreme negligence the Emperor was able to save the burned Vader and encase him in a cyborg body. In that body Vader executed the Emperor's will, serving up death and destruction throughout the galaxy."

Luke: "Oh look at the time. I think I left the oven on. Droids, let's go!"

Now, I'm not saying that this was the best way to tell the story. However, even if Lucas had planned this all out from the start I'm not sure that telling Luke that his father had become one of the most feared monsters in the Galaxy would be the best idea some thirty minutes after their first, real meeting. Not to mention Obi-Wan wanting Luke to learn the ways of the Force after telling him how his own father, under the guidance of Obi-Wan, fell to the Dark Side.

What do you all think?

And the Geek Shall Inherit the Earth

I'm sure my tale is going to resound with a lot of older folks.  Growing up being a geek or nerd was something that a lot of people hid. Comic books. Gaming. Reading. Science Fiction. Fantasy.  All of those things were not "cool" and to be avoided. Oft times once you were labeled a geek that was it. Game over man, game over.  A lot has changed in that time.

Today it is chic to be geek. And I love it!  Comic books, gaming, sci-fi, and fantasy are all main stream.  No longer do you have to hide your geekiness or be shunned by society. You can go to a gaming store and see a wide variety of people all there to share their love of whatever game. I've seen intense conversations about comic book origin stories and story arcs between a wide variety of people, not just the uncool kids on lunch.

I was thinking and comic books are the Soap Opera for the geek world. You have over the top characters, way crazy story lines, and no one truly dies if you have a good writer. In comic books you had two types of dead. You had dead - which means the character might have been a Skrull clone, an LMD, or raised from the dead by some cosmic entity. And then you had "Bucky dead" which meant you were dead dead. Worm food, no coming back. That was at least until Bucky Barnes was revived. You have love triangles, romances, epic battle. In Professional Wrestling terms Faces can become Heels and vice versa. Magneto was the X-men's greatest foe and then at some point he led them.

I think one of the biggest things to help is the movie industry, CGI specifically. A movie can now show the effects of super powers without being too cheesy.  I think the original X-men was a prime example. All the mutants had powers but they were shown in a - hate to use the word - near realistic display.  It makes it easier to suspend your belief if it looks cool on screen.

TV is getting in on the action with Arrow, the Flash, Agents of SHIELD, and new stuff in production and coming out. DareDevil on Netflix.  Oh yes,  I foresee a lot of binge watching.


Star Trek has helped lead to many generations of engineers.  The modern cell phone was created because some dude wanted a Star Trek communicator. Many terms have entered the lexicon. All this from Wagon Train to the Stars.

That person who walks down the street in the Star Trek uniform might garner some odd looks but there will also be a lot of people who will get a picture and give a thumbs up. Comic-con is the Mecca of the geek world.

For me it is an exciting time to live especially as the next series of Star Wars movies gets closer to release. I'm chomping at the bit for Avengers - Age of Ultron.

I came out of the Geek closet early on. I didn't care. I remember looking at a gaming book in class one day and some guy asked how much it cost. I told him twenty bucks - which was quite a bit in the early 90's. He frowned and mentioned that for twenty bucks how much beer he could have gotten. Oh the thrills of underaged drinking. I brought up the fact that when he was done with all that beer he had a hangover and a empty beer cans. I still have the book, find uses for it, and still own it today.

I'm sure we all have stories about being made fun of, shunned, or ignored for our hobbies. It didn't take me long to say fuck 'em because I liked it and I didn't care. I found a group of like minded folks and we formed our own group. It is even easier today with the internet to find people who share the same interest.

Never be afraid of who you are. If someone wont' accept you for who and what you are then prune them.  They aren't worth it.

Go forth and Geek Out!

Rolling the Bones - and by that I mean Runes!

I have begun a new journey in my spirituality. For those of you who did not know I am Pagan. No, I'm not Wiccan. I do not follow any of the "major" religions. Instead I am going back to my ancestors and feel a calling in my blood for the ancient Norse gods.  Part of that calling are Runes, the ancient language that were also used as a form of divination.

I have begun this journey and one of the things I have decided to explore are Runes. I have begun to craft my own set. The first aett (family) have been made. I am waiting to be able to get more stones as there are twenty-four runes in total.

The runes above, top row are Wunjo, Thurisaz, Gebo, Raidho, second row - Uruz, Fehu, Kenaz, and Ansuz. 

The runes will not tell you the future but they will help you look at a situation. I plan to use the 

"Casting the Norns" method. The Norns were the goddesses of Fate. Past, present, and future. Present your situation and draw three runes. The first will represent the situation in the past, then the situation in the present, and then finally the last rune will help represent an outcome.

I am excited to finish my set and test it out. I will consecrate each rune and imbue my energy into them. I also plan to keep a journal to document what I learn. As I grow I will also turn to other methods of casting. I am keeping it simple at first.

I invite and welcome open discussions but I won't tolerate rudeness or insults. Take that to other places.

Dropzone Commander - the Factions

One thing a lot of people ask about are the different factions.  I'm not a total expert on every unit of the game. Having played against everything except the Resistance I do have a bit of knowledge. I've also watched and read a lot of battle reports detailing the various units, tactics, and strategies for each faction.  Here is a down and dirty primer for each of the forces.  Keep in mind these are my opinions based off of data I have gathered and observed. Please correct me and add your opinions as well!

The United Colonies of Mankind

The UCM would be considered the heroes of DZC.  The protagonists of the story if you will. Mankind was driven from the cradle of civilization by the Scourge. 200 years later they have amassed a war machine of epic scale with the sole purpose of retaking their home worlds and driving the Scourge out.  DZC begins on the eve of Reconquest - the retaking of Eden.

Pros
* Strong Armor - almost all of the UCM tanks have an armor of 10
* Articulated weapons - most of the UCM tanks can lift their weapons over obstacles and remain in cover
* They pack a punch - Main Battle tanks have cannons of energy 10 - shredding lower armor units
Cons
* Low damage points - Most armor only has 1 DP. Armor 10 is nice but enough fire will still shred your forces
* No skimming or passive saves - the UCM does not have anything to mitigate hits or damage.  This is not a complaint just a statement.
* No Demolition - their weapons have no extra impact when trying to destroy buildings.

Play style for the UCM
I play aggressively with the UCM but you have to be careful. Moving your units to far ahead and spreading them out can leave them exposed.  Plus the UCM has decent range to reach out and touch someone.

The Scourge
If the UCM are the protagonists of DZC then the Scourge would be the Antagonists. The Scourge invaded the Cradle of Humanity close to 200 years ago. They are a parasitic species who take over their hosts. The upside to this is the Scourge try to take as much intact instead of laying waste to their opponents. The cities of Mankind are mostly up and running instead of a desolate landscape.

Pros
* Fast - the Scourge are fast! They have the ability to cross the battlefield and take the fight to their enemy.
* Skimming - when Scourge skimmers move 6 or more inches in a turn they can skim -making it harder for their enemies to hit
* Hard hitting - the UCM have energy 10 weapons.  The Scourge have some weapons E11 or higher.

Cons
* Short range - while the Scourge have hard hitting weapons they have to get into your face to use them. That means exposing themselves to lots of fire
* Weaker Armor - that speed and skimming does come at a price.  Their vehicles can be taken down by weaker weapons

Playstyle
If you like aggressive, fast moving, driving down your enemies throats then the Scourge are for you!

The Post Human Republic
Just before the Scourge invasion a small white orb landed on earth.  It was more advanced than anything humanity had encountered.  This orb connected to every computer terminal, network, device, and told humanity to go to a set of coordinates in space.  It warned of a coming threat.  A small percentage of Humanity went to this rally point.  They were branded traitors as they fled.  200 years later, on the eve of Reconquest the UCM were approached by a technologically superior race. They looked human, but were almost more human than human.  They revealed themselves as the decedents of those who fled and became the PHR - cybernetically enhanced humans. They are mysterious and have an agenda - though it has not been revealed. The UCM treat the PHR as traitors and despise them.

Pros
* Demolition - many of the PHR weapons have Demolition, meaning that if you need a building destroyed these are your units
* Long range - most of the PHR weapons can reach out and smack someone.
* Multiple damage points - a lot of their heavier units can take more punches than the UCM or Scourge

Cons
* SLOW - many of the PHR units will only move 3 inches.It can take them a while to get to a Focus Point unless dropped.
* Expensive - the PHR have some of the most units on the game. They'll have fewer units to fight and contest, despite their blistering arsenal.

Playstyle
Slow and steady wins the race.  The PHR can remove buildings with objectives. They can also make you think twice before infantry move into a building. Falling masonry is a pain.

The Shaltari
The Shaltari are the elder race of the game who have plied the space ways for centuries.  I explain them as the Minbari from Babylon 5 - they are the oldest race, ancient, highly advanced technology, and mysterious in their objectives.  Unlike the Minbari the Shaltari are not unified. They are broken up into different tribes.  Those tribes don't always get along.
 Pros
* Gates - unlike the other races who have dedicated transports for their units the Shaltari have gates. These gates allow them to teleport units back and forth.  The gates are not tied to a specific unit so two different units could potentially use the same gate at some point.
* Passive saves - The Shaltari have point defense systems and shields that can allow them to shrug off a shot.  If you hit a Shaltari unit with passives they make a die roll and if high enough ignore the hit.

Cons
* Expensive - their units pay for the privileged of Gates and passive saves.
* Can get Stuck - the Shaltari cannot teleport objectives off the board. The objectives remain with the gate.  Destroy the Shaltari Gates and their units are stranded and forced to try and walk objectives off the board.

Playstyle
The Shaltari are a fast deploying force who can move whole units from one side of the board to another using their gates. This gives them immense flexibility to handle incursions and help get them get into place to stop enemy infantry from taking objectives.

The Resistance
I know only a little about the Resistance.  When humanity was driven from the Cradle Worlds they became the UCM.  Those who were left behind fled underground and formed their own society.  The Resistance.  The Resistance found that the Scourge could not travel underground very far and moved deep and began to rebuild.  Some remained organized and had social order. Others turned to the their more primal nature and became warlords, the Ferals.

Pros
* high armor and damage points - a lot of the Resistance have thick armor and can take a punch or two
* UCM Plus - the Resistance have access to some UCM units, only they are better
* A drill - since the Resistance are underground they have a drill that can come up anywhere on the battlefield to disgorge units.

Cons
* No countermeasures - the other four races have countermeasures - point defense systems, ablative armor, whatever you want to call it, that means you have to be in a certain range to hit them.  not so with the Resistance.  That UCM railgun that normally only has a 24" range against countermeasured units can strike with impunity anywhere within line-of-site

Playstyle
I'm not sure about the play style, yet. So far I've only seen a handful of BatReps with the Resistance. I'm hoping to go against them soon, however.

There it is - my quick impressions of each of the DZC factions. I'm sure I've left things out or glossed over them.  If you have any comments or questions please let me know!

Dropzone Commander - Not sold on Fast Movers

There are many moving parts in the machine that is Dropzone Commander.  One of those parts is the Fast Mover. The fluff describes Fast Movers as that critical airstrike that takes out a vehicle, building, or hard hitting unit behind enemy lines.  The theory is that the fast mover comes on, strafes the target and obliterates it, then flies off the table and then circles back for another round.  So far I have not seen the Fast Mover worth the points paid.

Fast Movers have some gorgeous models. Above are a pair of UCM Archangels. I didn't paint them - those are shamelessly borrowed from Hawk's website. The idea is when they are activated they will fly on and rain death on other aircraft or soft targets. However there are a few considerations.

1) In all battles I've seen they start in reserve. Translation - while ground units start on readiness and can come onto the board upon their activation. With units in reserve you have to roll on the Reserve Table.  Chances are this unit will not make it onto the table until turn 3 or 4 unless you are very lucky.

2) Even if you do make the Reserves roll you have to check and see if the Fast Mover is ready. Another die roll - and a roll of a 1 and the pilots are joyriding around, having a smoke and a drink, something.  Still more points sitting off the table.

3) If you do make your reserve roll AND you make the readiness check you still have to paint the target (so to speak) set your entry and exit point, and make the run.  If you are against a PHR player they have some nasty AA units. They'll hit on a 4 (and that is with the Reaction fire) and destroy you on a 3.  One Damage Point is pretty flimsy.  Oh, and they have a 24" range so unless you are skimming at 2" and not the normal 6" you have a pretty decent chance of being shot down before you even reach your target. The gun on the Archangel has a 12" range and without the ability to pre-measure you really are pressing your luck.

The PHR Athena - still not painted by me!

I guess some tricks to use are to try and get the enemy AA to fire before you try to activate your Fast Mover but a savvy opponent will leave one ready to blast you out of the sky unless there is an opportunity or reason they cannot.

In the two times I have attempted to use the Fast Movers they have not paid for themselves.  I've seen a couple of games with them used - and even when they were not shot down they did not do much. I've seen a lot of battle reports and the general mantra is "They look great but usually die a gruesome death."

I'll have to check out the Forward Observer rules but so far I am underwhelmed by this aspect of the game.  I NEARLY picked up some archangels until  I actually proxied a pair.  More work will have to be done to get me to commit my hard earned cash to add them to my current army.

What are your thoughts on the Fast Movers?  Have you had any better luck? Any strategies I should try? Hawk took the time to design and write rules for them, I hate to leave them off the table.

Dropzone Commander - the Unboxing

One way that I judge a new game is the introductory boxed set. Some come with a few models, a cheap rulebook, but not enough to really get started.  I knew what I was getting, I had done some research. It's one thing to read about it on another site but totally different when you actually get it. Hawk has done an outstanding job with their two player starter set. enough words - on with the opening!

This is the large and heavy box I got in the mail after ordering the two player starter set.

 With the tape broken and the boxed now open I saw my prize for the first time! I love the cover art.

The back of the box to let you know just what you are getting into.  Oh the excitment!

Pulling back the bubble wrap I'm greeted by plastic sprues. They are gorgeous!  The boxed set comes with three of the same sprue for UCM as well as the Scourge.  This is the full starting force for both UCM and Scourge. Once you assemble your models you can start playing.

You get an extra Bear APC which can be proxied as a Kodiak until you get the actual model. The plastic is sturdy and hard.  All the models have great detail except for the infantry.  I'll live with that since once they are on the table you won't notice the lack of details on them.

Along with the two full starting forces you get ten buildings.  My only complaint was one of the buildings was kind of scrunched.  Hawk might think of a better way to package them, but with a little work and tacky glue I was able to sort it out. As complaints go - another very minor one. The building was still usable.

You also get two large city maps to put together for your battlefield. There are two starter army quick reference sheets that also have the cheat sheets for energy to armor damage ratios. You get a full sheet of tokens for objectives, focal points, possible objectives. You get the blast/landing zone templates.  The big deal here is the FULL Dropzone Commander 1.1 rulebook. The book is beautifully illustrated and contains all of the core races (before the Reconquest expansion) and lots pictures of fully painted miniatures for reference.

But wait - there's more!
On top of the two full starter sets, tokens, buildings, and rulebook you also gets . . .

Ten decently sized D6s and a tape measure. Not some red S&M whip thingy, but an honest to goodness tape measure.  You get all of this for between $75 and $95 depending on how you order your gaming stuff.

This is surely a loss leader for Hawk but it did the job for me.  I got the starter set and then immediately began to formulate the expansion for my UCM army.  Two friends (or even acquaintances) can each get a boxed set and trade one set of models for the other - and you can get about 1100 points for each.


I was hoping they would do an alternate release of the starter set but with PHR and the Shaltari - but I'm happy that they are about to release those starter armies in plastic as well.

Hawk has done a bang up job of providing a starter set that you get everything you need to start the game and play. You have two full and viable forces that you can learn the tricks and tactics of. From there you can begin expanding your army. If you are looking to start Dropzone Commander then the boxed set is a great way to go.

Cha Cha changes

Another big milestone is about to be passed in our lives.  Walker is moving to his biological father's house - full time. No more back and forth. No more of his room being empty half the time. There are a variety of reasons for this decision - the big one he does not want to do chores or pay rent.  I don't think he's ready to be a full time adult yet - so I wish him the best!

I'm of two minds - on the one hand I'm sad that he is moving out.  I've watched him grow from a young child into a young man.  I've watched him mature and learn, and I'm glad to have helped with that.  I've helped shape him into the man he is becoming.  He went to his fathers house for two weeks every summer as a part of the divorce but this will be the first time he'll be gone.

On the other hand I'm glad because we are going to turn his bedroom back into our den. I won't have to be a parent any more!  On the downside I'll be picking up his slack but as Sun pointed out we'd be doing this if he had gone off to college as well.

Right now we're packing up his stuff and getting it ready to move. Some of it is staying. We'll be storing his bed in case this whole thing does not work out.  Some of it will be pitched, some donated, some will go to the garage sale we are planning.

I don't know if I'll have "empty nest syndrome" or something like it. We still have the animals which demand attention and affection. It's also not like we're parting on bad terms. We're not evicting the boy - he chose this.  Granted we didn't fight too hard to stop him.

I guess this chapter of our lives is about to close and the page will turn.  A new chapter is about to begin!

Dropzone Commander

Dropzone Commander is my newest wargamming addiction.  DZC is produced by Hawk Wargames and is a 10mm scale game, meaning that its models are smaller than say those from Warhammer Fantasy or 40K.  It is vastly different than either of those two games and that is one of the reasons I really dig it.

I got seriously into wargames shortly after high school.  I saw Necromunda played and loved the models and the terrain.  That led me to Warhammer 40K.  That in turn led to Mordheim and eventually Warhammer Fantasy.  While I had enjoyed all of those games the fact that Games Workshop completely rewrote the rules every few years and seemed to make (IMO) boneheaded decisions I have since lost interest. That and the cost to get into either game is astronomical any more.

DZC plays differently than many other wargames.  It has an alternating activation sequence - meaning I activate a unit, they do their thing, then you activate a unit, and so on. The turns are very quick and you normally don’t sit around while your opponent moves their entire army.

The rules are tightly written and it’s almost as if they have an actual editor review them for clarity. This is refreshing after having to wade through interpretations in other systems (I’m looking at you GW). There are no spam units - every unit has its purpose and you cannot skimp on one over another.  Most of the missions are objective based - meaning that there is a goal and not just killing as many of your opponents units as you can.   You can destroy many more units than your opponent and still lose if you don’t meet the mission objectives. 

You need infantry to actually capture objectives inside of buildings.   You’ll need transports to move your infantry into position - APC’s and then dropships of some kind to get the APC’s into position.  You will need Anti-Air to shoot down and destroy the dropships.  You then need heavy armor to help destroy the AA.  There is also air support that comes on from one edge of the board, makes its run, and then flies off. The AA is designed for them as well.

If you don’t take enough infantry then you won’t be able to capture objectives.  Take too much infantry and you won’t be able to take as much AA or armor. Too much AA and you can control the skies but you’ll be vulnerable to the main battle tanks. Too much armor and your enemy can fly around you and ignore the deadly firepower.

The models are gorgeous and all to scale. The Condor dropship can be put together in such a way you can show it carrying three tanks or two Bear APC.  The PHR Poseidon can be assembled to show it carrying the walkers into battle.  You can put the Hunter tanks or Invader APC’s onto the Marauder dropship.

The boxed set is a great value as well - for about $75 you get TWO starter armies (UCM and Scourge), the full 1.1 rulebook, not some mini rulebook that has most of it cut. You get cardboard buildings for your battle field, two cityscape maps for the buildings. You get dice, even a tape measure (not some red whippy stick to harass your opponent with).  It’s a great way to get started. The models are plastic and go together easily.

I’ll be providing my views and thoughts on the various factions and units in the future.  Dropzone Commander has reignited my love of wargamming and I’m looking forward to the future with Hawk Wargames!

Updates

I didn't realize just how long it had been since I posted. Over a year. Wow. Real life happened, plus I got lazy.  I'm going to rectify that by a blog post at least once a week. Friday is my scheduled day (I've even set up a reminder in my phone!)

A lot has happened since the last post.  Some good. Some not so good. Shit happens as the saying goes.  Still, I want to get back to writing and trying to get more exposure. Upcoming posts will be about the changes we are going through, projects I am working on, and my new wargame addiction - Dropzone Commander!  I'll be spamming Facebook, G+, and Twitter once new things are up. Feel free to read through and post comments!

Security in an MMO

First off - I'm not talking about the username/password or hacking of an account. I'm talking about the lackeys that the good guys and villains use for their actual security. For example, in World of Warcraft you sneak into a fortress with roaming guards. Unable to sneak by them  you kill them all in a very gruesome manner. It is loud, bloody, and usually over pretty quickly.

Just down the hall there is another group of guards who are so deaf or incompetent that they don't hear or notice that you just murdered their fellow guards. It gets better. The corpses of the guards you just killed are laying out in the open. Another group of guards wanders by and doesn't notice the bodies. Or the bloody footprints that have been tracked away.They don't say "Wow, Jim was alive the last time I saw him," or "I wonder if I should report that Jim and Bob were killed while on patrol." Nope they just keep wandering around and don't sound the alarm.

If you are much higher in level than the guards they will totally ignore you. They'll just wander by probably thinking "If I don't make eye contact maybe they won't kill me like, poor Bob and Jim."

Star Wars the Old Republic is even worse. Here you have some places with advanced communications. Instead of roving patrol number 1 reporting "A Jedi has breached the compound, alert" all the guards do is fight back and usually fall to their grizzly deaths by light saber.

I realize these are games but still!  It's like I've invaded a James Bond Villains underground lair and his henchmen are acting like they are extra's on loan from Dr. Evil. Villains are often some of the most creative characters but in an MMO their Rent-A-Cop security shows why the good guys always seem to win.

No adventure survives contact with the players

If you didn't know I'm a gamer. I've pretty much played it all. Board games. Card games. CCG's. Miniature games. Video games. Computer games. Role Playing Games.  RPG's are amongst my most favorite both playing and running. I've been doing both for the better part of 25 years and I've seen a wide assortment of players.

Some want to just roll dice and kill things. Some want to explore the world. Some want to become their character and immerse themselves.  Some just want to get the hell out of the house and escape their family (I don't judge).  The one thing that they all have in common is the ability to take your well laid adventure and turn it on its head with relative ease.

I enjoy running games. I enjoy the creative process of taking an idea and expanding on it. Map making. NPC creation. I like to think I'm good at it. From the talk of my players they enjoy it, so that's a check in my favor.

My first truly cooked up adventure that I planned for took me about 2 weeks to get together. I don't remember the specifics but it was the first in a multi-year campaign. The adventure  was for West End Games Star Wars.  I had planned the NPC's, their gear, the ships, the over arching goals, and what I thought were the paths the players would take.  I had maps, descriptions, points of interest. I had looked over dozens of pre-generated adventures to get ideas.

I was pumped. Excited. Nervous. It was Game night. I had my GM screen. I had my notes, my maps, my game plan. And within about 30 minutes of the action beginning all my well laid plans went out the airlock. The few subtle hints about where to go went unnoticed (or ignored). I had a player disrupt my bad guy (very cleverly, I might add). What had been planned as a multi-game night story arc was almost neatly wrapped up before midnight. No adventure survives contact with the player.

It was a learning experience to say the least! I learned that copious notes and details are fantastic if you plan to publish your adventure but that in the future I should KISS it. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Oh, I still planned, but most of it was mental. I had an outline of what the goals of the adventure were and some simple notes.  I also learned go off the cuff. To improvise. In some instances to flat out pull it out of my - um, out of thin air.

I also began to ask my players what they wanted. Did they have a particular story arc they wanted their characters to go.  In that I began to tailor my adventures more to the players, trying to avoid the stereotypical tropes that we have all come to know and love. I borrow, emulate, and try to incorporate the best ideas from my fellow GM's.  I do try to plan ahead, knowing what I do about my players, but despite all of that - my adventures still don't survive contact with my players.

The Dresden Files

I've been reading all my life. I've read many different things. Some books I've struggled through, some I've really enjoyed. And then there are some series that I've not been able to put down until I've finished. David Weber's Honor Harrington series was passed around like crack among my friends. We read it and got every new book that came out.  The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher has become my new reading crack.

For those who are not familiar the Dresden Files follow the adventures of Harry Dresden, a modern day wizard and private investigator. That's right, he's a wizard, even says so on his door.  The writing style of the series is hard boiled, first person noir.  It is a detective series told through Dresden's point of view.  He narrates and weaves a compelling tale. Throw in a damsel in distress and some magical bad-ass villains and you have the series. Kind of like Sam Spade but with wands and vampires. You see the world through Harry's eyes, and it isn't always a very pretty picture.  I had never read any detective stories before but these one grabbed my by the shirt, pulled me in, and made me hold on for the ride.

Dresden is a wizard who has led a hard life. He's tall, rail thin, and sports a duster, jeans, and cowboy boots. His trusty staff and blasting rod (think magic wand) are a part of his arsenal, as is the silver pentacle that he uses to focus his magic. He's a sucker for a woman in distress and a connoisseur  of modern geekism and pop culture references.


You learn that magic and monsters are all real. Most people just don't see them because both are hidden in plain sight and usually dismissed.  But the threats are real.  Each novel introduces a new magical concept, from vampires, werewolves, to necromancers.  In every book Harry gets a job as a PI. The jobs are never easy, never as they seem, and Harry usually ends up on the short end of a beating stick.

Magic in the Dresdenverse does not play well with modern technology. Cell phones, computers, modern cars, even microwaves often go on the fritz or even burn out when magic is used around them. Magic is potent and dangerous.

The monsters and fey are not the sanitized versions you see from Disney.  Think the original Grimm's fairy tales mixed crossed with Hannibal Lector. Many of the myths and legends are brought forward and explained. They can be utterly ruthless caring nothing for the sanctity of life.I find the mythology very well researched and interestingly presented.

I discovered Dresden by accident. It was actually through the short lived Sci-Fi channel series. I remember seeing adds for it but never had a chance to sit down and watch it. Alas, it was cancelled. When Hulu first appeared this was one of the shows and I gave it a chance. I was hooked.  The first hit was free, the rest was - not enough. I blew through the series but wanted more.  On a whim I ordered the first three-pack off of Amazon and then the freebasing began.

If you haven't read any of the books go ahead and start with Storm Front.  You can pick it up from just about any bookstore or Amazon.  I'd also recommend the TV-show. If you have Netflix it is streaming! If you like magic, mystery, a dash of daring-do, and no small mix of humor and sarcasm then I think you'll love the Dresdenverse.

Spoiler Alert?!

Maybe it is a sign of me getting older but I am no longer wanting to know everything about a movie or a show before it comes out. With the advent of the internet, digital photos, and the rest it is now all too easy to sneak pictures or script shots off the set. I enjoy the surprise, the mystery, the secret, the unknown of a new movie or show.

Why will you drop $7 to $15 or more to see a movie that you know all the plot points and probably have seen a good chunk of the footage from a spoiler website? What is left to enjoy?  If you spend the entire time waiting for that one scene that you know is coming how much can you truly enjoy the movie?

I guess I'm tired of avoiding so many articles because of the dreaded "Spoiler Alert" that seems to fill so many articles. At least they are courteous enough to put in there. I know it is big business to leak this to the masses, and if there wasn't a market for it then it wouldn't be so rampant. Hell, I've avoided reading the sample chapters that Martin has posted for the next A Song of Fire and Ice novel.

It is a lot easier since I don't have cable. I am not bombarded with commercials or TMZ style shows that blurt out some breaking news.  I also keep my headphones on at work so I miss a lot of the chatter from my fellow geeks who do keep in the know.

Don't get me wrong, I was ecstatic when I heard there will be new Star Wars movies. I am also thrilled that JJ Abrams is going to be helming at least first one because of his sense of secrecy.  He's kept a lot of the new Trek movie close to his vest. Some stills were released, characters, but even the trailers have left you wondering just what the hell is going on. I have also purposely ignored articles that leak script ideas.  I want to go into this fresh, not knowing much, and with as few preconceived notions as I can.

Some things have been revealed.   A lot of the original cast will be back if the reports are correct.  They are known commodities, Luke, Leah, Han. My hope is that they are now in positions of authority and that they are there to hand the reins to a new group of younger smugglers, Jedi, and heroes. I plan to remain as ignorant as I can about it until I see the Star Wars logo and hopefully John Williams Fanfare blaring.

I have nothing against the masses who do want every spoiler that comes out.  I just ask that you don't blurt them out and if you post about them warn those of us who still want a little magic when we go to the movies.

Work in progress rewriting!

A fun and sometimes annoying thing that happens to me in the middle of a story is I get a great idea and then have to work it in. Sometimes this is a minor change, sometimes pretty major. I have done my best to actually plot out my current project, including an outline and even a little flow chart on what would characters do. Still, after waking up after a nice nap or a great night sleep I suddenly have an idea “here is how to do X, or this is something Y would do.” This is especially helpful when I am stuck on an idea. I know what I want to happen just trying to figure out who to make it happen and not look too canned.

I know it is part of the creative processes and you cannot plan for all eventualities.  Luckily the new things that are being integrated are not radically changing my current narrative.  I’ve been using a program called Y-Writer. The program helps you the project into chapters and then down to scenes. That way I can make a change to a particular scene and not have to search some ginormous document. I can find it quickly, edit it, or even delete a scene.  I’m still learning the software but I am using it in conjunction with Word. 

The scary thing is what had started as a short story has turned into a 60,000 word piece and I still have chapters to write. They are plotted out but I have to get this stuff down.  In the meantime I keep reviewing and editing what I do have. It is good to take a little break once in a while and go back with a fresh mind.  My steno pad is invaluable as well since I work on scenes or ideas on my breaks and lunch so I don’t forget them.

I have several other pieces I need to review, update, and finish. I am going to try the self-publishing route at first. Has anyone had any success or suggestions for this? If so please shoot them my way!

What is success in music?

A conversation some co-workers(Galindo and English I'm looking at you) of had a while back what was how do you define success in music? Record sales? Concert ticket sales? Radio Airplay?  How many torrents of your record have been downloaded? All of these things for certain. 

Record sales are obvious. If you can get a record to go gold or platinum then you have gotten people to part with their entertainment money to get your music.  Of course, how many times have you listened to a kick-ass song on the radio, gone out and gotten the disk only to find out that 2 out of 8 songs are great and the rest suck? Too many.  Of course this is where services like iTunes makes that easier allowing you to buy a single track.

Record sales is only one part of it. I guess I should say continuing record sales. Vanilla Ice, New Kids on the Block, and Mili Vanili all solds gobs of records. Ganbusters style.   Everyone I in high school blasted “Ice, Ice Baby” yet are now loathe to admit they ever owned it.  Once the preteen/tween girls grew up NKOTB faded into obscurity.  And we all know the demise of Mili Vanili. One can only hope they invested their money as wisely as Vanilla Ice.

Concert ticket sales are in the same boat as record sales. If the demands to see you perform puts butts in seats then you are doing well.  Not to mention the memorabilia that goes with the concert experience.

If you are selling out stadiums and travelling the world, fantastic. But if you have fallen to playing state fares and cheap dives for beer money then I guess you didn’t have staying power.

Radio airplay is a key as well. It helps get your music out to the masses so that they will go and buy your records, buy your concert tickets, and buy your T-shirts.  If you have good rotation you are in the minds and ears of your fans. You do run the risk of being a one-hit-wonder if they only play one song and ignore the rest of your catalog.

How often is your music downloaded, even illegally?  If someone is going to run the risk of a felony, confiscation of your computer, or impossible to pay fines to pay then you have to make sure that what you are downloading is worth it. Do you really want it to get out that you have to pay a multiple thousand dollar fine for downloading Liza Minnelli or Babs?

Who is covering your music?  New bands born a generation or more after the Beatles, Lez Zepplin, or Queen are covering classic songs.  Some do a dead on cover, others put their spin on it. Some of them are really good, some of them need to be taken out behind the woodshed and beaten severely.  

Are you in Rock Band?   Yes it is a video game. Yes it doesn’t really have much to do with playing real music. But it has helped introduce younger listeners to Black Sabbath, the Beatles, and Aerosmith. When my stepson told me turn up War Pigs because he had heard it on Rock Band then I knew Ozzy would live on forever.

For me, a band is successful if I pull out their CD and listen to it years later. In its entirety, not just one or two tracks, but he full record.  Sure a band might make tons of money but if no one listens to your music anymore and no longer buys your music are you still successful? This also goes back to radio airplay. Yeah you might get played a lot but if it is only one or two songs that are all you will be remembered for. Sure a band might make tons of money but if no one listens to your music anymore and no longer buys your music are you still successful?

Are you embarrassed to have that disk in your collection?  Will you risk the ridicule and mockery if someone goes through your playlist or CD collection? Did you erase the track or destroy the disk to avoid anyone discovering your dark secret? This might not mean much for true success but who wants to be known for being an embarrassment?

 I am very discerning with my entertainment dollars so I have to be sure of what I am buying.  Some music I will buy without listening to first just on the brand name.  I may download a track after hearing a song on the radio but I am very careful before I commit to a new CD.

Success, ultimately, is based upon who you are asking and what metrics you use.  What are your thoughts?

The end of 2012

As 2012 slowly closes I look to the future. 2012 has been a roller-coaster, one helluv a ride.  I survived it so I guess that is all one can ask. We survived the Mayan End of the Age thing, and alas the events of Shadowrun did not occur.

As I get older I realize that New Years Resolutions are done to try and make you feel better. I am going to stop doing something. I will start doing something. Of course, statistically speaking, resolutions will be abandoned at the earliest opportunity. Having typed that, I do think they can help identify things that need change.

I look forward to 2013. It is a clean slate in a lot of aspects. I have dug up some of my old writing and I'm revisiting it and pushing forward. I plan to try the e-publishing thing once I'm ready. A scary step but exciting! We plan to have the tub ready for the heater by tax refund.  My car will be closer to being paid off. The next Hobbit installment! A new Star Trek movie! So many things, plus those not even looked forward to.

Today is the last day of my vacation. Instead of stressing about going back to work, the fiscal cliff, or anything else too negative. I find that people concentrate too much on the negative and don't seize the day. Gods above and below know I am guilty of that.  Bad things are going to happen. I prefer to think about the good things - finding an old friend, getting another project on the house done, spending time with my wife.


As I look to 2013 I am thankful. Thanksgiving officially comes once a year (in the States) but you really should take time to be thankful for what you have more than once a year.  I am thankful for my supporting and loving family. I have a decent job that I don't totally hate (most of the time). I have good friends. I live in a fantastic city.  Can things be better? of course.  But when I think about all I have and read reports about those who have less than I do I realize I have it pretty good.

So how about y'all? What do you all hope for or plan to do in 2013?